10-K 1 enlk201510-k.htm 10-K 10-K

 
 
 
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K
 
ý ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015
OR
 
o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from                    to                       
Commission file number: 000-50067
ENLINK MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, LP
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
(State of organization)
 
16-1616605
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
2501 CEDAR SPRINGS
DALLAS, TEXAS
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
75201
(Zip Code)
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
(214) 953-9500
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:
Title of Each Class
 
Name of Exchange on which Registered
Common Units Representing Limited
Partnership Interests
 
The New York Stock Exchange
SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT: None.
Indicate by check mark if registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ý    No o
Indicate by check mark if registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o    No ý
Indicate by check mark whether registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý    No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ý    No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer ý
 
Accelerated filer o
 
Non-accelerated filer o
 (Do not check if a
smaller reporting company)
 
Smaller reporting company o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o    No ý
The aggregate market value of the common units representing limited partner interests held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $3.2 billion on June 30, 2015, based on $21.97 per unit, the closing price of the common units as reported on The New York Stock Exchange on such date.
At February 10, 2016, there were 325,183,974 common units and 7,075,433 Class C common units outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE:
None.
 
 
 
 
 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Item
 
DESCRIPTION
 
Page
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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ENLINK MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, LP
PART I
Item 1.    Business
General
EnLink Midstream Partners, LP is a publicly traded Delaware limited partnership formed in 2002. Our common units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “ENLK.” Our business activities are conducted through our subsidiary, EnLink Midstream Operating, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Operating Partnership”), and the subsidiaries of the Operating Partnership. Our executive offices are located at 2501 Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas, Texas 75201, and our telephone number is (214) 953-9500. Our Internet address is www.enlink.com. We post the following filings in the “Investors” section of our website as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission: our annual reports on Form 10-K; our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q; our current reports on Form 8-K; and any amendments to those reports or statements filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All such filings on our website are available free of charge. In this report, the terms “Partnership” and “Registrant,” as well as the terms “our,” “we,” “us” and “its,” are sometimes used as abbreviated references to EnLink Midstream Partners, LP itself or EnLink Midstream Partners, LP together with its consolidated subsidiaries, including the Operating Partnership.
EnLink Midstream GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, is our general partner. Our general partner manages our operations and activities. Our general partner is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of EnLink Midstream, LLC (“ENLC” or “EnLink Midstream”). ENLC’s units are traded on the NYSE under the symbol “ENLC.” ENLC’s manager is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Devon Energy Corporation (“Devon”).
Effective as of March 7, 2014, the Operating Partnership acquired (the “Acquisition”) 50% of the outstanding equity interests in EnLink Midstream Holdings, LP (“Midstream Holdings”) and all of the outstanding equity interests in EnLink Midstream Holdings GP, LLC, the general partner of Midstream Holdings, in exchange for the issuance by us of 120,542,441 units representing a new class of limited partnership interests in our partnership. At the same time, EnLink Midstream, Inc. (“EMI”), the entity that directly owns our general partner, became a wholly-owned subsidiary of ENLC (together with the Acquisition, the “business combination”). At the conclusion of the business combination, another wholly-owned subsidiary of ENLC, Acacia Natural Gas Corp. I, Inc. (“Acacia”), owned the remaining 50% of the outstanding equity interests in Midstream Holdings. On February 17, 2015, Acacia contributed a 25% interest in Midstream Holdings (the “February Transferred Interests”) to us in exchange for 31.6 million units in our partnership (the “February EMH Drop Down”). On May 27, 2015, we acquired the remaining 25% limited partner interest in Midstream Holdings (the “May Transferred Interests” and, together with the February Transferred Interests, the “Transferred Interests”) from Acacia in a drop-down transaction in exchange for 36.6 million units in our partnership (the “May EMH Drop Down” and, together with the February Drop Down, the “EMH Drop Downs”). After giving effect to the EMH Drop-Downs, we own 100% of Midstream Holdings.
Midstream Holdings was formerly a wholly-owned subsidiary of Devon and it gathers, processes and transports natural gas, primarily for Devon. Midstream Holdings also fractionates natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) into component NGL products. Under the acquisition method of accounting, Midstream Holdings is considered the historical predecessor of our business because Devon obtained control of us through its control of ENLC and through the indirect acquisition of our general partner.













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The following diagram depicts our organization and ownership as of December 31, 2015.
On January 7, 2016, EnLink TOM Holdings, LP (“EnLink TOM Holdings”), an indirect subsidiary of our partnership, completed its acquisition of 100% of the issued and outstanding membership interests of TOMPC LLC and TOM-STACK, LLC. As of February 12, 2016, (a) EnLink Midstream Operating, LP, a direct subsidiary of our partnership, owns a 84% limited partnership interest in EnLink TOM Holdings, (b) EMI owns a 16% limited partnership interest in EnLink TOM Holdings and (c) EnLink Energy GP, LLC, the general partner of EnLink TOM Holdings and an indirect subsidiary of our partnership, owns the non-economic general partnership interest.


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Definitions
The following terms as defined generally are used in the energy industry and in this document:
/d = per day
Bbls = barrels
Bcf = billion cubic feet
Boe = six Mcf of gas per Bbl of oil
Btu = British thermal units
CO2= Carbon dioxide
CPI= Consumer Price Index
Gal = gallon
Mcf = thousand cubic feet
MMBtu = million British thermal units
MMcf = million cubic feet
NGL = natural gas liquid and natural gas liquids
Capacity volumes for our facilities are measured based on physical volume and stated in cubic feet (“Bcf”, “Mcf” or “MMcf”). Throughput volumes are measured based on energy content and stated in British thermal units (“Btu” or “MMBtu”). A volume capacity of 100 MMcf generally correlates to volume capacity of 100,000 MMBtu. Fractionated volumes are measured based on physical volumes and stated in gallons. Crude oil, condensate and brine services volumes are measured based on physical volume and stated in barrels (“Bbls”).
Our Operations
We are a Delaware limited partnership formed on July 12, 2002. We primarily focus on providing midstream energy services, including gathering, transmission, processing, fractionation, brine services and marketing, to producers of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate. Our midstream energy asset network includes approximately 9,400 miles of pipelines, 16 natural gas processing plants, seven fractionators, 3.2 million barrels of NGL cavern storage, 19.1 Bcf of natural gas storage, rail terminals, barge terminals, truck terminals and a fleet of approximately 150 trucks. Our operations are based in the United States and our sales are derived from external domestic customers.
We connect the wells of natural gas producers in our market areas to our gathering systems, process natural gas for the removal of NGLs, fractionate NGLs into purity products and market those products for a fee, transport natural gas and ultimately provide natural gas to a variety of markets. We purchase natural gas from natural gas producers and other supply sources and sell that natural gas to utilities, industrial consumers, other marketers and pipelines. We operate processing plants that process gas transported to the plants by major interstate pipelines or from our own gathering systems under a variety of fee-based arrangements. We provide a variety of crude oil and condensate services, which include crude oil and condensate gathering via pipelines, barges, rail and trucks, condensate stabilization and brine disposal. Our gas gathering systems consist of networks of pipelines that collect natural gas from points near producing wells and transport it to larger pipelines for further transmission. Our transmission pipelines primarily receive natural gas from our gathering systems and from third party gathering and transmission systems and deliver natural gas to industrial end-users, utilities and other pipelines. We also have transmission lines that transport NGLs from east Texas and from our south Louisiana processing plants to our fractionators in south Louisiana. Additionally, we own an economic interest in an NGL fractionator located at Mont Belvieu, Texas that receives raw mix NGLs from customers, fractionates such raw mix and redelivers the finished products to the customers for a fee. Devon is one of the largest customers of this fractionator. Our crude oil and condensate gathering and transmission systems consist of trucking facilities, pipelines, rail and barge facilities that, in exchange for a fee, transport oil from a producer site to an end user. Our processing plants remove NGLs and CO2 from a natural gas stream and our fractionators separate the NGLs into separate NGL products, including ethane, propane, iso-butane, normal butane and natural gasoline.
Our assets are included in five primary segments:
Texas. Our Texas assets consist of transmission pipelines with a capacity of approximately 1.3 Bcf/d, processing facilities with a total processing capacity of approximately 1.4 Bcf/d and gathering systems with total capacity of approximately 2.9 Bcf/d.
Oklahoma. Our Oklahoma assets consist of processing facilities with a total processing capacity of approximately 550 MMcf/d and gathering systems with total capacity of approximately 605 MMcf/d (excluding the Oklahoma assets acquired in January 2016 discussed in Recent Growth Developments below).
Louisiana. Our Louisiana Gas and Processing assets include transmission pipelines with a capacity of approximately 3.5 Bcf/d, processing facilities with a total processing capacity of approximately 1.7 Bcf/d and gathering systems with total capacity of approximately 510 MMcf/d. Our Louisiana Liquids assets consist of 660 miles of liquids transport lines and four fractionation assets with total fractionation capacity of 198 MBbls/d.

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Crude and Condensate. Our Crude and Condensate assets consist of approximately 350 miles of crude oil and condensate pipelines. The assets also include 900,000 barrels of above ground storage and a trucking fleet of approximately 150 vehicles comprised of both semi and straight trucks with a current capacity of 85,350 Bbls/d. The current pipeline capacity is 101,100 Bbls/d. Additionally, our operations include eight condensate stabilization and natural gas compression stations with combined capacities of over 36,000 Bbls/d of condensate stabilization and 780 MMcf/d of natural gas compression.
Corporate. Our Corporate assets consist of a contractual right to the benefits and burdens associated with Devon's 38.75% ownership interest in Gulf Coast Fractionators (“GCF”) and a 30.6% ownership interest in Howard Energy Partners (“HEP”).
About Devon
Devon (NYSE: DVN) is a leading independent energy company engaged primarily in the exploration, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and NGLs. Devon’s operations are concentrated in various onshore areas in the U.S. and Canada. Please see Devon’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 for additional information concerning Devon’s business.
Our Business Strategies
Our primary business objective is to provide cash flow stability in our business while growing prudently and profitably. We intend to accomplish this objective by executing the following strategies:
Maintain stable cash flows supported by long-term, fee-based contracts. We will seek to generate cash flows pursuant to long-term, firm contracts with creditworthy customers. We will continue to pursue opportunities to increase the fee-based and minimum volume commitment components of our contract portfolio to minimize our direct commodity price exposure.
Maintain a strong financial position. We believe that maintaining a conservative and balanced capital structure, appropriate leverage and other key financial metrics will afford us better access to the capital markets at a competitive cost of capital. We also believe a strong financial position provides us the opportunity to grow our business in a prudent manner through the cycles in our industry.
Execute in our core areas. We believe our assets are positioned in some of the most economic basins in the U.S. as well as key demand centers with growing end-use customers. We expect to grow certain of our systems organically over time by meeting Devon’s and our other customers’ midstream service needs that result from their drilling activity in our areas of operation. We continually evaluate whether to pursue economically attractive organic expansion opportunities in existing or new areas of operation that allow us to leverage our existing infrastructure, operating expertise and customer relationships by constructing and expanding systems to meet new or increased demand for our services.
Our Competitive Strengths
We believe that we are well-positioned to execute our strategies and to achieve our primary business objective due to the following competitive strengths:
Devon’s sponsorship. We expect our relationship with Devon will continue to provide us with significant business opportunities. Devon is one of the largest independent oil and gas producers in North America. Devon has a significant interest in promoting the success of our business, due to its approximate 70% ownership interest in ENLC and approximate 28% ownership interest in us as of December 31, 2015. Approximately 50% of our gross operating margin was attributable to commercial contracts with Devon in 2015.
Strategically-located assets. Our assets are strategically located in strategic producing regions with the potential for increasing throughput volume and cash flow generation. Our assets are in areas consistent with Devon's strategic focus. Our asset portfolio includes gathering, transmission, fractionation, and processing systems that are located in the areas in which producer activity is focused on crude oil, condensate and NGLs as well as natural gas. We have developed or are in the process of growing our platforms in Oklahoma, in the Permian Basin in Texas and in southern Louisiana through organic development and acquisitions.
Stable cash flows. Approximately 96% of our cash flows were derived from fee-based services with no direct commodity exposure during 2015. We currently have approximately eight years remaining on fixed-fee gathering and processing agreements with a subsidiary of Devon pursuant to which we provide gathering, treating, compression, dehydration, stabilization, processing and fractionation services, as applicable, for natural gas delivered by Devon to our gathering and processing systems in the Barnett and Cana-Woodford Shales. These agreements provide us with dedication of all of the natural gas owned or controlled by Devon and produced from or attributable to existing and future wells located on certain oil, natural gas and mineral leases covering lands within the acreage dedications,

6


excluding properties previously dedicated to other natural gas gathering systems not owned and operated by Devon. These agreements also include minimum volume commitments that will remain in effect for approximately three more years, as well as annual rate escalators. Additionally, our recently acquired Tall Oak assets are supported by Devon with acreage dedications and minimum volume commitments for gathering and processing on Devon’s recently acquired Sooner Trend Anadarko Basin Canadian and Kingfisher Counties (“STACK”) acreage. Please read “Our Contractual Relationship with Devon.” We will continue to focus on contract structures that reduce volatility and support long-term stability of cash flows.
Integrated midstream services. We span the energy value chain by providing natural gas, NGL, crude oil and condensate services across a diverse customer base. These services include gathering, compressing, treating, processing, transporting, storing and selling natural gas, producing, fractionating, transporting, storing and selling NGLs, and gathering, transporting, stabilizing, storing and trans-loading crude oil and condensate. We believe our ability to provide all of these services gives us an advantage in competing for new opportunities because we can provide substantially all services that producers, marketers and others require to move natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate from the wellhead to the market on a cost-effective basis.
Experienced management team. We believe our management team has a proven track record of creating value through the development, acquisition, optimization and integration of midstream assets. Our management team has an average of over 20 years of experience in the energy industry. We believe this team provides us with a strong foundation for evaluating growth opportunities and operating our assets in a safe, reliable and efficient manner.
We believe that we will leverage our competitive strengths to successfully implement our strategy; however, our business involves numerous risks and uncertainties that may prevent us from achieving our primary business objectives. For a more complete description of the risks associated with our business, please see “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”
Our Contractual Relationship with Devon
The following table includes our long-term, fixed-fee contracts with Devon.
 
 
 
Contract
Term
 
Year Contract Entered Into
 
Minimum
Gathering
Volume
Commitment
 
Minimum
Processing
Volume
Commitment
 
Minimum
Volume
Commitment
Term
 
Annual
Rate
Contract
 
(Years)
 
 
 
(MMcf/d)
 
(MMcf/d)
 
(Years)
 
Escalators
Bridgeport gathering and processing contract (1)
10

 
2014
 
850

 
650

 
5

 
CPI

East Johnson County gathering contract
10

 
2014
 
125

 

 
5

 
CPI

Cana gathering and processing contract
10

 
2014
 
330

 
330

 
5

 
CPI

Chisholm gathering and processing contract (2)
 
15

 
2016
 
Varies

(2)
Varies

(2)
5

 

____________________________________________________________________________
(1)
The Bridgeport gathering and processing contract includes volume commitments to the Bridgeport processing facility as well as the Bridgeport gathering systems.
(2)
The minimum gathering volume commitments and minimum processing volume commitments under this contract escalate on a quarterly basis over the life of the five-year commitment, beginning with an average of commitment 37 MMcf/d during 2016 and ending with an average commitment of 230 MMcf/d during 2020.
In addition, we entered into to a five-year minimum transportation volume commitment with Devon related to our Victoria Express Pipeline (“VEX Pipeline”). The volume commitment under this contract escalates over the life of the contract, beginning with an average commitment of 25,000 Bbls/d during the first year and 30,000 Bbls/d in years two through five. The minimum volume commitment was executed in June 2014 and the initial term expires July 2019.
Recent Growth Developments
Acquisitions
Tall Oak. On January 7, 2016, we and ENLC acquired an 84% and 16% interest, respectively, in subsidiaries of Tall Oak Midstream, LLC (“Tall Oak”) for $1.55 billion, subject to certain adjustments (the “Tall Oak Acquisition”). The first installment of $1.05 billion for the acquisition was paid at closing and the final installment of $500.0 million is due no later than the first anniversary of the closing date with the option to defer $250.0 million of the final installment up to 24 months following the closing date.

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The first installment consisted of approximately $1.05 billion and was funded by (a) approximately $788.0 million in cash contributed by us, the majority of which was derived from the proceeds from issuance of Preferred Units (as defined under “Issuance of Preferred Units” below), and (b) (i) 15,564,009 common units representing limited liability company interests in ENLC issued directly by ENLC and (ii) approximately $19.5 million in cash contributed by ENLC.
Tall Oak's assets serve gathering and processing needs in the growing STACK and Central Northern Oklahoma Woodford (“CNOW”) plays in Oklahoma and are supported by long-term, fixed-fee contracts with acreage dedications that have a remaining weighted-average term of approximately 15 years. Tall Oak’s assets are strategically located in the core areas of the STACK and CNOW plays and include:
Chisholm Plant. The Chisholm Plant, which serves the STACK play, is a cryogenic gas processing plant with a current capacity of 100 MMcf/d. Depending on future volume requirements, the Chisholm Plant could be expanded by an additional 600 MMcf/d for a total processing capacity of 700 MMcf/d. The plant is connected to a 200-mile, low and high-pressure gathering system with compression facilities. Additional gathering pipelines and compression facilities are currently under construction.
Battle Ridge Plant. The Battle Ridge Plant, which provides us with an entry into the CNOW play, is a cryogenic gas processing plant with a current capacity of 75 MMcf/d. The plant is connected to a 175-mile, low and high-pressure gathering system with compression facilities. Additional gathering pipelines and compression facilities are currently under construction.
Connecting Pipeline. A 42-mile, 16-inch high-pressure header pipeline with a total capacity of 150 MMcf/d was constructed to connect the Chisolm and Battle Ridge systems. The pipeline went into service in February 2016 and provides customers with additional operational flexibility.
Deadwood Natural Gas Processing Facility. On November 16, 2015, we acquired the remaining 50-percent ownership interest in the Deadwood natural gas processing facility from a subsidiary of Apache Corporation for approximately $40 million. The facility is located in Glasscock County, Texas in the Permian Basin. Pursuant to a 2011 agreement, we and Apache jointly funded the development of a new-build processing facility in which each company held a 50-percent undivided ownership interest. We managed the plant’s initial construction and have operated the facility since its startup. The plant has a capacity of 58 MMcf/d and is currently processing approximately 61,500 MMBtu/d. The acquisition brings our net processing capacity in the Permian Basin to 343 MMcf/d.
Acquisition of Natural Gas Gathering and Processing Assets. On October 1, 2015, we acquired all of the voting interests in DLK Wolf Midstream, LLC, a subsidiary of MRC Energy Company (“Matador”), which owns natural gas gathering and processing assets located in west Texas (the “Delaware Basin System”), for $145.3 million, subject to certain adjustments. The Delaware Basin System consists of a cryogenic gas processing plant with approximately 35 MMcf/d of inlet capacity and approximately six miles of high-pressure gathering pipeline, which connects a low-pressure gathering system to the processing plant. Matador is the largest customer on the system and has dedicated approximately 11,000 gross acres currently under development pursuant to a 15-year fixed-fee gathering and processing agreement.
Coronado Midstream. On March 16, 2015, we acquired all of the voting equity interests in Coronado Midstream Holdings LLC, the parent company of Coronado Midstream LLC (“Coronado”), which owns natural gas gathering and processing facilities in the Permian Basin, for approximately $600.3 million in cash and equity, subject to certain adjustments. The purchase price consisted of $240.3 million in cash, 6,704,285 common units and 6,704,285 of our Class C common units.  Coronado operates three cryogenic gas processing plants and a gas gathering system in the North Midland Basin, including approximately 300 miles of gathering pipelines, 175 MMcf/d of processing capacity and 35,000 horsepower of compression. The Coronado system is underpinned by long-term contracts, which include the dedication of production from over 190,000 acres.
We acquired the Riptide plant located in the Permian Basin as part of the Coronado acquisition. The plant, which is under construction, will provide 100 MMcf/d of additional processing capacity and be tied to approximately 50 miles of new pipeline that is also under construction. The plant is expected to be completed in the first half of 2016.
LPC Crude Oil Marketing. On January 31, 2015, we acquired all of the voting equity interests in LPC Crude Oil Marketing LLC (“LPC”), which has crude oil gathering, transportation and marketing operations in the Permian Basin, for approximately $108.1 million. LPC is an integrated crude oil logistics service provider with operations throughout the Permian Basin. LPC's integrated logistics services are supported by 51 tractor trailers, 13 pipeline injection stations and 80 miles of crude oil gathering pipeline.
Organic Growth
HEP. During 2016, we plan to make contributions to HEP, primarily to fund our equity share of HEP's Nueva Era Pipeline. The Nueva Era Pipeline is a 50-50 joint venture between HEP and Mexico-based energy and services firm Grupo Clisa connecting HEP’s existing Webb County Hub in South Texas directly to the Mexican National Pipeline System in Monterrey,

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Mexico. Mexico’s Comisión Federal de Electricidad will be the foundation shipper on the approximately 200-mile, 30-inch Nueva Era Pipeline and will transport 504 MMcf/d on the system for a 25-year term.
Lobo II Natural Gas Gathering and Processing Facility. In the first quarter of 2016, we commenced construction of a new cryogenic gas processing plant and a gas gathering system in the Delaware Basin. The plant will initially provide 60 MMcf/d of processing capacity with a potential capacity of 120 MMcf/d and be tied to approximately 75 miles of new pipeline located in both in Texas and New Mexico that is also under construction. The plant and Texas portion of the pipeline are expected to be completed in the second half 2016 with the remaining New Mexico pipeline to be completed in the first quarter of 2017. The Lobo II system is supported by a long-term contract with an investment grade producer.
Ohio River Valley Condensate Stabilization Facilities. Through an agreement with Eclipse Resources, we constructed three natural gas compression and condensate stabilization facilities during late 2014 and 2015 in Harrison, Monroe and Guernsey counties in Ohio. We will begin construction on the fourth facility as needed based on available volumes.
Marathon Petroleum Joint Venture. We have entered into a series of agreements with a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (“Marathon Petroleum”) to create a 50/50 joint venture named Ascension Pipeline Company, LLC. This joint venture will build a new 30-mile NGL pipeline connecting our existing Riverside fractionation and terminal complex to Marathon Petroleum's Garyville refinery located on the Mississippi River. This bolt-on project to our Cajun-Sibon NGL system is supported by long-term, fee-based contracts with Marathon Petroleum. Under the arrangement, we will serve as the construction manager and operator of the pipeline project, which is expected to be operational in the first half of 2017.
Drop Downs
Midstream Holdings Drop Down. On February 17, 2015, we acquired the February Transferred Interests from Acacia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ENLC, in the February EMH Drop Down. As consideration for the February Transferred Interests, we issued 31.6 million of our units to Acacia.
On May 27, 2015, we acquired the May Transferred Interests from Acacia in exchange for 36.6 million of our units. After giving effect to the EMH Drop Downs, we own 100% of Midstream Holdings.
VEX Pipeline. On April 1, 2015, we acquired the Victoria Express Pipeline and related truck terminal and storage assets from Devon (the “VEX Interests”), which are located in the Eagle Ford Shale in south Texas. We paid aggregate consideration consisting of $166.7 million in cash, 338,159 common units with an aggregate value of approximately $9.0 million and the assumption of up to $40.0 million in certain construction costs related to the VEX Interests, subject to certain adjustments set forth in the contribution agreement. The VEX pipeline is a 60-mile multi-grade crude oil pipeline with a current capacity of approximately 90,000 Bbls/d. Other VEX assets at the destination of the pipeline include an eight-bay truck unloading terminal, 200,000 barrels of above-ground storage and rights to barge loading docks.

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Our Assets
Our assets consist of gathering systems, transmission pipelines, processing facilities, fractionation facilities, stabilization facilities, storage facilities and ancillary assets. Except as stated otherwise, the following tables provide information about our assets as of and for the year ended December 31, 2015:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Year Ended
December 31, 2015
Gathering and Transmission Pipelines
 
Approximate
Length
(Miles)
 
Compression (1)
(HP)
 
Estimated
Capacity (2)
 
Average
Throughput (3)
Gas Pipelines
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Texas Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
North Texas Assets
 
4,110

 
416,700

 
3,805

 
2,677,200

Permian Basin Assets
 
580

 
89,210

 
360

 
172,400

Oklahoma Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cana System
 
440

 
87,500

 
530

 
380,300

Northridge System
 
140

 
13,200

 
75

 
48,300

Louisiana Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Louisiana Gas System
 
3,145

 
97,400

 
3,975

 
1,468,300

Total Gas Pipelines
 
8,415

 
704,010

 
8,745

 
4,746,500

NGL, Crude Oil and Condensate Pipelines
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Louisiana Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Louisiana Liquids Pipeline System
 
660

 

 
130,000

 
118,800

Crude and Condensate Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ohio River Valley (4)
 
210

 

 
25,650

 
23,600

Victoria Express Pipeline
 
60

 

 
90,000

 
37,400

Permian Gathering (5)
 
80

 

 
70,800

 
64,900

Total NGL, Crude Oil and Condensate Pipelines
 
1,010

 

 
316,450

 
244,700

____________________________________________________________________________
(1)
Includes power generation units.
(2)
Estimated capacity for gas pipelines is MMcf/d. Estimated capacity for liquids and crude and condensate pipelines is Bbls/d.
(3)
Average throughput for gas pipelines is MMBtu/d. Average throughput for liquids and crude and condensate pipelines is Bbls/d.
(4)
Estimated capacity is comprised of trucking capacity only.
(5)
Estimated capacity is comprised of 11,100 Bbls/d of pipeline capacity and 59,700 Bbls/d of trucking capacity.
 
 
 
 
 
Year Ended
December 31, 2015
Processing Facilities
 
Processing
Capacity
(MMcf/d)
 
Average
Throughput
(MMBtu/d)
Texas Assets:
 
 
 
 
   North Texas Assets
 
1,070

 
1,000,200

   Permian Basin Assets
 
343

 
222,500

Oklahoma Assets:
 
 
 
 
   Cana System
 
350

 
301,900

   Northridge System
 
200

 
57,700

Louisiana Assets:
 
 
 
 
   Louisiana Gas System
 
1,710

 
506,100

Total
 
3,673

 
2,088,400




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Year Ended
December 31, 2015
 
Fractionation Facilities
 
Estimated NGL
Fractionation Capacity
(MBbls/d)
 
Average Throughput
(MBbls/d)
 
Louisiana Liquids System
 
198

 
137

 
Gulf Coast Fractionators (1)
 
56

 
44

 
Texas Assets
 
30

 

(2)
Total
 
284

 
181

 
____________________________________________________________________________
(1)
Volumes are shown net of our net contractual right to the burdens and benefits of a 38.75% economic interest in Gulf Coast Fractionators held by Devon.
(2)
We have two small fractionation facilities of 15 MBbls/d each. Our Mesquite Terminal in the Permian Basin and our Bridgeport processing plant in North Texas provide operational flexibility for the related processing plants, but are not the primary fractionation facilities for the NGLs produced by the processing plants. Under our current contracts, we do not earn fractionation fees for operating these facilities, so throughput volumes through these facilities are not captured on a routine basis and are not significant to our operating margins.
Texas Assets. Our Texas assets include transmission pipelines with a capacity of approximately 1.3 Bcf/d, processing facilities with a total processing capacity of approximately 1.4 Bcf/d and gathering systems with total capacity of approximately 2.9 Bcf/d.
Transmission Systems. Our transmission systems in Texas include approximately 270 miles of pipeline with an aggregate capacity of approximately 1.3 Bcf/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
North Texas Assets. Our North Texas transmission systems include the following:
North Texas Pipeline. Our North Texas Pipeline (“NTPL”) is a 140-mile pipeline extending from an area near Fort Worth, Texas to a point near Paris, Texas and connects production from the Barnett Shale to markets in north Texas accessed by the Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, LLC, Kinder Morgan, Inc., Houston Pipeline Company, L.P., Atmos Energy Corporation and Gulf Crossing Pipeline Company, LLC. The NTPL has approximately 375 MMcf/d of capacity and 18,960 horsepower of compression and, for the year ended December 31, 2015, the average throughput on the NTPL was approximately 315,700 MMBtu/d.
Acacia transmission system. The Acacia transmission system is a 130-mile pipeline that connects production from the Barnett Shale to markets in north Texas accessed by Atmos Energy, Brazos Electric, Enbridge Energy Partners, Energy Transfer Partners, Enterprise Product Partners and GDF Suez. The Acacia transmission system has approximately 920 MMcf/d of capacity and 17,000 horsepower of compression and, for the year ended December 31, 2015, average throughput was approximately 671,300 MMBtu/d. Devon is the Acacia transmission system’s only customer with approximately eight years remaining on a fixed-fee transportation agreement that covers transmission services and includes annual rate escalators.
Processing and Fractionation Facilities. Our processing facilities in Texas include 9 gas processing plants with total processing throughput that averaged 1,222,700 MMBtu/d for the year ended December 31, 2015 and our 38.75% interest in GCF and consist of the following:
North Texas Assets. Our North Texas processing systems include the following:
Bridgeport processing facility. Our Bridgeport natural gas processing facility, located in Wise County, Texas, approximately 40 miles northwest of Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the largest processing plants in the U.S. with seven cryogenic turboexpander plants that have a total of 790 MMcf/d of processing capacity and 15 MBbls/d of NGL fractionation capacity. For the year ended December 31, 2015, throughput volumes at the Bridgeport processing facility averaged 733,900 MMBtu/d of natural gas. Devon is the Bridgeport facility’s largest customer with approximately 656,500 MMBtu/d of natural gas processed for the year ended December 31, 2015, which represented approximately 90% of the total volumes processed at the facility during such period. We currently have approximately eight years remaining on a fixed-fee processing agreement with Devon pursuant to which we provide processing services for natural gas delivered by Devon to the Bridgeport processing facility. This contractual arrangement includes a minimum volume

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commitment from Devon that will remain in effect for approximately three more years of 650 MMcf/d of natural gas delivered to the Bridgeport processing facility and also provides annual rate escalators.
Silver Creek processing complex. Our Silver Creek processing complex, located in Weatherford, Azle and Fort Worth, Texas, includes three processing plants. Our Silver Creek plants have a total of 280 MMcf/d of processing capacity, with the Azle Plant, Silver Creek Plant and Goforth Plant accounting for 50 MMcf/d, 200 MMcf/d and 30 MMCf/d of processing capacity, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2015, throughput volumes at the Silver Creek processing facility averaged 266,300 MMBtu/d of natural gas.
Permian Basin processing facilities. Our Permian Basin processing facilities consist of the following:
Bearkat processing facility. The Bearkat natural gas processing facility is located in Glasscock County, Texas and has a total capacity of 75 MMcf/d. The Bearkat plant averaged 28,400 MMBtu/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Deadwood processing facility. The Deadwood processing facility is located in Glasscock County, Texas. The Deadwood plant is supported by acreage dedication from a major producer in the Permian Basin. The Deadwood processing facility has a total capacity of 58 MMcf/d and total processing throughput that averaged 61,500 MMBtu/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
MidMar processing facilities. The MidMar natural gas processing facility is located in the North Midland Basin in Martin County, Texas and includes two processing plants. The MidMar plants have a total of 175 MMcf/d of processing capacity with the East Plant and West Plant accounting for 100 MMcf/d and 75 MMcf/d of processing capacity, respectively. For the period March 16, 2015 to December 31, 2015, throughput volumes at the MidMar facility averaged 159,400 MMBtu/d of natural gas.
Lobo processing facility. Our Lobo natural gas processing facility is located in Loving County, Texas and has a total capacity of 35 MMcf/d. For the period October 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015, throughput volumes at the Lobo facility averaged 21,800 MMBtu/d of natural gas.
Gathering Systems. Our gathering systems in Texas include approximately 4,420 miles of pipeline with total throughput of approximately 1,862,600 MMBtu/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
North Texas Assets. Our North Texas gathering systems include the following:
Bridgeport rich gathering system. This rich natural gas gathering system consists of approximately 2,140 miles of pipeline segments with approximately 145,000 horsepower of compression. A substantial majority of the natural gas gathered on the system is delivered to the Bridgeport processing facility. For the year ended December 31, 2015, throughput volumes on the Bridgeport rich gathering system averaged 760,400 MMBtu/d of natural gas. Devon is the largest customer on the Bridgeport rich gathering system with approximately 756,000 MMBtu/d of natural gas gathered for the year ended December 31, 2015, which represented approximately 99% of the total throughput on the system during such period. As described above, we currently have approximately eight years remaining on a fixed-fee gathering agreement with Devon pursuant to which we provide gathering services on the Bridgeport system, and such agreement includes a minimum volume commitment from Devon that will remain in effect for approximately three more years of a combined 850 MMcf/d of natural gas delivered for gathering into the Bridgeport rich and Bridgeport lean gathering systems.
Bridgeport lean gathering system. This lean natural gas gathering system consists of approximately 655 miles of pipeline segments with approximately 59,000 horsepower of compression. Natural gas gathered on this system is delivered to the Acacia transmission system and intrastate pipelines without processing. For the year ended December 31, 2015, throughput volumes on the Bridgeport lean gathering system averaged 231,800 MMBtu/d of natural gas, all of which were attributable to Devon. As described above, we are party to a fixed-fee gathering and processing agreement with Devon that covers gathering services on the Bridgeport system.
East Johnson County gathering system. This natural gas gathering system consists of approximately 290 miles of pipeline segments with approximately 33,850 horsepower of compression. Natural gas gathered on this system is delivered to intrastate pipelines without processing. For the year ended December 31, 2015, throughput volumes on the East Johnson County gathering system averaged 154,400 MMBtu/d of natural gas, which were primarily attributable to Devon. We currently have

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approximately eight years remaining on a fixed-fee gathering agreement pursuant to which we provide gathering services on the East Johnson County gathering system. This contractual arrangement includes a minimum volume commitment from Devon that will remain in effect for approximately three more years of 125 MMcf/d of natural gas delivered for gathering into the East Johnson County gathering system and also provides annual rate escalators.
Silver Creek gathering systems. Our Silver Creek gathering system includes two gathering systems. Our north Texas gathering system, which we refer to as NTG, consists of approximately 720 miles of gathering lines with approximately 112,874 horsepower of compression and had an average throughput of approximately 478,200 MMBtu/d for the year ended December 31, 2015. The Denton system consists of approximately 35 miles of gathering lines with approximately 29,985 horsepower of compression and had an average throughput of approximately 65,400 MMBtu/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Permian Basin assets. Our Permian Basin gathering systems include the following:
Bearkat gathering system. The rich natural gas gathering system consists of 270 miles of high and low pressure pipeline with approximately 34,710 horsepower of compression and had an average throughput of approximately 32,300 MMBtu/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Coronado gathering system. The rich natural gas gathering system consists of 300 miles of high pressure pipeline with approximately 51,740 horsepower of compression. For the period March 16, 2015 to December 31, 2015, throughput volumes averaged 168,800 MMBtu/d.
Lobo gathering system. The rich natural gas gathering system consists of 10 miles of gathering pipeline with approximately 2,760 horsepower of compression. For the period October 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015, throughput volumes averaged 21,900 MMBtu/d.
Oklahoma Assets. Our Oklahoma assets consist of processing facilities with a total processing capacity of approximately 550 MMcf/d, gathering systems with total capacity of approximately 605 MMcf/d and a crude oil and condensate stabilization facility.
Oklahoma processing system. Our processing facilities include the following:
Northridge processing plant. Our Northridge processing plant has 200 MMcf/d of processing capacity. For the year ended December 31, 2015, throughput volumes at the Northridge processing facility averaged 57,700 MMBtu/d. The residue natural gas from the Northridge processing facility is delivered to Centerpoint, Enable Midstream Partners and MarkWest. In August 2014, Linn Energy acquired certain of Devon's southeastern Oklahoma assets thereby becoming the largest customer of the Northridge processing facility. In connection with this acquisition, effective December 1, 2014, Devon assigned, and Linn Energy assumed, all right, title and interest in Devon's fixed-fee gathering and processing agreement with us pursuant to which we provide processing services for natural gas delivered to the Northridge processing facility. This contractual arrangement includes a minimum volume commitment that will remain in effect for approximately three more years of 40 MMcf/d of natural gas delivered to the Northridge processing facility and also provides annual rate escalators.
Cana processing facilities. Our Cana processing facilities include a multi-train 350 MMcf/d cryogenic processing plant and a crude oil and condensate stabilization facility. For the year ended December 31, 2015, throughput volumes at the Cana processing facility averaged 301,900 MMBtu/d. The residue natural gas from the Cana processing facility is delivered to Enable Midstream Partners and ONEOK Partners. Devon is the primary customer of the Cana processing facilities and has approximately eight years remaining on a fixed-fee gathering and processing agreement with us pursuant to which we provide processing services for natural gas delivered by Devon to the Cana processing facility. This contractual arrangement includes minimum volume commitment from Devon that will remain in effect for approximately three more years of 330 MMcf/d of natural gas delivered to the processing facility and provides annual rate escalators.
Oklahoma gathering system. Our Oklahoma gathering systems include the following:
Cana gathering system. Our Cana gathering system is located in the Cana-Woodford Shale in West Central Oklahoma and includes approximately 440-mile gathering system with approximately 87,500 horsepower of compression. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Cana system gathered approximately 380,300 MMBtu/d of gas. Devon is the primary customer of the Cana gathering system and, as described above, has entered into a fixed-fee gathering and processing agreement with us that covers gathering services on the Cana gathering system.

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Northridge gathering system. Our Northridge gathering system is located in the Arkoma-Woodford Shale in Southeastern Oklahoma and includes approximately 140-mile gathering system with approximately 13,200 horsepower of compression. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Northridge system gathered 48,300 MMBtu/d of gas. Linn Energy is the only customer on the Northridge gathering system and, as described above, is party to a fixed-fee gathering and processing agreement with us that covers gathering services on the Northridge gathering system.
Louisiana Assets. Our Louisiana assets consist of transmission pipelines with a capacity of approximately 3.5 Bcf/d, processing facilities with a total processing capacity of approximately 1.7 Bcf/d and gathering systems with total capacity of approximately 510 MMcf/d.
Louisiana Gas Pipeline and Processing Systems. The Louisiana gas pipeline system includes gathering and transmission systems with a capacity of approximately 4.0 Bcf/d and processing facilities with total processing capacity of approximately 1.7 Bcf/d and underground gas storage of 19.1 Bcf/d
Gas Gathering and Transmission Systems. Our gathering and transmission systems include 3,145 miles of gathering and transmission systems with a total capacity of 4.0 bcf/d. The systems have a combined 97,400 horsepower of compression. The system has access to both rich and lean gas supplies from onshore production in south central and southeast Louisiana and a variety of transportation and industrial sale customers in the south, with the majority of its sales being made into the industrial Mississippi River corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. This system also serves the natural gas fields south of Shreveport, Louisiana and extends into the Haynesville Shale plays in north Louisiana. For the year ended December 31, 2015, throughput volumes on the gathering system averaged 881,000 MMBtu/d of natural gas and throughput volumes on the transmission system averaged 587,300 MMBtu/d of natural gas.
Gas Processing and Storage Facilities. Our processing facilities in Louisiana include five gas processing plants, of which three are currently operational, with total processing throughput that averaged 506,100 MMBtu/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Plaquemine Processing Plant. The Plaquemine processing plant has 110 MMcf/d of processing capacity. For the year ended December 31, 2015, throughput volumes of the Plaquemine processing plant averaged 161,400 MMBtu/d of natural gas.
Gibson Processing Plant. The Gibson processing plant has 225 MMcf/d of processing capacity. For the year ended December 31, 2015, throughput volumes of the Gibson processing plant averaged 38,500 MMBtu/d of natural gas.
Pelican Processing Plant. The Pelican processing plant complex is located in Patterson, Louisiana and has a designed capacity of 600 MMcf/d of natural gas. For the year ended December 31, 2015, the plant processed approximately 306,200 MMBtu/d of natural gas. The Pelican plant is connected with continental shelf and deepwater production and has downstream connections to the ANR Pipeline. This plant has an interconnection with the Louisiana gas pipeline system allowing us to process natural gas from this system at our Pelican plant when markets are favorable.
Blue Water Gas Processing Plant. We operate and own a 64.29% interest in the Blue Water gas processing plant. The Blue Water plant is located in Crowley, Louisiana and is connected to the Blue Water pipeline system. The plant has a net capacity with respect to our interest of approximately 300 MMcf/d. The plant is not expected to operate in the future unless fractionation spreads are favorable and volumes are sufficient to run the plant.
Eunice Processing Plant. The Eunice processing plant is located in south central Louisiana and has a capacity of 475 MMcf/d of natural gas. In August 2013, we shut down the Eunice processing plant due to adverse economics driven by low NGL prices and low processing volumes, which we do not see improving in the near future based on forecasted prices.
Belle Rose Gas Storage Facility. The Belle Rose storage facility is located in Assumption Parish, Louisiana and has a total capacity of 10.2 Bcf. This facility is designed for injecting pipeline quality gas into storage or withdrawing stored gas for delivery by pipeline. This storage facility is expected to go into service during 2016. The storage facility includes three compressors with total of 9,637 horsepower.
Sorrento Gas Storage Facility. The storage facility is located in Assumption Parish, Louisiana and has a total capacity of 8.9 Bcf and is currently in service. This facility is designed for injecting pipeline quality gas into storage or withdrawing stored gas for delivery by pipeline. There are three compressors with a total of 6,600 horsepower.

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Louisiana Liquids Pipeline System. Our Louisiana liquids pipeline system includes approximately 660 miles of liquids transport lines, processing and fractionation assets and underground storage.
Cajun-Sibon Pipeline System. The Cajun-Sibon pipeline system consists of approximately 660 miles of raw make NGL pipelines with a current system capacity of approximately 130,000 Bbls/d. The pipelines transport unfractionated NGLs, referred to as raw make, from areas such as the Liberty, Texas interconnects near Mont Belvieu and from our Eunice and Pelican processing plants in south Louisiana to either the Riverside or Eunice fractionators or to third party fractionators when necessary.
Fractionation Facilities. There are four fractionation facilities located in Louisiana that averaged 137,500 Bbls/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Plaquemine Fractionation Facility. The Plaquemine fractionator is located at our Plaquemine gas processing plant complex and is connected to our Cajun-Sibon pipeline. The Plaquemine fractionation facility has a capacity of approximately 100,000 Bbls/d, and produces purity ethane and propane for sale by pipeline to long-term markets with the butane and heavier products sent to our Riverside facility for further processing. The plant fractionated 59,200 Bbls/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
The Plaquemine Gas Processing Plant. The Plaquemine Gas Processing Plant also has a fractionator with a capacity of 10,800 Bbls/d of raw-make NGL products, and total volume for fractionated liquids at Plaquemine which averaged approximately 2,000 Bbls/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Eunice Fractionation Facility. The Eunice fractionation facility is located in south central Louisiana. The Eunice fractionation facility has a capacity of 55,000 Bbls/d of liquid products, including ethane, propane, iso-butane, normal butane and natural gasoline, and is directly connected to the southeast propane market and pipelines to the Anse La Butte storage facility. The plant fractionated 49,300 Bbls/d of liquids for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Riverside Fractionation Facility. The Riverside fractionator and loading facility is located on the Mississippi River upriver from Geismar, Louisiana. The Riverside plant has a fractionation capacity of approximately 32,000 Bbls/d of liquids delivered by the Cajun-Sibon pipeline system from the Eunice and Pelican processing plants or by third-party truck and rail assets. The Riverside facility has above-ground storage capacity of approximately 278,300 Bbls. The loading/unloading facility has the capacity to transload 15,000 Bbls/d of crude oil and condensate from rail cars to barges. Total volumes for fractionated liquids at Riverside averaged 27,000 Bbls/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Napoleonville Storage Facility. The Napoleonville NGL storage facility is connected to the Riverside facility and has a total capacity of 3.2 million barrels of underground storage comprised of two existing caverns. The caverns are currently operated in butane service, and space is leased to customers for a fee.
Crude and Condensate. Our Crude and Condensate assets consist of approximately 350 miles of crude oil and condensate pipelines. The assets also include 900,000 barrels of above ground storage and a trucking fleet of approximately 150 vehicles comprised of both semi and straight trucks with a current capacity of 85,350 Bbls/d. The current pipeline capacity is 101,100 Bbls/d. Additionally, our operations include eight condensate stabilization and natural gas compression stations with combined capacities of over 36,000 Bbls/d of condensate stabilization and 780 MMcf/d of natural gas compression.
Ohio River Valley. Our Ohio River Valley (“ORV”) operations are an integrated network of assets comprised of a 5,000-barrel-per-hour crude oil and condensate barge loading terminal on the Ohio River, a 20-spot crude oil and condensate rail loading terminal on the Ohio Central Railroad network and approximately 210 miles of crude oil and condensate pipelines in Ohio and West Virginia. The assets also include over 500,000 barrels of above ground storage and a trucking fleet of approximately 86 vehicles comprised of both semi and straight trucks, and 2 newly purchased trailers for hauling NGL volumes with a current capacity of 25,650 Bbls/d. Total crude oil and condensate handled averaged approximately 23,600 Bbls/d for the year ended December 31, 2015. We have eight existing brine disposal wells with an injection capacity of approximately 4,000 Bbls/d and an average disposal rate of 3,900 Bbls/d for the year ended December 31, 2015. Additionally, our ORV operations include eight condensate stabilization and natural gas compression stations with combined capacities of over 36,000 Bbls/d of condensate stabilization and 780 MMcf/d of natural gas compression. These stations are in service and are supported by long-term, fee-based contracts with multiple producers.

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Permian Crude and Condensate. Our Permian Crude and Condensate assets have crude oil gathering, transportation and marketing operations in the Permian Basin with a current capacity of approximately 71,000 Bbls/d. Their integrated logistics services are supported by 51 tractor trailers, 13 pipeline injection stations and 80 miles of crude oil gathering pipeline. Total crude oil and condensate handled for the period February 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 averaged approximately 70,900 Bbls/d.
Victoria Express Pipeline. The VEX pipeline is a 60 mile, multi-grade crude oil pipeline with a current capacity of approximately 90,000 Bbls/d. Other VEX assets include the Cuero Terminal and Port of Victoria Terminal and Barge Docks.  The Cuero truck unloading terminal at the origin of the VEX system contains 8 unloading bays and 200,000 bbls of above-ground storage capacity for receipt from and delivery to the VEX pipeline.  The VEX pipeline terminates at the Port of Victoria Terminal that also has an 8 bay truck unloading dock and 200,000 bbls of above-ground storage capacity.  The Port of Victoria Terminal delivers to two barge loading docks at the Port of Victoria. Total crude oil and condensate handled averaged approximately 37,400 Bbls/d for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Corporate. Our Corporate assets primarily consist of a contractual right to the benefits and burdens associated with Devon's 38.75% ownership interest in GCF and a 30.6% ownership interest in HEP.
Gulf Coast Fractionators. We are entitled to receive the economic benefits and burdens of the 38.75% interest in GCF held by Devon, with the remaining interests owned 22.50% by Phillips 66 and 38.75% by Targa Resources Partners. GCF owns an NGL fractionator located on the Gulf Coast at Mont Belvieu, Texas. Phillips 66 is the operator of the fractionator. GCF receives raw mix NGLs from customers, fractionates the raw mix and redelivers the finished products to the customers for a fee. The facility has a capacity of approximately 145 MBbls/d. The plant fractionated approximately 44,000 Bbls/d of liquids for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Howard Energy Partners. HEP owns and operates over 500 miles of pipeline and a 200 MMcf/d processing plant, serving production from the Eagle Ford, Escondido, Olmos, Pearsall and other formations in south Texas and pursues a growth strategy focused on the needs of south Texas producers. HEP’s system has 145 MMcf/d of amine treating capacity and more than 9,000 horsepower of compression. In addition, HEP has a 10 MBbls/d stabilizer in Live Oak County and a 220 MBbls/d liquids storage terminal near Brownsville, Texas. HEP also owns more than 100 miles of natural gas gathering pipeline in Lycoming and Bradford counties in Pennsylvania and a 230 MBbls/d liquids storage terminal near Port Arthur, Texas. As of December 31, 2015, we owned a 30.6% interest in HEP and accounted for this investment under the equity method of accounting. Alinda Capital Partners owns a 59% capital interest in HEP.

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Industry Overview
The following diagram illustrates the gathering, processing, fractionation, stabilization and transmission process.
The midstream industry is the link between the exploration and production of natural gas and crude oil and condensate and the delivery of its components to end-user markets. The midstream industry is generally characterized by regional competition based on the proximity of gathering systems and processing plants to natural gas and crude oil and condensate producing wells.
Natural gas gathering. The natural gas gathering process follows the drilling of wells into gas-bearing rock formations. After a well has been completed, it is connected to a gathering system. Gathering systems typically consist of a network of small diameter pipelines and, if necessary, compression and treating systems that collect natural gas from points near producing wells and transport it to larger pipelines for further transmission.
Compression. Gathering systems are operated at pressures that will maximize the total natural gas throughput from all connected wells. Because wells produce gas at progressively lower field pressures as they age, it becomes increasingly difficult to deliver the remaining production in the ground against the higher pressure that exists in the connected gathering system. Natural gas compression is a mechanical process in which a volume of gas at an existing pressure is compressed to a desired higher pressure, allowing gas that no longer naturally flows into a higher-pressure downstream pipeline to be brought to market. Field compression is typically used to allow a gathering system to operate at a lower pressure or provide sufficient discharge pressure to deliver gas into a higher-pressure downstream pipeline. The remaining natural gas in the ground will not be produced if field compression is not installed because the gas will be unable to overcome the higher gathering system pressure. Also, a declining well can continue delivering natural gas if field compression is installed.
Natural gas processing. The principal components of natural gas are methane and ethane, but most natural gas also contains varying amounts of heavier NGLs and contaminants, such as water and CO2, sulfur compounds, nitrogen or helium. Natural gas produced by a well may not be suitable for long-haul pipeline transportation or commercial use and may need to be processed to remove the heavier hydrocarbon components and contaminants. Natural gas in commercial distribution systems mostly consists of methane and ethane, and moisture and other contaminants have been removed so there are negligible amounts of them in the gas stream. Natural gas is processed to remove unwanted contaminants that would interfere with pipeline transportation or use of the natural gas and to separate those hydrocarbon liquids from the gas that have higher value as NGLs. The removal and separation of individual hydrocarbons through processing is possible due to differences in weight,

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boiling point, vapor pressure and other physical characteristics. Natural gas processing involves the separation of natural gas into pipeline-quality natural gas and a mixed NGL stream and the removal of contaminants.
NGL fractionation. NGLs are separated into individual, more valuable components during the fractionation process. NGL fractionation facilities separate mixed NGL streams into discrete NGL products: ethane, propane, isobutane, normal butane, natural gasoline and stabilized crude oil and condensate. Ethane is primarily used in the petrochemical industry as feedstock for ethylene, one of the basic building blocks for a wide range of plastics and other chemical products. Propane is used as a petrochemical feedstock in the production of ethylene and propylene and as a heating fuel, an engine fuel and industrial fuel. Isobutane is used principally to enhance the octane content of motor gasoline. Normal butane is used as a petrochemical feedstock in the production of ethylene and butylene (a key ingredient in synthetic rubber), as a blend stock for motor gasoline and to derive isobutene through isomerization. Natural gasoline, a mixture of pentanes and heavier hydrocarbons, is used primarily as motor gasoline blend stock or petrochemical feedstock.
Natural gas transmission. Natural gas transmission pipelines receive natural gas from mainline transmission pipelines, processing plants and gathering systems and deliver it to industrial end-users, utilities and to other pipelines.
Crude oil and condensate transmission. Crude oil and condensate are transported by pipelines, barges, rail cars and tank trucks. The method of transportation used depends on, among other things, the resources of the transporter, the locations of the production points and the delivery points, cost-efficiency and the quantity of product being transported.
Condensate Stabilization. Condensate stabilization is the distillation of the condensate product to remove the lighter end components, which ultimately creates a higher quality condensate product that is then delivered via truck, rail or pipeline to local markets.
Brine gathering and disposal services. Typically, shale wells produce significant amounts of water that, in most cases, require disposal. Produced water and frac-flowback is hauled via truck transport or is pumped through pipelines from its origin at the oilfield tank battery or drilling pad to the disposal location. Once the water reaches the delivery disposal location, water is processed and filtered to remove impurities and injection wells place fluids underground for storage and disposal.
Crude oil and condensate terminals. Crude oil and condensate rail terminals are an integral part of ensuring the movement of new crude oil and condensate production from the developing shale plays in the United States and Canada. In general, the crude oil and condensate rail loading terminals are used to load rail cars and transport the commodity out of developing basins into market rich areas of the country where crude oil and condensate rail unloading terminals are used to unload rail cars and store crude oil and condensate volumes for third parties until the crude oil and condensate is redelivered to premium market delivery points via pipelines, trucks or rail.
Balancing Supply and Demand
When we purchase natural gas, crude oil and condensate, we establish a margin normally by selling it for physical delivery to third-party users. We can also use over-the-counter derivative instruments or enter into future delivery obligations under futures contracts on the NYMEX related to our natural gas purchases. Through these transactions, we seek to maintain a position that is balanced between purchases, on the one hand, and sales or future delivery obligations, on the other hand. Our policy is not to acquire and hold natural gas futures contracts or derivative products for the purpose of speculating on price changes.
Competition
The business of providing gathering, transmission, processing and marketing services for natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate is highly competitive. We face strong competition in obtaining natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate supplies and in the marketing and transportation of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate. Our competitors include major integrated and independent exploration and production companies, natural gas producers, interstate and intrastate pipelines, other natural gas, NGLs and crude oil and condensate gatherers and natural gas processors. Competition for natural gas and crude oil and condensate supplies is primarily based on geographic location of facilities in relation to production or markets, the reputation, efficiency and reliability of the gatherer and the pricing arrangements offered by the gatherer. As a result of the relationship between Devon and Midstream Holdings, we will not compete for the portion of Devon’s existing operations subject to existing acreage dedication and for which Midstream Holdings will provide midstream services. For areas where acreage is not dedicated to Midstream Holdings, we will compete with similar enterprises in providing additional gathering and processing services in its respective areas of operation, which may offer more services or have strong financial resources and access to larger natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate supplies than we do. Our competition varies in different geographic areas.
In marketing natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate, we have numerous competitors, including marketing affiliates of interstate pipelines, major integrated oil and gas companies, and local and national natural gas producers, gatherers, brokers and marketers of widely varying sizes, financial resources and experience. Local utilities and distributors of natural gas are, in some cases, engaged directly and through affiliates in marketing activities that compete with our marketing operations.

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We face strong competition for acquisitions and development of new projects from both established and start-up companies. Competition increases the cost to acquire existing facilities or businesses and results in fewer commitments and lower returns for new pipelines or other development projects. Our competitors may have greater financial resources than we possess or may be willing to accept lower returns or greater risks. Our competition differs by region and by the nature of the business or the project involved.
Natural Gas, NGL, Crude Oil and Condensate Supply
Our gathering and transmission pipelines have connections with major intrastate and interstate pipelines, which we believe have ample natural gas and NGL supplies in excess of the volumes required for the operation of these systems. We evaluate well and reservoir data that is either publicly available or furnished by producers or other service providers in connection with the construction and acquisition of our gathering systems and assets to determine the availability of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate supply for our systems and assets and/or obtain a minimum volume commitment from the producer that results in a rate of return on investment. We do not routinely obtain independent evaluations of reserves dedicated to our systems and assets due to the cost and relatively limited benefit of such evaluations. Accordingly, we do not have estimates of total reserves dedicated to our systems and assets or the anticipated life of such producing reserves.
Credit Risk and Significant Customers
We are subject to risk of loss resulting from nonpayment or nonperformance by our customers and other counterparties, such as our lenders and hedging counterparties. We diligently attempt to ensure that we issue credit to only credit-worthy customers. However, our purchase and resale of crude oil, condensate, NGLs and natural gas exposes us to significant credit risk, as the margin on any sale is generally a very small percentage of the total sales price. Therefore, a credit loss can be very large relative to our overall profitability. Some of our customers have filed for bankruptcy protection, and their debts and payments to us are subject to laws governing bankruptcy. Moreover, the combination of a reduction of cash flow resulting from declines in commodity prices, a reduction in borrowing bases under reserve-based credit facilities and the lack of availability of debt or equity financing may result in a significant reduction in our customers' liquidity and ability to make payment or perform on their obligations to us. Furthermore, some of our customers may be highly leveraged and subject to their own operating and regulatory risks, which increases the risk that they may default on their obligations to us. A substantial portion of our throughput volumes come from producers that have investment-grade ratings; however, many of our customers' equity values have substantially declined and some of these customers, including Devon, have had their credit ratings downgraded by major credit ratings agencies.
For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, Devon represented 16.6% and 30.6%, respectively, of our consolidated revenues and Dow Hydrocarbons & Resources LLC (“Dow Hydrocarbons”) represented 11.7% and 11.0%, respectively, of our consolidated revenues. No other customer represented greater than 10.0% of our revenue. Our operations are dependent on the volume of natural gas that Devon provides to us under commercial agreements, which constitutes a substantial portion of our natural gas supply. For the foreseeable future, we expect our profitability to be substantially dependent on Devon. Further, the loss of Dow Hydrocarbons as a customer could have a material impact on our results of operations if we were not able to sell our products to another customer with similar margins because the gross operating margins received from transactions with Dow Hydrocarbons are material to our total gross operating margin.
Regulation
Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines Regulation. We own interstate natural gas pipelines that are subject to regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) under the Natural Gas Act (“NGA”). Under the NGA, FERC has authority to regulate natural gas companies that provide natural gas pipeline transportation services in interstate commerce. FERC regulation extends to such matters as the following:
rates, services and terms and conditions of service;
the certification and construction of new facilities;
the extension or abandonment of services and facilities;
the maintenance of accounts and records;
the acquisition and disposition of facilities;
maximum rates payable for certain services;
the initiation and discontinuation of services;
internet posting requirements for available capacity, discounts and other matters;
pipeline segmentation to allow multiple simultaneous shipments under the same contract;
capacity release to create a secondary market for transportation services;

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relationships between affiliated companies involved in certain aspects of the natural gas business;
market manipulation in connection with interstate sales, purchases or transportation of natural gas and NGLs; and
participation by interstate pipelines in cash management arrangements.
Natural gas companies are prohibited from charging rates that have been determined not to be just and reasonable by FERC. In addition, FERC prohibits natural gas companies from unduly preferring or unreasonably discriminating against any person with respect to pipeline rates or terms and conditions of service.
The rates and terms and conditions for our interstate pipeline services are set forth in FERC-approved tariffs. Pursuant to FERC’s jurisdiction over rates, existing rates may be challenged by complaint or by action of FERC under Section 5 of the NGA, and proposed rate increases may be challenged by protest. The outcome of any successful complaint or protest against our rates could have an adverse impact on revenues associated with providing transportation service. Various aspects of an interstate pipeline’s rates can be challenged in a rate proceeding at the FERC.
For example, one issue relates to FERC’s policy regarding allowances for income taxes in determining a regulated entity’s cost of service. FERC’s income tax allowance policy is the result of substantial and ongoing litigation regarding whether and to what extent regulated companies are able to recover an allowance for income taxes in rates. Adverse rulings on ratemaking issues such as this one can have detrimental effects on certain rates that can be charged by interstate pipelines.
Interstate natural gas pipelines regulated by the FERC are required to comply with numerous regulations related to standards of conduct, market transparency, and market manipulation. The FERC’s standards of conduct regulate the manner in which interstate natural gas pipelines may interact with their marketing affiliates (unless the FERC has granted a waiver of such standards). The FERC’s market oversight and transparency regulations require annual reports of purchases or sales of natural gas meeting certain thresholds and criteria and certain public postings of information on scheduled volumes. FERC’s market manipulation regulations promulgated pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (the “EPAct 2005”) make it unlawful for any entity, directly or indirectly in connection with the purchase or sale of natural gas subject to the jurisdiction of FERC, or the purchase or sale of transportation services subject to the jurisdiction of FERC, to (1) use or employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud; (2) make any untrue statement of material fact or omit to make any statement necessary to make the statements made not misleading; or (3) engage in any act or practice that operates as a fraud or deceit upon any person. The EPAct 2005 also amends the NGA and the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 (“NGPA”) to give FERC authority to impose civil penalties for violations of these statutes, up to $1.0 million per day per violation for violations occurring after August 8, 2005. Should we fail to comply with all applicable FERC-administered statutes, rules, regulations and orders, we could be subject to substantial penalties and fines.
We also transport gas in interstate commerce that is subject to FERC jurisdiction under Section 311 of the NGPA. The maximum rates for services provided under Section 311 of the NGPA may not exceed a “fair and equitable rate,” as defined in the NGPA. The rates are generally subject to review every five years by FERC or by an appropriate state agency. The inability to obtain approval of rates at acceptable levels could result in refund obligations, the inability to achieve adequate returns on investments in new facilities and the deterrence of future investment or growth of the regulated facilities.
Interstate Liquids Pipelines Regulation. We own certain liquids and crude oil pipelines providing common carrier interstate service that are subject to regulation by FERC under the Interstate Commerce Act (“ICA”), the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and related rules and orders. These assets include our ORV, VEX and Cajun-Sibon NGL pipelines.
FERC regulation requires that interstate liquids pipeline rates and terms and conditions of service, including rates for transportation of crude oil, condensate and NGLs, be filed with FERC and that these rates and terms and conditions of service be “just and reasonable” and not unduly discriminatory or unduly preferential.
Rates of interstate liquids pipelines are currently regulated by FERC primarily through an annual indexing methodology, under which pipelines increase or decrease their rates in accordance with an index adjustment specified by FERC. For the five-year period beginning in 2010, FERC established an annual index adjustment equal to the change in the producer price index for finished goods plus 2.65%. This adjustment is subject to review every five years. For the five-year period beginning on July 1, 2016, FERC established an annual index adjustment equal to the change in the producer price index for finished goods plus 1.23%. Under FERC’s regulations, liquids pipelines can request a rate increase that exceeds the rate obtained through application of the indexing methodology by using a cost-of-services approach, but only after the pipeline establishes that a substantial divergence exists between the actual costs experienced by the pipeline and the rates resulting from application of the indexing methodology.
The ICA permits interested persons to challenge proposed new or changed rates and authorizes FERC to suspend the effectiveness of such rates for up to seven months and investigate such rates. If, upon completion of an investigation, FERC finds that the new or changed rate is unlawful, it is authorized to require the pipeline to refund revenues collected in excess of the just and reasonable rate during the term of the investigation. FERC may also investigate, upon complaint or on its own motion, rates that are already in effect and may order a carrier to change its rates prospectively. Under certain circumstances,

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FERC could limit our ability to set rates based on our costs or could order us to reduce our rates and could require the payment of reparations to complaining shippers for up to two years prior to the date of the complaint. FERC also has the authority to change our terms and conditions of service if it determines that they are unjust and unreasonable or unduly discriminatory or preferential.
The rates charged by our interstate liquids pipelines may also be affected by the ongoing litigation regarding FERC’s income tax allowance policy. As we acquire, construct and operate new liquids assets and expand our liquids transportation business, the classification and regulation of our liquids transportation services are subject to ongoing assessment and change based on the services we provide and determinations by FERC and the courts. Such changes may subject additional services we provide to regulation by FERC.
Intrastate Natural Gas Pipeline Regulation. Our intrastate natural gas pipeline operations are subject to regulation by various agencies of the states in which they are located. Most states have agencies that possess the authority to review and authorize natural gas transportation transactions and the construction, acquisition, abandonment and interconnection of physical facilities. Some states also have state agencies that regulate transportation rates, service terms and conditions and contract pricing to ensure their reasonableness and to ensure that the intrastate pipeline companies that they regulate do not discriminate among similarly situated customers.
The FERC’s anti-manipulation rules apply to non-jurisdictional entities to the extent the activities are conducted “in connection with” gas sales, purchases or transportation subject to FERC jurisdiction. The new anti-manipulation rules do not apply to activities that relate only to intrastate or other non-jurisdictional sales or gathering, but only to the extent such transactions do not have a “nexus” to jurisdictional transactions. As noted above, the FERC’s civil penalty authority under EPAct 2005 would apply to violations of these rules to the extent applicable to our intrastate natural gas services.
Intrastate Liquids Pipeline Regulation. Intrastate NGL and other petroleum pipelines are not generally subject to rate regulation by FERC, but they are subject to regulation by various agencies in the respective states where they are located. While the regulatory regime varies from state to state, state agencies typically require intrastate NGL and petroleum pipelines to file their rates with the agencies and permit shippers to challenge existing rates or proposed rate increases.
Gathering Pipeline Regulation. Section 1(b) of the NGA exempts natural gas gathering facilities from the jurisdiction of FERC under the NGA. We own a number of natural gas pipelines that we believe meet the traditional tests FERC has used to establish a pipeline’s status as a gatherer not subject to FERC jurisdiction. State regulation of gathering facilities generally includes various safety, environmental and, in some circumstances, nondiscriminatory take requirements, and in some instances complaint-based rate regulation.
We are subject to some state ratable take and common purchaser statutes. The ratable take statutes generally require gatherers to take, without undue discrimination, natural gas production that may be tendered to the gatherer for handling. Similarly, common purchaser statutes generally require gatherers to purchase without undue discrimination as to source of supply or producer. These statutes are designed to prohibit discrimination in favor of one producer over another producer or one source of supply over another source of supply.
The FERC’s anti-manipulation rules apply to non-jurisdictional entities to the extent the activities are conducted “in connection with” gas sales, purchases or transportation subject to FERC jurisdiction. The new anti-manipulation rules do not apply to activities that relate only to intrastate or other non-jurisdictional sales or gathering, but only to the extent such transactions do not have a “nexus” to jurisdictional transactions. As noted above, the FERC’s civil penalty authority under EPAct 2005 would apply to violations of these rules to the extent applicable to our natural gas gathering services.
Intrastate Natural Gas Storage Regulation. The storage field’s injection and withdrawal wells used in association with the Acacia system, along with water disposal wells located at the Bridgeport processing facility, are under the jurisdiction of the Texas Railroad Commission (“TRRC”). Regulatory requirements for these wells involve monthly and annual reporting of the natural gas and water disposal volumes associated with the operation of such wells, respectively. Results of periodic mechanical integrity tests run on these wells must also be reported to the TRRC.
Sales of Natural Gas and NGLs. The prices at which we sell natural gas and NGLs currently are not subject to federal regulation and, for the most part, are not subject to state regulation. Our natural gas and NGL sales are affected by the availability, terms and cost of pipeline transportation. As noted above, the price and terms of access to pipeline transportation are subject to extensive federal and state regulation. FERC is continually proposing and implementing new rules and regulations affecting those segments of the natural gas and NGL industries, most notably interstate natural gas transmission companies and NGL pipeline companies that remain subject to FERC’s jurisdiction. These initiatives also may affect the intrastate transportation of natural gas and NGLs under certain circumstances. We cannot predict the ultimate impact of these regulatory changes on our natural gas and NGL marketing operations, but we do not believe that we will be affected by any such FERC action in a manner that is materially different from the natural gas and NGL marketers with whom we compete.

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Employee Safety. We are subject to the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”), and comparable state laws that regulate the protection of the health and safety of workers. In addition, the OSHA hazard communication standard requires that information be maintained about hazardous materials used or produced in operations and that this information be provided to employees, state and local government authorities and citizens. We believe that our operations are in substantial compliance with the OSHA requirements including general industry standards, record keeping requirements, and monitoring of occupational exposure to regulated substances.
Pipeline Safety Regulations. Our pipelines are subject to regulation by the U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”). DOT’s Pipeline Hazardous Material Safety Administration (“PHMSA”), acting through the Office of Pipeline Safety (“OPS”), administers the national regulatory program to assure the safe transportation of natural gas, petroleum and other hazardous materials by pipeline. OPS develops regulations and other approaches to risk management to assure safety in design, construction, testing, operation, maintenance and emergency response of pipeline facilities. The main bodies of safety regulations that cover our operations are set forth at 49 CFR Parts 192 (covering pipelines that transport natural gas) and 195 (pipelines that transport crude oil and condensate, carbon dioxide, NGL and petroleum products). In addition to recordkeeping and reporting requirements, amendments to 49 CFR Part 192 and 195 created the Pipeline Integrity Management in High Consequence Areas requiring operators of transmission pipelines to ensure the integrity of their pipelines through hydrostatic pressure testing, the use of in-line inspection tools or through risk-based direct assessment techniques. In January 2012, the President signed into law the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011 which increases potential penalties for pipeline safety violations, gives new rulemaking authority to DOT with respect to shut-off valves on transmission pipeline facilities constructed or entirely replaced after the rule is promulgated, requires DOT to revise incident notification guidance and imposes new records requirements on pipeline owners and operators. This legislation also requires DOT to study and report to Congress on other areas of pipeline safety, including expanding the reach of the integrity management regulations beyond high consequences areas, but restricts DOT from promulgating expanded integrity management rules during the review period and for a period following submission of its report to Congress unless the rulemaking is needed to address a present condition that poses a risk to public safety, property or the environment. PHMSA issued a final rule effective October 25, 2013 that implemented aspects of the new legislation. Among other things, the final rule increases the maximum civil penalties for violations of pipeline safety statutes or regulations, broadens PHMSA’s authority to submit information requests, and provides additional detail regarding PHMSA’s corrective action authority. Additionally, PHMSA issued an Advisory Bulletin in May 2012, which advised pipeline operators of anticipated changes in annual reporting requirements and that if they are relying on design, construction, inspection, testing or other data to determine the pressures at which their pipelines should operate, the records of that data must be traceable, verifiable and complete. Locating such records and, in the absence of any such records, verifying maximum pressures through physical testing or modifying or replacing facilities to meet the demands of such pressures could significantly increase our costs. Additionally, failure to locate such records or verify maximum pressures could result in reductions of allowable operating pressures, which would reduce available capacity on our pipelines. A December 2012 PHMSA Advisory Bulletin provides further clarity on the reporting requirements of the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011, describing a general requirement that pipeline owners or operators report an exceedance of the maximum allowable operating pressure or allowable build-up for pressure-limiting or control devices within five days of the date that the exceedance occurs. At the state level, several states have passed legislation or promulgated rulemaking dealing with pipeline safety. We believe that our pipeline operations are in substantial compliance with applicable PHMSA and state requirements; however, due to the possibility of new or amended laws and regulations or reinterpretation of existing laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that future compliance with the PHMSA or state requirements will not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial positions.
As a follow-up to a PHMSA inspection of facilities and records for our ORV pipeline in December 2012, on November 2, 2015, PHMSA issued a Notice of Probable Violation and Proposed Compliance Order (the “NOPV”) asserting that we have probable violations of 49 CFR Part 195 due to the misclassification of a transmission line as a gathering line. Transmission lines are subject to more fulsome pipeline safety regulations than gathering lines. The NOPV proposed a compliance order requiring us to satisfy the Part 195 requirements applicable to transmission lines but did not propose a penalty. We disagree with the assertion of PHMSA that the pipeline meets the definition of a transmission rather than gathering line. Accordingly, on December 30, 2015, we objected to the NOPV and requested a hearing. The hearing is not yet scheduled and we cannot predict the outcome of our challenge. In the event the pipeline in question is ultimately treated as a transmission line rather than a gathering line, we estimate that we would incur costs of approximately $2.1 million over a two-year period to develop and implement Part 195-compliant integrity management program, including hydrostatic testing and a leak detection and repair program.
We own and operate a high-pressure pipeline and underground natural gas and NGL storage reservoirs and associated facilities near Bayou Corne, Louisiana. In August 2012, a large sinkhole formed in the vicinity of this pipeline and underground storage reservoirs. We are seeking to recover our losses from responsible parties. We have sued Texas Brine Company, LLC (“Texas Brine”), the operator of a failed cavern in the area, and its insurers seeking recovery for these losses.  We have also sued Occidental Chemical Company and Legacy Vulcan Corp. f/k/a Vulcan Materials Company, two Chlor-Alkali plant

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operators that participated in Texas Brine’s operational decisions regarding mining the failed cavern. We also filed a claim with our insurers, which our insurers denied. We disputed the denial and intend to proceed with litigation against our insurers. In August 2014, we received a partial settlement from Texas Brine's insurers with respect to the Texas Brine claims in the amount of $6.1 million, but additional claims remain outstanding. We cannot give assurance that we will be able to fully recover our losses through insurance recovery or claims against responsible parties.
Environmental Matters
General. Our operations involve processing and pipeline services for delivery of hydrocarbons (natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensates) from point-of-origin at oil and gas wellheads operated by our suppliers to our end-use market customers. Our facilities include natural gas processing and fractionation plants, natural gas and NGL storage caverns, brine disposal wells, pipelines and associated facilities, fractionation and storage units for NGLs, and transportation and delivery of petroleum. As with all companies in our industrial sector, our operations are subject to stringent and complex federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to release of hazardous substances or solid wastes into the environment or otherwise relating to protection of the environment. Compliance with existing and anticipated environmental laws and regulations increases our overall costs of doing business, including costs of planning, constructing, and operating plants, pipelines, and other facilities, as well as capital cost items necessary to maintain or upgrade equipment and facilities. Similar costs are likely upon changes in laws or regulations and upon any future acquisition of operating assets. In 2015, we incurred approximately $1.5 million in clean-up and remediation expenses related to a spill in Ohio.  We provided required notifications to applicable state and federal agencies relating to the spill.  This matter has been closed, and no additional expenses are expected.  Additionally, we have incurred approximately $1.8 million to clean-up a spill that occurred in our West Virginia operations.  We are working with state and federal agencies relating to this spill, including providing any required notifications and responding to any inquiries.  We will continue to work with state and federal agencies to bring this matter to a close.
Any failure to comply with applicable environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to equipment failures, and obtaining required governmental approvals, may result in the assessment of administrative, civil or criminal penalties, imposition of investigatory or remedial activities and, in less common circumstances, issuance of temporary or permanent injunctions or construction or operation bans or delays. As part of the regular evaluation of our operations, we routinely review and update governmental approvals as necessary.
The continuing trend in environmental regulation is to place more restrictions and limitations on activities that may affect the environment, and thus there can be no assurance as to the amount or timing of future expenditures for environmental compliance or remediation, and actual future expenditures may be different from the amounts we currently anticipate. Moreover, risks of process upsets, accidental releases or spills are associated with possible future operations, and we cannot assure you that we will not incur significant costs and liabilities, including those relating to claims for damage to property and persons as a result of any such upsets, releases or spills. In the event of future increases in environmental costs, we may be unable to pass on those cost increases to our customers. A discharge of hazardous substances or solid wastes into the environment could, to the extent losses related to the event are not insured, subject us to substantial expense, including both the cost to comply with applicable laws and regulations and to pay fines or penalties that may be assessed and the cost related to claims made by neighboring landowners and other third parties for personal injury or damage to natural resources or property. We attempt to anticipate future regulatory requirements that might be imposed and plan accordingly to comply with changing environmental laws and regulations and to minimize costs with respect to more stringent future laws and regulations or more rigorous enforcement of existing laws and regulations.
Hazardous Substances and Solid Waste. Environmental laws and regulations that relate to the release of hazardous substances or solid wastes into soils, groundwater and surface water and/or include measures to prevent and control pollution may pose the highest potential cost to our industry sector. These laws and regulations generally regulate the generation, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes and may require investigatory and corrective actions at facilities where such waste may have been released or disposed. For instance, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), also known as the federal “Superfund” law, and comparable state laws impose liability without regard to fault or the legality of the original conduct on certain classes of persons that contributed to a release of a “hazardous substance” into the environment. Potentially liable persons include the owner or operator of the site where a release occurred and companies that disposed or arranged for the disposal of the hazardous substances found at an off-site location, such as a landfill. Under CERCLA, these persons may be subject to joint and several liability for the costs of cleaning up and restoring sites where hazardous substances have been released into the environment and for damages to natural resources. CERCLA also authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and, in some cases, third parties to take actions in response to threats to public health or the environment and to seek recovery of costs they incur from the potentially responsible classes of persons. It is not uncommon for neighboring landowners and other third parties to file claims for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by hazardous substances or solid wastes released into the environment. Although petroleum, natural gas and NGLs are excluded from CERCLA’s definition of a “hazardous substance,” in the course of ordinary operations, we may generate wastes that may fall within the definition of a “hazardous substance.” In addition, there are other laws and regulations that can create liability for releases of petroleum, natural gas or NGLs. Moreover,

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we may be responsible under CERCLA or other laws for all or part of the costs required to clean up sites at which such substances have been disposed. We have not received any notification that we may be potentially responsible for cleanup costs under CERCLA or any analogous federal or state law.
We also generate, and may in the future generate, both hazardous and nonhazardous solid wastes that are subject to requirements of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”) and/or comparable state statutes. From time to time, the EPA and state regulatory agencies have considered the adoption of stricter disposal standards for nonhazardous wastes, including crude oil, condensate and natural gas wastes. Moreover, it is possible that some wastes generated by us that are currently exempted from the definition of hazardous waste may in the future be designated as “hazardous wastes,” resulting in the wastes being subject to more rigorous and costly management and disposal requirements. Additionally, the Toxic Substances Control Act (“TSCA”) and analogous state laws impose requirements on the use, storage and disposal of various chemicals and chemical substances. Changes in applicable laws or regulations may result in an increase in our capital expenditures or plant operating expenses or otherwise impose limits or restrictions on our production and operations.
We currently own or lease, have in the past owned or leased, and in the future may own or lease, properties that have been used over the years for brine disposal operations, crude oil and condensate transportation, natural gas gathering, treating or processing and for NGL fractionation, transportation or storage. Solid waste disposal practices within the NGL industry and other oil and natural gas related industries have improved over the years with the passage and implementation of various environmental laws and regulations. Nevertheless, some hydrocarbons and other materials may have been released on or under various properties owned, leased or operated by us during the operating history of those facilities. In addition, a number of these properties may have been operated by third parties over whose operations practices we had no control. These properties and materials thereon may be subject to the Safe Drinking Water Act, CERCLA, RCRA, TSCA and analogous state laws. Under these laws, we could be required, alone or in participation with others, to remove or remediate property contamination, if present, including groundwater contamination, or to take action to prevent future contamination.
Air Emissions. Many of our current and future operations are subject to the federal Clean Air Act and comparable state laws and regulations. These laws and regulations regulate emissions of air pollutants from various industrial sources, including our facilities, and impose various controls together with monitoring and reporting requirements. Pursuant to these laws and regulations, we may be required to obtain environmental agency approval for the construction or modification of certain projects or facilities expected to produce air emissions or result in an increase in existing air emissions, obtain and comply with the terms of air permits, which include various emission and operational limitations, or use specific emission control technologies to limit emissions. We likely will be required to incur certain capital expenditures in the future for air pollution control equipment or additional monitoring requirements in connection with maintaining or obtaining governmental approvals addressing air emission-related issues. Failure to comply with applicable air statutes or regulations may lead to the assessment of administrative, civil or criminal penalties and may result in the limitation or cessation of construction or operation of certain air emission sources. Although we can give no assurances, we believe such requirements will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or operating results, and the requirements are not expected to be more burdensome to us than to any similarly situated company.
In addition, the EPA included Wise County, the location of our Bridgeport facility, in its January 2012 revision to the Dallas-Ft. Worth ozone nonattainment area for the 2008 revised ozone national ambient air quality standard (“NAAQS”). As a result of this designation, new major sources, meaning sources that emit greater than 100 tons/year of nitrogen oxides (“NOx”) and volatile organic compounds (“VOCs”), as well as major modifications of existing facilities resulting in net emissions increases of greater than 40 tons/year of NOx or VOCs, are subject to more stringent new source review (“NSR”) pre-construction permitting requirements than they would be in an area that is in attainment with the 2008 ozone NAAQS. NSR pre-construction permits can take twelve to eighteen months to obtain and require the permit applicant to offset the proposed emission increases with reductions elsewhere at a 1.15 to 1 ratio. On June 2, 2015, the Circuit Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit denied petitions for review filed by Devon, Texas industry trade groups and the State of Texas challenging the nonattainment designation of Wise County under the 2008 ozone NAAQS. Consequently, Wise County is now required to meet the 2008 revised ozone NAAQS.
On April 17, 2012, the EPA approved final rules under the Clean Air Act that establish new air emission controls for oil and natural gas production, pipelines and processing operations. These rules became effective on October 15, 2012. For new or reworked hydraulically-fractured gas wells, the rules require the use of green completions by all such wells except wildcat (exploratory) and delineation gas wells and low reservoir pressure non-wildcat and non-delineation gas wells. The rules also establish specific new requirements regarding emissions from wet seal and reciprocating compressors at production facilities, gathering systems, boosting facilities and onshore natural gas processing plants, and from pneumatic controllers and storage vessels at production facilities, gathering systems, boosting facilities and onshore natural gas processing plants. In addition, the rules revise existing requirements for volatile organic compound emissions from equipment leaks at onshore natural gas processing plants by lowering the leak definition for valves from 10,000 parts per million to 500 parts per million and requiring the monitoring of connectors, pumps, pressure relief devices and open-ended lines. These rules required a number of

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modifications to our assets and operations. Responding to rule challenges, the EPA has since revised certain aspects of its April 2012 rules and has indicated that it may reconsider other aspects of the rules.
Compliance with these and other modified or newly issued rules could result in an increase in capital expenditures and operating costs for us and for other companies in our industry. While we are not able at this time to estimate such additional costs, as is the case with similarly situated entities in the industry, they could be significant for us. Compliance with such rules, as well as any new state rules, may also make it more difficult for our suppliers and customers to operate, thereby reducing the volume of natural gas transported through our pipelines, which may adversely affect our business.
Climate Change. In December 2009, the EPA determined that emissions of certain gases, commonly referred to as “greenhouse gases,” present an endangerment to public health and the environment because emissions of such gases are, according to the EPA, contributing to the warming of the earth’s atmosphere and other climatic changes. Based on these findings, the EPA has adopted regulations under existing provisions of the federal Clean Air Act, that establish Prevention of Significant Deterioration (“PSD”) pre construction permits, and Title V operating permits for greenhouse gas emissions from certain large stationary sources. Under these regulations, facilities required to obtain PSD permits must meet “best available control technology” standards for their greenhouse gas emissions established by the states or, in some cases, by the EPA on a case by case basis. The EPA has also adopted rules requiring the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from specified sources in the United States, including, among others, certain onshore oil and natural gas processing and fractionating facilities. In addition, efforts have been made and continue to be made in the international community toward the adoption of international treaties or protocols that would address global climate change issues. In 2015, the United States participated in the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, which led to the adoption of the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement will be open for signing on April 22, 2016 and will require countries to review and “represent a progression” in their intended nationally determined contributions, which set GHG emission reduction goals, every five years beginning in 2020.
Because regulation of greenhouse gas emissions is relatively new, further regulatory, legislative and judicial developments are likely to occur. Such developments in greenhouse gas initiatives may affect us and other companies operating in the oil and gas industry. In addition to these developments, recent judicial decisions have allowed certain tort claims alleging property damage to proceed against greenhouse gas emissions sources, which may increase our litigation risk for such claims. Due to the uncertainties surrounding the regulation of and other risks associated with greenhouse gas emissions, we cannot predict the financial impact of related developments on us.
Federal or state legislative or regulatory initiatives that regulate or restrict emissions of greenhouse gases in areas in which we conduct business could adversely affect the availability of, or demand for, the products we store, transport and process, and, depending on the particular program adopted, could increase the costs of our operations, including costs to operate and maintain our facilities, install new emission controls on our facilities, acquire allowances to authorize our greenhouse gas emissions, pay any taxes related to our greenhouse gas emissions and/or administer and manage a greenhouse gas emissions program. We may be unable to recover any such lost revenues or increased costs in the rates we charge our customers, and any such recovery may depend on events beyond our control, including the outcome of future rate proceedings before FERC or state regulatory agencies and the provisions of any final legislation or regulations. Reductions in our revenues or increases in our expenses as a result of climate control initiatives could have adverse effects on our business, financial position, results of operations and prospects.
Due to their location, our operations along the Gulf Coast are vulnerable to operational and structural damages resulting from hurricanes and other severe weather systems, while inland operations include areas subject to tornadoes. Our insurance may not cover all associated losses. We are taking steps to mitigate physical risks from storms, but no assurance can be given that future storms will not have a material adverse effect on our business.
Hydraulic Fracturing and Wastewater. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act, and comparable state laws impose restrictions and strict controls regarding the discharge of pollutants, including NGL related wastes, into state waters or waters of the United States. The EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently adopted a rule to clarify the meaning of the term “waters of the United States” with respect to federal jurisdiction. Many interested parties believe that the proposed rule expands federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. Regulations promulgated pursuant to these laws require that entities that discharge into federal and state waters obtain National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permits and/or state permits authorizing these discharges. The Clean Water Act and analogous state laws assess administrative, civil and criminal penalties for discharges of unauthorized pollutants into the water and impose substantial liability for the costs of removing spills from such waters. In addition, the Clean Water Act and analogous state laws require that individual permits or coverage under general permits be obtained by covered facilities for discharges of storm water runoff. We believe that we are in substantial compliance with Clean Water Act permitting requirements as well as the conditions imposed thereunder and that continued compliance with such existing permit conditions will not have a material effect on our results of operations.
We operate brine disposal wells that are regulated as Class II wells under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (“SDWA”). The SDWA imposes requirements on owners and operators of Class II wells through the EPA’s Underground Injection Control

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program, including construction, operating, monitoring and testing, reporting and closure requirements. Our brine disposal wells are also subject to comparable state laws and regulations, which in some cases are more stringent than requirements under the SDWA. Compliance with current and future laws and regulations regarding our brine disposal wells may impose substantial costs and restrictions on our brine disposal operations, as well as adversely affect demand for our brine disposal services. State and federal regulatory agencies recently have focused on a possible connection between the operation of injection wells used for oil and gas waste waters and an observed increase in minor seismic activity and tremors. When caused by human activity, such events are called induced seismicity. In a few instances, operators of injection wells in the vicinity of minor seismic events have reduced injection volumes or suspended operations, often voluntarily. A 2012 report published by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that only a very small fraction of the tens of thousands of injection wells have been suspected to be, or have been, the likely cause of induced seismicity. However, some state regulatory agencies including Texas and Ohio where we operate brine disposal wells, have modified their regulations to account for induced seismicity. For example, TRRC rules allow the TRRC to modify, suspend, or terminate a permit based on a determination that the permitted activity is likely to be contributing to seismic activity. In the state of Ohio, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (“ODNR”) requires a seismic study prior to  the authorization of any new disposal well.  In addition, the ODNR has instituted a continuous monitoring network of seismographs and is able to curtail injected volumes regionally based upon seismic activity detected. Regulatory agencies are continuing to study possible linkage between injection activity and induced seismicity. To the extent these studies result in additional regulation of injection wells, such regulations could impose additional regulations, costs and restrictions on our brine disposal operations.
It is common for our customers or suppliers to recover natural gas from deep shale formations through the use of hydraulic fracturing, combined with sophisticated horizontal drilling. Hydraulic fracturing is an important and commonly used process in the completion of wells by oil and gas producers. Hydraulic fracturing involves the injection of water, sand and chemical additives under pressure into rock formations to stimulate gas production. Due to public concerns raised regarding potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on groundwater quality, legislative and regulatory efforts at the federal level and in some states and localities have been initiated to require or make more stringent the permitting and other regulatory requirements for hydraulic fracturing operations. For example, in August 2015, the EPA proposed updates to new source performance standard requirements that would impose more stringent controls on methane, a greenhouse gas (“GHG”), and volatile organic compounds emissions from oil and gas development and production operations, including hydraulic fracturing and other well completion activity. Congress from time to time has considered the adoption of legislation to provide for federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing under the SDWA and to require disclosure of the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process. Some states have adopted, and other states are considering adopting, legal requirements that could impose more stringent permitting, public disclosure or well construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing activities. Local governments have also adopted and may seek to adopt further ordinances regulating, within their jurisdictions, the time, place and manner of drilling activities in general or hydraulic fracturing activities in particular, in some cases banning hydraulic fracturing entirely. Other governmental agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA, have evaluated or are evaluating various other aspects of hydraulic fracturing such as the potential environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water and groundwater.
Endangered Species and Migratory Birds. The Endangered Species Act (“ESA”), Migratory Bird Treaty Act (“MBTA”), and similar state and local laws restrict activities that may affect endangered or threatened species or their habitats or migratory birds. Some of our pipelines may be located in areas that are designated as habitats for endangered or threatened species, potentially exposing us to liability for impacts on an individual member of a species or to habitat. The Endangered Species Act can also make it more difficult to secure a federal permit for a new pipeline.
Office Facilities
We occupy approximately 108,500 square feet of space at our executive offices in Dallas, Texas under a lease expiring in August 2019. In November 2014, we entered into a new agreement to lease approximately 157,600 square feet of space for our executive offices in Dallas, Texas with a lease term commencing in August 2016 and expiring in February 2030.
Employees
As of December 31, 2015, we (through our subsidiaries) employed approximately 1,432 full-time employees. Approximately 323 of our employees were general and administrative, engineering, accounting and commercial personnel and the remainder were operational employees. We are not party to any collective bargaining agreements and we have not had any significant labor disputes in the past. We believe that we have good relations with our employees.
Item 1A.    Risk Factors
The following risk factors and all other information contained in this report should be considered carefully when evaluating us. These risk factors could affect our actual results. Other risks and uncertainties, in addition to those that are described below, may also impair our business operations. If any of the following risks occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be affected materially and adversely. In that case, we may be unable to make distributions to our unitholders and the trading price of our common units could decline. These risk factors should be read in conjunction with the

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other detailed information concerning us set forth in our accompanying financial statements and notes and contained in Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included herein.
We are dependent on Devon Energy Corporation for a substantial portion of the natural gas that we gather, process and transport. After the expiration of five-year minimum volume commitments from Devon at the end of 2018, a material decline in the volumes of natural gas that we gather, process and transport for Devon could result in a material decline in our operating results and cash available for distribution.
We are dependent on Devon for a substantial portion of our natural gas supply. For the year ended December 31, 2015, Devon represented 16.6% of our consolidated revenues. In order to minimize volumetric exposure, in March 2014 we obtained five-year minimum volume commitments from Devon at the Bridgeport processing facility, Bridgeport and East Johnson County gathering systems and the Cana system. After the expiration of these five-year minimum volume commitments in 2019, a material decline in the volume of natural gas that we gather and transport on our systems would result in a material decline in our combined total operating revenues and cash flow. In addition, Devon may determine in the future that drilling activity in areas of operation other than ours is strategically more attractive. A shift in Devon’s focus away from our areas of operation could result in reduced throughput on our systems after the five-year minimum volume commitments expire and cause a material decline in our total operating revenues and cash flow. For the year ended December 31, 2015, we recognized $3.8 million under the minimum volume commitments attributable to our Texas Segment because volumes have been below the minimum level since August 2015. We also recognized $20.1 million under the minimum volume commitments attributable to our Oklahoma Segment because volumes have been below the minimum levels since June 2014. However, for the fourth quarter of 2015 volumes delivered to Cana exceeded minimum volume requirements.
Because we are substantially dependent on Devon as our primary customer and through its indirect control of our general partner, any development that materially and adversely affects Devon’s operations, financial condition or market reputation could have a material and adverse impact on us. Material adverse changes at Devon could restrict our access to capital, make it more expensive to access the capital markets or increase the costs of our borrowings.
We are substantially dependent on Devon as our primary customer and through its indirect control of our general partner, and we expect to derive a substantial majority of our gross operating margin from Devon for the foreseeable future. As a result, any event, whether in our area of operations or otherwise, that adversely affects Devon’s production, financial condition, leverage, market reputation, liquidity, results of operations or cash flows may adversely affect our revenues and cash available for distribution. Accordingly, we are indirectly subject to the business risks of Devon, some of which are the following:
potential changes in the supply of and demand for oil, natural gas and NGLs and related products and services;
risks relating to Devon’s exploration and drilling programs, including potential environmental liabilities;
adverse effects of governmental and environmental regulation; and
general economic and financial market conditions.
Further, we are subject to the risk of non-payment or non-performance by Devon, including with respect to our gathering and processing agreements. We cannot predict the extent to which Devon’s business will be impacted by the continuing deterioration of pricing conditions in the energy industry, nor can we estimate the impact such conditions would have on Devon’s ability to perform under our gathering and processing agreements. Additionally, due to our relationship with Devon, our ability to access the capital markets, or the pricing or other terms of any capital markets transactions, may be adversely affected by any impairments to Devon’s financial condition or adverse changes in its credit ratings. On February 2, 2016, Standard & Poor's Rating Services (“S&P”) downgraded Devon to a BBB credit rating. Any material limitations on our ability to access capital as a result of such adverse changes at Devon could limit our ability to obtain future financing under favorable terms, or at all, or could result in increased financing costs in the future. Similarly, material adverse changes at Devon could negatively impact our unit price, limiting our ability to raise capital through equity issuances or debt financing or our ability to engage in, expand or pursue our business activities and could also prevent us from engaging in certain transactions that might otherwise be considered beneficial to us.
Please see Item 1.A in Devon’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 for a full discussion of the risks associated with Devon’s business.
Adverse developments in our gathering, transmission, processing, crude oil, condensate, natural gas and NGL services businesses would reduce our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.
We rely exclusively on the revenues generated from our gathering, transmission, processing, fractionation, crude oil, natural gas, condensate and NGL services businesses and as a result our financial condition depends upon prices of, and continued demand for, natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate. An adverse development in one of these businesses may have a significant impact on our financial condition and our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.

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A significant portion of our operations are located in the Barnett Shale, making us vulnerable to risks associated with having revenue-producing operations concentrated in a limited number of geographic areas.
Our revenue-producing operations are geographically concentrated in the Barnett Shale, causing us to be disproportionally exposed to risks associated with regional factors. Specifically, our operations in the Barnett Shale accounted for approximately 17.4% of our consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31, 2015. The concentration of our operations in this region also increases exposure to unexpected events that may occur in this region such as natural disasters or labor difficulties. Any one of these events has the potential to have a relatively significant impact on our operations and growth plans, decrease cash flows, increase operating and capital costs and prevent development within originally anticipated time frames. Any of these risks could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We must continually compete for crude oil, condensate and natural gas supplies, and any decrease in supplies of such commodities could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
In order to maintain or increase throughput levels in our natural gas gathering systems and asset utilization rates at our processing plants and to fulfill our current sales commitments, we must continually contract for new product supplies. We may not be able to obtain additional contracts for crude oil, condensate, natural gas and NGL supplies. The primary factors affecting our ability to connect new wells to our gathering facilities include our success in contracting for existing supplies that are not committed to other systems and the level of drilling activity near our gathering systems. If we are unable to maintain or increase the volumes on our systems by accessing new supplies to offset the natural decline in reserves, our business and financial results could be materially, adversely affected. In addition, our future growth will depend in part upon whether we can contract for additional supplies at a greater rate than the rate of natural decline in our current supplies.
Fluctuations in energy prices can greatly affect production rates and investments by third parties in the development of new crude oil, condensate and natural gas reserves. During 2015, we have seen a decline in drilling activity due to low commodity prices. Although drilling activity has already slowed, if the current period of low commodity prices continues, we would expect additional downward pressure on future drilling activity, which may result in lower volumes. Tax policy changes or additional regulatory restrictions on development could also have a negative impact on drilling activity, reducing supplies of product available to our systems and assets. Additional governmental regulation of, or delays in issuance of permits for, the offshore exploration and production industry may negatively impact current and future volumes from offshore pipelines supplying our processing plants. We have no control over producers and depend on them to maintain sufficient levels of drilling activity. A continued decrease in the level of drilling activity or a material decrease in production in our principal geographic areas for a prolonged period, as a result of continued depressed commodity prices or otherwise, likely would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial position.
Any decrease in the volumes that we gather, process, fractionate or transport would adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our financial performance depends to a large extent on the volumes of natural gas, crude oil, condensate and NGLs gathered, processed, fractionated and transported on our assets. Decreases in the volumes of natural gas, crude oil, condensate and NGLs we gather, process, fractionate or transport would directly and adversely affect our revenues and results of operations. These volumes can be influenced by factors beyond our control, including:
environmental or other governmental regulations;
weather conditions;
increases in storage levels of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate;
increased use of alternative energy sources;
decreased demand for natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate;
continued fluctuations in commodity prices, including the prices of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate;
economic conditions;
supply disruptions;
availability of supply connected to our systems; and
availability and adequacy of infrastructure to gather and process supply into and out of our systems.
The volumes of natural gas, crude oil, condensate and NGLs gathered, processed, fractionated and transported on our assets also depend on the production from the regions that supply our systems. Supply of natural gas, crude oil, condensate and NGLs can be affected by many of the factors listed above, including commodity prices and weather. In order to maintain or increase throughput levels on our systems, we must obtain new sources of natural gas, crude oil, condensate and NGLs. The

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primary factors affecting our ability to obtain non-dedicated sources of natural gas, crude oil, condensate and NGLs include (i) the level of successful leasing, permitting and drilling activity in our areas of operation, (ii) our ability to compete for volumes from new wells and (iii) our ability to compete successfully for volumes from sources connected to other pipelines. We have no control over the level of drilling activity in our areas of operation, the amount of reserves associated with wells connected to our systems or the rate at which production from a well declines. In addition, we have no control over producers or their drilling or production decisions, which are affected by, among other things, the availability and cost of capital, levels of reserves, availability of drilling rigs and other costs of production and equipment.
An impairment of goodwill, long-lived assets, including intangible assets and equity method investments could reduce our earnings.
GAAP requires us to test goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite useful lives for impairment on an annual basis or when events or circumstances occur indicating that goodwill might be impaired. Long-lived assets, including intangible assets with finite useful lives, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. For the investments we account for under the equity method, the impairment test considers whether the fair value of the unconsolidated affiliate investment as a whole, not the underlying net assets, has declined and whether that decline is other than temporary. If we determine that an impairment is indicated, we would be required to take an immediate non-cash charge to earnings with a correlative effect on equity and balance sheet leverage as measured by debt to total capitalization. For the year ended December 31, 2015, we recognized a $223.1 million impairment of intangible assets in our Crude and Condensate segment and a goodwill impairment totaling $1,328.2 million in our Texas, Louisiana and Crude and Condensate segments, primarily as a result of the further decline in commodity prices and the public trading price of our common units. We could experience future events that result in impairments. Additional impairment of the value of our existing goodwill and intangible assets could have a significant negative impact on our future operating results.
Our construction of new assets may not result in revenue increases and may be subject to regulatory, environmental, political, legal and economic risks, which could adversely affect our cash flows, results of operations and financial condition.
The construction of additions or modifications to our existing systems and the construction of new midstream assets involves numerous regulatory, environmental, political and legal uncertainties beyond our control and may require the expenditure of significant amounts of capital. Financing may not be available on economically acceptable terms or at all. If we undertake these projects, we may not be able to complete them on schedule, at the budgeted cost or at all. Moreover, our revenues may not increase due to the successful construction of a particular project. For instance, if we expand a pipeline or construct a new pipeline, the construction may occur over an extended period of time, and we may not receive any material increases in revenues promptly following completion of a project or at all. Moreover, we may construct facilities to capture anticipated future production growth in a region in which such growth does not materialize. As a result, new facilities may not be able to attract enough throughput to achieve our expected investment return, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, the construction of additions to our existing gathering and processing assets will generally require us to obtain new rights-of-way and permits prior to constructing new pipelines or facilities. We may be unable to timely obtain such rights-of-way or permits to connect new product supplies to our existing gathering lines or capitalize on other attractive expansion opportunities. Additionally, it may become more expensive for us to obtain new rights-of-way or to expand or renew existing rights-of-way. If the cost of renewing or obtaining new rights-of-way increases, our cash flows could be adversely affected.
Construction of our major development projects subjects us to risks of construction delays, cost over-runs, limitations on our growth and negative effects on our business results of operation, liquidity and financial condition.
We are engaged in the planning and construction of several major development projects, some of which will take a number of months before commercial operation. These projects are complex and subject to a number of factors beyond our control, including delays from third-party landowners, the permitting process, complying with laws, unavailability of materials, labor disruptions, environmental hazards, financing, accidents, weather and other factors. Any delay in the completion of these projects could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, liquidity and financial condition. The construction of pipelines and gathering and processing and fractionation facilities requires the expenditure of significant amounts of capital, which may exceed our estimated costs. Estimating the timing and expenditures related to these development projects is very complex and subject to variables that can significantly increase expected costs. Should the actual costs of these projects exceed our estimates, our liquidity and capital position could be adversely affected. This level of development activity requires significant effort from our management and technical personnel and places additional requirements on our financial resources and internal financial controls. We may not have the ability to attract and/or retain the necessary number of personnel with the skills required to bring complicated projects to successful conclusions.

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Any reductions in our credit ratings could increase our financing costs and the cost of maintaining certain contractual relationships.
We cannot assure you that our credit ratings will remain in effect for any given period of time or that a rating will not be lowered or withdrawn entirely by a rating agency if, in its judgment, circumstances so warrant. On February 2, 2016, S&P downgrade us to a BBB- credit rating, and our rating is currently under review by Moody's Investors Service. Any future downgrade could increase the cost of borrowings under our credit facility. Any downgrade could also lead to higher borrowing costs and, if below investment grade, could require:
additional or more restrictive covenants that impose operating and financial restrictions on us and our subsidiaries;
our subsidiaries to guarantee such debt and certain existing debt, including our senior notes;
us and our subsidiaries to provide collateral to secure such debt; and
us or our subsidiaries to post cash collateral or letters of credit under our hedging arrangements or in order to purchase commodities or obtain trade credit.
Any increase in our financing costs or additional or more restrictive covenants resulting from a credit rating downgrade could adversely affect our ability to finance future operations and make cash distributions to unitholders. If a credit rating downgrade and the resultant collateral requirement were to occur at a time when we were experiencing significant working capital requirements or otherwise lacked liquidity, our results of operations and our ability to make cash distributions to unitholders could be adversely affected.
We typically do not obtain independent evaluations of hydrocarbon reserves; therefore, volumes we service in the future could be less than we anticipate.
We typically do not obtain, on a regular basis, independent evaluations of hydrocarbon reserves connected to our gathering systems or that we otherwise service due to the unwillingness of producers to provide reserve information as well as the cost of such evaluations. Accordingly, we do not have independent estimates of total reserves serviced by our assets or the anticipated life of such reserves. If the total reserves or estimated life of the reserves is less than we anticipate and we are unable to secure additional sources, then the volumes transported on our gathering systems or that we otherwise service in the future could be less than anticipated. A decline in the volumes could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
We may not be successful in balancing our purchases and sales.
We are a party to certain long-term gas, NGL and condensate sales commitments that we satisfy through supplies purchased under long-term gas, NGL and condensate purchase agreements. When we enter into those arrangements, our sales obligations generally match our purchase obligations. However, over time the supplies that we have under contract may decline due to reduced drilling or other causes and we may be required to satisfy the sales obligations by purchasing additional gas at prices that may exceed the prices received under the sales commitments. In addition, a producer could fail to deliver contracted volumes or deliver in excess of contracted volumes, or a consumer could purchase more or less than contracted volumes. Any of these actions could cause our purchases and sales not to be balanced. If our purchases and sales are not balanced, we will face increased exposure to commodity price risks and could have increased volatility in our operating income.
We have made commitments to purchase natural gas in production areas based on production-area indices and to sell the natural gas into market areas based on market-area indices, pay the costs to transport the natural gas between the two points and capture the difference between the indices as margin. Changes in the index prices relative to each other (also referred to as basis spread) can significantly affect our margins or even result in losses. For example, we are a party to one contract with a term to 2019 to supply approximately 150,000 MMBtu/d of gas. We buy gas for this contract on several different production-area indices on our NTPL and sell the gas into a different market area index. We realize a loss on the delivery of gas under this contract each month based on current prices. The balance sheet as of December 31, 2015 reflects a liability of $62.8 million related to this performance obligation based on forecasted discounted cash obligations in excess of market under this gas delivery contract. Reduced supplies and narrower basis spreads in recent periods have increased the losses on this contract, and greater losses on this contract could occur in future periods if these conditions persist or become worse.

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Our profitability is dependent upon prices and market demand for crude oil, condensate, natural gas and NGLs, which are beyond our control and have been volatile. The current depressed commodity price environment, if it continues, could result in financial losses and reduce our cash available for distribution.
We are subject to significant risks due to fluctuations in commodity prices. We are directly exposed to these risks primarily in the gas processing and NGL fractionation components of our business. For the year ended December 31, 2015, approximately 2.8% of our total gross operating margin was generated under percent of liquids contracts and percent of proceeds contracts. Under percent of liquids contracts we receive a fee in the form of a percentage of the liquids recovered and the producer bears all the cost of the natural gas shrink. Accordingly, our revenues under percent of liquids contracts are directly impacted by the market price of NGLs. Gross operating margin results under percent of proceeds contracts are impacted only by the value of the natural gas or liquids produced with margins higher during periods of higher natural gas and liquids prices.
We also realize processing gross operating margins under processing margin contracts. For the year ended December 31, 2015, approximately 0.7% of our total gross operating margin was generated under processing margin contracts. We have a number of processing margin contracts for activities at our Plaquemine and Pelican processing plants. Under this type of contract, we pay the producer for the full amount of inlet gas to the plant, and we make a margin based on the difference between the value of liquids recovered from the processed natural gas as compared to the value of the natural gas volumes lost (“shrink”) and the cost of fuel used in processing. The shrink and fuel losses are referred to as plant thermal reduction (“PTR”). Our margins from these contracts can be greatly reduced or eliminated during periods of high natural gas prices relative to liquids prices.
We are also indirectly exposed to commodity prices due to the negative impacts on production and the development of production of oil, condensate, natural gas and NGLs connected to or near our assets and on our margins for transportation between certain market centers. Low prices for these products have reduced the demand for our services and volumes on our systems, and continued low prices may reduce such demand even further.
Although the majority of our NGL fractionation business is under fee-based arrangements, a portion of our business is exposed to commodity price risk because we realize a margin due to product upgrades associated with our Cajun-Sibon fractionation business. For the year ended December 31, 2015, margins realized associated with product upgrades represented less than 1% of our gross operating margin.
The prices of crude oil, condensate, natural gas and NGLs were extremely volatile during 2015. Crude oil, weighted average NGL, and natural gas prices declined 30%, 18% and 26%, respectively from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015. We expect this volatility to continue. For example, crude oil prices (based on the NYMEX futures daily close prices for the prompt month) in 2015 ranged from a high of $61.43 per Bbl in June 2015 to a low of $34.73 per Bbl in December 2015. Weighted average NGL prices in 2015 (based on the Oil Price Information Service (“OPIS”) Napoleonville daily average spot liquids prices) ranged from a high of $0.56 per gallon in March 2015 to a low of $0.37 per gallon in December 2015. Natural gas prices (based on Gas Daily Henry Hub closing prices) during 2015 ranged from a high of $3.23 per MMBtu in January 2015 to a low of $1.76 per MMBtu in December 2015.
The markets and prices for crude oil, condensate, natural gas and NGLs depend upon factors beyond our control that make it difficult to predict future commodity price movements with any certainty. These factors include the supply and demand for crude oil, condensate, natural gas and NGLs, which fluctuate with changes in market and economic conditions and other factors, including:
the impact of weather on the demand for crude oil and natural gas;
the level of domestic crude oil, condensate and natural gas production;
technology, including improved production techniques (particularly with respect to shale development);
the level of domestic industrial and manufacturing activity;
the availability of imported crude oil, natural gas and NGLs;
international demand for crude oil and NGLs;
actions taken by foreign crude oil and gas producing nations;
the continued threat of terrorism and the impact of military action and civil unrest;
the availability of local, intrastate and interstate transportation systems;
the availability of downstream NGL fractionation facilities;
the availability and marketing of competitive fuels;
the impact of energy conservation efforts; and

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the extent of governmental regulation and taxation, including the regulation of hydraulic fracturing and “greenhouse gases.”
Changes in commodity prices also indirectly impact our profitability by influencing drilling activity and well operations, and thus the volume of gas, crude oil and condensate we gather and process and NGLs we fractionate. The volatility in commodity prices may cause our gross operating margin and cash flows to vary widely from period to period. Our hedging strategies may not be sufficient to offset price volatility risk and, in any event, do not cover all of our throughput volumes. Moreover, hedges are subject to inherent risks, which we describe in “Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure about Market Risk.” Our use of derivative financial instruments does not eliminate our exposure to fluctuations in commodity prices and interest rates and has in the past and could in the future result in financial losses or reduce our income.
If third-party pipelines or other midstream facilities interconnected to our gathering or transportation systems become partially or fully unavailable, or if the volumes we gather, process or transport do not meet the quality requirements of the pipelines or facilities to which we connect, our gross operating margin and cash flow could be adversely affected.
Our gathering, processing and transportation assets connect to other pipelines or facilities owned and operated by unaffiliated third parties. The continuing operation of, and our continuing access to, such third-party pipelines, processing facilities and other midstream facilities is not within our control. These pipelines, plants and other midstream facilities may become unavailable because of testing, turnarounds, line repair, maintenance, reduced operating pressure, lack of operating capacity, regulatory requirements and curtailments of receipt or deliveries due to insufficient capacity or because of damage from severe weather conditions or other operational issues. In addition, if our costs to access and transport on these third-party pipelines significantly increase, our profitability could be reduced. If any such increase in costs occurs, if any of these pipelines or other midstream facilities become unable to receive, transport or process product, or if the volumes we gather or transport do not meet the product quality requirements of such pipelines or facilities, our operating margin and cash flow could be adversely affected.
Our debt levels could limit our flexibility and adversely affect our financial health or limit our flexibility to obtain financing and to pursue other business opportunities.
We continue to have the ability to incur debt, subject to limitations in our credit facility. Our level of indebtedness could have important consequences to us, including the following:
our ability to obtain additional financing, if necessary, for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or other purposes may be impaired or such financing may not be available on favorable terms;
our funds available for operations, future business opportunities and distributions to unitholders will be reduced by that portion of our cash flows required to make interest payments on our debt;
our debt level will make us more vulnerable to general adverse economic and industry conditions;
limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate; and
increase the risk that we may default on our debt obligations.
In addition, our ability to make scheduled payments or to refinance our obligations depends on our successful financial and operating performance, which will be affected by prevailing economic, financial and industry conditions, many of which are beyond our control. If our cash flow and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to take actions such as reducing distributions, reducing or delaying our business activities, acquisitions, investments or capital expenditures, selling assets, restructuring or refinancing our debt or seeking additional equity capital. We may not be able to effect any of these actions on satisfactory terms or at all.
The terms of our credit facility and indentures may restrict our current and future operations, particularly our ability to respond to changes in business or to take certain actions.
Our credit agreement and the indentures governing our senior notes contain, and any future indebtedness we incur will likely contain, a number of restrictive covenants that impose significant operating and financial restrictions, including restrictions on our ability to engage in acts that may be in our best long-term interest. One or more of these agreements include covenants that, among other things, restrict our ability to:
incur subsidiary indebtedness;
engage in transactions with our affiliates;
consolidate, merge or sell substantially all of our assets;
incur liens;
enter into sale and lease back transactions; and
change business activities we conduct.

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In addition, our credit facility requires us to satisfy and maintain a specified financial ratio. Our ability to meet that financial ratio can be affected by events beyond our control, and we cannot assure you that we will continue to meet that ratio.
Our ability to comply with the covenants and restrictions contained in our credit facility and indentures may be affected by events beyond our control, including prevailing economic, financial and industry conditions. If market or other economic conditions deteriorate, our ability to comply with these covenants may be impaired. A breach of any of these covenants could result in an event of default under our credit facility and indentures. Upon the occurrence of such an event of default, all amounts outstanding under the applicable debt agreements could be declared to be immediately due and payable and all applicable commitments to extend further credit could be terminated. If indebtedness under our credit facility or indentures is accelerated, there can be no assurance that we will have sufficient assets to repay the indebtedness. The operating and financial restrictions and covenants in these debt agreements and any future financing agreements may adversely affect our ability to finance future operations or capital needs or to engage in other business activities.
A default under ENLC’s credit facility could have an adverse effect on the price of our common units and could result in a change of control of our general partner.
ENLC has entered into a credit facility that is secured by, among other things, a first priority lien on 88,528,451 of our common units and the 100% membership interest in our general partner indirectly held by ENLC. Although we are not a party to this credit facility, if a default under such credit facility were to occur, the lenders could foreclose on the pledged security interests. Any such foreclosure on our common units could have an adverse effect on the market price of our common units. In addition, any foreclosure on ENLC’s interest in the general partner would allow the new owner of our general partner to replace the board of directors and officers of our general partner with its own designees and to control the decisions taken by the board of directors and officers. Moreover, any change of control of our general partner (i) would permit the lenders under our credit facility to declare all amounts thereunder immediately due and payable and (ii) may permit the holders of our 7.125% Senior Notes due 2022 to require us to repurchase such notes. If any such event occurs, we may be required to refinance our debt on unfavorable terms, which could negatively impact our results of operations and our ability to make distributions to our unitholders.
Increases in interest rates could adversely impact the price of our common units, our ability to issue equity or incur debt for acquisitions or other purposes and our ability to make cash distributions at our intended levels.
Interest rates on future credit facilities and debt offerings could be higher than current levels, causing our financing costs to increase accordingly. As with other yield-oriented securities, our unit price is impacted by our level of cash distributions and implied distribution yield. The distribution yield is often used by investors to compare and rank yield-oriented securities for investment decision-making purposes. Therefore, changes in interest rates, either positive or negative, may affect the yield requirements of investors who invest in our units, and a rising interest rate environment could have an adverse impact on the price of our common units, our ability to issue equity or incur debt for acquisitions or other purposes and our ability to make cash distributions at our intended levels.
We are vulnerable to operational, regulatory and other risks due to our significant assets in south Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico, including the effects of adverse weather conditions such as hurricanes.
Our operations and revenues will be significantly impacted by conditions in south Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico because we have significant assets located in these two areas. Our concentration of activity in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico makes us more vulnerable than many of our competitors to the risks associated with these areas, including:
adverse weather conditions, including hurricanes and tropical storms;
delays or decreases in production, the availability of equipment, facilities or services; and
changes in the regulatory environment.
Because a significant portion of our operations could experience the same condition at the same time, these conditions could have a relatively greater impact on our results of operations than they might have on other midstream companies that have operations in more diversified geographic areas.

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A reduction in demand for NGL products by the petrochemical, refining or other industries or by the fuel markets could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
The NGL products we produce have a variety of applications, including as heating fuels, petrochemical feedstocks and refining blend stocks. A reduction in demand for NGL products, whether because of general or industry specific economic conditions, new government regulations, global competition, reduced demand by consumers for products made with NGL products (for example, reduced petrochemical demand observed due to lower activity in the automobile and construction industries), increased competition from petroleum-based feedstocks due to pricing differences, mild winter weather for some NGL applications or other reasons could result in a decline in the volume of NGL products we handle or reduce the fees we charge for our services. Our NGL products and the demand for these products are affected as follows:
Ethane. Ethane is typically supplied as purity ethane or as part of ethane-propane mix. Ethane is primarily used in the petrochemical industry as feedstock for ethylene, one of the basic building blocks for a wide range of plastics and other chemical products. Although ethane is typically extracted as part of the mixed NGL stream at gas processing plants, if natural gas prices increase significantly in relation to NGL product prices or if the demand for ethylene falls, it may be more profitable for natural gas processors to leave the ethane in the natural gas stream. Such “ethane rejection,” which we have experienced in greater volumes, reduces the volume of NGLs delivered for fractionation and marketing.
Propane. Propane is used as a petrochemical feedstock in the production of ethylene and propylene, as a heating, engine and industrial fuel, and in agricultural applications such as crop drying. Changes in demand for ethylene and propylene could adversely affect demand for propane. The demand for propane as a heating fuel is significantly affected by weather conditions. The volume of propane sold is at its highest during the six-month peak heating season of October through March. Demand for our propane may be reduced during periods of warmer-than-normal weather.
Normal Butane. Normal butane is used in the production of isobutane, as a refined product blending component, as a fuel gas, and in the production of ethylene and propylene. Changes in the composition of refined products resulting from governmental regulation, changes in feedstocks, products and economics, demand for heating fuel and for ethylene and propylene could adversely affect demand for normal butane.
Isobutane. Isobutane is predominantly used in refineries to produce alkylates to enhance octane levels. Accordingly, any action that reduces demand for motor gasoline or demand for isobutane to produce alkylates for octane enhancement might reduce demand for isobutane.
Natural Gasoline. Natural gasoline is used as a blending component for certain refined products and as a feedstock used in the production of ethylene and propylene. Changes in the mandated composition resulting from governmental regulation of motor gasoline and in demand for ethylene and propylene could adversely affect demand for natural gasoline.
NGLs and products produced from NGLs are sold in competitive global markets. Any reduced demand for ethane, propane, normal butane, isobutane or natural gasoline in the markets we access for any of the reasons stated above could adversely affect demand for the services we provide as well as NGL prices, which would negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition.
We expect to encounter significant competition in any new geographic areas into which we seek to expand, and our ability to enter such markets may be limited.
If we expand our operations into new geographic areas, we expect to encounter significant competition for natural gas, condensate, NGLs and crude oil supplies and markets. Competitors in these new markets will include companies larger than us, which have both lower cost of capital and greater geographic coverage, as well as smaller companies, which have lower total cost structures. As a result, we may not be able to successfully develop acquired assets and markets located in new geographic areas and our results of operations could be adversely affected.
We do not own most of the land on which our pipelines and compression facilities are located, which could disrupt our operations.
We do not own most of the land on which our pipelines and compression facilities are located, and we are therefore subject to the possibility of more onerous terms and/or increased costs to retain necessary land use if we do not have valid rights-of-way or leases or if such rights-of-way or leases lapse or terminate. We sometimes obtain the rights to land owned by third parties and governmental agencies for a specific period of time. Our loss of these rights, through our inability to renew right-of-way contracts, leases or otherwise, could cause us to cease operations on the affected land, increase costs related to continuing operations elsewhere and reduce our revenue.

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We offer pipeline, truck, rail and barge services. Significant delays, inclement weather or increased costs affecting these transportation methods could materially affect our operations and earnings.
We offer pipeline, truck, rail and barge services. The costs of conducting these services could be negatively affected by factors outside of our control, including rail service interruptions, new laws and regulations, rate increases, tariffs, rising fuel costs or capacity constraints. Inclement weather, including hurricanes, tornadoes, snow, ice and other weather events, can negatively impact our distribution network. In addition, rail, truck or barge accidents involving the transportation of hazardous materials could result in significant claims arising from personal injury, property damage and environmental penalties and remediation.
We could experience increased severity or frequency of trucking accidents and other claims.
Potential liability associated with accidents in the trucking industry is severe and occurrences are unpredictable. A material increase in the frequency or severity of accidents or workers’ compensation claims or the unfavorable development of existing claims could materially adversely affect our results of operations. In the event that accidents occur, we may be unable to obtain desired contractual indemnities, and our insurance may be inadequate in certain cases. The occurrence of an event not fully insured or indemnified against, or the failure or inability of a customer or insurer to meet its indemnification or insurance obligations, could result in substantial losses.
Changes in trucking regulations may increase our costs and negatively impact our results of operations.
Our trucking services are subject to regulation as motor carriers by the DOT and by various state agencies, whose regulations include certain permit requirements of state highway and safety authorities. These regulatory authorities exercise broad powers over our trucking operations, generally governing such matters as the authorization to engage in motor carrier operations, safety, equipment testing and specifications and insurance requirements. There are additional regulations specifically relating to the trucking industry, including testing and specification of equipment and product handling requirements. The trucking industry is subject to possible regulatory and legislative changes that may impact our operations and affect the economics of the industry by requiring changes in operating practices or by changing the demand for or the cost of providing trucking services. Some of these possible changes include increasingly stringent fuel emission limits, changes in the regulations that govern the amount of time a driver may drive or work in any specific period, limits on vehicle weight and size and other matters, including safety requirements.
If we do not make acquisitions on economically acceptable terms or efficiently and effectively integrate the acquired assets with our asset base, our future growth will be limited.
Our ability to grow depends, in part, on our ability to make acquisitions that result in an increase in cash generated from operations on a per unit basis. If we are unable to make accretive acquisitions either because we are (1) unable to identify attractive acquisition candidates or negotiate acceptable purchase contracts with them, (2) unable to obtain financing for these acquisitions on economically acceptable terms or at all or (3) outbid by competitors, then our future growth and our ability to increase distributions will be limited.
From time to time, we may evaluate and seek to acquire assets or businesses that we believe complement our existing business and related assets. We may acquire assets or businesses that we plan to use in a manner materially different from their prior owner’s use. Any acquisition involves potential risks, including:
the inability to integrate the operations of recently acquired businesses or assets, especially if the assets acquired are in a new business segment or geographic area;
the diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns;
the failure to realize expected volumes, revenues, profitability or growth;
the failure to realize any expected synergies and cost savings;
the coordination of geographically disparate organizations, systems and facilities;
the assumption of unknown liabilities;
the loss of customers or key employees from the acquired businesses;
a significant increase in our indebtedness; and
potential environmental or regulatory liabilities and title problems.
Management’s assessment of these risks is inexact and may not reveal or resolve all existing or potential problems associated with an acquisition. Realization of any of these risks could adversely affect our operations and cash flows. If we consummate any future acquisition, our capitalization and results of operations may change significantly, and you will not have the opportunity to evaluate the economic, financial and other relevant information that we will consider in determining the application of these funds and other resources.

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We may not be able to retain existing customers or acquire new customers, which would reduce our revenues and limit our future profitability.
The renewal or replacement of existing contracts with our customers at rates sufficient to maintain current revenues and cash flows depends on a number of factors beyond our control, including competition from other midstream service providers, and the price of, and demand for, crude oil, condensate, NGLs and natural gas in the markets we serve. The inability of our management to renew or replace our current contracts as they expire and to respond appropriately to changing market conditions could have a negative effect on our profitability.
In particular, our ability to renew or replace our existing contracts with industrial end-users and utilities impacts our profitability. For the year ended December 31, 2015, approximately 50.4% of our sales of gas transported using our physical facilities were to industrial end-users and utilities. As a consequence of the increase in competition in the industry and volatility of natural gas prices, end-users and utilities may be reluctant to enter into long-term purchase contracts. Many end-users purchase natural gas from more than one natural gas company and have the ability to change providers at any time. Some of these end-users also have the ability to switch between gas and alternate fuels in response to relative price fluctuations in the market. Because there are numerous companies of greatly varying size and financial capacity that compete with us in marketing natural gas, we often compete in the end-user and utilities markets primarily on the basis of price.
We are exposed to the credit risk of our customers and counterparties, and a general increase in the nonpayment and nonperformance by our customers could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Risks of nonpayment and nonperformance by our customers are a major concern in our business. We are subject to risks of loss resulting from nonpayment or nonperformance by our customers and other counterparties, such as our lenders and hedging counterparties. Any increase in the nonpayment and nonperformance by our customers could adversely affect our results of operations and reduce our ability to make distributions to our unitholders. Additionally, many of our customers' equity values have substantially declined. The combination of a reduction of cash flow resulting from declines in commodity prices, a reduction in borrowing bases under reserve-based credit facilities and the lack of availability of debt or equity financing may result in a significant reduction in our customers' liquidity and ability to make payment or perform on their obligations to us. Furthermore, some of our customers may be highly leveraged and subject to their own operating and regulatory risks, which increases the risk that they may default on their obligations to us.
Increased federal, state and local legislation and regulatory initiatives, as well as government reviews relating to hydraulic fracturing could result in increased costs and reductions or delays in natural gas production by our customers, which could adversely impact our revenues.
A portion of our suppliers’ and customers’ natural gas production is developed from unconventional sources, such as deep gas shales, that require hydraulic fracturing as part of the completion process. Hydraulic fracturing involves the injection of water, sand and chemicals under pressure into the formation to stimulate gas production. Hydraulic fracturing typically is regulated by state oil and natural gas commissions. In addition, certain federal agencies have proposed additional laws and regulations to more closely regulate the hydraulic fracturing process. For example, in August 2015, the EPA proposed updates to new source performance standard requirements that would impose more stringent controls on methane, a GHG, and volatile organic compounds emissions from oil and gas development and production operations, including hydraulic fracturing and other well completion activity. Congress from time to time has considered the adoption of legislation to provide for federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing under the SDWA and to require disclosure of the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process. Some states have adopted, and other states are considering adopting, legal requirements that could impose more stringent permitting, public disclosure or well construction requirements on hydraulic fracturing activities. Local governments have also adopted and may seek to adopt further ordinances regulating, within their jurisdictions, the time, place and manner of drilling activities in general or hydraulic fracturing activities in particular, in some cases banning hydraulic fracturing entirely. For example, Oklahoma, Texas, and many other states have imposed regulations regarding disclosure of information regarding chemicals in well stimulation operations. Other governmental agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA, have evaluated or are evaluating various other aspects of hydraulic fracturing such as the potential environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water and groundwater.
State and federal regulatory agencies also have recently focused on a possible connection between the operation of injection wells used for oil and gas waste waters produced by fracking and an observed increase in minor seismic activity and tremors. When caused by human activity, such events are called induced seismicity. In a few instances, operators of injection wells in the vicinity of minor seismic events have reduced injection volumes or suspended operations, often voluntarily, and some state regulatory agencies have modified their regulations to account for induced seismicity. For example, the TRRC rules allow the TRRC to modify, suspend, or terminate a permit based on a determination that the permitted activity is likely to be contributing to seismic activity. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has also taken steps to focus on induced seismicity, including increasing the frequency of required recordkeeping for wells that dispose into certain formations and considering seismic information in permitting decisions. As regulatory agencies continue to study induced seismicity, such agencies may

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promulgate additional regulations, which could affect natural gas production by our customers and could directly affect our brine disposal operations.
We cannot predict whether any additional legislation or regulations will be enacted and, if so, what the provisions would be. If additional levels of regulation and permits were required through the adoption of new laws and regulations at the federal or state level, that could lead to delays, increased operating costs and process prohibitions for our suppliers and customers that could reduce the volumes of natural gas that move through our gathering systems which could materially adversely affect our revenue and results of operations.
Transportation on certain of our natural gas pipelines is subject to federal and state rate and service regulation, which could limit the revenues we collect from our customers and adversely affect the cash available for distribution to our unitholders. The imposition of regulation on our currently unregulated natural gas pipelines also could increase our operating costs and adversely affect the cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
The rates, terms and conditions of service under which we transport natural gas in our pipeline systems in interstate commerce are subject to regulation of by FERC under the NGA and under Section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act and the rules and regulations promulgated under those statutes. Under the NGA, FERC regulation requires that interstate natural gas pipeline rates be filed with FERC and that these rates be “just and reasonable” and not unduly discriminatory, although negotiated or settlement rates may be accepted in certain circumstances. Interested persons may challenge proposed new or changed rates, and FERC is authorized to suspend the effectiveness of such rates pending an investigation or hearing. FERC may also investigate, upon complaint or on its own motion, rates that are already in effect and may order a pipeline to change its rates prospectively. Accordingly, action by FERC could adversely affect our ability to establish reasonable rates that cover operating costs and allow for a reasonable return. An adverse determination in any future rate proceeding brought by or against us could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash available for distribution. Under the NGPA, we are required to justify our rates for interstate transportation service on a cost-of-service basis every five years. Our intrastate natural gas pipeline operations are subject to regulation by various agencies of the states in which they are located. Should FERC or any of these state agencies determine that our rates for Section 311 transportation service or intrastate transportation service should be lowered, our business could be adversely affected.
Our natural gas gathering and processing activities generally are exempt from FERC regulation under the Natural Gas Act. However, the distinction between FERC-regulated transmission services and federally unregulated gathering services is the subject of substantial, ongoing litigation, so the classification and regulation of our gathering facilities are subject to change based on future determinations by FERC and the courts. Natural gas gathering may receive greater regulatory scrutiny at both the state and federal levels since FERC has less extensively regulated the gathering activities of interstate pipeline transmission companies and a number of such companies have transferred gathering facilities to unregulated affiliates. Our gathering operations also may be or become subject to safety and operational regulations relating to the design, installation, testing, construction, operation, replacement and management of gathering facilities. Additional rules and legislation pertaining to these matters are considered or adopted from time to time. We cannot predict what effect, if any, such changes might have on our operations, but the industry could be required to incur additional capital expenditures and increased costs depending on future legislative and regulatory changes.
If we fail to comply with all applicable FERC-administered statutes, rules, regulations and orders, we could be subject to substantial penalties and fines. Under the EPAct 2005, FERC has civil penalty authority to impose penalties for current violations of the NGA or NGPA of up to $1.0 million per day for each violation. FERC also has the power to order disgorgement of profits from transactions deemed to violate the NGA and EPAct 2005.
Other state and local regulations also affect our business. We are subject to some ratable take and common purchaser statutes in the states where we operate. Ratable take statutes generally require gatherers to take, without undue discrimination, natural gas production that may be tendered to the gatherer for handling. Similarly, common purchaser statutes generally require gatherers to purchase without undue discrimination as to source of supply or producer. These statutes have the effect of restricting our right as an owner of gathering facilities to decide with whom we contract to purchase or transport natural gas. Federal law leaves any economic regulation of natural gas gathering to the states, and some of the states in which we operate have adopted complaint-based or other limited economic regulation of natural gas gathering activities. States in which we operate that have adopted some form of complaint-based regulation, like Texas, generally allow natural gas producers and shippers to file complaints with state regulators in an effort to resolve grievances relating to natural gas gathering access and rate discrimination.
Transportation on our liquids pipelines is subject to federal and state rate and service regulation, which could limit the revenues we collect from our customers and adversely affect the cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Our liquids transportation pipelines in the ORV and the VEX and Cajun-Sibon pipeline are subject to regulation by FERC under the ICA, the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and the rules and regulations promulgated under those laws. The ICA and its implementing regulations require that tariff rates and terms and conditions of service for interstate service on liquids pipelines

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be just, reasonable and not unduly discriminatory or preferential. The ICA also requires that such rates and terms and conditions be set forth in tariffs filed with FERC. The ICA permits interested persons to challenge proposed new or changed rates and authorizes FERC to suspend the effectiveness of such rates for up to seven months and investigate such rates. If, upon completion of an investigation, FERC finds that the new or changed rates are unlawful, it is authorized to require the pipeline to refund revenues collected in excess of the just and reasonable rates during the term of the investigation. FERC may also investigate, upon complaint or on its own motion, rates that are already in effect and may order a carrier to change its rates prospectively. Under certain circumstances, FERC could limit our ability to set rates based on our costs or could order us to reduce our rates and could require the payment of reparations to complaining shippers for up to two years prior to the date of the complaint. FERC also has the authority to change our terms and conditions of service if it determines that they are unjust and unreasonable or unduly discriminatory or preferential.
As we acquire, construct and operate new liquids assets and expand our liquids transportation business, the classification and regulation of our liquids transportation services are subject to ongoing assessment and change based on the services we provide and determinations by FERC and the courts. Such changes may subject additional services we provide to regulation by FERC, which could increase our operating costs, decrease our rates and adversely affect our business.
We may incur significant costs and liabilities resulting from compliance with pipeline safety regulations.
The states in which we conduct operations administer federal pipeline safety standards under the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968. These standards only apply to certain natural gas gathering lines based on the gathering line’s operating pressure and proximity to people. Because of their pressure and location, substantial portions of our gathering facilities are not regulated under that statute. The gathering line exemptions, however, may be revised in the future and place more of our gathering facilities under jurisdiction of the DOT. Nonetheless, our natural gas transmission pipelines are subject to regulation by the DOT. In response to pipeline accidents in other parts of the country, Congress and the DOT, through PHMSA, have passed or are considering heightened pipeline safety requirements that may be applicable to gathering lines. As a result, our pipeline facilities are subject to the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty and Job Creation Act of 2011, which reauthorized funding for federal safety programs through 2015, increased penalties for safety violations, established additional safety requirements for newly constructed pipelines and required studies of certain safety issues that could result in the adoption of new regulatory requirements for existing pipelines.
At the state level, several states have passed legislation or promulgated rulemaking addressing pipeline safety. Compliance with these laws and rules could result in substantial expenditures for testing, repairs and replacement. For example, TRRC regulations require periodic testing of all intrastate pipelines meeting certain size and location requirements. Our costs relating to compliance with the required testing under the TRRC regulations were approximately $3.3 million, $2.5 million, and $7.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. We expect the costs for compliance with TRRC and DOT regulations to be approximately $3.6 million during 2016. If our pipelines fail to meet the safety standards mandated by the TRRC or the DOT regulations, then we may be required to repair or replace sections of such pipelines or operate the pipelines at a reduced maximum allowable operating pressure, the cost of which cannot be estimated at this time.
In addition, our liquids transportation pipelines are subject to regulation by the DOT, through PHMSA, pursuant to the Hazardous Liquids Pipeline Safety Act of 1979, as amended by the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002, and reauthorized and amended by the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement and Safety Act of 2006. PHMSA has adopted regulations requiring hazardous liquid pipeline operators to develop and implement integrity management programs for pipeline segments that, in the event of a leak or rupture, could affect “high consequence areas,” such as high population areas, areas that are sources of drinking water, ecological resource areas that are unusually sensitive to environmental damage from a pipeline release and commercially navigable waterways, unless the operator effectively demonstrates by risk assessment that the pipeline could not affect the area.
Due to the possibility of new or amended laws and regulations or reinterpretation of existing laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that future compliance with PHMSA or state requirements will not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial positions. As our operations continue to expand into and around urban or more populated areas, such as the Barnett Shale, we may incur additional expenses to mitigate noise, odor and light that may be emitted in our operations and expenses related to the appearance of our facilities. Municipal and other local or state regulations are imposing various obligations including, among other things, regulating the location of our facilities, imposing limitations on the noise levels of our facilities and requiring certain other improvements that increase the cost of our facilities. We are also subject to claims by neighboring landowners for nuisance related to the construction and operation of our facilities, which could subject us to damages for declines in neighboring property values due to our construction and operation of facilities.

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Failure to comply with existing or new environmental laws or regulations or an accidental release of hazardous substances, hydrocarbons or wastes into the environment may cause us to incur significant costs and liabilities.
Many of the operations and activities of our gathering systems, processing plants, fractionators, brine disposal operations and other facilities are subject to significant federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations. The obligations imposed by these laws and regulations include obligations related to air emissions and discharge of pollutants from our facilities and the cleanup of hazardous substances and other wastes that may have been released at properties currently or previously owned or operated by us or locations to which we have sent wastes for treatment or disposal. Various governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these laws and regulations and the permits issued under them, and violators are subject to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, including civil fines, injunctions or both. Strict, joint and several liability may be incurred under these laws and regulations for the remediation of contaminated areas. Private parties, including the owners of properties near our facilities or upon or through which our gathering systems traverse, may also have the right to pursue legal actions to enforce compliance as well as to seek damages for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations for releases of contaminants or for personal injury or property damage.
There is inherent risk of the incurrence of significant environmental costs and liabilities in our business due to our handling of natural gas, crude oil and other petroleum substances, our brine disposal operations, air emissions related to our operations, historical industry operations, waste disposal practices and the prior use of natural gas flow meters containing mercury. For example, we operate brine disposal wells in Ohio and West Virginia and may gather brine from surrounding states. These wells are regulated under the SDWA as Class II wells and under state laws. State laws and regulations that govern these operations can be more stringent than the SDWA, such as the Ohio Department of Natural Resources rules which in 2012, imposed new, more stringent environmentally responsible standards for the permitting and operating of brine disposal wells, including extensive review of geologic data and use of state of the art technology. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources also regulates the transportation and disposal of brine. In addition, the possibility exists that stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could significantly increase our compliance costs and the cost of any remediation that may become necessary. We may incur material environmental costs and liabilities. Furthermore, our insurance may not provide sufficient coverage in the event an environmental claim is made against us.
State and federal regulatory agencies recently have focused on a possible connection between the operation of injection wells used for oil and gas waste waters and an observed increase in minor seismic activity and tremors. When caused by human activity, such events are called induced seismicity. Regulatory agencies are continuing to study possible linkage between injection activity and induced seismicity. To the extent these studies result in additional regulation of injection wells, such regulations could impose additional regulations, costs and restrictions on our brine disposal operations.
Our business may be adversely affected by increased costs due to stricter pollution control requirements or liabilities resulting from non-compliance with required operating or other regulatory permits. New environmental laws or regulations, including, for example, legislation relating to the control of greenhouse gas emissions, or changes in existing environmental laws or regulations relating to our operations, including our processing, storage or transportation activities, as well as, waste management or air emissions might adversely affect our business and our profitability. Federal and state agencies could also impose additional safety requirements, any of which could affect our profitability.
Recent rules under the Clean Air Act imposing more stringent requirements on the oil and gas industry could cause our customers and us to incur increased capital expenditures and operating costs as well as reduce the demand for our services.
On April 17, 2012, the EPA approved final rules under the Clean Air Act that establish new air emission controls for oil and natural gas production, pipelines and processing operations. These rules became effective on October 15, 2012. Among other things, these rules require additional emissions controls for natural gas and NGLs production, including New Source Performance Standards to address emissions of sulfur dioxide and VOCs and a separate set of emission standards to address hazardous air pollutants frequently associated with such production activities. The final regulations require, among other things, the reduction of VOC emissions from natural gas wells through the use of reduced emission completions or “green completions” on all hydraulically fractured wells constructed or refractured after January 1, 2015. Moreover, these rules establish specific requirements regarding emissions from compressors and controllers at natural gas gathering and boosting stations and processing plants together with dehydrators and storage tanks at natural gas processing plants, compressor stations and gathering and boosting stations. The rules also establish new requirements for leak detection and repair of leaks at natural gas processing plants that exceed 500 parts per million in concentration. These rules required a number of modifications to our assets and operations and could require additional modifications both to our and to our natural gas exploration and production suppliers’ and customers’ operations, including the installation of new equipment, which could result in significant costs, including increased capital expenditures and operating costs. The incurrence of such expenditures and costs by our suppliers and customers could result in reduced production by those suppliers and customers and thus translate into reduced demand for our services. Responding to rule challenges, the EPA has since revised certain aspects of its April 2012 rules and has indicated that it may reconsider other aspects of the rules.

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In addition, in August 2015, the EPA proposed updates to new source performance standard requirements that would impose more stringent controls on methane, a GHG, and volatile organic compounds emissions from oil and gas development and production operations, including hydraulic fracturing and other well completion activity. We cannot predict the costs of compliance with any modified or newly issued rules.
Climate change legislation and regulatory initiatives could result in increased operating costs and reduced demand for the natural gas and NGL services we provide.
The United States Congress has from time to time considered adopting legislation to reduce emissions of GHGs, and there has been a wide-ranging policy debate, both nationally and internationally, regarding the impact of these gases and possible means for their regulation.  In addition, efforts have been made and continue to be made in the international community toward the adoption of international treaties or protocols that would address global climate change issues. In 2015, the United States participated in the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, which led to the adoption of the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement will be open for signing on April 22, 2016 and will require countries to review and “represent a progression” in their intended nationally determined contributions, which set GHG emission reduction goals, every five years beginning in 2020. Following a finding by the EPA that certain GHGs represent an endangerment to human health, the EPA adopted two sets of rules regulating GHG emissions under the Clean Air Act, one that requires a reduction in emissions of GHGs from motor vehicles and another that regulates emissions of GHGs from certain large stationary sources. The EPA has also expanded its existing GHG emissions reporting requirements to include upstream petroleum and natural gas systems that emit 25,000 metric tons or more of CO2 equivalent per year. These permitting and reporting requirements could lead to further regulation of GHGs by the EPA.  Furthermore, in August 2015, the EPA proposed changes to its regulations imposing more stringent controls on methane, a GHG, and volatile organic compounds emissions from oil and gas development and production operations. A final rule is expected in 2016. The Administration has also announced that other federal agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, the PHMSA, and the Department of Energy will impose new or more stringent regulations on the oil and gas sector that will have the effect of reducing methane emissions.
In addition, almost half of the states have already taken legal measures to reduce emissions of GHGs, primarily through the planned development of GHG emission inventories and/or regional GHG cap and trade programs. Most of these cap and trade programs work by requiring either major sources of emissions, such as electric power plants, or major producers of fuels, such as refineries and NGL fractionation plants, to acquire and surrender emission allowances with the number of allowances available for purchase reduced each year until the overall GHG emission reduction goal is achieved.
The adoption of legislation or regulations imposing reporting or permitting obligations on, or limiting emissions of GHGs from, our equipment and operations could require us to incur additional costs to reduce emissions of GHGs associated with our operations, could adversely affect our performance of operations in the absence of any permits that may be required to regulate emission of GHGs or could adversely affect demand for the natural gas we gather, process or otherwise handle in connection with our services.
The Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act govern our operations and additional restrictions may be imposed in the future, which could have an adverse impact on our operations.
The ESA and analogous state laws restrict activities that may affect endangered or threatened species or their habitats. Similar protections are offered to migratory birds under the MBTA. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state agencies may designate critical or suitable habitat areas that they believe are necessary for the survival of threatened or endangered species. Such a designation could materially restrict use of or access to federal, state and private lands. Some of our operations may be located in areas that are designated as habitats for endangered or threatened species or that may attract migratory birds. In these areas, we may be obligated to develop and implement plans to avoid potential adverse impacts to protected species, and we may be prohibited from conducting operations in certain locations or during certain seasons, such as breeding and nesting seasons, when our operations could have an adverse effect on the species. It is also possible that a federal or state agency could order a complete halt to our activities in certain locations if it is determined that such activities may have a serious adverse effect on a protected species. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state agencies regularly review species that are listing candidates, and designations of additional endangered or threatened species, or critical or suitable habitat, under the ESA could cause us to incur additional costs or become subject to operating restrictions or bans in the affected areas.
Our business involves many hazards and operational risks, some of which may not be fully covered by insurance. The occurrence of a significant accident or other event that is not fully insured could adversely affect our operations and financial condition.
Our operations are subject to the many hazards inherent in the gathering, compressing, processing, transporting, fractionating, disposing and storage of natural gas, NGLs, condensate, crude oil and brine, including:
damage to pipelines, related equipment and surrounding properties caused by hurricanes, floods, fires and other natural disasters and acts of terrorism;

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inadvertent damage from construction and farm equipment;
leaks of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil, condensate and other hydrocarbons;
induced seismicity;
rail accidents, barge accidents and truck accidents; and
fires and explosions.
These risks could result in substantial losses due to personal injury and/or loss of life, severe damage to and destruction of property and equipment and pollution or other environmental damage and may result in curtailment or suspension of our related operations. We are not fully insured against all risks incident to our business. In accordance with typical industry practice, we have appropriate levels of business interruption and property insurance on our underground pipeline systems.  We are not insured against all environmental accidents that might occur. If a significant accident or event occurs that is not fully insured, it could adversely affect our operations and financial condition.
The adoption of derivatives legislation by the United States Congress and promulgation of related regulations could have an adverse effect on our ability to hedge risks associated with our business.
Comprehensive financial reform legislation was signed into law by the President on July 21, 2010. The legislation calls for the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) to regulate certain markets for derivative products, including over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives. The CFTC has issued several new relevant regulations and other rulemakings are pending at the CFTC, the product of which would be rules that implement the mandates in the new legislation to cause significant portions of derivatives markets to clear through clearinghouses. While some of these rules have been finalized, some have not and, as a result, the final form and timing of the implementation of the new regulatory regime affecting commodity derivatives remains uncertain.
In particular, on October 18, 2011, the CFTC adopted final rules under the Dodd-Frank Act establishing position limits for certain energy commodity futures and options contracts and economically equivalent swaps, futures and options. The position limit levels set the maximum amount of covered contracts that a trader may own or control separately or in combination, net long or short. The final rules also contained limited exemptions from position limits which would be phased in over time for certain bona fide hedging transactions and positions. The CFTC's original position limits rule was challenged in court by two industry associations and was vacated and remanded by a federal district court. However, in November 2013, the CFTC proposed new rules that would place limits on positions in certain core futures and equivalent swaps contracts for or linked to certain physical commodities, subject to exceptions for certain bona fide hedging transactions. The CFTC has sought comment on the position limits rule as reproposed, but these new position limit rules are not yet final and the impact of those provisions on us is uncertain at this time. The CFTC has withdrawn its appeal of the court order vacating the original position limits rule.
The legislation and new regulations may also require counterparties to our derivative instruments to spin off some of their derivatives activities to separate entities, which may not be as creditworthy as the current counterparties. The new legislation and any new regulations could significantly increase the cost of derivative contracts, materially alter the terms of derivative contracts, reduce the availability of derivatives to protect against risks we encounter, reduce our ability to monetize or restructure our existing derivative contracts, and increase our exposure to less creditworthy counterparties. If we reduce our use of derivatives as a result of the legislation and regulations, our results of operations may become more volatile and our cash flows may be less predictable, which could adversely affect our ability to plan for and fund capital expenditures and to generate sufficient cash flow to pay quarterly distributions at current levels or at all. Our revenues could be adversely affected if a consequence of the legislation and regulations is to lower commodity prices. Any of these consequences could have a material, adverse effect on us, our financial condition and our results of operations.
Our use of derivative financial instruments does not eliminate our exposure to fluctuations in commodity prices and interest rates and has in the past and could in the future result in financial losses or reduce our income.
Our operations expose us to fluctuations in commodity prices, and our credit facility exposes us to fluctuations in interest rates. We use over-the-counter price and basis swaps with other natural gas merchants and financial institutions. Use of these instruments is intended to reduce our exposure to short-term volatility in commodity prices. As of December 31, 2015, we have hedged only portions of our expected exposures to commodity price risk. In addition, to the extent we hedge our commodity price risk using swap instruments, we will forego the benefits of favorable changes in commodity prices. Although we do not currently have any financial instruments to eliminate our exposure to interest rate fluctuations, we may use financial instruments in the future to offset our exposure to interest rate fluctuations.
Even though monitored by management, our hedging activities may fail to protect us and could reduce our earnings and cash flow. Our hedging activity may be ineffective or adversely affect cash flow and earnings because, among other factors:
hedging can be expensive, particularly during periods of volatile prices;
our counterparty in the hedging transaction may default on its obligation to pay or otherwise fail to perform; and

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available hedges may not correspond directly with the risks against which we seek protection. For example:
the duration of a hedge may not match the duration of the risk against which we seek protection;
variations in the index we use to price a commodity hedge may not adequately correlate with variations in the index we use to sell the physical commodity (known as basis risk); and
we may not produce or process sufficient volumes to cover swap arrangements we enter into for a given period. If our actual volumes are lower than the volumes we estimated when entering into a swap for the period, we might be forced to satisfy all or a portion of our derivative obligation without the benefit of cash flow from our sale or purchase of the underlying physical commodity, which could adversely affect our liquidity.
A failure in our computer systems or a terrorist or cyber-attack on us, or third parties with whom we have a relationship, may adversely affect our ability to operate our business.
We are reliant on technology to conduct our businesses. Our business is dependent upon our operational and financial computer systems to process the data necessary to conduct almost all aspects of our business, including operating our pipelines, truck fleet and storage facilities, recording and reporting commercial and financial transactions and receiving and making payments. Any failure of our computer systems, or those of our customers, suppliers or others with whom we do business, could materially disrupt our ability to operate our business. Unknown entities or groups have mounted so-called “cyber-attacks” on businesses to disable or disrupt computer systems, disrupt operations and steal funds or data. Cyber-attacks could also result in the loss of confidential or proprietary data or security breaches of other information technology systems that could disrupt our operations and critical business functions. In addition, our pipeline systems may be targets of terrorist activities that could disrupt our ability to conduct our business and have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Strategic targets, such as energy-related assets, may be at greater risk of future terrorist or cyber-attacks than other targets in the United States. Our insurance may not protect us against such occurrences. Any such terrorist or cyber-attack that affects us or our customers, suppliers or others with whom we do business, could have a material adverse effect on our business, cause us to incur a material financial loss, subject us to possible legal claims and liability and/or damage our reputation.
Our success depends on key members of our management, the loss or replacement of whom could disrupt our business operations.
We depend on the continued employment and performance of the officers of our general partner and key operational personnel. If any of these officers or other key personnel resign or become unable to continue in their present roles and are not adequately replaced, our business operations could be materially adversely affected. We do not maintain any “key man” life insurance for any officers.
Failure to attract and retain an appropriately qualified workforce could reduce labor productivity and increase labor costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations adversely impact our results of operations.
Gathering and compression services require laborers skilled in multiple disciplines, such as equipment operators, mechanics and engineers, among others. Our business is dependent on our ability to recruit, retain and motivate employees. Certain circumstances, such as an aging workforce without appropriate replacements, a mismatch of existing skill sets to future needs, competition for skilled labor or the unavailability of contract resources may lead to operating challenges such as a lack of resources, loss of knowledge or a lengthy time period associated with skill development. Our costs, including costs for contractors to replace employees, productivity costs and safety costs, may rise. Failure to hire and adequately train replacement employees, including the transfer of significant internal historical knowledge and expertise to the new employees, or the future availability and cost of contract labor may adversely affect our ability to manage and operate our business. If we are unable to successfully attract and retain an appropriately qualified workforce, our results of operations could be negatively affected.
Subsidence and coastal erosion could damage our pipelines along the Gulf Coast and offshore and the facilities of our customers, which could adversely affect our operations and financial condition.
Our pipeline operations along the Gulf Coast and offshore could be impacted by subsidence and coastal erosion. Such processes could cause serious damage to our pipelines, which could affect our ability to provide transportation services. Additionally, such processes could impact our customers who operate along the Gulf Coast, and they may be unable to utilize our services. Subsidence and coastal erosion could also expose our operations to increased risks associated with severe weather conditions, such as hurricanes, flooding and rising sea levels. As a result, we may incur significant costs to repair and preserve our pipeline infrastructure. Such costs could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operation or cash flows.

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Our assets were constructed over many decades which may cause our inspection, maintenance or repair costs to increase in the future. In addition, there could be service interruptions due to unknown events or conditions or increased downtime associated with our pipelines that could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Our pipelines were constructed over many decades. Pipelines are generally long-lived assets, and pipeline construction and coating techniques have varied over time. Depending on the era of construction, some assets will require more frequent inspections, which could result in increased maintenance or repair expenditures in the future. Any significant increase in these expenditures could adversely affect our results of operations, financial position or cash flows, as well as our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.
Risk Inherent in an Investment in the Partnership
Cash distributions are not guaranteed and may fluctuate with our performance and the establishment of financial reserves.
Because distributions on our units are dependent on the amount of cash we generate, distributions may fluctuate based on our performance. The actual amount of cash that is available to be distributed each quarter will depend on numerous factors, some of which are beyond our control and the control of our general partner. Cash distributions are dependent primarily on cash flow, including cash flow from financial reserves and working capital borrowings and not solely on profitability, which is affected by non-cash items. Therefore, cash distributions might be made during periods when we record losses and might not be made during periods when we record profits.
We may not have sufficient available cash from operating surplus each quarter to enable us to make cash distributions at our current distribution rate under our cash distribution policy. The amount of cash we can distribute on our units principally depends upon the amount of cash we generate from our operations, which will fluctuate from quarter to quarter based on, among other things:
the fees we charge and the margins we realize for our services;
the prices of, levels of production of and demand for crude oil, natural gas, condensate and NGLs;
the volume of natural gas we gather, compress, process, transport and sell, the volume of NGLs we process or fractionate and sell, the volume of crude oil we handle at our crude terminals, the volume of crude oil we gather, transport, purchase and sell, the volume of condensate we stabilize and transport and the volumes of brine we dispose;
the relationship between natural gas and NGL prices;
cash settlements of hedging positions;
the level of competition from other midstream energy companies;
the level of our operating and maintenance and general and administrative costs; and
prevailing economic conditions.
In addition, the actual amount of cash we will have available for distribution will depend on other factors, some of which are beyond our control, including:
the level of capital expenditures we make;
our ability to make borrowings under our credit facility to pay distributions;
the cost of acquisitions;
our debt service requirements and other liabilities;
fluctuations in our working capital needs;
general and administrative expenses;
restrictions on distributions contained in our debt agreements; and
the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner for the proper conduct of our business.
Devon, through its control of ENLC, controls our general partner, which has sole responsibility for conducting our business and managing our operations. Devon, ENLC and our general partner have conflicts of interest with, and may favor Devon’s interests to the detriment of, our unitholders.
Devon, through its control of ENLC, controls our general partner and indirectly has the power to appoint all of the officers and directors of our general partner. Although our general partner has a fiduciary duty to manage us in a manner that is beneficial to us and our unitholders, the directors and officers of our general partner have a fiduciary duty to manage our general partner in a manner that is beneficial to its owner, ENLC, in which Devon owns the manager and a 70.3% limited liability company interest as of December 31, 2015. Conflicts of interest may arise in the future among Devon, ENLC and its

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affiliates, including our general partner, on the one hand, and our partnership and our unitholders, on the other hand. As a result of these conflicts our general partner may favor its own interests and those of its affiliates, including Devon and ENLC, over our interests. These conflicts include, among others, the following situations:
Conflicts Relating to Control
our partnership agreement limits our general partner’s liability and reduces its fiduciary duties, while also restricting the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that might, without these limitations, constitute breaches of fiduciary duty by our general partner;
in resolving conflicts of interest, our general partner is allowed to take into account the interests of parties in addition to unitholders, which has the effect of limiting its fiduciary duties to the unitholders;
our general partner’s affiliates may engage in limited competition with us;
Conflicts Relating to Costs
our general partner determines the amount and timing of asset purchases and sales, capital expenditures, borrowings, issuance of additional limited partner interests and reserves;
our general partner determines which costs incurred by it and its affiliates are reimbursable by us; and
our general partner is not restricted from causing us to pay it or its affiliates for any services rendered on terms that are fair and reasonable to us or entering into additional contractual arrangements with any of these entities on our behalf.
Our unitholders will have limited voting rights and will not be entitled to elect our general partner or the board of directors of our general partner, which could reduce the price at which our common units will trade.
Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, unitholders have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business, and therefore limited ability to influence management’s decisions regarding our business. Unitholders did not elect our general partner or the board of directors of our general partner and have no right to elect our general partner or the board of directors of our general partner on an annual or other continuing basis. The board of directors of our general partner, including its independent directors, is chosen indirectly by ENLC, subject, in certain circumstances, to the designation rights of certain of our investors with respect to one director. In addition, the partnership agreement contains provisions limiting the ability of unitholders to call meetings or to acquire information about our operations, as well as other provisions limiting the unitholders’ ability to influence the manner or direction of management. As a result of these limitations, the price at which our common units trade could be diminished because of the absence or reduction of a takeover premium in the trading price.
Even if our unitholders are dissatisfied with the performance of our general partner, they have little ability to remove our general partner.
Our unitholders have little ability to remove our general partner because the general partner and its affiliates own a significant amount of our outstanding units. The vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of all outstanding common units voting together as a single class is required to remove the general partner. Affiliates of the general partner controlled approximately 47.7% of all the outstanding units as of February 10, 2016.
Our partnership agreement restricts the voting rights of unitholders owning 20% or more of our common units.
Unitholders’ voting rights are further restricted by the partnership agreement, which provides that any units held by a person that owns 20.0% or more of any class of units then outstanding, other than our general partner, its affiliates, their transferees and persons who acquired such units with the prior approval of the board of directors of the general partner, cannot be voted on any matter.
Cost reimbursements due to our general partner and its affiliates for services provided, which will be determined by our general partner, could be substantial and would reduce the cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Prior to making any distributions on the units, we reimburse our general partner and its affiliates, including officers and directors of our general partner, for all expenses they incur on our behalf. These expenses will include all costs incurred by our general partner and its affiliates in the discharge of their duties to our partnership, including costs for rendering corporate staff and support services to us, if any. There is no limit on the amount of expenses for which our manager and its affiliates may be reimbursed. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will determine the expenses that are allocable to us. In addition, to the extent our general partner incurs obligations on behalf of us, we are obligated to reimburse or indemnify our general partner. If we are unable or unwilling to reimburse or indemnify our general partner, our general partner may take actions to cause us to make payments of these obligations and liabilities. Any such payments could reduce the amount of cash otherwise available for distribution to our unitholders.

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The control of our general partner may be transferred to a third party without unitholder consent.
The general partner may transfer its general partner interest in us to a third party in a merger or in a sale of all or substantially all of its assets without the consent of the unitholders. Furthermore, there is no restriction in the partnership agreement on the ability of (i) ENLC to transfer all or a portion of its ownership interest in the general partner to a third party or (ii) Devon to transfer all or a portion of its ownership interest in ENLC and/or ENLC’s manager to a third party. The new owner of the general partner or ENLC’s manager, as the case may be, would then be in a position to replace the board of directors and officers of the general partner with its own choices and to control the decisions taken by the board of directors and officers.
Our general partner’s absolute discretion in determining the level of cash reserves may adversely affect our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.
Our partnership agreement requires our general partner to deduct from operating surplus cash reserves that in its reasonable discretion are necessary to fund our future operating expenditures. In addition, the partnership agreement permits our general partner to reduce available cash by establishing cash reserves for the proper conduct of our business, to comply with applicable law or agreements to which we are a party or to provide funds for future distributions to partners. These cash reserves will affect the amount of cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
Our partnership agreement replaces the fiduciary duties otherwise owed to our unitholders by our general partner with contractual standards governing its duties and restricts the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that might otherwise constitute a breach of fiduciary duty by our general partner.
Our partnership agreement contains provisions that eliminate and replace the fiduciary standards that our general partner would otherwise be held to by state fiduciary duty law. For example, our partnership agreement permits our general partner to make a number of decisions, in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner, or otherwise, free of fiduciary duties to our unitholders. This entitles our general partner 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 our unitholders. Examples of decisions that our general partner may make in its individual capacity include:
how to allocate business opportunities among us and its other affiliates;
whether to exercise its call right;
whether or not to consent to any merger or consolidation of us or any amendment to our partnership agreement; and
whether or not the general partner should elect to seek the approval of the conflicts committee or the unitholders, or neither, of any conflicted transaction.
The partnership agreement also restricts the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that would otherwise constitute breaches of our general partner’s fiduciary duties. By purchasing any of our common units, a unitholder is treated as having consented to the provisions in our partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above.
We may issue additional units, including units that are senior to our common units, without our unitholders’ approval, which would dilute our unitholders’ ownership interests.
We may issue an unlimited number of limited partner interests of any type without the approval of our unitholders. The issuance of additional limited partner interests or other equity securities of equal or senior rank will have the following effects:
our existing unitholders’ proportionate ownership interest in us will decrease;
the amount of cash available for distribution on each unit may decrease;
the relative voting strength of each previously outstanding unit may be diminished; and
the market price of the common units may decline.
Our general partner has a limited call right that may require our unitholders to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price.
If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80.0% of the common units, our general partner will have the right, but not the obligation, which it may assign to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the common units held by unaffiliated persons at a price equal to the greater of (1) their then-current market price and (2) the highest per-unit price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for our common units during the 90-day period preceding the date such notice is first mailed. As a result, our unitholders may be required to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price and may therefore not receive any return on their investment. Existing unitholders may also incur a tax liability upon a sale of their units. Our general partner is not obligated to obtain a fairness opinion regarding the value of our common units to be repurchased by it upon exercise of the call right. There is no restriction in our partnership agreement that prevents our general partner from issuing additional common units and exercising its call right. If our general partner

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exercised its call right, the effect would be to take us private. As of December 31, 2015, ENLC and its affiliates, including Devon, owned 55.2% of our outstanding common units.
ENLC or its affiliates, including our largest holder Devon, may sell units in the public or private markets, and such sales could have an adverse impact on the trading price of the common units.
As of December 31, 2015, ENLC and its affiliates, including our largest holder Devon, held an aggregate of 183,189,051 units. The sale of any or all of these units in the public or private markets could have an adverse impact on the price of common units or on any trading market on which common units are held.
The price of our common units may fluctuate significantly, which could cause our unitholders to lose all or part of their investment.
As of December 31, 2015, only approximately 44.9% of our common units were held by public unitholders. The lack of liquidity may result in wide bid-ask spreads, contribute to significant fluctuations in the market price of our common units and limit the number of investors who are able to buy our common units. The market price of our common units may be influenced by many factors, some of which are beyond our control, including:
the quarterly distributions paid by us with respect to our common units;
our quarterly or annual earnings or those of other companies in our industry;
the loss of Devon as a customer;
events affecting Devon;
announcements by us or our competitors of significant contracts or acquisitions;
changes in accounting standards, policies, guidance, interpretations or principles;
general economic conditions;
the failure of securities analysts to cover our common units or changes in financial estimates by analysts;
future sales of our common units; and
other factors described in these “Risk Factors.”
Our unitholders may not have limited liability if a court finds that unitholder action constitutes control of our business.
Our unitholders could be held liable for our obligations to the same extent as a general partner if a court determined that the right or the exercise of the right by our unitholders to remove or replace our general partner, to approve amendments to our partnership agreement, or to take other action under our partnership agreement constituted participation in the “control” of our business, to the extent that a person who has transacted business with the Partnership reasonably believes, based on our unitholders’ conduct, that our unitholders are a general partner. Our general partner generally has unlimited liability for the obligations of our partnership, such as its debts and environmental liabilities, except for those contractual obligations of our partnership that are expressly made without recourse to our general partner. In addition, Section 17-607 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership 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 that section may be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for a period of three years from the date of the distribution. The limitations on the liability of holders of limited partner interests for the obligations of a limited partnership have not been clearly established in some of the other states in which we do business.
The NYSE does not require a publicly traded limited partnership like us to comply with certain of its corporate governance requirements.
Our common units are listed on the NYSE. Because we are a publicly traded limited partnership, the NYSE exempts us from the following corporate governance requirements:
the requirement that a majority of the board consist of independent directors;
the requirement that the board of directors have a nominating or corporate governance committee, composed entirely of independent directors, that is responsible for identifying individuals qualified to become board members, consistent with criteria approved by the board, selection of board nominees for the next annual meeting of equityholders, development of corporate governance guidelines and oversight of the evaluation of the board and management;
the requirement that we have a compensation committee of the board, composed entirely of independent directors, that is responsible for reviewing and approving corporate goals and objectives relevant to chief executive officer compensation, evaluation of the chief executive officer’s performance in light of the goals and objectives, determination and approval of the chief executive officer’s compensation, making recommendations to the board with respect to compensation of other executive officers and incentive compensation and equity-based plans that are subject

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to board approval and producing a report on executive compensation to be included in an annual proxy statement or Form 10-K filed with the SEC;
the requirement that we conduct an annual performance evaluation of the nominating, corporate governance and compensation committees; and
the requirement that we have written charters for the nominating, corporate governance and compensation committees addressing the committees’ responsibilities and annual performance evaluations.
For so long as we remain a publicly traded limited partnership, we will not be required to have a majority of independent directors or nominating, corporate governance or compensation committees. Accordingly, unitholders will not have the same protections afforded to certain corporations that are subject to all of the NYSE corporate governance requirements.
Unitholders may have liability to repay distributions that were wrongfully distributed to them.
Under certain circumstances, unitholders may have to repay amounts wrongfully returned or distributed to them. Under Section 17-607 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, which we refer to herein as the Delaware Act, a limited partnership cannot make a distribution to its limited partners if, after the distribution, all liabilities, other than liabilities to unitholders on account of their limited partner interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the limited 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 non-recourse 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 will be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years.
Tax Risks to Our Unitholders
Our tax treatment depends on our status as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, as well as our not being subject to entity level taxation by individual states. If the IRS treats us as a corporation or we become subject to entity level taxation for state tax purposes, it would substantially reduce the amount of cash available for distribution to you.
The anticipated after-tax economic benefit of an investment in us depends largely on our being treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
If we were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, we would pay additional tax on our income at corporate rates of up to 35% (under the law as of the date of this report) and we would probably pay state income taxes as well. In addition, distributions to unitholders would generally be taxed again as corporate distributions and none of our income, gains, losses or deductions would flow through to unitholders. Because a tax would be imposed upon us as a corporation, the cash available for distribution to unitholders 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 and thus would likely result in a material reduction in the value of the common units.
In addition, recently enacted legislation applicable to partnership tax years beginning after 2017 changes the audit procedures for large partnerships and in certain circumstances would permit the IRS to assess and collect taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) resulting from partnership-level federal income tax audits directly from us in the year in which the audit is completed. If we are required to make payments of taxes, penalties and interest resulting from audit adjustments, our cash available for distribution to our unitholders might be substantially reduced.
Moreover, changes in current state law may subject us to entity-level taxation by individual states. Because of widespread state budget deficits, several states are evaluating ways to subject partnerships to entity level taxation through the imposition of state income, franchise and other forms of taxation. For example, we are required to pay Texas franchise tax at a maximum effective rate of 1% of our gross income apportioned to Texas in the prior year. If additional state tax were to be imposed on us, the cash available for distribution to unitholders could be reduced and/or the value of an investment in our common units would be adversely impacted.
Our partnership agreement provides that, if a law is enacted or existing law is modified or interpreted in a manner that subjects us to taxation as a corporation or otherwise subjects us to entity-level taxation for federal, state, or local income tax purposes, the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution amounts will be decreased to reflect the impact of that law on us. No such adjustments have been made to date, but there can be no assurance that no such adjustments will be made in the future.
If the IRS contests the federal income tax positions we take, the market for our common units may be adversely impacted and the costs of any contest could reduce the cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
We have not requested any ruling from the IRS with respect to our treatment as a partnership for federal income tax purposes or any other matter affecting us. The IRS may adopt positions that differ from our counsel’s conclusions expressed in

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this annual report or from the positions we take. It may be necessary to resort to administrative or court proceedings to sustain some or all of our counsel’s conclusions or the positions we take. A court may not agree with all of our counsel’s conclusions or the positions we take. Any contest with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for our common units and the prices at which our common units trade. In addition, our costs of any contest with the IRS will be borne by us and therefore indirectly by our unitholders and our general partner since such costs will reduce the amount of cash available for distribution by us.
If the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns for tax years beginning after 2017, it may collect any resulting taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) directly from us, in which case our cash available for distribution to our unitholders might be substantially reduced.
Pursuant to recently enacted legislation, if the IRS makes audit adjustments to income tax returns for tax years beginning after 2017, it may assess and collect taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) directly from us in the year in which the audit is completed. If we are required to make payments of taxes, penalties and interest resulting from audit adjustments, our cash available for distribution to our unitholders might be substantially reduced. In addition, because payment would be due for the taxable year in which the audit is completed, unitholders during that taxable year would bear the expense of the adjustment even if they were not unitholders during that taxable year.
Unitholders may be required to pay taxes on their share of our taxable income even if they do not receive any cash distributions from us.
Because our unitholders will be treated as partners to whom we will allocate taxable income which could be different in amount than the cash we distribute, they will be required to pay federal income taxes and, in some cases, state and local income taxes on their share of our taxable income even if they do not receive cash distributions from us. Unitholders may not receive cash distributions from us equal to their share of our taxable income or even the tax liability that results from that income.
Tax gain or loss on the disposition of our common units could be different than expected.
Unitholders who sell common units will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and their tax basis in those common units. Because distributions in excess of the unitholder’s allocable share of total net taxable income decrease the unitholder’s tax basis in his or her units, the amount, if any, of such prior excess distributions with respect to the units sold by the unitholder, will, in effect, become taxable income to the unitholder if the common unit is sold at a price greater than the tax basis in that common unit, even if the price received is less than the original cost. Furthermore, a substantial portion of the amount realized, whether or not representing gain, may be taxed as ordinary income to the unitholder due to potential recapture items, including depreciation recapture. In addition, because the amount realized includes a unitholder’s share of our non-recourse liabilities, a unitholder who sells units may incur a tax liability in excess of the amount of cash received from the sale.
Tax-exempt entities and foreign persons face unique tax issues from owning common units that may result in adverse tax consequences to them.
Investment in common units by tax-exempt entities, such as individual retirement accounts (known as IRAs), pension plans, and non-U.S. persons, raises issues unique to them. For example, virtually all of our income allocated to organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other qualified retirement plans, will be unrelated business income and will be taxable to them. Distributions to non-U.S. persons will be reduced by withholding taxes, at the highest applicable effective tax rate, and non-U.S. persons will be required to file federal income tax returns and generally pay tax on their share of our taxable income. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a foreign person, you should consult your tax advisor before investing in our common units.
We will treat each purchase of common units as having the same tax benefits without regard to the specific units purchased. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could adversely affect the value of the common units.
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of common units and because of other reasons, we will take depreciation and amortization positions that may not conform to all aspects of existing Treasury regulations. A successful IRS challenge to those positions could adversely affect the amount of tax benefits available to unitholders. It also could affect the timing of these tax benefits or the amount of gain from the sale of common units and could have a negative impact on the value of our common units or result in audit adjustments to the tax returns of unitholders.
The sale or exchange of 50% or more of our capital and profits interests within a 12-month period will result in the termination of our partnership for federal income tax purposes.
We will be considered to have terminated our partnership for federal income tax purposes if there is a sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a 12-month period. Our termination would, among other things, result in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders, which would result in us filing two tax returns (and our unitholders could receive two Schedules K-1 if relief was not available, as described below) for one fiscal year if the termination occurs on a day other than December 31. Our termination could also result in a deferral of depreciation deductions

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allowable in computing our taxable income. In the case of a unitholder who has adopted a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may also result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in such unitholder’s taxable income for the year of termination. Our termination would cause us to be treated as a new partnership for tax purposes for which we must make new tax elections, and we could be subject to penalties if we were to fail to recognize and properly report on our tax return that a termination occurred.
The IRS has announced a publicly traded partnership technical termination relief program whereby, if a publicly traded partnership that technically terminated its partnership makes a request for publicly traded partnership technical termination relief and such relief is granted by the IRS then, among other things, the partnership will only have to provide one Schedule K-1 to unitholders for the year notwithstanding two partnership tax years.
The tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships or an investment in our common units could be subject to potential legislative, judicial or administrative changes and differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis.
The present federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our common units, may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial interpretation at any time. For example, from time to time, the President and members of Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships, including elimination of partnership tax treatment for publicly traded partnerships. Any modification to the federal income tax laws and interpretations thereof may or may not be retroactively applied and could make it more difficult or impossible for us to meet the requirements that must be satisfied in order to us to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
On May 5, 2015, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS released proposed regulations (the “Proposed Regulations”) regarding qualifying income under Section 7704(d)(1)(E) of the Code. The U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS have requested comments from industry participants regarding the standards set forth in the Proposed Regulations. The Proposed Regulations provide an exclusive list of industry-specific activities and certain limited support activities that generate qualifying income. We do not believe the Proposed Regulations affect our ability to qualify as a publicly-traded partnership. However, the Proposed Regulations could be changed before they are finalized and could take a position that is contrary to our interpretation. In the event that we do not satisfy the standards set forth in the final regulations for income that we treat as qualifying, we anticipate being able to continue to treat income from these activities as qualifying income for ten years under special transition rules provided in the Proposed Regulations.
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 common units. Our partnership agreement provides that if a law is enacted or existing law is modified or interpreted in a manner that subjects us to taxation as a corporation or otherwise subjects us to entity-level taxation for federal income tax purposes, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be adjusted to reflect the impact of that law on us.
We will adopt certain valuation methodologies and monthly conventions for federal income tax purposes that may result in a shift of income, gain, loss and deduction between our general partner and our unitholders. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could adversely affect the value of the common units.
When we issue additional units or engage in certain other transactions, we will determine the fair market value of our assets and allocate any unrealized gain or loss attributable to our assets to the capital accounts of our unitholders and our general partner. Our methodology may be viewed as understating the value of our assets. In that case, there may be a shift of income, gain, loss and deduction between certain unitholders and our general partner, which may be unfavorable to such unitholders. Moreover, under our valuation methods, subsequent purchasers of common units may have a greater portion of their Internal Revenue Code Section 743(b) adjustment allocated to our tangible assets and a lesser portion allocated to our intangible assets. The IRS may challenge our valuation methods, or our allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to our tangible and intangible assets, and allocations of taxable income, gain, loss and deduction between our general partner and certain of our unitholders.
A successful IRS challenge to these methods or allocations could adversely affect the amount of taxable income or loss being allocated to our unitholders. It also could affect the amount of taxable gain from our unitholders’ sale of common units and could have a negative impact on the value of the common units or result in audit adjustments to our unitholders’ tax returns without the benefit of additional deductions.
Entity level taxes on income from our C corporation subsidiary will reduce cash available for distribution, and a unitholder’s share of dividend and interest income from such subsidiary will constitute portfolio income that cannot be offset by the unitholder’s share of other losses or deductions.
A material portion of our taxable income is earned through a C corporation subsidiary. Such C corporation subsidiary is subject to federal income tax on its taxable income at the corporate tax rate, which is currently a maximum of 35%, and will likely pay state (and possibly local) income tax at varying rates, on its taxable income. Any such entity level taxes will reduce

49


the cash available for distribution to our unitholders. Distributions from such C corporation subsidiary will generally be taxed again to unitholders as dividend income to the extent of current and accumulated earnings and profits of such subsidiary. Currently, the maximum federal income tax rate applicable to such dividend income which is allocable to individuals is 20% plus an unearned income Medicare tax of 3.8%. An individual unitholder’s share of dividend and interest income from our C corporation subsidiary would constitute portfolio income that could not be offset by the unitholder’s share of our other losses or deductions.
As a result of investing in our common units, you will likely be subject to state and local taxes and return filing or withholding requirements in jurisdictions where you do not live.
In addition to federal income taxes, you will likely be subject to other taxes such as state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that are imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property. You will likely be required to file state and local tax returns and pay state and local income taxes in some or all of the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property and you may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. We own property or conduct business in a number of states, most of which currently impose a state income tax on individuals. Most of these states also impose an income tax on corporations and other entities. As we make acquisitions or expand our business, we may do business or own property in other states that impose an income tax. It is our unitholders’ responsibility to file all federal, state, local, and foreign tax returns. Under the tax laws of some states where we will conduct business, we may be required to withhold a percentage from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of that state. Our counsel has not rendered an opinion on the state, local, or foreign tax consequences of owning our common units.
We prorate our items of income, gain, loss and deduction between transferors and transferees of our units each month based upon the ownership of our units on the first day of each month, instead of on the basis of the date a particular unit is transferred. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could change the allocation of items of income, gain, loss and deduction among our unitholders.
We prorate our items of income, gain, loss and deduction between transferors and transferees of our units each month based upon the ownership of our units on the first day of each month, instead of on the basis of the date a particular unit is transferred. The U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS recently issued final Treasury Regulations pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. However, these Treasury Regulations do not specifically authorize the use of the proration method we have adopted. If the IRS were to successfully challenge our proration method, we may be required to change the allocation of items of income, gain, loss and deduction among our unitholders.
A unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of those units. If so, he would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition.
Because a unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of the loaned units, he may no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan to the short seller and the unitholder may recognize gain or loss from such disposition. Moreover, during the period of the loan to the short seller, any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those units may not be reportable by the unitholder and any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units could be fully taxable as ordinary income. Our counsel has not rendered an opinion regarding the treatment of a unitholder where common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units; therefore, 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 their units.
Compliance with and changes in tax law could adversely affect our performance.
We are subject to extensive tax laws and regulations, including federal and state income taxes and transactional taxes such as excise, sales/use, payroll, franchise and ad valorem taxes. New tax laws and regulations and changes in existing tax laws and regulations are continuously being enacted that could result in increased tax expenditures in the future. Many of these tax liabilities are subject to audits by the respective taxing authority. These audits may result in additional taxes as well as interest and penalties.
Item 1B.    Unresolved Staff Comments
We do not have any unresolved staff comments.

50


Item 2.    Properties
A description of our properties is contained in “Item 1. Business.”
Title to Properties
Substantially all of our pipelines are constructed on rights-of-way granted by the apparent record owners of the property. Lands over which pipeline rights-of-way have been obtained may be subject to prior liens that have not been subordinated to the right-of-way grants. We have obtained, where necessary, easement agreements from public authorities and railroad companies to cross over or under, or to lay facilities in or along, watercourses, county roads, municipal streets, railroad properties and state highways, as applicable. In some cases, property on which our pipeline was built was purchased in fee. Our processing plants are located on land that we lease or own in fee.
We believe that we have satisfactory title to all of our rights-of-way and land assets. Title to these assets may be subject to encumbrances or defects. We believe that none of such encumbrances or defects should materially detract from the value of our assets or from our interest in these assets or should materially interfere with their use in the operation of the business.
Item 3.    Legal Proceedings
Our operations are subject to a variety of risks and disputes normally incident to our business. As a result, at any given time we may be a defendant in various legal proceedings and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business, including litigation on disputes related to contracts, property use or damage and personal injury. We may continue to see claims brought by landowners, such as nuisance claims and other claims based on property rights. Except as otherwise set forth herein, we do not believe that any pending or threatened claim or dispute is material to our financial results on our operations or cash flows. We maintain insurance policies with insurers in amounts and with coverage and deductibles as our general partner believes are reasonable and prudent. However, we cannot assure you that this insurance will be adequate to protect us from all material expenses related to potential future claims for personal and property damage or that these levels of insurance will be available in the future at economical prices.
At times, our subsidiaries acquire pipeline easements and other property rights by exercising rights of eminent domain and common carrier. As a result, from time to time we or our subsidiaries are party to lawsuits under which a court will determine the value of pipeline easements or other property interests obtained by our subsidiaries by condemnation. Damage awards in these suits should reflect the value of the property interest acquired and the diminution in the value of the remaining property owned by the landowner. However, some landowners have alleged unique damage theories to inflate their damage claims or assert valuation methodologies that could result in damage awards in excess of the amounts anticipated. Although it is not possible to predict the ultimate outcomes of these matters, we do not expect that awards in these matters will have a material adverse impact on our consolidated results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.
We (or our subsidiaries) are defending lawsuits filed by owners of property located near processing facilities or compression facilities constructed by us as part of our systems. The suits generally allege that the facilities create a private nuisance and have damaged the value of surrounding property. Claims of this nature have arisen as a result of the industrial development of natural gas gathering, processing and treating facilities in urban and occupied rural areas. 
In July 2013, the Board of Commissioners for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority for New Orleans and surrounding areas filed a lawsuit against approximately 100 energy companies, seeking, among other relief, restoration of wetlands allegedly lost due to historic industry operations in those areas. The suit was filed in Louisiana state court in New Orleans, but was removed to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.  The amount of damages is unspecified. Our subsidiary, EnLink LIG, LLC, is one of the named defendants as the owner of pipelines in the area.  On February 13, 2015, the court granted defendants’ joint motion to dismiss and dismissed the plaintiff’s claims with prejudice. Plaintiffs have appealed the matter to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. We intend to continue vigorously defending the case. The success of the plaintiffs' appeal as well as our costs and legal exposure, if any, related to the lawsuit are not currently determinable.
We own and operate a high-pressure pipeline and underground natural gas and NGL storage reservoirs and associated facilities near Bayou Corne, Louisiana. In August 2012, a large sinkhole formed in the vicinity of this pipeline and underground storage reservoirs. We are seeking to recover our losses from responsible parties. We have sued Texas Brine Company, the operator of a failed cavern in the area and its insurers, seeking recovery for these losses in in the 23rd Judicial Court, Assumption Parish, Louisiana. We have also sued Occidental Chemical Company and Legacy Vulcan Corp. f/k/a Vulcan Materials Company, two Chlor-Alkali plant operators that participated in Texas Brine’s operational decisions regarding mining the failed cavern. We also filed a claim with our insurers, which our insurers denied. We disputed the denial and intend to proceed with litigation against our insurers. In August 2014, we received a partial settlement from Texas Brine's insurers with respect to the Texas Brine claims in the amount of $6.1 million, but additional claims remain outstanding. We cannot give assurance that we will be able to fully recover our losses through insurance recovery or claims against responsible parties.

51


In June 2014, a group of landowners in Assumption Parish, Louisiana added our subsidiary, EnLink Processing Services, LLC, as a defendant in a pending lawsuit they had filed against Texas Brine, Occidental Chemical Corporation, and Vulcan Materials Company relating to claims arising from the Bayou Corne sinkhole. The suit is pending in the 23rd Judicial Court, Assumption Parish, Louisiana. Although plaintiffs’ claims against the other defendants have been pending since October 2012, plaintiffs are now alleging that EnLink Processing Services, LLC’s negligence also contributed to the formation of the sinkhole. The amount of damages is unspecified. The validity of the causes of action, as well as our costs and legal exposure, if any, related to the lawsuit are not currently determinable. We intend to vigorously defend the case. We have also filed a claim for defense and indemnity with our insurers.
Item 4.    Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
PART II
Item 5.    Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Unitholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Our common units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “ENLK”. Prior to March 10, 2014, our common units traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market LLC under the symbol “XTEX.” On February 10, 2016, there were approximately 33,043 record holders and beneficial owners (held in street name) of our common units. For equity compensation plan information, see discussion under “Item. 12 Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Unitholder Matters—Equity Compensation Plan Information.”
The following table shows the high and low sales prices per common unit, as reported by the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Global Select Market LLC, as applicable, and cash distributions declared per common unit for the periods indicated.
 
 
Range
 
Cash Distribution
Declared Per Unit
 
 
High
 
Low
 
2015:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Quarter Ended December 31
 
$
18.53

 
$
12.86

 
$
0.390

Quarter Ended September 30
 
22.37

 
14.99

 
0.390

Quarter Ended June 30
 
25.91

 
21.97

 
0.385

Quarter Ended March 31
 
30.01

 
24.50

 
0.380

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2014:
 
 
 
 
 
 
Quarter Ended December 31
 
$
31.50

 
$
25.42

 
$
0.375

Quarter Ended September 30
 
32.08

 
28.15

 
0.370

Quarter Ended June 30
 
32.17

 
29.01

 
0.365

Quarter Ended March 31
 
35.10

 
26.91

 
0.360

Unless restricted by the terms of our credit facility, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we will distribute all of our available cash, as defined in our partnership agreement, to common unitholders of record on the applicable record date. Our available cash consists generally of all cash on hand at the end of the fiscal quarter, less reserves that our general partner determines are necessary to:
provide for the proper conduct of our business;
comply with applicable law, any of our debt instruments or other agreements;
provide funds for distributions to our unitholders and to our general partner for any one or more of the next four quarters; or
plus all cash on hand for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter on the date of determination of available cash.
Under our existing credit facility, we may be limited from making certain distributions if an event of default exists. Please read “Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation—Indebtedness.”
Our general partner has broad discretion to establish cash reserves that it determines are necessary or appropriate to properly conduct our business. These can include cash reserves for future capital and maintenance expenditures, reserves to stabilize distributions of cash to the unitholders and our general partner, reserves to reduce debt or, as necessary, reserves to

52


comply with the terms of any of our agreements or obligations. Our distributions are made to our general partner based on its ownership interest with the remaining interest to unitholders, subject to the payment of incentive distributions to our general partner if certain target cash distribution levels to common unitholders are achieved. Incentive distributions to our general partner increase to 13.0%, 23.0% and 48.0% based on incremental distribution thresholds as set forth in our partnership agreement.
Class C common units. The Class C common units will automatically convert into common units on a one-for-one basis on the first business day following the date of the distribution for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. Distributions on the Class C common units for the three months ended March 31, 2016 are expected to be paid-in-kind and all subsequent quarterly distributions will be paid in cash.
Item 6.    Selected Financial Data
The historical financial statements included in this report reflect (1) for periods prior to March 7, 2014, the assets, liabilities and operations of EnLink Midstream Holdings, LP Predecessor (the “Predecessor”), the predecessor to EnLink Midstream Holdings, LP (“Midstream Holdings”), which is the historical predecessor of EnLink Midstream Partners, LP (the “Partnership”) and (2) for periods on or after March 7, 2014, the results of operations of EnLink Midstream Partners, LP after giving effect to the business combination discussed under “Devon Energy Transaction and EMH Drop Downs” below . The Predecessor was comprised of all of the U.S. midstream assets and operations of Devon Energy Corporation (“Devon”) prior to the business combination, including its 38.75% interest in Gulf Coast Fractionators (“GCF”). However, in connection with the business combination, only the Predecessor’s systems serving the Barnett, Cana-Woodford and Arkoma-Woodford Shales in Texas and Oklahoma, as well as the economic burdens and benefits of the 38.75% interest in GCF, were contributed to Midstream Holdings, effective as of March 7, 2014.
The following table presents the selected historical financial and operating data of the Partnership and the Predecessor for the periods indicated. Financial and operating data for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2015 include such information for the following acquisitions for periods subsequent to the applicable acquisition date: certain assets acquired from Chevron in November 2014; January 2015 acquisition of LPC assets; March 2015 acquisition of Coronado assets; October 2015 acquisition of certain Matador assets; and November 2015 acquisition of remaining 50% interest in the Deadwood plant. The selected combined historical financial data of the Predecessor are derived from the historical combined financial statements of the Predecessor and should be read together with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” below, including under the caption “Items Affecting the Comparability of our Financial Results,” and its audited combined financial statements for the periods ended, in order as of the dates indicated. The following information is only a summary and is not necessarily indicative of the results or future operations of the Partnership.

53


 
 
EnLink Midstream Partners, LP
Year Ended December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
 
 
(In millions, except per unit data)
Statement of Operations Data:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenues:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Product sales
 
$
3,253.7

 
$
2,159.3

 
$
179.4

 
$
153.9

 
$
13.6

Product sales- affiliates
 
119.4

 
505.6

 
2,116.5

 
1,753.9

 
2,514.4

Midstream services
 
451.0

 
253.4

 

 

 

Midstream services- affiliates
 
618.6

 
567.4

 

 

 

Gain on derivatives
 
9.4

 
22.1

 

 

 

Total revenue
 
4,452.1

 
3,507.8

 
2,295.9

 
1,907.8

 
2,528.0

Operating costs and expenses:
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

Purchased gas, NGLs, condensate and crude oil (1)
 
3,245.3

 
2,494.5

 
1,736.3

 
1,428.1

 
1,974.9

Operating expenses (2)
 
419.9

 
283.6

 
156.2

 
149.9

 
137.1

General and administrative (3)
 
132.4

 
94.5

 
45.1

 
41.7

 
38.5

Depreciation and amortization
 
387.3

 
284.3

 
187.0

 
145.4

 
133.5

(Gain) loss on sale of property
 
1.2

 
(0.1
)
 

 

 

Impairments
 
1,563.4

 

 

 
16.4

 

Gain on litigation settlement
 

 
(6.1
)
 

 

 

Other expenses
 

 

 

 

 
(58.1
)
Total operating costs and expenses
 
5,749.5

 
3,150.7

 
2,124.6

 
1,781.5

 
2,225.9

Operating income (loss)
 
(1,297.4
)
 
357.1

 
171.3

 
126.3

 
302.1

Other income (expense):
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest expense, net of interest income
 
(102.5
)
 
(47.4
)
 

 

 

Income from unconsolidated affiliates
 
20.4

 
18.9

 
14.8

 
2.0

 
9.3

Gain on extinguishment of debt
 

 
3.2

 

 

 

Other income (expense)
 
0.8

 
(0.5
)
 

 

 

Total other income (expense)
 
(81.3
)
 
(25.8
)
 
14.8

 
2.0

 
9.3

Income (loss) from continuing operations before non-controlling interest and income taxes
 
(1,378.7
)
 
331.3

 
186.1

 
128.3

 
311.4

Income tax (provision) benefit
 
0.5

 
(22.0
)
 
(67.0
)
 
(46.2
)
 
(112.1
)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
 
(1,378.2
)
 
309.3

 
119.1

 
82.1

 
199.3

Discontinued operations:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax
 

 
1.0

 
(2.3
)
 
(5.2
)
 
18.9

Income from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interest, net of tax
 

 

 
(1.3
)
 
(1.1
)
 
(2.1
)
Discontinued operations, net of tax
 

 
1.0

 
(3.6
)
 
(6.3
)
 
16.8

Net income (loss)
 
(1,378.2
)
 
310.3

 
115.5

 
75.8

 
216.1

Less: Net loss from continuing operations attributable to the non-controlling interest
 
(0.4
)
 
(0.2
)
 

 

 

Net income (loss) attributable to EnLink Midstream Partners, LP 
 
$
(1,377.8
)
 
$
310.5

 
$
115.5

 
$
75.8

 
$
216.1

Predecessor interest in net income
 
$

 
$
35.5

 
$

 
$

 
$

General partner interest in net income
 
$
58.0

 
$
138.3

 
$

 
$

 
$

Limited partners' interest in net income (loss) attributable to EnLink Midstream Partners, LP 
 
$
(1,405.2
)
 
$
136.7

 
$

 
$

 
$

Class C Partner' interest in net income (loss) attributable to EnLink Midstream Partners, LP
 
$
(30.6
)
 
$

 
$

 
$

 
$

Net income (loss) attributable to EnLink Midstream Partners, LP per limited partners' unit:
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
Basic and diluted common unit
 
$
(4.66
)
 
$
0.59

 
$

 
$

 
$

Distributions declared per limited partner unit
 
$
1.545

 
$
1.47

 
$

 
$

 
$

____________________________________________________________________________
(1)
Includes $141.3 million, $354.3 million, $1,588.2 million, $1,310.3 million, and $1,762.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, of affiliate purchased gas.
(2)
Includes $0.5 million, $5.9 million, $36.2 million, $33.8 million, and $34.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, of affiliate operating expenses from Devon.
(3)
Includes $0.2 million, $11.6 million, $45.1 million, $41.7 million, and $38.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, of affiliate general and administrative expenses from Devon.

54


 
 
EnLink Midstream Partners, LP
Year Ended December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
 
 
(In millions, except per unit data)
Balance Sheet Data (end of period):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Property and equipment, net
 
$
5,666.8

 
$
5,042.8

 
$
1,768.1

 
$
1,739.4

 
$
1,550.7

Total assets
 
8,115.8

 
8,702.0

 
2,309.8

 
2,535.2

 
2,305.3

Long-term debt (including current maturities)
 
3,089.8

 
2,022.5

 

 

 

Partners' equity including non-controlling interest
 
4,434.5

 
6,025.9

 
1,783.7

 
2,002.0

 
1,901.2

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We include the following non-GAAP financial measures in this report: Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or adjusted EBITDA, distributable cash flow and gross operating margin.
Adjusted EBITDA
We define adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) from continuing operations plus interest expense, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization expense, impairment expense, unit-based compensation, (gain) loss on noncash derivatives, transaction costs, distribution of unconsolidated affiliate investment and non-controlling interest and income on unconsolidated affiliate investment. Adjusted EBITDA is used as a supplemental performance measure by our management and by external users of our financial statements, such as investors, commercial banks, research analysts and others, to assess:
financial performance of our assets without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis;
the ability of our assets to generate cash sufficient to pay interest costs, support our indebtedness and make cash distributions to our unitholders and our general partner;
our operating performance and return on capital as compared to those of other companies in the midstream energy sector, without regard to financing methods or capital structure; and
the viability of acquisitions and capital expenditure projects and the overall rates of return on alternative investment opportunities.
The GAAP measures most directly comparable to adjusted EBITDA are net income (loss) from continuing operations and net cash provided by operating activities. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income from continuing operations, operating income (loss), cash flows from operating activities or any other measure of financial performance presented in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies because other entities may not calculate adjusted EBITDA in the same manner.
Adjusted EBITDA does not include interest expense, income taxes or depreciation and amortization expense. Because we have borrowed money to finance our operations, interest expense is a necessary element of our costs and our ability to generate cash available for distribution. Because we use capital assets, depreciation and amortization are also necessary elements of our costs. Therefore, any measures that exclude these elements have material limitations. To compensate for these limitations, we believe that it is important to consider both net earnings determined under GAAP, as well as adjusted EBITDA, to evaluate our overall performance.

55


The following tables reconcile adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP measure for the periods indicated.
Reconciliation of net income (loss) from continuing operations to adjusted EBITDA
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
 
(In millions)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations
 
$
(1,378.2
)
 
$
309.3

 
$
119.1

Interest expense
 
102.5

 
47.4

 

Depreciation and amortization
 
387.3

 
284.3

 
187.0

Impairments
 
1,563.4

 

 

(Gain) loss on sale of property
 
1.2

 
(0.1
)
 

Income from unconsolidated affiliate investments
 
(20.4
)
 
(18.9
)
 
(14.8
)
Gain on extinguishment of debt
 

 
(3.2
)
 

Distribution from unconsolidated affiliate investments
 
42.7

 
23.7

 
12.0

Stock-based compensation
 
35.7

 
22.2

 
12.8

Income tax provision (benefit)
 
(0.5
)
 
22.0

 
67.0

Payments under onerous performance obligation offset to other current and long-term liabilities
 
(17.9
)
 
(14.7
)
 

Other (1)
 
19.0

 
(18.4
)
 

Adjusted EBITDA before non-controlling interest
 
$
734.8

 
$
653.6

 
$
383.1

Non-controlling interest share of adjusted EBITDA
 
0.4

 
(0.2
)
 

Transferred interest adjusted EBITDA (2)
 
(56.9
)
 
(193.0
)
 

Predecessor adjusted EBITDA (3)
 

 
(82.8
)
 
(383.1
)
Adjusted EBITDA
 
$
678.3

 
$
377.6

 
$

____________________________________________________________________________
(1)
Includes financial derivatives marked-to-market, accretion expense associated with asset retirement obligations, reimbursed costs from Devon and successful acquisition transaction costs.
(2)
Represents recast E2, EMH and VEX adjusted EBITDA prior to the date of the drop down of the respective assets or interests from ENLC and Devon.
(3)
Represents Predecessor's adjusted EBITDA for the period from January 1, 2014 through March 7, 2014.
Distributable Cash Flow
We define distributable cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities plus adjusted EBITDA, net to EnLink Midstream Partners, LP, less interest expense, litigation settlement adjustment, interest rate swap proceeds, cash taxes and other, maintenance capital expenditures and Predecessor adjusted EBITDA. Distributable cash flow is used as a supplemental performance measure by our management and by external users of our financial statements, such as investors, commercial banks, research analysts and others, to assess the ability of our assets to generate cash sufficient to pay interest costs, support our indebtedness and make cash distributions to our unitholders and our general partner.
Maintenance capital expenditures include capital expenditures made to replace partially or fully depreciated assets in order to maintain the existing operating capacity of the assets and to extend their useful lives. Examples of maintenance capital expenditures are expenditures to refurbish and replace pipelines and other gathering, compression and processing assets up to their original operating capacity, to maintain equipment reliability, integrity and safety and to address environmental laws and regulations.
The GAAP measure most directly comparable to distributable cash flow is net cash provided by operating activities. Distributable cash flow should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income (loss) from continuing operations, operating income (loss), net cash flows from operating activities or any other measure of financial performance presented in accordance with GAAP. Distributable cash flow may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies because other entities may not calculate distributable cash flow in the same manner. To compensate for these limitations, we believe that it is important to consider both net earnings determined under GAAP, as well as distributable cash flow, to evaluate our overall performance.


56


Reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
 
 
(in millions)
Net cash provided by operating activities
 
$
645.6

 
$
479.4

 
$
330.3

Interest expense, net (1)
 
104.0

 
48.6

 

Unit-based compensation (2)
 

 
2.8

 
12.8

Current income tax
 
3.1

 
6.7

 
31.5

Distributions from unconsolidated affiliate investment in excess of earnings
 
21.1

 
10.9

 
1.1

Other (3)
 
10.7

 
3.5

 
(0.4
)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities which provided cash:
 
 
 
 
 
 
   Accounts receivable, accrued revenues, inventories and other
 
(201.6
)
 
98.1

 
(0.8
)
   Accounts payable, accrued purchases and other (4)
 
151.9

 
3.6

 
8.6

Adjusted EBITDA before non-controlling interest
 
$
734.8

 
$
653.6

 
$
383.1

Non-controlling interest share of adjusted EBITDA
 
0.4

 
(0.2
)
 

Transferred interest adjusted EBITDA (5)
 
(56.9
)
 
(193.0
)
 
$

Predecessor adjusted EBITDA (6)
 

 
(82.8
)
 
(383.1
)
Adjusted EBITDA, net to EnLink Midstream Partners, LP
 
$
678.3

 
$
377.6

 
$

Interest expense
 
(102.5
)
 
(46.3
)
 

Non-cash adjustment for mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interest
 
(1.8
)
 

 

Litigation settlement adjustment
 

 
(4.7
)
 

Interest rate swap (7)
 
(3.6
)
 
(3.6
)
 

Cash taxes and other
 
(2.8
)
 
(0.1
)
 

Maintenance capital expenditures (8)
 
(38.3
)
 
(21.5
)
 

Distributable cash flow
 
$
529.3

 
$
301.4

 
$

____________________________________________________________________________
(1)
Net of amortization of debt issuance costs, discount and premium, and valuation adjustment for mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interest included in interest expense.
(2)
Represents Predecessor stock-based compensation contributed through equity and reflected in net distributions to Predecessor in cash flows from financing activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
(3)
Includes successful acquisition transaction costs and reimbursed employee costs from Devon and LPC.
(4)
Net of payments under onerous performance obligation offset to other current and long-term liabilities.
(5)
Represents recast E2, EMH and VEX adjusted EBITDA prior to the date of the drop down of the respective assets or interests from ENLC and Devon as applicable.
(6)
Represents Predecessor's adjusted EBITDA for the period from January 1, 2014 through March 7, 2014.
(7)
During the second quarters of 2015 and 2014, we entered into interest rate swap arrangements to mitigate our exposure to interest rate movements prior to our note issuances. The gain on settlement of the interest rate swaps was considered excess proceeds for the note issuance, and therefore, excluded from distributable cash flow.
(8)
Maintenance capital expenditures presented in our reconciliation to distributable cash flows above include only (i) our expenditures incurred at or after March 7, 2014 and (ii) our interest of the expenditures of Midstream Holdings incurred at or after March 7, 2014. Maintenance capital expenditures prior to March 7, 2014 of $4.6 million were excluded from the reconciliation to distributable cash flow because they represent the cash flows of the Predecessor which were not available for distribution. Prior to March 7, 2014 these assets were owned by Devon, and therefore, all cash flow from these assets was distributed to Devon.
Gross Operating Margin
We define gross operating margin, generally, as revenues less cost of sales. We present gross operating margin by segment in “Results of Operations”.  We disclose gross operating margin in addition to total revenue because it is the primary performance measure used by our management. We believe gross operating margin is an important measure because our business is generally to purchase and resell natural gas, NGLs, condensate and crude oil for a margin or to gather, process,

57


transport or market natural gas, NGLs, condensate and crude oil for a fee. Operating expense is a separate measure used by management to evaluate operating performance of field operations. Direct labor and supervision, property insurance, property taxes, repair and maintenance, utilities and contract services comprise the most significant portion of our operating expenses. We do not deduct operating expenses from total revenue in calculating gross operating margin because these expenses are largely independent of the volumes we transport or process and fluctuate depending on the activities performed during a specific period. As an indicator of our operating performance, gross operating margin should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income as determined in accordance with GAAP. Our gross operating margin may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies because other entities may not calculate gross operating margin in the same manner.
The following table provides a reconciliation of gross operating margin to operating income (loss):
 
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
 
(In millions)
Total gross operating margin
 
$
1,206.8

 
$
1,013.3

 
$
559.6

Add (deduct):
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating expenses
 
(419.9
)
 
(283.6
)
 
(156.2
)
General and administrative expenses
 
(132.4
)
 
(94.5
)
 
(45.1
)
Depreciation and amortization
 
(387.3
)
 
(284.3
)
 
(187.0
)
Gain (loss) on sale of property
 
(1.2
)
 
0.1

 

Gain on litigation settlement
 

 
6.1

 

Impairments
 
(1,563.4
)
 

 

     Operating income (loss)
 
$
(1,297.4
)
 
$
357.1

 
$
171.3


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Item 7.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
You should read the following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this report. For more detailed information regarding the basis of presentation for the following information, you should read the notes to the financial statements included in this report.
The historical financial statements included in this report reflect (1) for periods prior to March 7, 2014, the assets, liabilities and operations of EnLink Midstream Holdings, LP Predecessor (the Predecessor), the predecessor to EnLink Midstream Holdings, LP (Midstream Holdings), which is the historical predecessor of EnLink Midstream Partners, LP and (2) for periods on or after March 7, 2014, the results of operations of EnLink Midstream Partners, LP after giving effect to the business combination discussed under Devon Energy Transaction below . The Predecessor was comprised of all of the U.S. midstream assets and operations of Devon Energy Corporation (Devon) prior to the business combination, including its 38.75% interest in Gulf Coast Fractionators (GCF). However, in connection with the business combination, only the Predecessor’s systems serving the Barnett, Cana-Woodford and Arkoma-Woodford Shales in Texas and Oklahoma, as well as the economic burdens and benefits of the 38.75% interest in GCF, were contributed to Midstream Holdings, effective as of March 7, 2014.
You should read this discussion in conjunction with the historical financial statements and accompanying notes included in this report. All references in this section to the Partnership, as well as the terms our, we,” us and its(1) for periods prior to March 7, 2014 refer to the Predecessor and (2) for periods on or after March 7, 2014 refer to EnLink Midstream Partners, LP, together with its consolidated subsidiaries including EnLink Midstream Operating, LP (the Operating Partnership) and Midstream Holdings.
Overview
We are a Delaware limited partnership formed on July 12, 2002.  We primarily focus on providing midstream energy services, including gathering, processing, transmission, fractionation, condensate stabilization, brine services and marketing to producers of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate.  Our midstream energy asset network includes approximately 9,400 miles of pipelines, 16 natural gas processing plants, seven fractionators, 3.2 million barrels of NGL cavern storage, 19.1 Bcf of natural gas storage, rail terminals, barge terminals, truck terminals and a fleet of approximately 150 trucks.  We manage and report our activities primarily according to the nature of activity and geography.  We have five reportable segments:  (1) Texas, which includes our natural gas gathering, processing and transmission activities in north Texas and the Permian Basin in west Texas; (2) Oklahoma, which includes our natural gas gathering, processing and transmission activities in Cana-Woodford and Arkoma-Woodford Shale areas; (3) Louisiana, which includes our natural gas pipelines, natural gas processing plants and NGL assets located in Louisiana; (4) Crude and Condensate, which includes our Ohio River Valley (“ORV”) crude oil, condensate and brine disposal activities in the Utica and Marcellus Shales, our equity interests in E2 Energy Services, LLC, E2 Appalachian Compression, LLC and E2 Ohio Compression, LLC (collectively, “E2”), our crude oil operations in the Permian Basin and our crude oil activities associated with the Victoria Express Pipeline and related truck terminal and storage assets (“VEX”) located in the Eagle Ford Shale; and (5) Corporate, which includes our unconsolidated affiliate investments in Howard Energy Partners (“HEP”) in the Eagle Ford Shale, our contractual right to the economic burdens and benefits associated with Devon's ownership interest in GCF in south Texas and our general partnership property and expenses.
 We manage our operations by focusing on gross operating margin because our business is generally to gather, process, transport or market natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate using our assets for a fee.  We earn our fees through various contractual arrangements, which include stated fixed-fee contract arrangements or arrangements where we purchase and resell commodities in connection with providing the related service and earn a net margin for our fee. While our transactions vary in form, the essential element of each transaction is the use of our assets to transport a product or provide a processed product to an end-user at the tailgate of the plant, barge terminal or pipeline. We define gross operating margin as operating revenue minus cost of sales.  Gross operating margin is a non-GAAP financial measure and is explained in greater detail under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” under “Item 6. Selected Financial Data.” Approximately 96% of our gross operating margin (revenues less cost of sales) was derived from fee-based services with no direct commodity exposure for the year ended December 31, 2015. We reflect revenue as “Product sales” and “Midstream services” on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Our gross operating margins are determined primarily by the volumes of natural gas gathered, transported, purchased and sold through our pipeline systems, processed at our processing facilities, the volumes of NGLs handled at our fractionation facilities, the volumes of crude oil and condensate handled at our crude terminals, the volumes of crude oil and condensate gathered, transported, purchased and sold, the volume of brine disposed and the volume of condensate stabilized. We generate revenues from seven primary sources:
transporting natural gas and NGLs on the pipeline systems we own;
processing natural gas at our processing plants;

59


fractionating and marketing recovered NGLs;
providing compression services;
providing crude oil and condensate transportation and terminal services;
providing condensate stabilization services; and
providing brine disposal services.
We typically gather or transport gas owned by others through our facilities for a fee. We also buy natural gas from a producer, plant or shipper at either a fixed discount to a market index or a percentage of the market index, then transport and resell the natural gas at the same market index. The fixed discount difference to a market index represents the fee for using our assets. We attempt to execute substantially all purchases and sales concurrently, or we enter into a future delivery obligation, thereby establishing the basis for the fee we will receive for each natural gas transaction. Our gathering and transportation fee related to a percentage of the index price can be adversely affected by declines in the price of natural gas. We are also party to certain long-term gas sales commitments that we satisfy through supplies purchased under long-term gas purchase agreements. When we enter into those arrangements, our sales obligations generally match our purchase obligations. However, over time, the supplies that we have under contract may decline due to reduced drilling or other causes and we may be required to satisfy the sales obligations by buying additional gas at prices that may exceed the prices received under the sales commitments. In our purchase/sale transactions, the resale price is generally based on the same index at which the gas was purchased.
On occasion we have entered into certain purchase/sale transactions in which the purchase price is based on a production-area index and the sales price is based on a market-area index, and we capture the difference in the indices (also referred to as basis spread), less the transportation expenses from the two areas, as our fee. Changes in the basis spread can increase or decrease our margins or potentially result in losses. For example, we are a party to one contract with a term to 2019 to supply approximately 150,000 MMBtu/d of gas. We buy gas for this contract on several different production-area indices on our North Texas Pipeline and sell the gas into a different market area index. We realize a cash loss on the delivery of gas under this contract each month based on current prices. The fair value of this performance obligation was recorded as a result of the March 7, 2014 business combination and was based on forecasted discounted cash obligations in excess of market prices under this gas delivery contract. As of December 31, 2015, the balance sheet reflects a liability of $62.8 million related to this performance obligation. Reduced supplies and narrower basis spreads in recent periods have increased the losses on this contract, and greater losses on this contract could occur in future periods if these conditions persist or become worse.
We typically transport and fractionate or store NGLs owned by others for a fee based on the volume of NGLs transported and fractionated or stored. We also buy mixed NGLs from our suppliers at a fixed discount to market indices for the component NGLs with a deduction for our fractionation fee. We subsequently sell the fractionated NGL products based on the same index-based prices. The operating results of our NGL fractionation business are dependent upon the volume of mixed NGLs fractionated and the level of fractionation fees charged. With our fractionation business, we also have the opportunity for product upgrades for each of the discrete NGL products. The fees we earn on the product upgrade from this fractionation business are higher during periods with higher liquids prices.
We generally gather or transport crude oil and condensate owned by others by rail, truck, pipeline and barge facilities for a fee. We also buy crude oil and condensate from a producer at a fixed discount to a market index, then transport and resell the crude oil and condensate at the same market index.  We execute substantially all purchases and sales concurrently, thereby establishing the fee we will receive for each crude oil and condensate transaction. Additionally, we provide crude oil, condensate and brine services on a volume basis.
We realize gross operating margins from our processing services primarily through different contractual arrangements: processing margins (“margin”), percentage of liquids (“POL”), percentage of proceeds (“POP”) or fixed-fee based. Under margin contract arrangements our gross operating margins are higher during periods of high liquid prices relative to natural gas prices. Gross operating margin results under POL contracts are impacted only by the value of the liquids produced with margins higher during periods of higher liquids prices. Gross operating margin results under POP contracts are impacted only by the value of the natural gas and liquids produced with margins higher during periods of higher natural gas and liquids prices. Under fixed-fee based contracts our gross operating margins are driven by throughput volume. See “Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk - Commodity Price Risk.”
Operating expenses are costs directly associated with the operations of a particular asset. Among the most significant of these costs are those associated with direct labor and supervision, property insurance, property taxes, repair and maintenance expenses, contract services and utilities. These costs are normally fairly stable across broad volume ranges and therefore do not normally decrease or increase significantly in the short term with decreases or increases in the volume of gas, liquids, crude oil and condensate moved through or by the asset.
Our general and administrative expenses are dictated by the terms of our partnership agreement. These expenses include the costs of employee, officer and director compensation and benefits properly allocable to us, fees, services and other

60


transaction costs related to acquisitions, and all other expenses necessary or appropriate to the conduct of business and allocable to us. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner determines the expenses that are allocable to us in any reasonable manner determined by our general partner in its sole discretion.
Devon Energy Transaction and EMH Drop Downs
On March 7, 2014, we consummated the transactions contemplated by the Contribution Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2013, among us, the Operating Partnership, Devon, Devon Gas Corporation, Devon Gas Services, L.P. (“Gas Services”) and Southwestern Gas Pipeline, Inc. (“Southwestern Gas” and, together with Gas Services, the “Contributors”) pursuant to which the Contributors contributed (the “Contribution”) to the Operating Partnership a 50% limited partner interest in Midstream Holdings and all of the outstanding equity interests in EnLink Midstream Holdings GP, LLC, the general partner of Midstream Holdings (“Midstream Holdings GP”), in exchange for the issuance by the Partnership of 120,542,441 units representing limited partnership interests in us.
Also on March 7, 2014, EnLink Midstream, Inc. (“EMI”) and Devon consummated the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, dated as of October 21, 2013, among the EMI, Devon, ENLC, Acacia Natural Gas Corp I, Inc., formerly a wholly-owned subsidiary of Devon, and certain other wholly-owned subsidiaries of Devon pursuant to which EMI and Acacia each became wholly-owned subsidiaries of ENLC (collectively, the “Mergers” and together with the Contribution, the “business combination”). Upon completion of the merger with Acacia, ENLC indirectly owned the remaining 50% limited partner interest in Midstream Holdings.
On February 17, 2015, we acquired a 25% limited partner interest in Midstream Holdings (the “February Transferred Interests”) from Acacia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ENLC, in a drop down transaction (the “February EMH Drop Down”). As consideration for the February Transferred Interests, we issued 31.6 million units in our partnership to Acacia. On May 27, 2015, we acquired the remaining 25% interest in Midstream Holdings (the “May Transferred Interests” and, together with the February Transferred Interests, the “Transferred Interests”) from Acacia in a drop down transaction (the “May EMH Drop Down” and, together with the February EMH Drop Down, the “EMH Drop Downs”). As consideration for the May Transferred Interests, we issued 36.6 million units in our partnership to Acacia. After giving effect to the EMH Drop-Downs, we own 100% of Midstream Holdings. See “Recent Growth Developments.”
Our units held by Devon represent approximately 28% of the outstanding limited partner interests in us, with approximately 45% of the outstanding limited partner interests held by our public unitholders and approximately 26% of the outstanding limited partner interests, the approximate 1% general partner interest and the incentive distribution rights held indirectly by ENLC as of December 31, 2015.
Recent Growth Developments
Acquisitions
Tall Oak. On January 7, 2016, we and ENLC acquired an 84% and 16% interest, respectively, in subsidiaries of Tall Oak Midstream, LLC (“Tall Oak”) for $1.55 billion, subject to certain adjustments (the “Tall Oak Acquisition”). The first installment of $1.05 billion for the acquisition was paid at closing and the final installment of $500.0 million is due no later than the first anniversary of the closing date with the option to defer $250.0 million of the final installment up to 24 months following the closing date.
The first installment consisted of approximately $1.05 billion and was funded by (a) approximately $788.0 million in cash contributed by us, the majority of which was derived from the proceeds from the issuance of Preferred Units (as defined under “Issuance of Preferred Units” below), and (b) (i) 15,564,009 common units representing limited liability company interests in ENLC issued directly by ENLC and (ii) approximately $19.5 million in cash contributed by ENLC.
Tall Oak's assets serve gathering and processing needs in the growing Sooner Trend Anadarko Basin Canadian and Kingfisher Counties (“STACK”) and Central Northern Oklahoma Woodford (“CNOW”) plays in Oklahoma and are supported by long-term, fixed-fee contracts with acreage dedications that have a remaining weighted-average term of approximately 15 years. Tall Oak’s assets are strategically located in the core areas of the STACK and CNOW plays and include:
Chisholm Plant. The Chisholm Plant, which serves the STACK play, is a cryogenic gas processing plant with a current capacity of 100 MMcf/d. Depending on future volume requirements, the Chisholm Plant could be expanded by an additional 600 MMcf/d for a total processing capacity of 700 MMcf/d. The plant is connected to a 200-mile, low and high-pressure gathering system with compression facilities. Additional gathering pipelines and compression facilities are currently under construction.
Battle Ridge Plant. The Battle Ridge Plant, which provides us with an entry into the CNOW play, is a cryogenic gas processing plant with a current capacity of 75 MMcf/d. The plant is connected to a 175-mile, low and high-pressure gathering system with compression facilities. Additional gathering pipelines and compression facilities are currently under construction.

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Connecting Pipeline. A 42-mile, 16-inch high-pressure header pipeline with a total capacity of 150 MMcf/d was constructed to connect the Chisolm and Battle Ridge systems. The pipeline went into service in February 2016 and provides customers with additional operational flexibility.
Deadwood natural gas processing facility. On November 16, 2015, we acquired the remaining 50-percent ownership interest in the Deadwood natural gas processing facility from a subsidiary of Apache Corporation for approximately $40 million. The facility is located in Glasscock County, Texas in the Permian Basin. Pursuant to a 2011 agreement, we and Apache jointly funded the development of a new-build processing facility in which each company held a 50-percent undivided ownership interest. We managed the plant’s initial construction and have operated the facility since its startup. The plant has a capacity of 58 MMcf/d and is currently processing approximately 61,500 MMBtu/d. The acquisition brings our net processing capacity in the Permian Basin to 343 MMcf/d.
Acquisition of Natural Gas Gathering and Processing Assets. On October 1, 2015, we acquired all of the voting interests in DLK Wolf Midstream, LLC, a subsidiary of MRC Energy Company (“Matador”), which owns natural gas gathering and processing assets located in west Texas (the “Delaware Basin System”), for $145.3 million, subject to certain adjustments. The Delaware Basin System consists of a cryogenic gas processing plant with approximately 35 MMcf/d of inlet capacity and approximately six miles of high-pressure gathering pipeline, which connects a low-pressure gathering system to the processing plant. Matador is the largest customer on the system and has dedicated approximately 11,000 gross acres currently under development pursuant to a 15-year fixed-fee gathering and processing agreement.
Coronado Midstream. On March 16, 2015, we acquired all of the voting equity interests in Coronado Midstream Holdings LLC, the parent company of Coronado Midstream LLC (“Coronado”), which owns natural gas gathering and processing facilities in the Permian Basin, for approximately $600.3 million in cash and equity, subject to certain adjustments. The purchase price consisted of $240.3 million in cash, 6,704,285 common units and 6,704,285 of our Class C common units.  Coronado operates three cryogenic gas processing plants and a gas gathering system in the North Midland Basin including approximately 300 miles of gathering pipelines, 175 MMcf/d of processing capacity and 35,000 horsepower of compression. The Coronado system is underpinned by long-term contracts, which include the dedication of production from over 190,000 acres.
We acquired the Riptide plant located in the Permian Basin as part of the Coronado acquisition. The plant, which is under construction, will provide 100 MMcf/d of additional processing capacity and be tied to approximately 50 miles of new pipeline that is also under construction. The plant is expected to be completed in the first half of 2016.
LPC Crude Oil Marketing. On January 31, 2015, we acquired all of the voting interests in LPC Crude Oil Marketing LLC (“LPC”), which has crude oil gathering, transportation and marketing operations in the Permian Basin, for approximately $108.1 million. LPC is an integrated crude oil logistics service provider with operations throughout the Permian Basin. LPC's integrated logistics services are supported by 51 tractor trailers, 13 pipeline injection stations and 80 miles of crude oil gathering pipeline.
Organic Growth
HEP. During 2016, we plan to make contributions to HEP, primarily to fund our equity share of HEP's Nueva Era Pipeline. The Nueva Era Pipeline is a 50-50 joint venture between HEP and Mexico-based energy and services firm Grupo Clisa connecting HEP’s existing Webb County Hub in South Texas directly to the Mexican National Pipeline System in Monterrey, Mexico. Mexico’s Comisión Federal de Electricidad will be the foundation shipper on the approximately 200-mile, 30-inch Nueva Era Pipeline and will transport 504 MMcf/d on the system for a 25-year term.
Lobo II Natural Gas Gathering and Processing Facility. In the first quarter of 2016, we commenced construction of a new cryogenic gas processing plant and a gas gathering system in the Delaware Basin. The plant will initially provide 60 MMcf/d of processing capacity with a potential capacity of 120 MMcf/d and be tied to approximately 75 miles of new pipeline located in both in Texas and New Mexico that is also under construction. The plant and Texas portion of the pipeline are expected to be completed in the second half 2016 with the remaining New Mexico pipeline to be completed in the first quarter of 2017. The Lobo II system is supported by a long-term contract with an investment grade producer.
Ohio River Valley Condensate Stabilization Facilities. Through an agreement with Eclipse Resources, we constructed three natural gas compression and condensate stabilization facilities during late 2014 and 2015 in Harrison, Monroe and Guernsey counties in Ohio. We will begin construction on the fourth facility as needed based on available volumes.
Marathon Petroleum Joint Venture. We have entered into a series of agreements with a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (“Marathon Petroleum”) to create a 50/50 joint venture named Ascension Pipeline Company, LLC. This joint venture will build a new 30-mile NGL pipeline connecting our existing Riverside fractionation and terminal complex to Marathon Petroleum's Garyville refinery located on the Mississippi River. This bolt-on project to our Cajun-Sibon NGL system is supported by long-term, fee-based contracts with Marathon Petroleum. Under the arrangement, we will serve as the construction manager and operator of the pipeline project, which is expected to be operational in the first half of 2017.

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Drop Downs
Midstream Holdings Drop Down. In February and May, 2015, we acquired the Transferred Interests from Acacia, a wholly owned subsidiary of ENLC, through the consummation of the EMH Drop Downs. See “Devon Energy Transaction and EMH Drop Downs” above.
VEX Pipeline. On April 1, 2015, we acquired the Victoria Express Pipeline and related truck terminal and storage assets from Devon (the “VEX Interests”), which are located in the Eagle Ford Shale in south Texas. We paid aggregate consideration consisting of $166.7 million in cash, 338,159 common units with an aggregate value of approximately $9.0 million and the assumption of up to $40.0 million in certain construction costs related to the VEX Interests, subject to certain adjustments set forth in the contribution agreement. The VEX pipeline is a 60-mile multi-grade crude oil pipeline with a current capacity of approximately 90,000 Bbls/d. Other VEX assets at the destination of the pipeline include an eight-bay truck unloading terminal, 200,000 barrels of above-ground storage and rights to barge loading docks.
Issuance of Common Units
Equity Distribution Agreement. In November 2014, we entered into an equity distribution agreement (the “BMO EDA”) with BMO Capital Markets Corp. and certain other sales agents to sell up to $350.0 million in aggregate gross sales of our common units from time to time through an “at the market” equity offering program. We may also sell common units to any sales agent as principal for the sales agent’s own account at a price agreed upon at the time of sale. We have no obligation to sell any of the common units under the BMO EDA and may at any time suspend solicitation and offers under the BMO EDA.
For the year ended December 31, 2015 we sold an aggregate of 1.3 million common units under the BMO EDA, generating proceeds of approximately $24.4 million (net of approximately $0.3 million of commissions). We used the net proceeds for general partnership purposes. As of December 31, 2015, approximately $317.0 million remains available to be issued under the BMO EDA.
Private Placement of Common Units. On October 29, 2015, we issued 2,849,100 common units at an offering price of $17.55 per common unit to a subsidiary of ENLC for aggregate consideration of approximately $50.0 million in a private placement transaction, which we used for general partnership purposes.
Issuance of Preferred Units. On January 7, 2016, we issued an aggregate of 50,000,000 Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units representing limited partner interests in our partnership (the “Preferred Units”) to Enfield Holdings, L.P. (“Enfield” ) in a private placement (the “Private Placement”) for a cash purchase price of $15.00 per Preferred Unit (the “Issue Price”), resulting in net proceeds of approximately $725.3 million after fees and deductions. Proceeds from the Private Placement were used to fund with the Tall Oak acquisition.
The Preferred Units are convertible into our common units on a one-for-one basis, subject to certain adjustments, at any time after the record date for the quarter ending June 30, 2017 (a) in full, at our option, if the volume weighted average price of a common unit over the 30-trading day period ending two trading days prior to the conversion date (the “Conversion VWAP”) is greater than 150% of the Issue Price or (b) in full or in part, at Enfield’s option. In addition, upon certain events involving a change of control of our general partner or the managing member of ENLC, all of the Preferred Units will automatically convert into a number of common units equal to the greater of (i) the number of common units into which the Preferred Units would then convert and (ii) the number of Preferred Units to be converted multiplied by an amount equal to (x) 140% of the Issue Price divided by (y) the Conversion VWAP.
Enfield will receive a quarterly distribution, subject to certain adjustments, equal to (x) during the quarter ending March 31, 2016 through the quarter ending June 30, 2017, an annual rate of 8.5% on the Issue Price payable in-kind in the form of additional Preferred Units and (y) thereafter, at an annual rate of 7.5% on the Issue Price payable in cash (the “Cash Distribution Component”) plus an in-kind distribution equal to the greater of (A) an annual rate of 1.0% of the Issue Price and (B) an amount equal to (i) the excess, if any, of the distribution that would have been payable had the Preferred Units converted into common units over the Cash Distribution Component, divided by (ii) the Issue Price.
Results of Operations
The table below sets forth certain financial and operating data for the periods indicated. We manage our operations by focusing on gross operating margin which we define as operating revenue less cost of purchased gas, NGLs, condensate and crude oil as reflected in the table below.
Items Affecting Comparability of Our Financial Results
Our historical financial results discussed below may not be comparable to our future financial results, and our historical financial results for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015 may not be comparable for the following reasons:
In connection with the business combination, we entered into new agreements with Devon that were effective on March 1, 2014 pursuant to which we provide services to Devon under fixed-fee arrangements in which we do not take title to the natural gas gathered or processed or the NGLs we fractionate. Prior to the effectiveness of these

63


agreements, the Predecessor provided services to Devon under a percent-of-proceeds arrangement in which it took title to the natural gas it gathered and processed and the NGLs it fractionated.
Prior to March 7, 2014, our financial results only included the assets, liabilities and operations of our Predecessor. Beginning on March 7, 2014, our financial results also consolidate the assets, liabilities and operations of the legacy business of the Partnership prior to giving effect to the business combination.
Our financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 report financial results according to operating segments based principally upon geographic regions served. The Predecessor had no operations for certain of those reporting segments.
All historical affiliated transactions prior to March 7, 2014 related to our continuing operations were net settled within our combined financial statements because these transactions related to Devon and were funded by Devon’s working capital. Beginning on March 7, 2014, all our transactions are funded by our working capital. This impacts the comparability of our cash flow statements, working capital analysis and liquidity discussion.
The Predecessor’s historical combined financial statements include U.S. federal and state income tax expense. Due to our status as a partnership, we are not be subject to U.S. federal income tax or certain state income taxes.

64