Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
Having an Aggregate Offering Price of Up to
$100,000,000

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus relate to the issuance and sale from time to time of common units representing limited partner interests in Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000 through UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P., as our sales agents. These sales, if any, will be made pursuant to the terms of separate equity distribution agreements between us and each of UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P., which have been previously filed as exhibits to a Current Report on Form 8-K that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Sales of common units under the equity distribution agreements, if any, will be made by means of ordinary brokers' transactions through the facilities of the Nasdaq Global Select Market ("NASDAQ") at market prices, in block transactions or as otherwise agreed between us and the sales agents. We will pay UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P. an aggregate fee that will not exceed 2.0% of the gross sales price per unit sold through each of them as agents under the respective equity distribution agreements.

Under the terms of the equity distribution agreements, we also may sell common units to UBS Securities LLC or Knight Capital Americas, L.P. as principals for their own accounts at a price agreed upon at the time of the sale. If we sell common units to UBS Securities LLC or Knight Capital Americas, L.P. as principals, we will enter into a separate terms agreement with UBS Securities LLC or Knight Capital Americas, L.P., as applicable, and we will describe that agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.

Our common units trade on the NASDAQ under the symbol "EROC." On May 29, 2012, the last reported sale price of our common units on the NASDAQ was $8.99 per unit.

Limited partnerships are inherently different than corporations. You should carefully consider each of the factors described under "Risk factors" beginning on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement before you make an investment in our securities.

The net proceeds from any sales under this prospectus supplement will be used as described under "Use of proceeds" in this prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Important notice about information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus

We are providing information to you about this offering of our common units in two separate documents that are bound together: (1) this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering, and (2) the accompanying base prospectus, which provides general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. This prospectus supplement may also add to, update or change information contained in the accompanying base prospectus. If information in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the accompanying base prospectus, you should rely on this prospectus supplement. Generally, when we refer to this "prospectus," we are referring to both documents combined.

You should carefully read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, including the information incorporated by reference herein and therein, before you invest, as these documents contain information you should consider when making your investment decision.

In addition, please note specifically that the disclosures in the sections entitled "Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions," "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions," "The Partnership Agreement," "Description of the Common Units" and "Material Tax Consequences" in the accompanying base prospectus have been amended, supplemented and, in some cases, superseded, by the disclosure contained in Amendment No. 1 to our Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 27, 2010 and in our other subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that are incorporated by reference herein.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus. Neither we, UBS Securities LLC nor Knight Capital Americas, L.P. have authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents or that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

We are not making an offer to sell our common units in any jurisdiction where such offer is not permitted.

None of Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P., UBS Securities LLC or Knight Capital Americas, L.P. or any of their respective representatives is making any representation to you regarding the legality of an investment in our common units by you under applicable laws. You should consult with your own advisors as to legal, tax, business, financial and related aspects of an investment in our common units.

All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this prospectus supplement that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions made by us based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause our actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. We do not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements following the date of this prospectus supplement. These factors include but are not limited to:

recoverable reserves, legal title, regulatory, natural gas administration, marketing and operations factors relating to the extraction of oil and natural gas; and

Other factors described herein or incorporated by reference, as well as factors that are unknown or unpredictable, could also have a material adverse effect on future results. Please read "Risk factors" on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement and Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 (File No. 001-33016), which is incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference, for information regarding risks you should consider before investing in our common units. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we do not intend to update these forward-looking statements and information.

Summary

This summary highlights information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. It does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in the common units. You should read carefully the entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein and the other documents to which we refer herein and therein for a more complete understanding of this offering.

You should pay special attention to the "Risk factors" section beginning on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement and the risk factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" included in Item 1A of Part I of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

For purposes of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, references to "Eagle Rock," the "Partnership," "we," "us," "our" and similar terms refer to Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. and its subsidiaries. References to our "general partner," as the context requires, include either or both of Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC, and Eagle Rock Energy GP, L.P.

EAGLE ROCK ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P

Overview

We are based in the United States and are a domestically-focused, growth-oriented limited partnership engaged in the business of (i) gathering, compressing, treating, processing and transporting natural gas; fractionating and transporting NGLs; crude oil logistics and marketing; and natural gas marketing and trading, which collectively we call our "Midstream Business"; and (ii) developing and producing interests in oil and natural gas properties, which we call our "Upstream Business."

Our objective is to grow our business in a manner that enhances our ability to increase cash distributions to our unitholders. To do so, we focus on achieving operational excellence in our businesses and executing accretive low-risk acquisitions and organic growth opportunities, and we allocate a portion of our cash flows to fund growth-related capital expenditures.

We are uniquely positioned as a publicly-traded partnership, or master limited partnership, that is engaged in both the midstream and upstream sectors of the oil and natural gas value chain. Our diversification broadens our spectrum of potential organic growth and acquisition opportunities, gives us a potential advantage in acquiring asset packages that involve both midstream and upstream assets, and enables us to exploit vertical integration synergies in selected regions of our operations.

Our Midstream Business is located in four significant natural gas producing regions: (i) the Texas Panhandle; (ii) East Texas/Louisiana; (iii) South Texas; and (iv) the Gulf of Mexico. These four regions are productive, mature, natural gas producing basins that have historically experienced significant drilling activity. Our natural gas gathering systems within these regions are comprised of approximately 5,583 miles of natural gas gathering pipelines with approximately 2,800 well connections, 17 natural gas processing plants with approximately 704 MMcf/d of plant processing capacity and 215,719 horsepower of compression. Our Midstream Business averaged 475 MMcf/d of gathered volumes and 388 MMcf/d of processed volumes during 2011.

Our Upstream Business has long-lived, high working interest properties located in four significant oil and natural gas producing regions: (i) Southern Alabama (which includes the associated gathering, processing and treating assets); (ii) Mid-Continent (which includes areas in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas Panhandle and North Texas); (iii) Permian (which includes areas in West Texas); and (iv) East/South Texas and Mississippi. As of December 31, 2011, these working interest properties included 591 gross operated productive wells and 1,197 gross non-operated wells with net production to us of

approximately 87.7 MMcfe/d and proved reserves of approximately 234.0 Bcf of natural gas, 11.5 MMBbls of crude oil, and 11.3 MMBbls of NGLs, of which 76% are proved developed.

Our Principal Executive Offices

Our principal executive offices are located at 1415 Louisiana Street, Suite 2700, Houston, Texas 77002, and our telephone number at that address is (281) 408-1200. Our internet address is www.eaglerockenergy.com. Except for information specifically incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement that may be accessed from our website, the information on our website is not part of this prospectus supplement, and you should rely only on information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement when making a decision as to whether or not to invest in our common units.

Additional Information

For additional information about us, including our partnership structure and management, please refer to the documents set forth under "Where you can find more information" in this prospectus supplement, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2012, each of which is incorporated by reference herein.

The offering


Common Units Offered		Common units having an aggregate offering price of up to $100,000,000.
Use of Proceeds		We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, after deducting the sales agents' commission and our offering expenses, for general partnership purposes, which may include, among other things, repayment of indebtedness, acquisitions, capital expenditures and additions to working capital. Amounts repaid under our credit facility may be reborrowed to fund our ongoing capital program, potential future acquisitions or for general partnership purposes. Please read "Use of proceeds."
Exchange Listing		Our common units are traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol "EROC."
Timing of Distributions		Subject to applicable law, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we will distribute all of our available cash to our unitholders of record on the applicable record date. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions" in the accompanying base prospectus for more information.
Conflicts of Interest		An affiliate of UBS Securities LLC is a lender under our credit facility. To the extent we use proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our credit facility, such affiliate may receive proceeds from this offering. In addition, affiliates of UBS Securities LLC beneficially own approximately 6.1 million of our common units. Please read "Plan of distribution" in this prospectus supplement for further information.
Risk Factors		There are risks associated with this offering and our business. You should consider carefully the risk factors on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement and the other risks identified in the documents incorporated by reference herein before making a decision to purchase common units in this offering.
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences		For a discussion of the material federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States, please read "Material U.S. federal income tax consequences" in this prospectus supplement and "Material Tax Consequences" in the accompanying base prospectus.

An investment in our common units involves risks. You should carefully consider all of the information contained in this prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein as provided under "Where you can find more information," including the risk factors set forth in Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. This prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein also contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Please read "Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements." Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including the risks described below or elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference. If any of these risks occur, our business, financial condition or results of operation could be adversely affected.

The price of our common units may be adversely affected by the future issuance and sale of additional common units, including pursuant to equity distribution agreements, or by our announcement that such issuances and sales may occur.

We cannot predict the size of future issuances or sales of our common units, including those made pursuant to the equity distribution agreements with UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P. or in connection with future acquisitions or capital raising activities, or the effect, if any, that such issuances or sales may have on the market price of our common units. In addition, UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P., as sales agents under the respective equity distribution agreements, will not engage in any transactions that stabilize the price of our common units. The issuance and sale of substantial amounts of common units, including the issuances and sales pursuant to the equity distribution agreements, or announcement that such issuances and sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common units.

We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering, after deducting the sales agents' commission and our offering expenses, for general partnership purposes, which may include, among other things, repayment of indebtedness, acquisitions, capital expenditures and additions to working capital. Amounts repaid under our credit facility may be reborrowed to fund our ongoing capital program, potential future acquisitions or for general partnership purposes.

An affiliate of UBS Securities LLC is a lender under our credit facility. To the extent we use proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our credit facility, such affiliate may receive a portion of the proceeds from this offering. Please read "Plan of distribution—conflicts of interest" in this prospectus supplement for further information.

At May 25, 2012 we had approximately $546.4 million of debt outstanding under our credit facility, with a weighted average interest rate of approximately 2.74%. Our credit facility matures on June 22, 2016. Substantially all of the borrowings were used for capital expenditures, acquisitions or working capital requirements.

The tax consequences to you of an investment in our common units will depend in part on your own tax circumstances. Although this section updates and adds information related to certain tax considerations, it should be read in conjunction with the risk factors included under the caption "Tax Risks to Common Unitholders" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and with "Material Tax Consequences" in the accompanying base prospectus, which provides a discussion of the principal federal income tax consequences associated with our operations and the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common units. The following discussion is limited as described under the caption "Material Tax Consequences" in the accompanying base prospectus. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor about the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences particular to your circumstances.

The anticipated after-tax economic benefit of an investment in our common units depends largely on our being treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. We have not requested a ruling from the IRS with respect to our partnership status. In order to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, at least 90% of our gross income for every taxable year must be from specific qualifying sources, such as the exploration, development, mining or production, processing, refining, transportation, marketing and storage of crude oil, natural gas and products thereof. For a more complete description of this qualifying income requirement, please read "Material Tax Consequences—Partnership Status" in the accompanying base prospectus.

If we were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, we would pay federal income tax on our taxable income at the corporate tax rate, which is currently a maximum of 35%, and would likely pay state income tax at varying rates. Distributions to you would generally be taxed again as corporate distributions, and no income, gains, losses or deductions would flow through to you. Because a tax would be imposed upon us as a corporation, our cash available for distribution to you would be substantially reduced. Therefore, treatment of us as a corporation would result in a material reduction in the anticipated cash flow and after-tax return to the unitholders, likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of our common units.

Under current law, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 35% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than 12 months) of individuals is 15%. However, absent new legislation extending the current rates, beginning January 1, 2013, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rates applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains of individuals will increase to 39.6% and 20%, respectively. Moreover, these rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.

A 3.8% Medicare tax on net investment income earned by individuals, estates and trusts is scheduled to apply for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012. For these purposes, net investment income generally includes a common unitholder's allocable share of our income and gain realized by a common unitholder from a sale of common units. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (1) the common unitholder's net investment income or (2) the amount by which the common unitholder's modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the common unitholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000 (if the common unitholder is married and filing separately) or $200,000 (in any other case). In the case of an estate or trust, the tax will be

imposed on the lesser of (i) undistributed net investment income, or (ii) the excess adjusted gross income over the dollar amount at which the highest income tax bracket applicable to an estate or trust begins.

Subject to the limitations on the deductibility of losses discussed in the accompanying base prospectus and the limitations discussed below, under certain circumstances common unitholders may be entitled to a deduction, herein referred to as the Section 199 deduction, equal to 9% of the lesser of (i) our qualified production activities income or (ii) the common unitolder's taxable income, but not to exceed 50% of such common unitholder's IRS Form W-2 wages for the taxable year allocable to domestic production gross receipts.

The amount of a common unitholder's Section 199 deduction for each year is limited to 50% of the IRS Form W-2 wages actually or deemed paid by the common unitholder during the calendar year that are deducted in arriving at qualified production activities income. Each common unitholder is treated as having been allocated IRS Form W-2 wages from us equal to the common unitholder's allocable share of our wages that are deducted in arriving at qualified production activities income for that taxable year. It is not anticipated that we or our subsidiaries will pay material wages that will be allocated to our common unitholders, and thus a common unitholder's ability to claim the Section 199 deduction may be limited.

A common unitholder's otherwise allowable Section 199 deduction for each taxable year is reduced by 3% of the least of (i) the oil related qualified production activities income of the taxpayer for the taxable year, (ii) the qualified production activities income of the taxpayer for the taxable year, or (iii) the taxpayer's taxable income for the taxable year (determined without regard to any Section 199 deduction). For this purpose, the term "oil related qualified production activities income" means the qualified production activities income attributable to the production, refining, processing, transportation, or distribution of oil, gas, or any primary production thereof. We expect that most or all of our qualified production activities income will consist of oil related qualified production activities income.

The present federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our common units, may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial interpretation at any time. For example, from time to time, members of the U.S. Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships. Currently, one such legislative proposal would eliminate the qualifying income exception upon which we rely for our treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Please read "—Partnership Status" in the accompanying base prospectus. Any modification to the federal income tax laws and interpretations thereof may or may not be applied retroactively. Although we are unable to predict whether any of these changes, or other proposals, will ultimately be enacted, any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our units.

Both the Obama Administration's budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 and other recently proposed legislation would, if enacted, make significant changes to United States tax laws, including the elimination of certain key U.S. federal income tax incentives currently available to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies. These changes include, but are not limited to, (i) the repeal of the percentage depletion allowance for oil and natural gas properties, (ii) the elimination of current deductions for intangible drilling and development costs, (iii) the elimination of the deduction for

certain domestic production activities, and (iv) an extension of the amortization period for certain geological and geophysical expenditures. It is unclear whether these or similar changes will be enacted and, if enacted, how soon any such changes could become effective. The passage of any legislation as a result of these proposals or any other similar changes in U.S. federal income tax laws could eliminate or postpone certain tax deductions that are currently available with respect to oil and natural gas exploration and development, and any such change could increase the taxable income allocable to our common unitholders and negatively impact the value of an investment in our units.

Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a common unitholder, other than a "dealer" in units, on the sale or exchange of a unit will generally be taxable as capital gain or loss. Capital gain recognized by an individual on the sale of common units held for more than 12 months will generally be taxed at a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 15% through December 31, 2012, and 20% thereafter (absent new legislation extending or adjusting the current rate). However, a portion, which will likely be substantial, of this gain or loss will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code to the extent attributable to assets giving rise to depreciation recapture or other "unrealized receivables" or to "inventory items" we own. The term "unrealized receivables" includes potential recapture items, including depreciation depletion, and IDC recapture. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables, inventory items, and depreciation recapture may exceed net taxable gain realized upon the sale of a common unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a common unit. Thus, a common unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and a capital loss upon a sale of common units. Net capital losses may offset capital gains and no more than $3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gains in the case of corporations.

Ownership of common units by tax-exempt entities, including employee benefit plans and individual retirement accounts (known as IRAs), and non-U.S. investors raises issues unique to such persons. Please read "Material Tax Consequences—Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors" in the accompanying base prospectus.

Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:

Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are U.S. persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $100 per failure, up to a maximum of $1.5 million per calendar year, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the common units with the information furnished to us.

The 20% accuracy-related penalty applies to any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to transactions lacking "economic substance." To the extent that such transactions are not disclosed, the penalty imposed is increased to 40%. Additionally, there is no reasonable cause defense to the imposition of this penalty to such transactions.

We have entered into separate equity distribution agreements with each of UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P., under which we may offer and sell common units having an aggregate offering price of up to $100 million from time to time through UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P., as our sales agents. We have filed the equity distribution agreements as exhibits to a Current Report on Form 8-K, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. The sales, if any, of common units made under the equity distribution agreements will be made by means of ordinary brokers' transactions on the NASDAQ at market prices, in block transactions, or as otherwise as agreed upon by the sales agents and us. As sales agents, UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P. will not engage in any transactions that stabilize the price of our common units.

Subject to certain regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other conditions, Knight Capital Americas, L.P. anticipates merging into its broker-dealer affiliate, Knight Execution & Clearing Services LLC, which will thereafter be renamed Knight Capital Americas LLC. This surviving and renamed entity will then become the successor to Knight Capital Americas, L.P., as sales agent under its equity distribution agreement with us.

Under the terms of the equity distribution agreements, we also may sell common units to the sales agents as principals for their own accounts at a price agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell common units to the sales agents, as principals, we will enter into a separate agreement with the applicable sales agent, and we will describe this agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.

We will designate the maximum amount of common units to be sold through the sales agents on a daily basis or otherwise as we and the sales agents agree and the minimum price per common unit at which such common units may be sold. Subject to the terms and conditions of the equity distribution agreements, the sales agents will use their reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the designated common units. We may instruct the sales agents not to sell any common units if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any such instruction. We or the sales agents may suspend the offering of common units at any time and from time to time by notifying each other.

The sales agents will provide to us written confirmation following the close of trading on the NASDAQ each day in which common units are sold under the equity distribution agreements. Each confirmation will include the number of common units sold on that day by each sales agent, the gross sales proceeds and the net proceeds to us (after regulatory transaction fees, if any, but before other expenses). We will report at least quarterly the number of common units sold under the equity distribution agreements, the net proceeds to us (before expenses) and the commissions of the sales agents in connection with the sales of the common units.

We will pay the sales agents a commission of up to 2.0% of the gross sales price per common unit sold through them as our agents under the equity distribution agreements. We plan to report the remaining expenses of the offering payable by us, other than such commissions, on the appropriate periodic report filed with the SEC under the Exchange Act. We have agreed to reimburse the sales agents for certain of their expenses.

Settlement for sales of common units will occur on the third business day following the date on which any sales were made in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.

If we or either sales agent has reason to believe that our common units are no longer an "actively-traded security" as defined under Rule 101(c)(l) of Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that party will promptly notify the other parties and sales of common units

pursuant to the equity distribution agreements or any terms agreement will be suspended until in our collective judgment Rule 101(c)(1) or another exemptive provision has been satisfied.

The offering of common units pursuant to the equity distribution agreements will terminate upon the earlier of (1) the sale of all $100 million of common units subject to the equity distribution agreements or (2) the termination of the equity distribution agreements by us or by UBS Securities LLC or Knight Capital Americas, L.P.

Each of UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P. will act as sales agent on a reasonable efforts basis. In connection with the sale of the common units on our behalf, UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P. may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the compensation paid to UBS Securities LLC and Knight Capital Americas, L.P. may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the sales agents against certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act.

The sales agents and their affiliates have, from time to time, performed, or may in the future perform, various financial advisory and commercial and investment banking services for us and our affiliates, for which they have received or may in the future receive customary compensation and expense reimbursement. An affiliate of UBS Securities LLC is a lender under our credit facility. To the extent we use proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our credit facility, such affiliate may receive proceeds from this offering. In addition, affiliates of UBS Securities LLC beneficially own approximately 6.1 million of our common units.

Because the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA") views the common units offered hereby as interests in a direct participation program, this offering is being made in compliance with Rule 2310 of the FINRA Rules.

In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a relevant member state), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that relevant member state (the relevant implementation date), an offer of securities described in this prospectus supplement may not be made to the public in that relevant member state other than:

provided that no such offer of securities shall require us or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For purposes of this provision, the expression an "offer of securities to the public" in any relevant member state means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the securities, as the expression may be varied in that member state by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that member state, and the expression "Prospectus Directive" means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State, and includes any relevant implementing measure in each relevant member state. The expression "2010 PD Amending Directive" means Directive 2010/73/EU.

We have not authorized and do not authorize the making of any offer of securities through any financial intermediary on their behalf, other than offers made by the underwriters with a view to the final placement of the securities as contemplated in this prospectus supplement. Accordingly, no purchaser of the securities, other than the underwriters, is authorized to make any further offer of the securities on behalf of us or the underwriters.

Our partnership may constitute a "collective investment scheme" as defined by section 235 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) that is not a "recognized collective investment scheme" for the purposes of FSMA (CIS) and that has not been authorized or otherwise approved. As an unregulated scheme, it cannot be marketed in the United Kingdom to the general public, except in accordance with FSMA. This prospectus supplement is only being distributed in the United Kingdom to, and is only directed at:

Our partnership's common units are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such common units will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

An invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of any common units which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement will only be communicated or caused to be communicated in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply to our partnership.

This prospectus supplement is being communicated in Switzerland to a small number of selected investors only. Each copy of this prospectus supplement is addressed to a specifically named recipient

and may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or passed on to third parties. Our common units are not being offered to the public in Switzerland, and neither this prospectus supplement, nor any other offering materials relating to our common units may be distributed in connection with any such public offering. We have not been registered with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA as a foreign collective investment scheme pursuant to Article 120 of the Collective Investment Schemes Act of June 23, 2006 (CISA). Accordingly, our common units may not be offered to the public in or from Switzerland, and neither this prospectus supplement, nor any other offering materials relating to our common units may be made available through a public offering in or from Switzerland. Our common units may only be offered and this prospectus supplement may only be distributed in or from Switzerland by way of private placement exclusively to qualified investors (as this term is defined in the CISA and its implementing ordinance).

This document has not been prepared in accordance with the requirements for a securities or sales prospectus under the German Securities Prospectus Act (Wertpapierprospektgesetz), the German Sales Prospectus Act (Verkaufsprospektgesetz), or the German Investment Act (Investmentgesetz). Neither the German Federal Financial Services Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht—BaFin) nor any other German authority has been notified of the intention to distribute our common units in Germany. Consequently, our common units may not be distributed in Germany by way of public offering, public advertisement or in any similar manner and this document and any other document relating to the offering, as well as information or statements contained therein, may not be supplied to the public in Germany or used in connection with any offer for subscription of our common units to the public in Germany or any other means of public marketing. Our common units are being offered and sold in Germany only to qualified investors which are referred to in Section 3, paragraph 2 no. 1, in connection with Section 2, no. 6, of the German Securities Prospectus Act, Section 8f paragraph 2 no. 4 of the German Sales Prospectus Act, and in Section 2 paragraph 11 sentence 2 no. 1 of the German Investment Act. This document is strictly for use of the person who has received it. It may not be forwarded to other persons or published in Germany.

The offering does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation or an offer to buy our common units in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.

Our common units may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in the Netherlands, other than to qualified investors (gekwalificeerde beleggers) within the meaning of Article 1:1 of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).

The validity of the common units offered in this prospectus supplement will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the sales agents by Latham & Watkins LLP, Houston, Texas.

The consolidated financial statements of Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. as of December 31, 2011, and for the year then ended, and management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011 have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

The audit report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011, contains an explanatory paragraph that states the Partnership acquired all of the outstanding membership interests of CC Energy II L.L.C. and subsidiaries (Crow Creek Energy) during 2011, and management excluded from its assessment of the effectiveness of the Partnership's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011, Crow Creek Energy's internal control over financial reporting as of and for the year ended December 31, 2011. KPMG LLP's audit of internal control over financial reporting of the Partnership also excluded an evaluation of the internal control over financial reporting of Crow Creek Energy.

The 2010 and 2009 consolidated financial statements (before the effects of the retrospective adjustments to the consolidated financial statement disclosures) (not separately presented herein) have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report incorporated by reference from the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 in the Registration Statement. The retrospective adjustments to the 2010 2009 consolidated financial statements have been audited by KPMG LLP. The 2010 and 2009 consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in this Prospectus have been so included in reliance upon the reports of Deloitte & Touche LLP and KPMG LLP given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

The audited consolidated financial statements of CC Energy II L.L.C. as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2010, incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement from Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P.'s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 14, 2011, have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing in giving said report.

The information incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement regarding estimated quantities of proved reserves and their present value is based on estimates of the proved reserves and present values of proved reserves as of December 31, 2011 prepared by Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., independent petroleum engineers. These estimates are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement in reliance upon the authority of the firm as experts in these matters.

We "incorporate by reference" information into this prospectus supplement, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus supplement, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus supplement, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede this information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus supplement.

We incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement the documents listed below:

In addition, we incorporate by reference in this prospectus any future filings made by Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") (excluding any information furnished and not filed with the SEC) prior to the termination of the offering of the common units offered by this prospectus supplement.

You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:

Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P.
Investor Relations
1415 Louisiana Street, Suite 2700
Houston, Texas 77002
(281) 408-1200

Additionally, you may read and copy any documents filed by us at the SEC's public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

We also make available free of charge on our website at www.eaglerockenergy.com our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus supplement.

Eagle Rock Energy Finance Corp. may act as co-issuer of the debt securities, and all other direct or indirect subsidiaries of Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P., other than "minor" subsidiaries as such item is interpreted in securities regulations governing financial reporting for guarantors, may guarantee the debt securities.

Our common units are traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "EROC." We will provide information in the prospectus supplement for the trading market, if any, for any partnership securities, warrants, rights and debt securities we may offer.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer to sell securities we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about those securities and the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus may be used to offer and sell securities only if accompanied by a prospectus supplement. You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement carefully before you invest. You should also read the documents we refer to in the "Where You Can Find More Information" section of this prospectus for information on us and our financial statements.

Limited partnerships are inherently different than corporations. You should carefully consider each of the factors described under "Risk Factors" beginning on page 2 of this prospectus before you make an investment in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") utilizing a "shelf" registration process or continuous offering process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell up to $600,000,000 of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. Each time we offer securities, we will provide you with this prospectus and a prospectus supplement that will describe, among other things, the specific amounts and prices of the securities being offered and the terms of the offering, including, in the case of partnership securities, warrants, rights and debt securities, the specific terms of the securities.

That prospectus supplement may include additional risk factors or other special considerations applicable to those securities and may also add, update, or change information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in that prospectus supplement.

The following information should help you understand some of the conventions used in this prospectus.

We "incorporate by reference" information into this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede this information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 on any Current Report on Form 8-K), including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, until all offerings under this registration statement are completed:

You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:

Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P.
Investor Relations
1415 Louisiana Street, Suite 2700
Houston, Texas 77002
(281) 408-1200

We also make available free of charge on our internet website at http://www.eaglerockenergy.com our Annual Reports on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.

This prospectus may include "forward-looking statements" as defined by the SEC. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this prospectus that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions made by us based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause our actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. We do not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements following the date of this prospectus. For a complete description of these risks, see our risk factors set forth in this prospectus and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and Quarterly Reports for the quarters ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and September 30, 2009, or included in any Annual or Quarterly Report on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q filed after the date of this prospectus, which are incorporated into this prospectus. These factors include but are not limited to:

We are based in the United States and are a domestically-focused, growth-oriented limited partnership engaged in the business of (i) gathering, compressing, treating, processing and transporting natural gas; fractionating and transporting natural gas liquids ("NGLs"); and marketing natural gas, condensate and NGLs, which collectively we call our "Midstream Business"; (ii) acquiring, developing and producing interests in oil and natural gas properties, which we call our "Upstream Business"; and (iii) acquiring and managing fee mineral, overriding royalty and royalty interests, either through direct ownership or through investment in other partnerships, which we call our "Minerals Business."

We are affiliated with Natural Gas Partners, a leading private equity capital source for the energy industry. Natural Gas Partners owns a significant equity position in Eagle Rock Holdings, L.P., which owns 2,338,419 common units, 20,691,495 subordinated units and all of the equity interests in our general partner (directly and through ownership of all equity interests of our general partner's general partner), which holds the incentive distribution rights in us. Historically, we have benefited from increased exposure to acquisition opportunities through our affiliation with Natural Gas Partners, including the consummation of several transactions with portfolio companies of Natural Gas Partners. We expect that our relationship with Natural Gas Partners will continue to provide us with several significant benefits, including increased exposure to acquisition opportunities and access to a significant group of transactional and financial professionals with a successful track record of investing in energy assets. Founded in 1988, Natural Gas Partners represents a $7.2 billion family of investment funds organized to make direct equity investments in private energy enterprises.

Eagle Rock Energy GP, L.P., our general partner, has sole responsibility for conducting our business and for managing our operations. Because our general partner is a limited partnership, its general partner, Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC, which is owned 100% by Eagle Rock Holdings, L.P. (which we sometimes refer to in this prospectus as "Holdings"), conducts our business and operations, and the board of directors and executive officers of Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC make decisions on our behalf. Neither our general partner nor any of its affiliates receive any management fee or other compensation in connection with the management of our business, but they are entitled to reimbursement for all direct and indirect expenses they incur on our behalf.

Neither our general partner nor the board of directors of Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC is elected by our unitholders. Unlike shareholders in a publicly traded corporation, our unitholders are not entitled to elect the directors of Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC. Because of its ownership of a majority interest in Holdings, Natural Gas Partners has the right to elect all of the members of the board of directors of Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC. References herein to the officers or directors of our general partner refer to the officers and directors of Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC. In addition, certain references to our general partner refer to Eagle Rock Energy GP, L.P. and Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC, collectively.

As is common with publicly traded limited partnerships and in order to maximize operational flexibility, we conduct our operations through subsidiaries.

Our principal executive offices are located at 1415 Louisiana Street, Suite 2700, Houston, TX 77002 and our telephone number is (281) 408-1200. Our website is located at www.eaglerockenergy.com. We make our periodic reports and other information filed with or furnished to the SEC, available, free of charge, through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports and other information are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus.

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risk factors together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the information that we have incorporated herein by reference in evaluating an investment in Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. If any of the following risks were actually to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our common units, partnership securities, or debt securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. When we offer and sell any securities pursuant to a prospectus supplement, we may include additional risk factors relevant to such securities in the prospectus supplement.

We hereby incorporate by this reference all of our risk factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and Quarterly Reports for the quarters ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and September 30, 2009, or included in any Annual or Quarterly Report on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q filed after the date of this prospectus, including but not limited to risks relating to our business, risks inherent in an investment in us, and tax risks to common unitholders.

We have a holding company structure in which our subsidiaries conduct our operations and own our operating assets.

We are a holding company, and our subsidiaries conduct all of our operations and own all of our operating assets. We have no significant assets other than the partnership interests and the other equity interests in our subsidiaries. As a result, our ability to make required payments on our debt securities depends on the performance of our subsidiaries and their ability to distribute funds to us. The ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us may be restricted by, among other things, our existing credit facility and applicable state partnership laws and other laws and regulations. If we are unable to obtain the funds necessary to pay the principal amount at the maturity of our debt securities, or to repurchase our debt securities upon an occurrence of a change in control, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as a refinancing of our debt securities. We cannot assure you that we would be able to refinance our debt securities.

We do not have the same flexibility as other types of organizations to accumulate cash which may limit cash available to service our debt securities or to repay them at maturity.

Subject to the limitations on restricted payments contained in the indenture governing our debt securities and in our credit facility and other indebtedness, we distribute all of our "available cash" each quarter to our limited partners and our general partner. "Available cash" is defined in our partnership agreement, and it generally means, for each fiscal quarter, all cash on hand at the end of that quarter:

As a result, we do not accumulate significant amounts of cash and thus do not have the same flexibility as corporations or other entities that do not pay dividends or have complete flexibility regarding the amounts they will distribute to their equity holders. The timing and amount of our

distributions could significantly reduce the cash available to pay the principal, premium (if any) and interest on our debt securities. The board of directors of our managing general partner will determine the amount and timing of such distributions and has broad discretion to establish and make additions to our reserves or the reserves of our operating subsidiaries as it determines are necessary or appropriate.

Although our payment obligations to our unitholders are subordinate to our payment obligations to you, the value of our units will decrease in correlation with decreases in the amount we distribute per unit. Accordingly, if we experience a liquidity problem in the future, we may not be able to issue equity to recapitalize.

The subsidiary guarantees could be deemed fraudulent conveyances under certain circumstances, and a court may try to subordinate or void the subsidiary guarantees.

Under U.S. bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer laws, a guarantee can be voided, or claims under a guarantee may be subordinated to all other debts of that guarantor if, among other things, the guarantor, at the time it incurred the indebtedness evidenced by its guarantee:

In addition, any payment by that guarantor under a guarantee could be voided and required to be returned to the guarantor or to a fund for the benefit of the creditors of the guarantor. The measures of insolvency for purposes of these fraudulent transfer laws will vary depending upon the law applied in any proceeding to determine whether a fraudulent transfer has occurred. Generally, however, a subsidiary guarantor would be considered insolvent if:

Unless otherwise indicated to the contrary in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general partnership purposes, which may include debt repayment, future acquisitions, capital expenditures and additions to working capital.

The table below sets forth the Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges for us for the periods indicated. On October 26, 2006, we completed our initial public offering whereby we became successor to the business of Eagle Rock Pipeline, L.P. As such, the periods ended December 31, 2004 and 2005 reflect the financial results of Eagle Rock Pipeline, L.P., and the periods ended December 31, 2007 and 2008 reflect the financial results of Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P.

For purposes of determining the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings are defined as earnings (loss) from pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for income from equity investees, plus fixed charges and distributed income of equity investees. Fixed charges consist of interest expense on all indebtedness, the amortization of deferred financing costs, interest expense related to the write-off of deferred financing costs and interest associated with operating leases.

You should read the following discussion of our cash distribution policy in conjunction with the specific assumptions included in this section or in the information incorporated into this prospectus. In addition, you should read "Forward-Looking Statements" on page iii and "Risk Factors" starting on page 2 for information regarding statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and certain risks inherent in our business.

For additional information regarding our operating results, you should refer to our financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 and Quarterly Reports for the quarters ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and September 30, 2009, or included in any Annual or Quarterly Reports on Form 10-K or Form 10-Q filed after the date of this prospectus, which are incorporated into this prospectus.

The discussion in this section uses our ownership percentages as of December 31, 2009.

Rationale for Our Cash Distribution Policy. Our cash distribution policy reflects a basic judgment that, generally, our common unitholders will be better served by our distributing our cash available after expenses and reserves rather than retaining it. Because we are not subject to an entity-level federal income tax, we have more cash to distribute to you than would be the case were we subject to tax. Our cash distribution policy is consistent with the terms of our partnership agreement, which requires that we distribute all of our available cash quarterly.

Limitations on Cash Distributions and Our Ability to Change Our Cash Distribution Policy. There is no guarantee that unitholders will receive quarterly distributions from us. Our cash distribution policy may be changed at any time and is subject to certain restrictions, including the following:

Our Ability to Grow is Dependent on Our Ability to Access External Expansion Capital. Our intention is to distribute all of our available cash to our unitholders; however, from time to time Holdings, the holder of our subordinated units, may waive its right to distributions on the subordinated units or our general partner may determine a reduced distribution is necessary. As a result, we expect that we will rely primarily upon external financing sources, including commercial bank borrowings and the issuance of debt and equity securities, to fund our acquisitions and expansion capital expenditures. To the extent we are unable to finance growth externally, our cash distribution policy will significantly impair our ability to grow. In addition, because we generally distribute all of our available cash, our growth may not be as fast as businesses that reinvest their available cash to expand ongoing operations. To the extent we issue additional units in connection with any acquisitions or expansion capital expenditures, the payment of distributions on those additional units may increase the risk that we will be unable to maintain or increase our per unit distribution level. There are no limitations in our partnership agreement or our credit facility on our ability to issue additional units, including units ranking senior to the common units. The incurrence of additional commercial borrowings or other debt to finance our growth strategy would result in increased interest expense, which in turn may impact the available cash that we have to distribute to our unitholders.

Provided we have sufficient available cash and will have in the near term, our board of directors has adopted a policy pursuant to which we will declare a quarterly distribution equal to at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.3625 per common unit, subordinated unit, and general partner unit per complete quarter (or $1.45 per unit per year on an annualized basis), which quarterly distribution will be paid no later than 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter. For the quarters ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and September 30, 2009, our board of directors determined that we did not have sufficient available cash to distribute the minimum quarterly distribution, and reduced the quarterly distribution in each quarter to $0.025 per common unit. We anticipate that our board of directors will continue this strategy until such time as commodity prices impacting our business and the general economy return to levels conducive to increasing the cash distributions to be paid to our unitholders. Our failure to pay the minimum quarterly distribution during the two most recently-completed fiscal quarters and whether we pay the minimum quarterly distribution in the future will be used to determine when the subordination period ends with respect to our subordinated units, described below.

Available cash, for any quarter, consists of all cash on hand at the end of that quarter:

Our ability to make cash distributions pursuant to this policy will be subject to the factors described above under the caption "—Limitations on Cash Distributions and Our Ability to Change Our Cash Distribution Policy."

The subordination period relating to our subordinated units will end on the first business day after we have earned and paid at least $1.45 (the minimum quarterly distribution on an annualized basis) on each outstanding limited partner unit and general partner unit for any three consecutive, non-overlapping four quarter periods ending on or after September 30, 2009.

Alternatively, the subordination period will end on the first business day after we have earned and paid at least $0.5438 per quarter (150% of the minimum quarterly distribution, which is $2.175 on an annualized basis) on each outstanding limited partner unit and general partner unit for any four consecutive quarters ending on or after September 30, 2007.

In addition, the subordination period will end if our general partner is removed without cause and the units held by our general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of such removal. When the subordination period ends, all remaining subordinated units will convert into common units on a one-for-one basis, and the common units will no longer be entitled to arrearages. Please read the "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Subordination Period."

If distributions on our common units are not paid with respect to any fiscal quarter at the minimum distribution rate, our unitholders will not be entitled to receive such payments in the future except that, to the extent we have available cash in any future quarter during the subordination period in excess of the amount necessary to make cash distributions to holders of our common units at the minimum distribution rate, we will use this excess available cash to pay these deficiencies related to prior quarters before any cash distribution is made to holders of subordinated units. For the three months ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and September 30, 2009, we did not pay the full minimum quarterly distribution amount. With the payment of the third quarter distribution on November 13, 2009, the cumulative common unit arrearage increased to $1.0125 per common unit. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Subordination Period."

We do not have a legal obligation to pay distributions at our minimum distribution rate or at any other rate except as provided in our partnership agreement. Our distribution policy is consistent with the terms of our partnership agreement, which requires that we distribute all of our available cash quarterly. Our general partner has the authority to determine the amount of our available cash for any quarter. Our partnership agreement provides that certain determinations made by our general partner in its capacity as our general partner, including determinations of available cash and expenses and the establishment of reserves, must be made in good faith and that such determination will not be subject to any other standard imposed by our partnership agreement, the Delaware limited partnership statute or any other law, rule or regulation or principles of equity. Our partnership agreement provides that, in order for a determination by our general partner to be made in "good faith," our general partner must believe that the determination is in our best interests. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions."

The provisions of our partnership agreement relating to our cash distribution policy may not be modified or repealed without amending our partnership agreement; however, the actual amount of our cash distributions for any quarter is subject to fluctuations based on the amount of cash we generate from our business and the amount of reserves our general partner establishes in accordance with our partnership agreement as described above.

Our general partner is entitled to 1.09% of all distributions that we make prior to our liquidation. The general partner's 1.09% interest in these distributions may be reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not elect to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 1.09% general partner interest.

We will pay our distributions on or about the 15th of each February, May, August and November to holders of record on or about the 7th of each such month. If the distribution date does not fall on a business day, we will make the distribution on the business day immediately preceding the indicated distribution date.

Set forth below is a summary of the significant provisions of our partnership agreement that relate to cash distributions.

General. Our partnership agreement requires that, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute all of our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.

Definition of Available Cash. Available cash, for any quarter, consists of all cash on hand at the end of that quarter:

Intent to Distribute the Minimum Quarterly Distribution. To the extent we have sufficient cash from our operations after establishment of cash reserves and payment of fees and expenses, including payments to our general partner, we intend to distribute to the holders of common units and subordinated units on a quarterly basis at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.3625 per unit, or $1.45 per year. In making the distribution decision for the first, second and third quarters of 2009, however, our board of directors determined that we did not have sufficient available cash to distribute the minimum quarterly distribution, and reduced the quarterly distribution in each quarter to $0.025 per common unit to establish cash reserves (as against available cash) for the proper conduct of our business and to enhance our ability to remain in compliance with financial covenants under our revolving credit facility in future periods. The cash not distributed has been used to reduce our outstanding debt under our revolving credit facility. Future cash not distributed will be used to reduce our outstanding debt, to continue the execution of our hedge strategy to maintain future cash flows and/or to fund growth capital expenditures. We anticipate that the board of directors will continue this strategy until such time as commodity prices impacting our business and the general economy return to levels conducive to increasing the cash distributions to be paid to our unitholders.

There is no guarantee that we will pay the minimum quarterly distribution on the units in any quarter. Even if our cash distribution policy is not modified or revoked, the amount of distributions paid under our policy and the decision to make any distribution is determined by our general partner, taking into consideration the terms of our partnership agreement. We anticipate that we will be prohibited from making any distributions to unitholders if it would cause an event of default, or an event of default is existing, under our credit agreement. Please read "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Capital Requirements—Revolving Credit Facility" in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, for a discussion of the restrictions included in our credit agreement that may restrict our ability to make distributions.

General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights. As of December 31, 2009, our general partner is entitled to 1.09% of all quarterly distributions that we make prior to our liquidation. This general partner interest is represented by 844,551 general partner units. Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its current general partner interest. The general partner's 1.09% interest in these distributions may be reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 1.09% general partner interest.

Our general partner also currently holds incentive distribution rights that entitle it to receive increasing percentages, up to a maximum of 48%, of the cash we distribute from operating surplus (as defined below) in excess of $0.4169 per unit per quarter in addition to its general partner interest. The maximum distribution of 48% does not include any distributions that our general partner may otherwise receive on units that it owns, including the general partner units.

Holdings, which owns all of the equity interests in our general partner (either directly or through ownership of all of the equity interests in our general partner's general partner), has assigned a 39.39% economic interest in the incentive distribution rights to Montierra Minerals & Production, L.P.

General. All cash distributed to unitholders will be characterized as either "operating surplus" or "capital surplus." Our partnership agreement requires that we distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available cash from capital surplus.

Any increase in operating surplus pursuant to the first bullet point under the caption "—Operating Surplus" above in respect of an increase in the quarterly distribution rate per unit, an increase in the number of units outstanding or other action with respect to outstanding units shall only be effective from and after the quarter in which such increase or other action occurs, and shall not be effective retroactively. In addition, the maximum amount included in operating surplus pursuant to such first bullet point during the term of the partnership shall not exceed four times the amount needed for any one quarter to pay a distribution on all of our units (including general partner units) and the incentive distribution rights at the highest distribution rate per unit (as adjusted for any split or combination of units) paid on outstanding units as of the date such determination is made.

Maintenance capital expenditures represent capital expenditures made to replace partially or fully depreciated assets, to maintain the existing production levels or operating capacity of our assets and to extend their useful lives, or other capital expenditures that are incurred in maintaining existing equity or system volumes and related cash flows. Growth capital expenditures represent capital expenditures made to expand or to increase the efficiency of the existing production or operating capacity of our assets or to expand the operating capacity or revenues of existing or new assets, whether through construction or acquisition. Costs for repairs and minor renewals to maintain facilities in operating condition and that do not extend the useful life of existing assets or lease operating costs associated with our upstream operations will be treated as operations and maintenance expenses as we incur them. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner determines how to allocate a capital expenditure for the acquisition or expansion of our assets between maintenance capital expenditures and expansion capital expenditures.

Characterization of Cash Distributions. Our partnership agreement requires that we treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since the closing of our initial public offering equals the operating surplus as of the most recent date of determination of available cash. Our partnership agreement requires that we treat any amount distributed in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, as capital surplus. As reflected above, operating surplus includes an amount equal to four times the amount needed for any one quarter for us to pay a distribution on all of our units (including the general partner units and restricted common units granted under our Long Term Incentive Plan) and the incentive distribution rights at the same per-unit amount as was distributed in the immediately preceding quarter. This amount does not reflect actual cash on hand that is available for distribution to our unitholders. Rather, it is a provision that will enable us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus up to this amount of cash we receive in the future from non-operating sources, such as borrowings, issuances of securities, and asset sales, that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus. The characterization of cash distributions as operating surplus versus capital surplus does not result in a different impact to unitholders for federal tax purposes. Please read "Material Tax Consequences—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Distributions" for a discussion of the tax treatment of cash distributions.

General. Our partnership agreement provides that, during the subordination period (which we define below), the common units have the right to receive distributions of available cash from operating surplus each quarter in an amount equal to $0.3625 per common unit, which amount is defined in our partnership agreement as the minimum quarterly distribution, plus any arrearages in the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units from prior quarters, before any distributions of available cash from operating surplus may be made on the subordinated units. For the three months ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and September 30, 2009, we did not pay the full minimum quarterly distribution amount. With the payment of the third quarter distribution on November 13, 2009, the cumulative common unit arrearage increased to $1.0125 per common unit. These units are deemed "subordinated" because for a period of time, referred to as the subordination period, the subordinated units will not be entitled to receive any distributions until the common units have received the minimum quarterly distribution plus any arrearages from prior quarters. Furthermore, no arrearages will be paid on the subordinated units. The practical effect of the subordinated units is to increase the likelihood that during the subordination period there will be available cash to be distributed on the common units.

Subordination Period. The subordination period will extend until the first business day after each of the following tests are met:

Alternatively, the subordination period will end the first business day after the following tests are met:

When the subordination period ends, each outstanding subordinated unit will convert into one common unit and will then participate pro-rata with the other common units in distributions of available cash. Further, if the unitholders remove our general partner other than for cause and no units held by our general partner and its affiliates are voted in favor of such removal:

Adjusted Operating Surplus. Adjusted operating surplus is intended to reflect the cash generated from operations during a particular period and therefore excludes net drawdowns of reserves of cash generated in prior periods. Adjusted operating surplus consists of:

Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus during the Subordination Period

Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter during the subordination period in the following manner (assuming a 1.09% general partner interest):

The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 1.09% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus after the Subordination Period

Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter after the subordination period in the following manner (assuming a 1.09% general partner interest):

The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 1.09% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will be entitled to 1.09% of all distributions, as of December 31, 2009, that we make prior to our liquidation. Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 1.09% general partner interest if we issue additional units. Our general partner's 1.09% interest, and the percentage of our cash distributions to which it is entitled, may be proportionately reduced as we issue additional units in the future and as our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us in order to maintain its then current general partner interest. Our general partner will be entitled to make a capital contribution in order to maintain its then current general partner interest in the form of the contribution to us of common units based on the current market value of the contributed common units.

Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage (13%, 23% and 48%) of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. Our general partner currently holds the incentive distribution rights, but may transfer these rights separately from its general partner interest, subject to restrictions in the partnership agreement.

The following discussion assumes that the general partner maintains its 1.09% general partner interest, that there are no arrearages on common units and that the general partner continues to own the incentive distribution rights.

The following table illustrates the percentage allocations of available cash from operating surplus between the unitholders and our general partner based on the specified target distribution levels. The amounts set forth under "Marginal Percentage Interest in Distributions" are the percentage interests of our general partner and the unitholders in any available cash from operating surplus we distribute up to and including the corresponding amount in the column "Total Quarterly Distribution Per Unit," until available cash from operating surplus we distribute reaches the next target distribution level, if any. The percentage interests shown for the unitholders and the general partner for the minimum quarterly distribution are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the minimum quarterly distribution. The percentage interests set forth below for our general partner include its 1.09% general partner interest and assume our general partner has contributed any additional capital to maintain its 1.09% general partner interest and has not transferred its incentive distribution rights.

How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made. Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner (assuming a 1.09% general partner interest):

Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus. Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price from the initial public offering, which is a return of capital. The initial public offering price less any distributions of capital surplus per unit is referred to as the "unrecovered initial unit price." Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced in the same proportion as the corresponding reduction in the unrecovered initial unit price. Because distributions of capital surplus will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution after any of these distributions are made, it may be easier for the general partner to receive incentive distributions and for the subordinated units to convert into common units. However, any distribution of capital surplus before the unrecovered initial unit price is reduced to zero cannot be applied to the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution or any arrearages.

Once we distribute capital surplus on a unit issued in our initial public offering in an amount equal to the initial unit price, our partnership agreement specifies that the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced to zero. Our partnership agreement specifies that we then make all future distributions from operating surplus, with 50% being paid to the holders of units and 50% to the general partner. The percentage interests shown for our general partner assumes its 1.09% general partner interest and assume the general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.

Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels

In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our units into fewer units or subdivide our units into a greater number of units, our partnership agreement specifies that the following items will be proportionately adjusted:

For example, if a two-for-one split of the common units should occur, the minimum quarterly distribution, the target distribution levels and the unrecovered initial unit price would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level, the number of common units issuable during the subordination period without unitholder vote would double and each subordinated unit would be convertible into two common units. Our partnership agreement provides that we not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.

In addition, if legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by a governmental taxing authority, so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, our partnership agreement specifies that the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels for each quarter may be reduced by multiplying each distribution level by a fraction, the numerator of which is available cash for that quarter and the denominator of which is the sum of available cash for that quarter plus the general partner's estimate of our aggregate liability for the quarter for such income taxes payable by reason of such legislation or interpretation. To the extent that the actual tax liability differs from the estimated tax liability for any quarter, the difference will be accounted for in subsequent quarters.

General. If we dissolve in accordance with the partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to the unitholders and the general partner, in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.

The allocations of gain and loss upon liquidation are intended, to the extent possible, to entitle the holders of outstanding common units to a preference over the holders of outstanding subordinated units upon our liquidation, to the extent required to permit common unitholders to receive their unrecovered initial unit price plus the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which liquidation occurs plus any unpaid arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units. However, there may not be sufficient gain upon our liquidation to enable the holders of common units to fully recover all of these amounts, even though there may be cash available for distribution to the holders of subordinated units. Any further net gain recognized upon liquidation will be allocated in a manner that takes into account the incentive distribution rights of the general partner.

Manner of Adjustments for Gain. The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in the partnership agreement. If our liquidation occurs before the end of the subordination period, we will allocate any gain to the partners in the following manner (assuming a 1.09% general partner interest):

The percentage interests set forth above for our general partner assume its 1.09% general partner interest and assume the general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.

If the liquidation occurs after the end of the subordination period, the distinction between common units and subordinated units will disappear, so that clause (3) of the second bullet point above and all of the third bullet point above will no longer be applicable.

Manner of Adjustments for Losses. If our liquidation occurs before the end of the subordination period, we will generally allocate any loss to the general partner and the unitholders in the following manner (assuming a 1.09% general partner interest):

If the liquidation occurs after the end of the subordination period, the distinction between common units and subordinated units will disappear, so that all of the first bullet point above will no longer be applicable.

Adjustments to Capital Accounts. Our partnership agreement requires that we make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units. In this regard, our partnership agreement specifies that we allocate any unrealized and, for tax purposes, unrecognized gain or loss resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and the general partner in the same manner as we allocate gain or loss upon liquidation. In the event that we make positive adjustments to the capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units, our partnership agreement requires that we allocate any later negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from the issuance of additional units or upon our liquidation in a manner which results, to the extent possible, in the general partner's capital account balances equaling the amount which they would have been if no earlier positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made.

Conflicts of interest exist and may arise in the future as a result of the relationships between our general partner and its affiliates (for purposes of this section, including Eagle Rock Holdings, L.P. and its owners and Montierra Minerals & Production, L.P. and its owners) on the one hand, and our partnership and our limited partners, on the other hand. The directors and officers of Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC have fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner beneficial to its owners. At the same time, Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC and our general partner have a fiduciary duty to manage our partnership in a manner beneficial to us and our unitholders.

Whenever a conflict arises between our general partner or its affiliates, on the one hand, and us or any other partner, on the other hand, our general partner will resolve that conflict. Our partnership agreement contains provisions that modify and limit our general partner's fiduciary duties to our unitholders. Our partnership agreement also restricts the remedies available to unitholders for actions taken that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty.

Our general partner will not be in breach of its obligations under the partnership agreement or its fiduciary duties to us or our unitholders if the resolution of the conflict is:

Our general partner may, but is not required to, seek the approval of such resolution from the conflicts committee of its board of directors. In connection with a situation involving a conflict of interest, any determination by our general partner involving the resolution of the conflict of interest must be made in good faith, provided that, if our general partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee and its board of directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the third and fourth bullet points above, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the board of directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. Unless the resolution of a conflict is specifically provided for in our partnership agreement, our general partner or the conflicts committee may consider any factors it determines in good faith to consider when resolving a conflict. When our partnership agreement provides that someone act in good faith, it requires that person to reasonably believe he is acting in the best interests of the partnership.

Conflicts of interest could arise in the situations described below, among others.

Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will be restricted from engaging in any business activities other than those incidental to its ownership of interests in us. Except as provided in our partnership agreement, the owners of our general partner are not prohibited from engaging in,

and are not required to offer us the opportunity to engage in, other businesses or activities, including those that might be in direct competition with us.

Our general partner and its affiliates are allowed to take into account the interests of parties other than us in resolving conflicts of interest.

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that reduce the standards to which our general partner would otherwise be held by state fiduciary duty law. For example, our partnership agreement permits our general partner to make a number of decisions in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner. This entitles our general partner and its affiliates to consider only the interests and factors that it desires, and it has no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of, or factors affecting, us, our affiliates or any limited partner. Examples include its limited call right, its voting rights with respect to the units it owns, its registration rights and its determination whether or not to consent to any merger or consolidation of the partnership.

We will not have any employees and will rely on the employees of Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC and its affiliates.

Affiliates of our general partner and Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC may conduct businesses and activities of their own in which we will have no economic interest. If these separate activities are significantly greater than our activities, there could be material competition for the time and effort of the officers and employees who provide services to Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC and its affiliates.

In addition to limiting its liability and reducing its fiduciary duties, our general partner has also restricted the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that, without such limitations, might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duty.

In addition to the provisions described above, our partnership agreement contains provisions that restrict the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duty. For example, our partnership agreement:

Except in limited circumstances, our general partner has the power and authority to conduct our business without unitholder approval.

Under our partnership agreement, our general partner has full power and authority to do all things, other than those items that require unitholder approval or with respect to which our general partner has sought conflicts committee approval, on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct our business including, but not limited to, the following:

Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner must act in "good faith" when making decisions on our behalf, and our partnership agreement further provides that in order for a determination by our general partner to be made in "good faith," our general partner must believe that the determination is in our best interests. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Voting Rights" for information regarding matters that require unitholder approval.

Our general partner determines the amount and timing of asset purchases and sales, capital expenditures, borrowings, issuance of additional partnership securities and the creation, reduction or increase of reserves, each of which can affect the amount of cash that is distributed to our unitholders.

The amount of cash that is available for distribution to unitholders is affected by decisions of our general partner regarding such matters as:

In addition, our general partner may use an amount, as of the date of this prospectus equal to $126.7 million, which would not otherwise constitute available cash from operating surplus, in order to permit the payment of cash distributions on its units and incentive distribution rights. All of these actions may affect the amount of cash distributed to our unitholders and the general partner and may facilitate the conversion of subordinated units into common units. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions."

In addition, borrowings by us and our affiliates do not constitute a breach of any duty owed by the general partner to our unitholders, including borrowings that have the purpose or effect of:

For example, in the event we have not generated sufficient cash from our operations to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on our common units and our subordinated units, our partnership agreement permits us to borrow funds, which would enable us to make this distribution on all outstanding units. Please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Related to Cash Distributions—Subordination Period."

Our partnership agreement provides that we and our subsidiaries may borrow funds from our general partner and its affiliates. Our general partner and its affiliates may not borrow funds from us, our operating company, or its operating subsidiaries.

Our general partner determines which costs incurred by it or Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC are reimbursable by us.

We will reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for costs incurred in managing and operating us, including costs incurred in rendering corporate staff and support services to us. The partnership agreement provides that our general partner will determine the expenses that are allocable to us in good faith.

Our partnership agreement does not restrict our general partner from causing us to pay it or its affiliates for any services rendered to us or entering into additional contractual arrangements with any of these entities on our behalf.

Our partnership agreement allows our general partner to determine, in good faith, any amounts to pay itself or its affiliates for any services rendered to us. Our general partner may also enter into additional contractual arrangements with any of its affiliates on our behalf. Neither our partnership agreement nor any of the other agreements, contracts or arrangements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other hand, that went into effect as of the closing of our initial public offering were the result of arm's-length negotiations. Similarly, agreements, contracts or arrangements between us and our general partner and its affiliates that are entered into in the future will not be required to be negotiated on an arm's-length basis; although, in some circumstances, our general partner may determine that the conflicts committee of our general partner may make a determination on our behalf with respect to one or more of these types of situations.

Our general partner and its affiliates will have no obligation to permit us to use any facilities or assets of our general partner or its affiliates, except as may be provided in contracts entered into specifically dealing with that use. There is no obligation of our general partner or its affiliates to enter into any contracts of this kind.

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

Our general partner intends to limit its liability under contractual arrangements so that the other party has recourse only to our assets, and not against our general partner or its assets. The partnership agreement provides that any action taken by our general partner to limit its liability is not a breach of our general partner's fiduciary duties, even if we could have obtained more favorable terms without the limitation on liability.

Our general partner may exercise its right to call and purchase common units if it and its affiliates own more than 80% of the common units.

Our general partner may exercise its right to call and purchase common units as provided in the partnership agreement or assign this right to one of its affiliates or to us. Our general partner is not bound by fiduciary duty restrictions in determining whether to exercise this right. As a result, a common unitholder may have his common units purchased from him at an undesirable time or price. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Limited Call Right."

Common unitholders will have no right to enforce obligations of our general partner and its affiliates under agreements with us.

Any agreements between us on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, will not grant to the unitholders, separate and apart from us, the right to enforce the obligations of our general partner and its affiliates in our favor.

Our general partner decides whether to retain separate counsel, accountants or others to perform services for us.

The attorneys, independent accountants and others who have performed services for us regarding these offerings have been retained by our general partner. Attorneys, independent accountants and others who perform services for us are selected by our general partner and may perform services for our general partner and its affiliates. We may retain separate counsel for ourselves or the holders of common units in the event of a conflict of interest between our general partner and its affiliates, on the one hand, and us or the holders of common units, on the other, depending on the nature of the conflict. We do not intend to do so in most cases.

Our general partner is accountable to us and our unitholders as a fiduciary. Fiduciary duties owed to unitholders by our general partner are prescribed by law and the partnership agreement. The Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, which we refer to in this prospectus as the Delaware Act, provides that Delaware limited partnerships may, in their partnership agreements, modify, restrict or expand the fiduciary duties otherwise owed by a general partner to limited partners and the partnership.

Our partnership agreement contains various provisions modifying and restricting the fiduciary duties that might otherwise be owed by our general partner. We have adopted these restrictions to allow our general partner or its affiliates to engage in transactions with us that would otherwise be prohibited by state-law fiduciary duty standards and to take into account the interests of other parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. We believe this is appropriate and necessary because our general partner's board of directors will have fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner beneficial to its owners, as well as to you. Without these modifications, the general partner's ability to make decisions involving conflicts of interest would be restricted. The modifications to the fiduciary standards enable the general partner to take into consideration all parties involved in the proposed action, so long as the resolution is fair and reasonable to us. These modifications also enable our general partner to attract and retain experienced and capable directors. These modifications are detrimental to our common unitholders because they restrict the remedies available to unitholders for actions that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty, as described below, and permit our general partner to take into account the interests of third parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. The following is a

summary of the material restrictions of the fiduciary duties owed by our general partner to the limited partners:


State-law fiduciary duty standards		Fiduciary duties are generally considered to include an obligation to act in good faith and with due care and loyalty. The duty of care, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally require a general partner to act for the partnership in the same manner as a prudent person would act on his own behalf. The duty of loyalty, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally prohibit a general partner of a Delaware limited partnership from taking any action or engaging in any transaction where a conflict of interest is present.
		The Delaware Act generally provides that a limited partner may institute legal action on behalf of the partnership to recover damages from a third party where a general partner has refused to institute the action or where an effort to cause a general partner to do so is not likely to succeed. In addition, the statutory or case law of some jurisdictions may permit a limited partner to institute legal action on behalf of himself and all other similarly situated limited partners to recover damages from a general partner for violations of its fiduciary duties to the limited partners.
Partnership agreement modified standards		Our partnership agreement contains provisions that waive or consent to conduct by our general partner and its affiliates that might otherwise raise issues about compliance with fiduciary duties or applicable law. For example, our partnership agreement provides that when our general partner is acting in its capacity as our general partner, as opposed to in its individual capacity, it must act in "good faith' and will not be subject to any other standard under applicable law. In addition, when our general partner is acting in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner, it may act without any fiduciary obligation to us or the unitholders whatsoever. These standards reduce the obligations to which our general partner would otherwise be held.
		In addition to the other more specific provisions limiting the obligations of our general partner, our partnership agreement further provides that our general partner and its officers and directors will not be liable for monetary damages to us, our limited partners or assignees for errors of judgment or for any acts or omissions unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that the general partner or its officers and directors acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct.


		Special provisions regarding affiliated transactions. Our partnership agreement generally provides that affiliated transactions and resolutions of conflicts of interest not involving a vote of unitholders and that are not approved by the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner must be:
		• on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or
		• "fair and reasonable" to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us).
		If our general partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee and its board of directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the bullet points above, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the board of directors, which may include board members affected by the conflict of interest, acted in good faith and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. These standards reduce the obligations to which our general partner would otherwise be held.

By purchasing our common units, each common unitholder automatically agrees to be bound by the provisions in the partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above. This is in accordance with the policy of the Delaware Act favoring the principle of freedom of contract and the enforceability of partnership agreements. The failure of a limited partner or assignee to sign a partnership agreement does not render the partnership agreement unenforceable against that person.

We must indemnify our general partner and its officers, directors, managers and certain other specified persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by our general partner or these other persons. We must provide this indemnification unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that these persons acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. We must also provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings unless our general partner or these other persons acted with knowledge that their conduct was unlawful. Thus, our general partner could be indemnified for its negligent acts if it meets the requirements set forth above. To the extent these provisions purport to include indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is contrary to public policy and, therefore, unenforceable. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Indemnification."

The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. The form of our partnership agreement is filed as Exhibit 3.1 on our current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 31, 2006. We will provide prospective investors with a copy of our partnership agreement upon request at no charge.

We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:

Our purpose under the partnership agreement is limited to any business activity that is approved by our general partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law; provided, that our general partner shall not cause us to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that the general partner determines would cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes.

Although our general partner has the ability to cause us and our subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the business of acquiring, drilling and producing crude oil, condensate and natural gas; the business of gathering, compressing, treating, processing, transporting and selling natural gas and the business of transporting and selling NGLs, our general partner has no current plans to do so and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. Our general partner is authorized in general to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.

Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a unit from a unitholder, by accepting the common unit, automatically grants to our general partner and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance or dissolution. The power of attorney also grants our general partner the authority to amend, and to make consents and waivers under, our partnership agreement.

Our partnership agreement specifies the manner in which we will make cash distributions to holders of our common units and other partnership securities as well as to our general partner in respect of its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights. For a description of these

cash distribution provisions, please read "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions."

Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under "—Limited Liability."

Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 1.09% general partner interest if we issue additional units. Our general partner's interest, and the percentage of our cash distributions to which it is entitled, will be proportionately reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its general partner interest. Our general partner will be entitled to make a capital contribution in order to maintain its general partner interest in the form of the contribution to us of common units based on the current market value of the contributed common units.

The following is a summary of the unitholder vote required for the matters specified below. Matters requiring the approval of a "unit majority" require:

In voting their common and subordinated units, our general partner and its affiliates will have no fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners.


Issuance of additional units		No approval right.
Amendment of the partnership agreement		Certain amendments may be made by the general partner without the approval of the unitholders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a unit majority. Please read "—Amendment of the Partnership Agreement."
Merger of our partnership or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets		Unit majority in certain circumstances. Please read "—Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets."
Dissolution of our partnership		Unit majority. Please read "—Termination and Dissolution."
Continuation of our business upon dissolution		Unit majority. Please read "—Termination and Dissolution."
Withdrawal of the general partner		Under most circumstances, the approval of a majority of the common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, is required for the withdrawal of our general partner prior to September 30, 2016 in a manner that would cause a dissolution of our partnership. Please read "—Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner."


Removal of the general partner		Not less than 66²/3% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates. Please read "—Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner."
Transfer of the general partner interest		Our general partner may transfer all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest in us without a vote of our unitholders to an affiliate or another person in connection with its merger or consolidation with or into, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets, to such person. The approval of a majority of the common units, excluding common units held by the general partner and its affiliates, is required in other circumstances for a transfer of the general partner interest to a third party prior to September 30, 2016. See "—Transfer of General Partner Units."
Transfer of ownership interests in our general partner		No approval required at any time. Please read "—Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner."

Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Act and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of the partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital he is obligated to contribute to us for his common units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:

constituted "participation in the control" of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as the general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us who reasonably believe that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither the partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against the general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of the general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for this type of a claim in Delaware case law.

Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Act, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the

obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except that such person is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.

Our subsidiaries conduct business in three states and we may have subsidiaries that conduct business in other states in the future. Maintenance of our limited liability as a limited partner of the operating partnership may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the operating partnership conducts business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there.

Limitations on the liability of limited partners for the obligations of a limited partner have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our partnership interest in our operating partnership or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any state without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace the general partner, to approve some amendments to the partnership agreement, or to take other action under the partnership agreement constituted "participation in the control" of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as the general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that the general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.

Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our general partner without the approval of the unitholders.

It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units, subordinated units or other partnership securities. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional common units or other partnership securities may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.

In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership securities that, as determined by our general partner, may have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled. In addition, our partnership agreement does not prohibit the issuance by our subsidiaries of equity securities, which may effectively rank senior to the common units.

Upon issuance of additional partnership securities (other than the issuance of partnership securities issued in connection with a reset of the incentive distribution target levels relating to our general partner's incentive distribution rights or the issuance of partnership securities upon conversion of outstanding partnership securities), our general partner will be entitled, but not required, to make additional capital contributions to the extent necessary to maintain its general partner interest in us. Our general partner's interest in us will be reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its general partner interest. Moreover, our general partner will have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units, subordinated units or other partnership securities whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those securities to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the percentage interest of the general partner and its affiliates, including such interest represented by common units and subordinated units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. The holders of common units will not have preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership securities.

General. Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, our general partner is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a unit majority.

The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in any of the clauses above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting together as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates). As of December 31, 2009, our general partner and its affiliates owned approximately 46.4% of the outstanding common and subordinated units, including unvested restricted common units currently outstanding under our 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

No Unitholder Approval. Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner or assignee to reflect:

In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner if our general partner determines that those amendments:

Opinion of Counsel and Unitholder Approval. Our general partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners or result in our being treated as an entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments. No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting as a single class unless

we first obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners.

In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action is required to be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.

A merger, consolidation or conversion of us requires the prior consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interest of us or the limited partners.

In addition, the partnership agreement generally prohibits our general partner without the prior approval of the holders of a unit majority, from causing us to, among other things, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation or other combination, or approving on our behalf the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of our subsidiaries. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without that approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without that approval. Finally, our general partner may consummate any merger without the prior approval of our unitholders if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters, the transaction would not result in a material amendment to the partnership agreement, each of our units will be an identical unit of our partnership following the transaction, and the partnership securities to be issued do not exceed 20% of our outstanding partnership securities immediately prior to the transaction.

If the conditions specified in the partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner may convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey all of our assets to, a newly formed entity if the sole purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters, and the governing instruments of the new entity provide the limited partners and the general partner with the same rights and obligations as contained in the partnership agreement. The unitholders are not entitled to dissenters' rights of appraisal under the partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets or any other similar transaction or event.

We will continue as a limited partnership until terminated under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:

Upon a dissolution under the last clause above, the holders of a unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement by appointing as a successor general partner an entity approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that:

Upon our dissolution, unless we are continued as a new limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner that are necessary or appropriate to liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as described in "Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation." The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners.

Except as described below, our general partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as our general partner prior to September 30, 2016 without obtaining the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by the general partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. On or after September 30, 2016, our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days' written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. Notwithstanding the information above, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days' notice to the limited partners if at least 50% of the outstanding common units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates other than the general partner and its affiliates. In addition, the partnership agreement permits our general partner in some instances to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in us without the approval of the unitholders. Please read "—Transfer of General Partner Units" and "—Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights."

Upon withdrawal of our general partner under any circumstances, other than as a result of a transfer by our general partner of all or a part of its general partner interest in us, the holders of a unit majority, voting as separate classes, may select a successor to that withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within a specified period after that withdrawal, the holders of a unit majority agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner. Please read "—Termination and Dissolution."

Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 66²/3% of the outstanding units, voting together as a single class, including units

held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units voting as a separate class, and subordinated units, voting as a separate class. The ownership of more than 33¹/3% of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates would give them the practical ability to prevent our general partner's removal. As of December 31, 2009, our general partner and its affiliates owned 46.4% of the outstanding common and subordinated units, including unvested restricted common units currently outstanding under our 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan.

Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by the general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal:

In the event of removal of a general partner under circumstances where cause exists or withdrawal of a general partner where that withdrawal violates our partnership agreement, a successor general partner will have the option to purchase the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights of the departing general partner for a cash payment equal to the fair market value of those interests. Under all other circumstances where a general partner withdraws or is removed by the limited partners, the departing general partner will have the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner and its incentive distribution rights for fair market value. In each case, this fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing general partner and the successor general partner. If no agreement is reached, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the departing general partner and the successor general partner will determine the fair market value. Or, if the departing general partner and the successor general partner cannot agree upon an expert, then an expert chosen by agreement of the experts selected by each of them will determine the fair market value.

If the option described above is not exercised by either the departing general partner or the successor general partner, the departing general partner's general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights will automatically convert into common units equal to the fair market value of those interests as determined by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected in the manner described in the preceding paragraph.

In addition, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred for the termination of any employees employed by the departing general partner or its affiliates for our benefit.

Except for transfer by our general partner of all, but not less than all, of its general partner units to:

Our general partner and its affiliates may at any time, transfer units to one or more persons, without unitholder approval, except that they may not transfer subordinated units to us.

At any time, Eagle Rock Holdings, L.P. and its affiliates may sell or transfer all or part of its partnership interests in our general partner, or its membership interest in Eagle Rock Energy G&P, LLC, the general partner of our general partner, to an affiliate or third party without the approval of our unitholders.

Our general partner or its affiliates or a subsequent holder may transfer its incentive distribution rights to an affiliate of the holder (other than an individual) or another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of such holder with or into another entity, the sale of all of the ownership interest in the holder or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets to, that entity without the prior approval of the unitholders; provided that, in the case of the sale of ownership interests in the holder, the initial holder of the incentive distribution rights continues to remain the general partner following such sale. Prior to September 30, 2016, other transfers of incentive distribution rights will require the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates. On or after September 30, 2016, the incentive distribution rights will be freely transferable.

Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove Eagle Rock Energy GP, L.P. as our general partner or otherwise change our management. If any person or group other than our general partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group that acquires the units from our general partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by our general partner or to any person or group who acquires the units with the prior approval of the board of directors of our general partner.

Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by our general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal:

If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the then-issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the limited partner interests of the class held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by our general partner, on at least 10 but not more than 60 days notice. The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:

Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, record holders of units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited.

Our general partner does not anticipate that any meeting of unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the unitholders may be taken either at a meeting of the unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of the unitholders may be called by our general partner or by unitholders owning at least 20% of the outstanding units of the class for which a meeting is proposed. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called represented in person or by proxy will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.

Each record holder of a unit has a vote according to his percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Please read "—Issuance of Additional Securities." However, if at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of our general partner or its affiliates, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the units may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes. Common units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the

beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise. Except as our partnership agreement otherwise provides, subordinated units will vote together with common units and as a single class.

Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.

By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Except as described under "—Limited Liability," the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions.

If we are or become subject to federal, state or local laws or regulations that, in the reasonable determination of our general partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property that we have an interest in because of the nationality, citizenship or other related status of any limited partner, we may redeem the units held by the limited partner at their current market price. In order to avoid any cancellation or forfeiture, our general partner may require each limited partner to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or related status. If a limited partner fails to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or other related status within 30 days after a request for the information or our general partner determines after receipt of the information that the limited partner is not an eligible citizen, the limited partner may be treated as a non-citizen assignee. A non-citizen assignee, is entitled to an interest equivalent to that of a limited partner for the right to share in allocations and distributions from us, including liquidating distributions. A non-citizen assignee does not have the right to direct the voting of his units and may not receive distributions in-kind upon our liquidation.

Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:

Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our partnership agreement.

Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner in connection with operating our business. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. The general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.

Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.

We will furnish or make available to record holders of common units, within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 90 days after the close of each quarter.

We will furnish each record holder of a unit with information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is expected to be furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to unitholders will depend on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his federal and state tax liability and filing his federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with information.

Our partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:

Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes in good faith is not in our best interests or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.

Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any common units, subordinated units or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates or their assignees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available. These registration rights continue for two years following any withdrawal or removal of Eagle Rock Energy GP, L.P. as general partner. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and fees.

The common units and the subordinated units are separate classes of limited partner interests in us. The holders of units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the relative rights and preferences of holders of common units and subordinated units in and to partnership distributions, please read this section and "Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions." For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read "The Partnership Agreement."

Duties. American Stock Transfer & Trust Company serves as registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units except the following that must be paid by unitholders:

There is no charge to unitholders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.

Resignation or Removal. The transfer agent may resign, by notice to us, or be removed by us. The resignation or removal of the transfer agent will become effective upon our appointment of a successor transfer agent and registrar and its acceptance of the appointment. If no successor has been appointed and has accepted the appointment within 30 days after notice of the resignation or removal, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.

A transferee will become a substituted limited partner of our partnership for the transferred common units automatically upon the recording of the transfer on our books and records. Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.

We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder's rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.

Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfers of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units.

Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.

In connection with the closing of our initial public offering, on October 24, 2006, we entered into a registration rights agreement with Holdings in connection with its contribution to us of all of its limited and general partner interests in Eagle Rock Pipeline. In the registration rights agreement, we agreed, for the benefit of Holdings, to register the common units it holds, the common units issuable upon conversion of the subordinated units it holds, and any common units or other equity securities issuable in exchange for the common units and subordinated units it holds.

In connection with the closing of the acquisition of certain assets from Montierra Minerals & Production, L.P. ("Montierra"), an affiliate of Natural Gas Partners, and NGP-VII Income Co-Investment Opportunities, L.P. ("Co-Invest"), on April 30, 2007, we entered into registration rights agreements with Montierra and Co-Invest. In the registration rights agreements, we agreed, for the benefit of Montierra and Co-Invest, to register the common units they hold, the common units issuable upon conversion of the subordinated units that they hold and any common units or other equity securities issuable in exchange for the common units and subordinated units they hold. We have registered for resale the common units related to this transaction.

Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited partner interests and other equity securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our general partner in its sole discretion without the approval of any limited partners.

It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.

In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we also may issue additional partnership interests that, in the sole discretion of our general partner, have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled.

Upon issuance of additional partnership interests, our general partner may make, but is not required to make, additional capital contributions in us. If our general partner chooses not to make an additional capital contribution equal to its percentage interest, such interest will be reduced to reflect its percentage of the total capital contributed.

The following is a description of the general terms and provisions of our partnership securities. The particular terms of any series of partnership securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and the amendment to our partnership agreement, if necessary, relating to that series of partnership securities, which will be filed as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in this prospectus at or before the time of issuance of any such series of partnership securities. If so indicated in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any such series may differ from the terms set forth below.

Our general partner is authorized to approve the issuance of one or more series of partnership securities without further authorization of the limited partners and to fix the number of securities, the designations, rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions of any such series.

The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the number of securities, particular designation, relative rights and preferences and the limitations of any series of partnership securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered. The particular terms of any such series will include the following:

Partnership securities will be fully paid and non-assessable when issued upon full payment of the purchase price therefor. The prospectus supplement will contain, if applicable, a description of the material United States federal income tax consequences relating to the purchase and ownership of the series of partnership securities offered by the prospectus supplement. The transfer agent, registrar and distributions disbursement agent for the partnership securities will be designated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may issue warrants for the purchase of common units, partnership securities, or debt securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with other securities and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants. A copy of the warrant agreement will be filed with the SEC in connection with any offering of warrants. The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants will describe the terms of the warrants, including, among other things, the following:

Each warrant will entitle the holder of the warrant to purchase at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the number or principal amount of securities being offered. Holders may exercise warrants at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date or on specified dates set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants are void unless the expiration date is otherwise extended in accordance with the terms of the applicable warrants. Holders may exercise warrants as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants being offered. Until you exercise your warrants to purchase securities, you will not have any rights as a holder of such securities, as the case may be, by virtue of your ownership of warrants.

We may issue rights to purchase common units, partnership securities, warrants, or debt securities. These rights may be issued independently or together with any other security offered hereby and may or may not be transferable by the person purchasing or receiving the rights in such offering. In connection with any offering of such rights, we may enter into a standby arrangement with one or more underwriters or other purchasers pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any securities remaining unsubscribed for after such offering.

We will enter into a rights agent agreement with a bank or trust company, as rights agent. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the certificates relating to the rights and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights. A copy of the rights certificates relating to each series of rights will be filed with the SEC. The prospectus supplement relating to a particular offering of rights will describe the terms of the rights, including, among other things, the following:

Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. may issue debt securities in one or more series, and Eagle Rock Energy Finance Corp. may be a co-issuer of one or more series of debt securities. Eagle Rock Energy Finance Corp. is wholly-owned by Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P., and has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of debt securities. Its activities will be limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto. When used in this section "Description of the Debt Securities," the terms "we," "us," "our" and "issuers" refer jointly to Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. and Eagle Rock Energy Finance Corp., and the terms "Eagle Rock Energy Partners" and "Eagle Rock Finance" refer strictly to Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. and Eagle Rock Energy Finance Corp., respectively.

If we offer senior debt securities, we will issue them under a senior indenture. A form indenture is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We have not restated the indenture in its entirety in this description. You should read the relevant indenture because it, and not this description, controls your rights as holders of the debt securities. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the indenture.

Specific Terms of Each Series of Debt Securities in the Prospectus Supplement

A prospectus supplement and a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

We may offer and sell debt securities, including original issue discount debt securities, at a substantial discount below their principal amount. The prospectus supplement will describe special U.S. federal income tax and any other considerations applicable to those securities. In addition, the prospectus supplement may describe certain special U.S. federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any debt securities that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.

If specified in the prospectus supplement respecting a series of debt securities, our subsidiaries specified in the prospectus supplement will unconditionally guarantee to each holder and the Trustee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of that series when and as the same become due and payable, whether at stated maturity, upon redemption or repurchase, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise. If a series of debt securities is guaranteed, such series will be guaranteed by all wholly-owned subsidiaries other than "minor" subsidiaries as such term is interpreted in securities regulation governing financial reporting for guarantors. The prospectus supplement will describe any limitation on the maximum amount of any particular guarantee and the conditions under which guarantees may be released.

Each indenture will, in general, allow us to consolidate or merge with or into another domestic entity. It will also allow each issuer to sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to another domestic entity. If this happens, the remaining or acquiring entity must assume all of the issuer's responsibilities and liabilities under the indenture including the payment of all amounts due on the debt securities and performance of the issuer's covenants in the indenture.

However, each indenture will impose certain requirements with respect to any consolidation or merger with or into an entity, or any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of an issuer's assets, including:

The remaining or acquiring entity will be substituted for the issuer in the indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture, and the issuer will be relieved from any further obligations under the indenture.

Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions that protect the holders of the debt securities in the event of a change of control of us or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, whether or not such transaction results in a change of control of us.

We may supplement or amend an indenture if the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series issued under the indenture affected by the supplement or amendment consent to it. Further, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive past defaults under the indenture and compliance by us with our covenants with respect to the debt securities of that series only. Those holders may not, however, waive any default in any payment on any debt security of that series or compliance with a provision that cannot be supplemented or amended without the consent of each holder affected. Without the consent of each outstanding debt security affected, no modification of the indenture or waiver may:

We may supplement or amend an indenture without the consent of any holders of the debt securities in certain circumstances, including:

"Event of Default," when used in an indenture, will mean any of the following with respect to the debt securities of any series:

An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities will not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under an indenture. The Trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default (except in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest) if it considers such withholding of notice to be in the best interests of the holders.

If an Event of Default for any series of debt securities occurs and continues, the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of the series may declare the entire principal of, and accrued interest on, all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. If this happens, subject to certain conditions, the holders of a majority in the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series can rescind the declaration.

Other than its duties in case of a default, a Trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under either indenture at the request, order or direction of any holders, unless the holders offer the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity. If they provide this reasonable security or indemnification, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of any series of debt securities may direct the

time, method and place of conducting any proceeding or any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any power conferred upon the Trustee, for that series of debt securities.

The indenture will not limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue, unless we indicate otherwise in a prospectus supplement. The indenture will allow us to issue debt securities of any series up to the aggregate principal amount that we authorize.

We will issue debt securities of a series only in registered form, without coupons, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.

Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, the debt securities will be issued only in principal amounts of $1,000 each or integral multiples of $1,000.

None of the past, present or future partners, incorporators, managers, members, directors, officers, employees, unitholders or stockholders of either issuer, the general partner of Eagle Rock Energy Partners or any guarantor will have any liability for the obligations of the issuers or any guarantor under the indenture or the debt securities or for any claim based on such obligations or their creation. Each holder of debt securities by accepting a debt security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the debt securities. The waiver may not be effective under federal securities laws, however, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.

The Trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar under each indenture. The issuers may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of debt securities, and the issuers or any of their subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.

If a holder of debt securities has given wire transfer instructions to the issuers, the issuers will make all payments on the debt securities in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on the debt securities will be made at the corporate trust office of the Trustee, unless the issuers elect to make interest payments by check mailed to the holders at their addresses set forth in the debt security register.

The Trustee and any paying agent will repay to us upon request any funds held by them for payments on the debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment as general creditors.

Debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount and the same terms but in different authorized denominations in accordance with the indenture. Holders may present debt securities for exchange or registration of transfer at the office of the registrar. The registrar will effect the transfer or exchange when it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. We will not charge

a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities. We may, however, require the payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable for that registration.

The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other senior and unsubordinated debt. The senior debt securities will be effectively subordinated, however, to all of our secured debt to the extent of the value of the collateral for that debt. We will disclose the amount of our secured debt in the prospectus supplement.

The debt securities of a particular series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates that will be deposited with the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York ("DTC"), and registered in the name of DTC's nominee, Cede & Co. This means that we will not issue certificates to each holder. Instead, one or more global debt securities will be issued to DTC, who will keep a computerized record of its participants (for example, your broker) whose clients have purchased the debt securities. The participant will then keep a record of its clients who purchased the debt securities. Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for a certificated debt security, a global debt security may not be transferred, except that DTC, its nominees and their successors may transfer a global debt security as a whole to one another.

Beneficial interests in global debt securities will be shown on, and transfers of beneficial interests in global debt securities will be made only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.

DTC has provided us the following information: DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a "banking organization" within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the United States Federal Reserve System, a "clearing corporation" within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a "clearing agency" registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. DTC holds securities that its participants ("Direct Participants") deposit with DTC. DTC also records the settlement among Direct Participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through computerized records for Direct Participants' accounts. This eliminates the need to exchange certificates. Direct Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations.

DTC's book-entry system is also used by other organizations such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that work through a Direct Participant. The rules that apply to DTC and its Direct Participants are on file with the SEC.

DTC is owned by a number of its Direct Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., The American Stock Exchange, Inc. and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.

We will wire all payments on the global debt securities to DTC's nominee. We and the Trustee will treat DTC's nominee as the owner of the global debt securities for all purposes. Accordingly, we, the Trustee and any paying agent will have no direct responsibility or liability to pay amounts due on the global debt securities to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities.

It is DTC's current practice, upon receipt of any payment on the global debt securities, to credit Direct Participants' accounts on the payment date according to their respective holdings of beneficial interests in the global debt securities as shown on DTC's records. In addition, it is DTC's current practice to assign any consenting or voting rights to Direct Participants whose accounts are credited with debt securities on a record date, by using an omnibus proxy. Payments by Direct Participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities, and voting by Direct Participants, will be governed by the customary practices between the Direct Participants and owners of beneficial interests, as is the case with debt securities held for the account of customers registered in "street name." However, payments will be the responsibility of the Direct Participants and not of DTC, the Trustee or us.

Debt securities represented by a global debt security will be exchangeable for certificated debt securities with the same terms in authorized denominations only if:

Each indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding debt securities of any series issued thereunder, when:

The debt securities of a particular series will be subject to legal or covenant defeasance to the extent, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in the prospectus supplement.

Each indenture and all of the debt securities will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

We will enter into the Indentures with a trustee that is qualified to act under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and with any other trustees chosen by us and appointed in a supplemental indenture for a particular series of debt securities. We will identify in the applicable prospectus supplement, the trustee for each series of debt securities and will file an application with the SEC under the Trust Indenture Act to qualify the trustee.

If the trustee has or acquires a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the trustee shall either eliminate its conflicting interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and the applicable Indenture. Any resignation will require the appointment of a successor trustee under the applicable Indenture in accordance with the terms and conditions of such Indenture.

The trustee may resign or be removed by us with respect to one or more series of debt securities and a successor trustee may be appointed to act with respect to any such series. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series may remove the trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series.

Each Indenture will contain certain limitations on the right of the trustee, in the event that it becomes a creditor of an issuer, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise.

The trustee is required to submit an annual report to the holders of the debt securities regarding, among other things, the trustee's eligibility to serve as such, the priority of the trustee's claims regarding certain advances made by it, and any action taken by the trustee materially affecting the debt securities.

Each Indenture will provide that, in addition to other certificates or opinions that may be specifically required by other provisions of an Indenture, every application by us for action by the trustee shall be accompanied by a certificate of certain of our officers and an opinion of counsel (who may be our counsel) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with by us.

This section is a summary of the material tax considerations that may be relevant to prospective common unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. counsel to the general partner and us, insofar as it relates to legal conclusions with respect to matters of U.S. federal income tax law. This section is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Internal Revenue Code"), existing and proposed Treasury regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code (the "Treasury Regulations") and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Later changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to "us" or "we" are references Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. and our operating company.

The following discussion does not comment on all federal income tax matters affecting us or our common unitholders. Moreover, the discussion focuses on common unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and has only limited application to corporations, estates, trusts, nonresident aliens or other common unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, foreign persons, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts (REITs) or mutual funds. Accordingly, we encourage each prospective common unitholder to consult, and depend on, his own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of common units.

No ruling has been or will be requested from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") regarding any matter affecting us or prospective common unitholders. Instead, we will rely on opinions of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsel's best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any contest of this sort with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for the common units and the prices at which the common units trade. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, principally legal, accounting and related fees, will result in a reduction in cash available for distribution to our common unitholders and our general partner and thus will be borne indirectly by our common unitholders and our general partner. Furthermore, the tax treatment of us, or of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions. Any modifications may or may not be retroactively applied.

All statements as to matters of law and legal conclusions, but not as to factual matters, contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and are based on the accuracy of the representations made by us.

For the reasons described below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific federal income tax issues: (1) the treatment of a common unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units (please read "—Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership—Treatment of Short Sales"); (2) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read "—Disposition of Common Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees"); (3) whether percentage depletion will be available to a unitholder or the extent of the percentage depletion deduction available to any unitholder (please read "—Tax Treatment of Operations—Oil and Natural Gas Taxation—Depletion Deductions"); (4) whether the deduction related to U.S. production activities will be available to a unitholder or the extent of such deduction to any unitholder (please read "—Tax Treatment of Operations—Oil and Natural Gas Taxation—Deduction for U.S. Production Activities"); and (5) whether our method for depreciating Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read "—Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election").

A partnership is not a taxable entity and incurs no federal income tax liability. Instead, each partner of a partnership is required to take into account his share of items of income, gain, loss and deduction of the partnership in computing his federal income tax liability, regardless of whether cash distributions are made to him by the partnership. Distributions by a partnership to a partner are generally not taxable to the partnership or the partner unless the amount of cash distributed to him is in excess of the partner's adjusted basis in his partnership interest.

Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that publicly traded partnerships will, as a general rule, be taxed as corporations. However, an exception, referred to as the "Qualifying Income Exception," exists with respect to publicly traded partnerships of which 90% or more of the gross income for every taxable year consists of "qualifying income." Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the exploration, development, mining or production, processing, refining, transportation, marketing and storage of crude oil, natural gas and products thereof. Other types of qualifying income include interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 1% of our current gross income does not constitute qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based upon and subject to this estimate, the factual representations made by us and our general partner and a review of the applicable legal authorities, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that at least 90% of our current gross income constitutes qualifying income. The portion of our income that is qualifying income may change from time to time.

No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS and the IRS has made no determination as to our status as a partnership federal income tax purposes or whether our operations generate "qualifying income" under Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. on such matters. It is the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. that, based upon the Internal Revenue Code, its regulations, published revenue rulings and court decisions and the representations described below, we will be classified as a partnership and our operating company will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes.

In rendering its opinion, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied include:

We believe that these representations have been true in the past and expect that these representations will be true in the future.

If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our common unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as if we had transferred all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly

formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation, and then distributed that stock to the common unitholders in liquidation of their interests in us. This deemed contribution and liquidation should be tax-free to common unitholders and us so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.

If we were treated as an association taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on our tax return rather than being passed through to our common unitholders, and our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. In addition, any distribution made to a common unitholder would be treated as either taxable dividend income, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable return of capital, to the extent of the common unitholder's tax basis in his common units, or taxable capital gain, after the common unitholder's tax basis in his common units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, taxation as a corporation would result in a material reduction in a common unitholder's cash flow and after-tax return and thus would likely result in a substantial reduction of the value of the common units.

The discussion below is based on Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.'s opinion that we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

Common Unitholders who have become limited partners of Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. will be treated as partners of Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. for federal income tax purposes. Also:

will be treated as partners of Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. for federal income tax purposes. As there is no direct or indirect controlling authority addressing the federal tax treatment of assignees of common units who are entitled to execute and deliver transfer applications and thereby become entitled to direct the exercise of attendant rights, but who fail to execute and deliver transfer applications, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.'s opinion does not extend to these persons. Furthermore, a purchaser or other transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application may not receive some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of common units unless the common units are held in a nominee or street name account and the nominee or broker has executed and delivered a transfer application for those common units.

A beneficial owner of common units whose common units have been transferred to a short seller to complete a short sale would appear to lose his status as a partner with respect to those common units for federal income tax purposes. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership—Treatment of Short Sales."

Income, gain, deductions or losses would not appear to be reportable by a common unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes, and any cash distributions received by a common unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes would therefore appear to be fully taxable as ordinary income. These holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to their tax consequences of holding our common units.

The references to "unitholders" in the discussion that follows are to persons who are treated as partners in Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. for federal income tax purposes.

Flow-Through of Taxable Income. We will not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each common unitholder will be required to report on his income tax return his share of our income, gains, losses and deductions without regard to whether we make cash distributions to him. Consequently, we may allocate income to a common unitholder even if he has not received a cash distribution. Each common unitholder will be required to include in income his allocable share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year ending with or within his taxable year. Our taxable year ends on December 31.

Treatment of Distributions. Distributions by us to a common unitholder generally will not be taxable to the common unitholder for federal income tax purposes, except to the extent the amount of any such cash distribution exceeds his tax basis in his common units immediately before the distribution. Our cash distributions in excess of a common unitholder's tax basis generally will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of the common units, taxable in accordance with the rules described under "—Disposition of Common Units" below. Any reduction in a common unitholder's share of our liabilities for which no partner, including the general partner, bears the economic risk of loss, known as "nonrecourse liabilities," will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that common unitholder. To the extent our distributions cause a common unitholder's "at-risk" amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year, he must recapture any losses deducted in previous years. Please read "—Limitations on Deductibility of Losses."

A decrease in a common unitholder's percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional common units will decrease his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash. This deemed distribution may constitute a non-pro rata distribution. A non-pro rata distribution of money or property may result in ordinary income to a common unitholder, regardless of his tax basis in his common units, if the distribution reduces the common unitholder's share of our "unrealized receivables," including recapture of intangible drilling costs, depletion and depreciation, and/or substantially appreciated "inventory items," both as defined in Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code, and collectively, "Section 751 Assets." To that extent, he will be treated as having been distributed his proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and then having exchanged those assets with us in return for the non-pro rata portion of the actual distribution made to him. This latter deemed exchange will generally result in the common unitholder's realization of ordinary income, which will equal the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the common unitholder's tax basis (generally zero) for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.

Basis of Common Units. A common unitholder's tax basis for his common units will be the amount he paid for the common units plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be increased by his share of our income and by any increases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions from us, by the unitholder's share of our losses, by depletion deductions taken by him to the extent such deductions do not exceed his proportionate share of the adjusted tax basis of the underlying producing properties, by any decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities and by his share of our expenditures that are not deductible in computing taxable income and are not required to be capitalized. A common unitholder will have no share of our debt that is recourse to our general partner, but will have a share, generally based on his share of profits, of our nonrecourse liabilities. Please read "—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."

Limitations on Deductibility of Losses. The deduction by a common unitholder of his share of our losses will be limited to the tax basis in his common units and, in the case of an individual common unitholder, estate, trust, or corporate common unitholder (if more than 50% of the value of the corporate common unitholder's stock is owned directly or indirectly by or for five or fewer individuals or some tax-exempt organizations) to the amount for which the common unitholder is considered to be "at risk" with respect to our activities, if that is less than his tax basis. A common unitholder subject to these limitations must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause his at-risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a common unitholder or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction to the extent that his at-risk amount is subsequently increased, provided such losses do not exceed such common unitholders' tax basis in his common units. Upon the taxable disposition of a common unit, any gain recognized by a common unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at-risk limitation but may not be offset by losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at-risk limitation in excess of that gain would no longer be utilizable.

In general, a common unitholder will be at risk to the extent of the tax basis of his common units, excluding any portion of that basis attributable to his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, reduced by (i) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or other similar arrangement and (ii) any amount of money he borrows to acquire or hold his common units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to the common unitholder or can look only to the common units for repayment. A common unitholder's at-risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax basis of the common unitholder's common units increases or decreases, other than tax basis increases or decreases attributable to increases or decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Moreover, a unitholder's at risk amount will decrease by the amount of the unitholder's depletion deductions and will increase to the extent of the amount by which the unitholder's percentage depletion deductions with respect to our property exceed the unitholder's share of the tax basis of that property.

The at-risk limitation applies on an activity-by-activity basis, and in the case of oil and gas properties, each property is treated as a separate activity. Thus, a taxpayer's interest in each oil or gas property is generally required to be treated separately so that a loss from any one property would be limited to the at-risk amount for that property and not the at-risk amount for all the taxpayer's oil and gas properties. It is uncertain how this rule is implemented in the case of multiple oil and gas properties owned by a single entity treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. However, for taxable years ending on or before the date on which further guidance is published, the IRS will permit aggregation of oil or gas properties we own in computing a unitholder's at-risk limitation with respect to us. If a unitholder were required to compute his at-risk amount separately with respect to each oil or gas property we own, he might not be allowed to utilize his share of losses or deductions attributable to a particular property even though he has a positive at-risk amount with respect to his common units as a whole.

In addition to the basis and at-risk limitations on the deductibility of losses, the passive loss limitations generally provide that individuals, estates, trusts and some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations can deduct losses from passive activities, which are generally trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate, only to the extent of the taxpayer's income from those passive activities. The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will be available to offset only our passive income generated in the future and will not be available to offset income from other passive activities or investments (including our investments or a common unitholder's investments in other publicly traded partnerships), or a unitholder's salary or active business income. If we dispose of all or only a part of our interest in an oil or gas property, unitholders

will be able to offset their suspended passive activity losses from our activities against the gain, if any, on the disposition. Passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a common unitholder's share of income we generate may be deducted by the unitholder in full when he disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss limitations are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at-risk rules and the basis limitation.

A common unitholder's share of our net income may be offset by any of our suspended passive losses, but it may not be offset by any other current or carryover losses from other passive activities, including those attributable to other publicly traded partnerships.

Limitations on Interest Deductions. The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer's "investment interest expense" is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayer's "net investment income." Investment interest expense includes:

The computation of a common unitholder's investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a common unit. Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income, but generally does not include gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment or qualified dividend income. The IRS has indicated that the net passive income earned by a publicly traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its common unitholders for purposes of the investment interest deduction limitation. In addition, the common unitholder's share of our portfolio income will be treated as investment income.

Entity-Level Collections. If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, local or foreign income tax on behalf of any common unitholder or our general partner or any former common unitholder, we are authorized to pay those taxes from our funds. That payment, if made, will be treated as a distribution of cash to the common unitholder on whose behalf the payment was made. If the payment is made on behalf of a person whose identity cannot be determined, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current common unitholders. We are authorized to amend our partnership agreement in the manner necessary to maintain the uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics of common units and to adjust later distributions, so that after giving effect to these distributions, the priority and characterization of distributions otherwise applicable under our partnership agreement is maintained as nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of an individual common unitholder in which event the common unitholder would be required to file a claim in order to obtain a credit or refund.

Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction. In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our general partner and the common unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that distributions are made to the common units in excess of distributions to the subordinated common units, or that incentive distributions are made to our general partner, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of these distributions. If we have a net loss, that loss will be allocated first to our general partner and the common unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts and, second, to our general partner.

Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated to account for the difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time of their contribution or certain other transactions, referred to in this discussion as the "Contributed Property." Specifically, allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction, referred to as "Section 704(c) Allocations," will be made a common unitholder to account for any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of any property contributed to us that exists at the time of such contribution. In addition, in the event we issue additional common units or engage in certain other transactions in the future "reverse Section 704(c) Allocations," similar to the Section 704(c) Allocations described above, will be made to the general partner and our other common unitholders immediately prior to such issuance or other transactions to account for the difference between the "book" basis for purposes of maintaining capital accounts and the fair market value of all property held by us at the time of such issuance the future transaction. In addition, items of recapture income will be allocated to the extent possible to the common unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to the treatment of that gain as recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by some common unitholders. Finally, although we do not expect that our operations will result in the creation of negative capital accounts, if negative capital accounts nevertheless result, items of our income and gain will be allocated in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the negative balance as quickly as possible.

An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required by the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the difference between a partner's "book" capital account,

credited with the fair market value of Contributed Property, and "tax" capital account, credited with the tax basis of Contributed Property, referred to in this discussion as the "Book-Tax Disparity," will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner's share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has substantial economic effect. In any other case, a partner's share of an item will be determined on the basis of his interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in "—Section 754 Election" and "—Disposition of Common Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees," allocations under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner's share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction.

Treatment of Short Sales. A common unitholder whose common units are loaned to a "short seller" to cover a short sale of common units may be considered as having disposed of those common units. If so, he would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those common units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period:

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a common unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units; therefore, common unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition from a loan to a short seller are urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing and loaning their common units. The IRS has previously announced that it is studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please also read "—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."

Alternative Minimum Tax. Each common unitholder will be required to take into account his distributive share of any items of our income, gain, loss or deduction for purposes of the alternative minimum tax. The current minimum tax rate for noncorporate taxpayers is 26% on the first $175,000 of alternative minimum taxable income in excess of the exemption amount and 28% on any additional alternative minimum taxable income. Prospective common unitholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors as to the impact of an investment in common units on their liability for the alternative minimum tax.

Tax Rates. Under current law, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 35% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than 12 months at the time of disposition) of individuals is 15%. However, absent new legislation extending the current rates, beginning January 1, 2011, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to

ordinary income and long-term capital gains of individuals will increase to 39.6% and 20%, respectively. Moreover, these rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.

Section 754 Election. We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. The election will generally permit us to adjust a common unit purchaser's tax basis in our assets ("inside basis") under Section 743(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to reflect his purchase price. This election applies to a purchaser of common units from another unitholder, but it does not apply to a person who purchases common units directly from us. The Section 743(b) adjustment belongs to the purchaser and not to other common unitholders. For purposes of this discussion, a common unitholder's inside basis in our assets will be considered to have two components: (1) his share of our tax basis in our assets ("common basis") and (2) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis.

Where the remedial allocation method is adopted (which we have generally adopted as to our properties, except for certain goodwill properties), the Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code require a portion of the Section 743(b) adjustment that is attributable to recovery property subject to depreciation under Section 168 of the Internal Revenue Code whose book basis is in excess of its tax basis to be depreciated over the remaining cost recovery period for the property's unamortized Book-Tax Disparity. If we elect a method other than the remedial method with respect to a goodwill property, Treasury Regulation Section 1.197-2(g)(3) generally requires that the Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to an amortizable Section 197 intangible, which includes goodwill properties, should be treated as a newly-acquired asset placed in service in the month when the purchaser acquires the common unit. Under Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to property subject to depreciation under Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code, rather than cost recovery deductions under Section 168, is generally required to be depreciated using either the straight-line method or the 150% declining balance method. Under our partnership agreement, our general partner is authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of common units even if that position is not consistent with these and any other Treasury Regulations. If we elect a method other than the remedial method with respect to a goodwill property, the common basis of such property is not amortizable. Please read "—Uniformity of Common Units."

Although Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine as to the validity of this approach because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on this issue, we intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property's unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as non-amortizable to the extent attributable to property which is not amortizable. This method is consistent with the methods employed by other publicly traded partnerships but is arguably inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets, and Treasury Regulation Section 1.197-2(g)(3). To the extent this Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may take a depreciation or amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring common units in the same month would receive depreciation or amortization, whether attributable to common basis or a Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in our assets. This kind of aggregate approach may result in lower annual depreciation or amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some common unitholders. Please read "—Uniformity of Common Units." A common unitholder's tax basis for his common units is reduced by his share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individual's income tax return) so that any position we take that understates deductions will overstate the common unitholder's basis in his common units, which may cause the common unitholder

to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such common units. Please read "—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss." The IRS may challenge our position with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we take to preserve the uniformity of the common units. If such a challenge were sustained, the gain from the sale of common units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.

A Section 754 election is advantageous if the transferee's tax basis in his common units is higher than the common units' share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. In that case, as a result of the election, the transferee would have, among other items, a greater amount of depreciation and depletion deductions and his share of any gain or loss on a sale of our assets would be less. Conversely, a Section 754 election is disadvantageous if the transferee's tax basis in his common units is lower than those common units' share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. Thus, the fair market value of the common units may be affected either favorably or unfavorably by the election. A basis adjustment is required regardless of whether a Section 754 election is made in the case of a transfer of an interest in us if we have a substantial built—in loss immediately after the transfer, or if we distribute property and have a substantial basis reduction. Generally a built—in loss or a basis reduction is substantial if it exceeds $250,000.

The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and will be made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. For example, the allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment among our assets must be made in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment allocated by us to our tangible assets to goodwill instead. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally non-amortizable or amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure you that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS and that the deductions resulting from them will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of common units may be allocated more income than he would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.

Accounting Method and Taxable Year. We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each common unitholder will be required to include in income his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our taxable year ending within or with his taxable year. In addition, a common unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of his common units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of his taxable year must include his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for his taxable year, with the result that he will be required to include in his taxable income for his taxable year his share of more than twelve months of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read "—Disposition of Common Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees."

Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization. The tax basis of our tangible assets, such as casing, tubing, tanks, pumping units and other similar property, will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of these assets. The federal income tax burden associated with the difference between the fair market value of our assets and their tax basis immediately prior to an offering will be borne by our partners holding interests in us prior to such offering. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction."

To the extent allowable, we may elect to use the depreciation and cost recovery methods that will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets subject to these allowances are placed in service. Because our general partner may determine not to adopt the remedial method of allocation with respect to any difference between the tax basis and the fair market value of goodwill immediately prior to this or any future offering, we may not be entitled to any amortization deductions with respect to any goodwill properties conveyed to us on formation or held by us at the time of any future offering. Please read "—Uniformity of Units." Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated using accelerated methods permitted by the Internal Revenue Code.

If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation previously deducted and the nature of the property, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of his interest in us. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction" and "—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."

The costs incurred in selling our common units (called "syndication expenses") must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably, or upon our termination. There are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us. The underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses.

Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties. The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of common units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values, and the tax bases, of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deduction previously reported by common unitholders might change, and common unitholders might be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.

Depletion Deductions. Subject to the limitations on deductibility of losses discussed above (please read "—Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership—Limitations on Deductibility of Losses"), common unitholders will be entitled to deductions for the greater of either cost depletion or (if otherwise allowable) percentage depletion with respect to our oil and natural gas interests. Although the Internal Revenue Code requires each common unitholder to compute his own depletion allowance and maintain records of his share of the adjusted tax basis of the underlying property for depletion and other purposes, we intend to furnish each of our common unitholders with information relating to this computation for federal income tax purposes. Each common unitholder, however, remains responsible for calculating his own depletion allowance and maintaining records of his share of the adjusted tax basis of the underlying property for depletion and other purposes.

Percentage depletion is generally available with respect to common unitholders who qualify under the independent producer exemption contained in Section 613A(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. For this purpose, an independent producer is a person not directly or indirectly involved in the retail sale of oil, natural gas, or derivative products or the operation of a major refinery. Percentage depletion is calculated as an amount generally equal to 15% (and, in the case of marginal production, potentially a higher percentage) of the common unitholder's gross income from the depletable property for the

taxable year. The percentage depletion deduction with respect to any property is limited to 100% of the taxable income of the common unitholder from the property for each taxable year, computed without the depletion allowance and without the deduction under Internal Revenue Code Section 199. A common unitholder that qualifies as an independent producer may deduct percentage depletion only to the extent the common unitholder's average daily production of domestic crude oil, or the natural gas equivalent, does not exceed 1,000 barrels. This depletable amount may be allocated between natural gas and oil production, with 6,000 cubic feet of domestic natural gas production regarded as equivalent to one barrel of crude oil. The 1,000-barrel limitation must be allocated among the independent producer and controlled or related persons and family members in proportion to the respective production by such persons during the period in question.

In addition to the foregoing limitations, the percentage depletion deduction otherwise available is limited to 65% of a common unitholder's total taxable income from all sources for the year, computed without the depletion allowance, net operating loss carrybacks, or capital loss carrybacks. Any percentage depletion deduction disallowed because of the 65% limitation may be deducted in the following taxable year if the percentage depletion deduction for such year plus the deduction carryover does not exceed 65% of the common unitholder's total taxable income for that year. The carryover period resulting from the 65% net income limitation is unlimited.

Common unitholders that do not qualify under the independent producer exemption are generally restricted to depletion deductions based on cost depletion. Cost depletion deductions are calculated by (a) dividing the common unitholder's share of the adjusted tax basis in the underlying mineral property by the number of mineral common units (barrels of oil and thousand cubic feet, or Mcf, of natural gas) remaining as of the beginning of the taxable year and (b) multiplying the result by the number of mineral common units sold within the taxable year. The total amount of deductions based on cost depletion cannot exceed the common unitholder's share of the total adjusted tax basis in the property.

All or a portion of any gain recognized by a common unitholder as a result of either the disposition by us of some or all of our oil and natural gas interests or the disposition by the common unitholder of some or all of his common units may be taxed as ordinary income to the extent of recapture of depletion deductions, except for percentage depletion deductions in excess of the tax basis of the property. The amount of the recapture is generally limited to the amount of gain recognized on the disposition.

The foregoing discussion of depletion deductions does not purport to be a complete analysis of the complex legislation and Treasury Regulations relating to the availability and calculation of depletion deductions by the common unitholders. Further, because depletion is required to be computed separately by each common unitholder and not by our partnership, no assurance can be given, and counsel is unable to express any opinion, with respect to the availability or extent of percentage depletion deductions to the common unitholders for any taxable year. Moreover, the availability of percentage depletion may be reduced or eliminated if recently proposed (or similar) tax legislation is enacted. For a discussion of such legislative proposals, please read "—Recent Legislative Developments." We encourage each prospective common unitholder to consult his tax advisor to determine whether percentage depletion would be available to him.

Deductions for Intangible Drilling and Development Costs. We will elect to currently deduct intangible drilling and development costs associated with wells located in the United States ("IDCs"). IDCs generally include our expenses for wages, fuel, repairs, hauling, supplies and other items that are incidental to, and necessary for, the drilling and preparation of wells for the production of oil or natural gas. The option to currently deduct IDCs applies only to those items that do not have a salvage value.

Although we elect to currently deduct IDCs, each common unitholder will have the option of either currently deducting IDCs or capitalizing all or part of the IDCs and amortizing them on a

straight-line basis over a 60-month period, beginning with the taxable month in which the expenditure is made. If a common unitholder makes the election to amortize the IDCs over a 60-month period, no IDC preference amount in respect of those IDCs will result for alternative minimum tax purposes.

Integrated oil companies must capitalize 30% of all their IDCs (other than IDCs paid or incurred with respect to oil and gas wells located outside of the United States) and amortize these IDCs over 60 months beginning in the month in which those costs are paid or incurred. If the taxpayer ceases to be an integrated oil company, it must continue to amortize those costs as long as it continues to own the property to which the IDCs relate. An "integrated oil company" is a taxpayer that has economic interests in crude oil deposits and also carries on substantial retailing or refining operations. An oil or natural gas producer is deemed to be a substantial retailer or refiner if it is subject to the rules disqualifying retailers and refiners from taking percentage depletion. In order to qualify as an "independent producer" that is not subject to these IDC deduction limits, a common unitholder, either directly or indirectly through certain related parties, may not be involved in the refining of more than 75,000 barrels of oil on average for any day during the taxable year or in the retail marketing of oil and natural gas products exceeding $5 million per year in the aggregate.

IDCs previously deducted that are allocable to property (directly or through ownership of an interest in a partnership) and that would have been included in the adjusted tax basis of the property had the IDC deduction not been taken are recaptured to the extent of any gain realized upon the disposition of the property or upon the disposition by a common unitholder of interests in us. Recapture is generally determined at the common unitholder level. Where only a portion of the recapture property is sold, any IDCs related to the entire property are recaptured to the extent of the gain realized on the portion of the property sold. In the case of a disposition of an undivided interest in a property, a proportionate amount of the IDCs with respect to the property is treated as allocable to the transferred undivided interest to the extent of any gain recognized. Please read "—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."

The election to currently deduct IDCs may be restricted or eliminated if recently proposed (or similar) tax legislation is enacted. For a discussion of such legislative proposals, please read "—Recent Legislative Developments."

Deduction for U.S. Production Activities. Subject to the limitations on the deductibility of losses discussed above and the limitation discussed below, common unitholders will be entitled to a deduction, herein referred to as the Section 199 deduction, equal to 6% of our qualified production activities income that is allocated to such common unitholder, but not to exceed 50% of such common unitholder's IRS Form W-2 wages for the taxable year allocable to domestic production gross receipts.

Qualified production activities income is generally equal to gross receipts from domestic production activities reduced by cost of goods sold allocable to those receipts, other expenses directly associated with those receipts, and a share of other deductions, expenses, and losses that are not directly allocable to those receipts or another class of income. The products produced must be manufactured, produced, grown, or extracted in whole or in significant part by the taxpayer in the United States.

For a partnership, the Section 199 deduction is determined at the partner level. To determine his Section 199 deduction, each common unitholder will aggregate his share of the qualified production activities income allocated to him from us with the common unitholder's qualified production activities income from other sources. Each common unitholder must take into account his distributive share of the expenses allocated to him from our qualified production activities regardless of whether we otherwise have taxable income. However, our expenses that otherwise would be taken into account for purposes of computing the Section 199 deduction are taken into account only if and to the extent the common unitholder's share of losses and deductions from all of our activities is not disallowed by the tax basis rules, the at-risk rules or the passive activity loss rules. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership—Limitations on Deductibility of Losses."

This discussion of the Section 199 deduction does not purport to be a complete analysis of the complex legislation and Treasury authority relating to the calculation of domestic production gross receipts, qualified production activities income, or IRS Form W-2 wages, or how such items are allocated by us to common unitholders. Further, because the Section 199 deduction is required to be computed separately by each common unitholder, no assurance can be given, and counsel is unable to express any opinion, as to the availability or extent of the Section 199 deduction to the common unitholders. Moreover, the availability of Section 199 deductions may be reduced or eliminated if recently proposed (or similar) tax legislation is enacted. For a discussion of such legislative proposals, please read "—Recent Legislative Developments." Each prospective common unitholder is encouraged to consult his tax advisor to determine whether the Section 199 deduction would be available to him.

Lease Acquisition Costs. The cost of acquiring oil and natural gas lease or similar property interests is a capital expenditure that must be recovered through depletion deductions if the lease is productive. If a lease is proved worthless and abandoned, the cost of acquisition less any depletion claimed may be deducted as an ordinary loss in the year the lease becomes worthless. Please read "—Tax Treatment of Operations—Oil and Natural Gas Taxation—Depletion Deductions."

Geophysical Costs. The cost of geophysical exploration incurred in connection with the exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties in the United States are deducted ratably over a 24-month period beginning on the date that such expense is paid or incurred. This 24-month period is extended to 7 years in the case of major integrated oil companies. Moreover, the 24-month period may be similarly extended for all taxpayers if recently proposed tax (or similar) legislation is enacted. For a discussion of such legislative proposals, please read "—Recent Legislative Developments."

Operating and Administrative Costs. Amounts paid for operating a producing well are deductible as ordinary business expenses, as are administrative costs to the extent they constitute ordinary and necessary business expenses that are reasonable in amount.

Recent Legislative Developments. On February 26, 2009, the White House released President Obama's budget proposal for the fiscal year 2010 (the "Budget Proposal"). Among the changes recommended in the Budget Proposal is the elimination of certain key U.S. federal income tax preferences currently available to oil and gas exploration and production companies. These changes include, but are not limited to, (i) the repeal of the percentage depletion allowance for oil and gas properties, (ii) the elimination of current deductions for intangible drilling and development costs, (iii) the elimination of the deduction for United States production activities, and (iv) the increase in the amortization period from two years to seven years for geophysical costs paid or incurred in connection with the exploration for, or development of, oil or gas within the United States.

On April 23, 2009, the Oil Industry Tax Break Repeal Act of 2009 (the "Senate Bill") was introduced in the Senate and includes many of the proposals outlined in the Budget Proposal. While the Senate Bill continues to be considered, it is unclear whether any such changes will actually be enacted or, if so, how soon any such changes could become effective. The passage of any future legislation as a result of the Budget Proposal, the Senate Bill or any other similar change in U.S.

federal income tax law could affect certain tax deductions that are currently available with respect to oil and gas exploration and production and could negatively impact the value of an investment in our units.

Recognition of Gain or Loss. Gain or loss will be recognized on a sale of common units equal to the difference between the amount realized and the common unitholder's tax basis for the common units sold. A common unitholder's amount realized will be measured by the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property received by him plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Because the amount realized includes a common unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of common units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.

Prior distributions from us in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a common unit that decreased a common unitholder's tax basis in that common unit will, in effect, become taxable income if the common unit is sold at a price greater than the common unitholder's tax basis in that common unit, even if the price received is less than his original cost.

Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a common unitholder, other than a "dealer" in common units, on the sale or exchange of a common unit will generally be taxable as capital gain or loss. Capital gain recognized by an individual on the sale of common units held for more than twelve months will generally be taxed at a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 15% through December 31, 2010 and 20% thereafter (absent new legislation extending or adjusting the current rate). However, a portion, which will likely be substantial, of this gain or loss will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code to the extent attributable to assets giving rise to depreciation recapture or other "unrealized receivables" or to "inventory items" we own. The term "unrealized receivables" includes potential recapture items, including recapture of intangible drilling costs, depletion and depreciation. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables, inventory items and depreciation recapture may exceed net taxable gain realized upon the sale of a common unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a common unit. Thus, a common unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and a capital loss upon a sale of common units. Net capital losses may offset capital gains and no more than $3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gains in the case of corporations.

The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an "equitable apportionment" method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner's tax basis in his entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner's entire interest in the partnership. Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Internal Revenue Code allow a selling common unitholder who can identify common units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the common units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling discussed above, a common unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis common units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, he may designate specific common units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of common units transferred. A common unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of common units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of common units. A common unitholder considering the purchase of additional common units or a sale of common units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult his tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.

Specific provisions of the Internal Revenue Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an "appreciated" partnership interest, one in which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, if the taxpayer or related persons enter(s) into:

Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is also authorized to issue regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.

Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees. In general, our taxable income and losses will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the common unitholders in proportion to the number of common units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month, which we refer to in this prospectus as the "Allocation Date." However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets other than in the ordinary course of business will be allocated among the common unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which that gain or loss is recognized. As a result, a common unitholder transferring common units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.

Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Internal Revenue Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, however, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee common unitholders, although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. Existing publicly traded partnerships are entitled to rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations; however, they are not binding on the IRS and are subject to change until final Treasury Regulations are issued. Accordingly, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferor and transferee common unitholders. If this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the common unitholder's interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the common unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferor and transferee common unitholders, as well as common unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under future Treasury Regulations.

A common unitholder who owns common units at any time during a quarter and who disposes of them prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deductions attributable to that quarter but will not be entitled to receive that cash distribution.

Notification Requirements. A common unitholder who sells any of his common units is generally required to notify us in writing of that sale within 30 days after the sale (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the sale). A purchaser of common units who purchases common units from another common unitholder is also generally required to notify us in writing of that purchase within 30 days after the purchase. Upon receiving such notifications, we are required to notify the IRS of that

transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a purchase may, in some cases, lead to the imposition of penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale or exchange through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.

Constructive Termination. We will be considered to have been terminated for tax purposes if there are sales or exchanges which, in the aggregate, constitute 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of measuring whether the 50% threshold is reached, multiple sales of the same interest are counted only once. A constructive termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all common unitholders. In the case of a common unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 will result in us filing two tax returns (and could result in common unitholders receiving two Schedules K-1) for one fiscal year and the cost of the preparation of these returns will be borne by all common unitholders. We would be required to make new tax elections after a termination, including a new election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code, and a termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination might either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination. The IRS has announced recently announced that it plans to issue guidance regarding the treatment of constructive terminations of publicly traded partnerships such as us. Any such guidance may change the application of the rules discussed above and may affect the tax treatment of a common unitholder.

Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of common units, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the common units to a purchaser of these common units. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements, both statutory and regulatory. A lack of uniformity can result from a literal application of Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6) and Treasury Regulation Section 1.197-2(g)(3). Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the common units. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election."

We intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property's unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as nonamortizable, to the extent attributable to property the common basis of which is not amortizable, consistent with the regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code, even though that position may be inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets, and Treasury Regulation Section 1.197-2(g)(3). Please read "—Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election." To the extent that the Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may adopt a depreciation and amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring common units in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, whether attributable to a common basis or Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable methods and lives as if they had purchased a direct interest in our property. If this position is adopted, it may result in lower annual depreciation and amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some common unitholders and risk the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions not taken in the year that these deductions are

otherwise allowable. This position will not be adopted if we determine that the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions will have a material adverse effect on the common unitholders. If we choose not to utilize this aggregate method, we may use any other reasonable depreciation and amortization method to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any common units that would not have a material adverse effect on the common unitholders. The IRS may challenge any method of depreciating the Section 743(b) adjustment described in this paragraph. If this challenge were sustained, the uniformity of common units might be affected, and the gain from the sale of common units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions. Please read "—Disposition of Common Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."

Ownership of common units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, non-resident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign persons raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a non-U.S. person, you should consult your tax advisor before investing in our common units.

Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income less certain allowable deductions allocated to a common unitholder that is a tax-exempt organization will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to them.

Non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts or estates that own common units will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of the ownership of common units. As a consequence, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax at regular rates on their share of our net income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, cash distributions to foreign common unitholders will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Each foreign common unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes. A change in applicable law may require us to change these procedures.

In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns common units will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the United States branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation's "U.S. net equity," which is effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate common unitholder is a "qualified resident." In addition, this type of common unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Internal Revenue Code.

A foreign common unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a common unit will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that common unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the foreign common unitholder. Under a ruling published by the IRS, interpreting the scope of "effectively connected income," a foreign common unitholder would be considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the U.S. by virtue of the U.S. activities of the partnership, and part or all of that common unitholder's gain would be effectively connected with that common unitholder's indirect U.S. trade or business. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a foreign common unitholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a common unit if (i) he owned (directly or

constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our common units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of all of our assets consisted of U.S. real property interests at any time during the shorter of the period during which such common unitholder held the common units or the 5-year period ending on the date of disposition. Currently, more than 50% of our assets consist of U.S. real property interests and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future. Therefore, foreign common unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their common units.

Information Returns and Audit Procedures. We intend to furnish to each common unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each calendar year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each common unitholder's share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure you that those positions will yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS. Neither we nor Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. can assure prospective common unitholders that the IRS will not successfully contend in court that those positions are impermissible. Any challenge by the IRS could negatively affect the value of the common units.

The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each common unitholder to adjust a prior year's tax liability, and possibly may result in an audit of his return. Any audit of a common unitholder's return could result in adjustments not related to our returns as well as those related to our returns.

Partnerships generally are treated as separate entities for purposes of federal tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings with the partners. The Internal Revenue Code requires that one partner be designated as the "Tax Matters Partner" for these purposes. Our partnership agreement names our general partner as our Tax Matters Partner.

The Tax Matters Partner has made and will make some elections on our behalf and on behalf of common unitholders. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against common unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a common unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that common unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the common unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any common unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of common unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review will go forward, and each common unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate.

A common unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on his federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a common unitholder to substantial penalties.

Nominee Reporting. Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:

Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are United States persons and specific information on common units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $50 per failure, up to a maximum of $100,000 per calendar year, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the common units with the information furnished to us.

Accuracy-Related Penalties. An additional tax equal to 20% of the amount of any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding that portion.

For individuals, a substantial understatement of income tax in any taxable year exists if the amount of the understatement exceeds the greater of 10% of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year or $5,000. The amount of any understatement subject to penalty generally is reduced if any portion is attributable to a position adopted on the return:

If any item of income, gain, loss or deduction included in the distributive shares of common unitholders might result in that kind of an "understatement" of income for which no "substantial authority" exists, we must disclose the pertinent facts on our return. In addition, we will make a reasonable effort to furnish sufficient information for common unitholders to make adequate disclosure on their returns and to take other actions as may be appropriate to permit common unitholders to avoid liability for this penalty. More stringent rules apply to "tax shelters," which we do not believe includes us, or any of our investments, plans or arrangements.

A substantial valuation misstatement exists if (i) the value of any property, or the tax basis of any property, claimed on a tax return is 150% or more of the amount determined to be the correct amount of the valuation or tax basis, (ii) the price for any property or services (or for the use of property) claimed on any such return with respect to any transaction between persons described in Internal Revenue Code Section 482 is 200% or more (or 50% or less) of the amount determined under Section 482 to be the correct amount of such price or (iii) the net Internal Revenue Code Section 482 transfer price adjustment for the taxable year exceeds the lesser of $5 million or 10% of the taxpayer's gross receipts. No penalty is imposed unless the portion of the underpayment attributable to a substantial valuation misstatement exceeds $5,000 ($10,000 for a corporation other than an S Corporation or a personal holding company). The penalty is increased to 40% in the event of a gross valuation misstatement.

Reportable Transactions. If we were to engage in a "reportable transaction," we (and possibly you and others) would be required to make a detailed disclosure of the transaction to the IRS. A transaction may be a reportable transaction based upon any of several factors, including the fact that it is a type of tax avoidance transaction publicly identified by the IRS as a "listed transaction" or that it produces certain kinds of losses for partnerships, individuals, S corporations, and trusts in excess of $2 million in any single year, or $4 million in any combination of 6 successive tax years. Our participation in a reportable transaction could increase the likelihood that our federal income tax information return (and possibly your tax return) would be audited by the IRS. Please read "—Information Returns and Audit Procedures."

Moreover, if we were to participate in a reportable transaction with a significant purpose to avoid or evade tax, or in any listed transaction, you may be subject to the following provisions of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004:

In addition to federal income taxes, you likely will be subject to other taxes, such as state, local and foreign income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property or in which you are a resident. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective common unitholder should consider their potential impact on his investment in us. We will initially own property or do business in several states, most of which impose a personal income tax on individuals. Most of these states also impose an income tax on corporations and other entities. We may also own property or do business in other jurisdictions in the future. Although you may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some jurisdictions because your income from that jurisdiction falls below the filing and payment requirement, you will be required to file income tax returns and to pay income taxes in many of these jurisdictions in which we do business or own property and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. In some jurisdictions, tax losses may not produce a tax benefit in the year incurred and may not be available to offset income in subsequent taxable years. Some of the jurisdictions may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a common unitholder who is not a resident of the jurisdiction. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular common unitholder's

income tax liability to the jurisdiction, generally does not relieve a nonresident common unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Amounts withheld will be treated as if distributed to common unitholders for purposes of determining the amounts distributed by us. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership—Entity-Level Collections." Based on current law and our estimate of our future operations, our general partner anticipates that any amounts required to be withheld will not be material.

It is the responsibility of each common unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of his investment in us. Accordingly, each prospective common unitholder is urged to consult, and depend upon, his tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each common unitholder to file all state, local and foreign, as well as United States federal tax returns that may be required of him. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state, local or foreign tax consequences of an investment in us.

A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of debt securities will be set forth on the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of debt securities.

A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of warrants will be set forth on the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of warrants.

A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of rights will be set forth on the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of rights.

An investment in us by an employee benefit plan is subject to additional considerations because the investments of these plans are subject to the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and restrictions imposed by Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code. For these purposes the term "employee benefit plan" includes, but is not limited to, qualified pension, profit-sharing and stock bonus plans, Keogh plans, simplified employee pension plans and tax deferred annuities or IRAs established or maintained by an employer or employee organization. Among other things, consideration should be given to:

The person with investment discretion with respect to the assets of an employee benefit plan, often called a fiduciary, should determine whether an investment in us is authorized by the appropriate governing instrument and is a proper investment for the plan.

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code prohibit employee benefit plans, and also IRAs that are not considered part of an employee benefit plan, from engaging in specified transactions involving "plan assets" with parties that are "parties in interest" under ERISA or "disqualified persons" under the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the plan.

In addition to considering whether the purchase of common units is a prohibited transaction, a fiduciary of an employee benefit plan should consider whether the plan will, by investing in us, be deemed to own an undivided interest in our assets, with the result that our operations would be subject to the regulatory restrictions of ERISA, including its prohibited transaction rules, as well as the prohibited transaction rules of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Department of Labor regulations provide guidance with respect to whether the assets of an entity in which employee benefit plans acquire equity interests would be deemed "plan assets" under some circumstances. Under these regulations, an entity's assets would not be considered to be "plan assets" if, among other things:

Our assets should not be considered "plan assets" under these regulations because it is expected that the investment will satisfy the requirements in (a) above.

Plan fiduciaries contemplating a purchase of common units should consult with their own counsel regarding the consequences under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code in light of the serious penalties imposed on persons who engage in prohibited transactions or other violations.

We may sell securities described in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement through one or more underwriters for public offering and sale, and we also may sell securities to investors directly, through the exercise of warrants or rights, or through one or more broker-dealers or agents.

We will prepare a prospectus supplement for each offering that will disclose the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents, the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds to us from the sale, any underwriting discounts and other items constituting compensation to underwriters, dealers or agents.

If we use underwriters or dealers in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account and they may resell these securities from time to time in one or more transactions (which may involve crosses and block transactions), including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more of such firms. Unless otherwise disclosed in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement if any are purchased. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

If a prospectus supplement so indicates, the underwriters may, pursuant to Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, engage in transactions, including stabilization bids or the imposition of penalty bids, that may have the effect of stabilizing or maintaining the market price of the securities at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market.

We may sell the securities directly or through agents designated by us from time to time, including in connection with a distribution to our security holders of rights to purchase such securities. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of the securities for which this prospectus is delivered, and disclose any commissions payable by us to the agent or the method by which the commissions can be determined, in the prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

We may agree to indemnify underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of securities against certain liabilities to which they may become subject in connection with the sale of the securities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933.

Certain of the underwriters, dealers and agents and their affiliates may be customers of, may engage in transactions with and may perform services for us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

A prospectus and accompanying prospectus supplement in electronic form may be made available on the web sites maintained by the underwriters. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of securities for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Such allocations of securities for internet

distributions will be made on the same basis as other allocations. In addition, securities may be sold by the underwriters to securities dealers who resell securities to online brokerage account holders.

We may offer our units into an existing trading market on terms described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. Underwriters and dealers who may participate in any at-the-market offerings will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto.

We may offer securities solicited directly by us and sell directly to institutional investors or offers, who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to any resale thereof. The terms of any such sales will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto.

Because FINRA views our common units as a direct participation program, any offering of common units under the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, will be made in compliance with Rule 2310 of the FINRA Conduct Rules.

To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. The place and time of delivery for the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this registration statement. If certain legal matters in connection with an offering of the securities made by this prospectus and a related prospectus supplement are passed on by counsel for the underwriters of such offering, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement related to that offering.

The balance sheet of Eagle Rock Energy GP, L.P. as of December 31, 2008, incorporated in this prospectus from the Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 7, 2009, has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph regarding retrospective application of Statements of Financial Accounting Standards No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements—an amendment of ARB No. 51. Such financial statement has been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

The consolidated financial statements of Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. as of December 31, 2008 and 2007 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008 incorporated in this prospectus from the Partnership's current report on Form 8-K filed on December 7, 2009 and the effectiveness of the Partnership's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008 incorporated in this prospectus from the Partnership's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph regarding retrospective application of Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) Issue No. 07-4, Application of the Two-Class Method Under FASB Statement No. 128, Earnings per share, to Master Limited Partnerships, Financial Accounting Standards Board Staff Position EITF 03-6-1, Determining Whether Investments Granted in Share-Based Payment Transaction and for discontinued operations. Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

The purchase price allocations for the acquisitions of certain entities from Laser Midstream Energy II, LP and Laser Midstream Company, LLC and of Escambia Asset Co., LLC and Escambia Operating Co., LLC, both transactions completed in 2007, and the acquisition of Millennium Midstream Partners, L.P., completed in 2008, and described in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, were completed with the assistance of K.E. Andrews & Company, a third-party valuation specialist.

The information included in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus regarding estimated quantities of proved reserves and their present value is based, in part, on estimates of the proved reserves and present values of proved reserves as of December 31, 2008 based on a reserve report as of December 31, 2008 prepared by Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., independent petroleum engineers. These estimates are included in this prospectus in reliance upon the authority of the firm as experts in these matters.

Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
Having an Aggregate Offering Price of Up to
$100,000,000

		Page

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND THE ACCOMPANYING BASE PROSPECTUS		S-ii
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS		S-iii
SUMMARY		S-1
RISK FACTORS		S-4
USE OF PROCEEDS		S-5
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES		S-6
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION		S-10
LEGAL MATTERS		S-14
EXPERTS		S-14
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION		S-15
PROSPECTUS
GUIDE TO READING THIS PROSPECTUS		ii
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION		ii
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS		iii
ABOUT EAGLE ROCK ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.		1
RISK FACTORS		2
USE OF PROCEEDS		4
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES		4
OUR CASH DISTRIBUTION POLICY AND RESTRICTIONS ON DISTRIBUTIONS		5
PROVISIONS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT RELATING TO CASH DISTRIBUTIONS		8
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES		17
THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT		25
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS		38
DESCRIPTION OF PARTNERSHIP SECURITIES		40
DESCRIPTION OF THE WARRANTS		41
DESCRIPTION OF THE RIGHTS		42
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES		43
MATERIAL TAX CONSEQUENCES		52
INVESTMENT IN EAGLE ROCK ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. BY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS		74
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION		75
LEGAL MATTERS		76
EXPERTS		76


GUIDE TO READING THIS PROSPECTUS			ii
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			ii
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			iii
ABOUT EAGLE ROCK ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.			1
RISK FACTORS			2
USE OF PROCEEDS			4
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES			4
OUR CASH DISTRIBUTION POLICY AND RESTRICTIONS ON DISTRIBUTIONS			5
PROVISIONS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT RELATING TO CASH DISTRIBUTIONS			8
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES			17
THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT			25
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS			38
DESCRIPTION OF PARTNERSHIP SECURITIES			40
DESCRIPTION OF THE WARRANTS			41
DESCRIPTION OF THE RIGHTS			42
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES			43
MATERIAL TAX CONSEQUENCES			52
INVESTMENT IN EAGLE ROCK ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P. BY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS			74
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			75
LEGAL MATTERS			76
EXPERTS			76

	Predecessor					Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P.

	Year Ended December 31													Nine Months Ended September 30, 2009
	2004			2005		2006			2007			2008		Nine Months Ended September 30, 2009
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges		—	(a)		1.67x		0.29x	(a)		—	(a)		3.10x		—	(a)

		Marginal Percentage Interest in Distributions*

	Total Quarterly Distribution per Unit Target Amount	Unitholders			General Partner
Minimum Quarterly Distribution	$0.3625		98.91	%		1.09	%
First Target Distribution	up to $0.4169		98.91	%		1.09	%
Second Target Distribution	above $0.4169 up to $0.4531		85.91	%		14.09	%
Third Target Distribution	above $0.4531 up to $0.5438		75.91	%		24.09	%
Thereafter	above $0.5438		50.91	%		49.09	%


UBS INVESTMENT BANK		KNIGHT