COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Litigation and Environmental Matters We are not currently a party to any material legal proceedings. However, NuStar Energy is subject to certain loss contingencies, the outcome of which could have an effect on NuStar Energy’s results of operations and ability to pay distributions, which would impact our results of operations and ability to pay distributions. NuStar Energy’s material contingent liabilities resulting from various litigation, claims and commitments are discussed below. Grace Energy Corporation Matter. In 1997, Grace Energy Corporation (Grace Energy) sued subsidiaries of Kaneb Pipeline Partners, L.P. (KPP) and Kaneb Services LLC (KSL and collectively with KPP and their respective subsidiaries, Kaneb) in Texas state court. NuStar Energy acquired Kaneb on July 1, 2005. The complaint sought recovery of the cost of remediation of fuel leaks in the 1970s from a pipeline that had once connected a former Grace Energy terminal with Otis Air Force Base in Massachusetts (Otis AFB). Grace Energy alleges the Otis AFB pipeline and related environmental liabilities had been transferred in 1978 to an entity that was part of Kaneb’s acquisition of Support Terminal Services, Inc. and its subsidiaries from Grace Energy in 1993. Kaneb contends that it did not acquire the Otis AFB pipeline and never assumed any responsibility for any associated environmental damage. In 2000, the court entered final judgment that: (i) Grace Energy could not recover its own remediation costs of $3.5 million, (ii) Kaneb owned the Otis AFB pipeline and its related environmental liabilities and (iii) Grace Energy was awarded $1.8 million in attorney costs. Both Kaneb and Grace Energy appealed the final judgment of the trial court to the Texas Court of Appeals in Dallas. In 2001, Grace Energy filed a petition in bankruptcy, which created an automatic stay of actions against Grace Energy. In September 2008, Grace Energy filed its Joint Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement. The Otis AFB is a part of a Superfund Site pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). The site contains a number of groundwater contamination plumes, two of which are allegedly associated with the Otis AFB pipeline. Relying on the final judgment of the Texas state court assigning ownership of the Otis AFB pipeline to Kaneb, the United States Department of Justice (the DOJ) advised Kaneb in 2001 that it intends to seek reimbursement from Kaneb for the remediation costs associated with the two plumes. In November 2008, the DOJ forwarded information to NuStar Energy indicating that the past and estimated future remediation expenses associated with one plume are $71.9 million. The DOJ has indicated that they will not seek recovery of remediation costs for the second plume. The DOJ has not filed a lawsuit against NuStar Energy related to this matter, and NuStar Energy has not made any payments toward costs incurred by the DOJ. NuStar Energy is currently in settlement discussions with other potentially responsible parties and the DOJ, and a change in NuStar Energy’s estimate of this liability may occur in the near term. However, the proposed settlement must be approved by multiple parties and requires the approval of the bankruptcy court and the federal district court. NuStar Energy estimates that a settlement may be finalized in early to mid-2012. Eres Matter. In August 2008, Eres N.V. (Eres) forwarded a demand for arbitration to CITGO Asphalt Refining Company (CARCO), CITGO Petroleum Corporation (CITGO), NuStar Asphalt Refining, LLC (NuStar Asphalt) and NuStar Marketing LLC (NuStar Marketing, and together with CARCO, CITGO and NuStar Asphalt, the Defendants) contending that the Defendants breached a tanker voyage charter party agreement, dated November 2004, between Eres and CARCO (the Charter Agreement). The Charter Agreement provided for CARCO’s use of Eres’ vessels for the shipment of asphalt. Eres contended that NuStar Asphalt and/or NuStar Marketing (together, the NuStar Entities) assumed the Charter Agreement when NuStar Asphalt purchased the CARCO assets, and that the Defendants had failed to perform under the Charter Agreement. Eres valued its damages for the alleged breach of contract claim at approximately $78.1 million. On October 14, 2011, Eres and the Defendants entered into a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release. Pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release, the NuStar Entities paid $33.5 million in full and final settlement of all of Eres' claims against the Defendants. The settlement amount was included in NuStar Energy's accrual for contingent losses as of September 30, 2011. Other NuStar Energy is also a party to additional claims and legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of its business. Due to the inherent uncertainty of litigation, there can be no assurance that the resolution of any particular claim or proceeding would not have a material adverse effect on NuStar Energy’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity. It is possible that if one or more of the matters described above were decided against NuStar Energy, the effects could be material to its results of operations in the period in which it would be required to record or adjust the related liability and could also be material to its cash flows in the periods it would be required to pay such liability.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Litigation and Environmental Matters

We are not currently a party to any material legal proceedings. However, NuStar Energy is subject to certain loss contingencies, the outcome of which could have an effect on NuStar Energy’s results of operations and ability to pay distributions, which would impact our results of operations and ability to pay distributions. NuStar Energy’s material contingent liabilities resulting from various litigation, claims and commitments are discussed below.

Grace Energy Corporation Matter. In 1997, Grace Energy Corporation (Grace Energy) sued subsidiaries of Kaneb Pipeline Partners, L.P. (KPP) and Kaneb Services LLC (KSL and collectively with KPP and their respective subsidiaries, Kaneb) in Texas state court. NuStar Energy acquired Kaneb on July 1, 2005. The complaint sought recovery of the cost of remediation of fuel leaks in the 1970s from a pipeline that had once connected a former Grace Energy terminal with Otis Air Force Base in Massachusetts (Otis AFB). Grace Energy alleges the Otis AFB pipeline and related environmental liabilities had been transferred in 1978 to an entity that was part of Kaneb’s acquisition of Support Terminal Services, Inc. and its subsidiaries from Grace Energy in 1993. Kaneb contends that it did not acquire the Otis AFB pipeline and never assumed any responsibility for any associated environmental damage.

In 2000, the court entered final judgment that: (i) Grace Energy could not recover its own remediation costs of $3.5 million, (ii) Kaneb owned the Otis AFB pipeline and its related environmental liabilities and (iii) Grace Energy was awarded $1.8 million in attorney costs. Both Kaneb and Grace Energy appealed the final judgment of the trial court to the Texas Court of Appeals in Dallas. In 2001, Grace Energy filed a petition in bankruptcy, which created an automatic stay of actions against Grace Energy. In September 2008, Grace Energy filed its Joint Plan of Reorganization and Disclosure Statement.

The Otis AFB is a part of a Superfund Site pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). The site contains a number of groundwater contamination plumes, two of which are allegedly associated with the Otis AFB pipeline. Relying on the final judgment of the Texas state court assigning ownership of the Otis AFB pipeline to Kaneb, the United States Department of Justice (the DOJ) advised Kaneb in 2001 that it intends to seek reimbursement from Kaneb for the remediation costs associated with the two plumes. In November 2008, the DOJ forwarded information to NuStar Energy indicating that the past and estimated future remediation expenses associated with one plume are $71.9 million. The DOJ has indicated that they will not seek recovery of remediation costs for the second plume. The DOJ has not filed a lawsuit against NuStar Energy related to this matter, and NuStar Energy has not made any payments toward costs incurred by the DOJ. NuStar Energy is currently in settlement discussions with other potentially responsible parties and the DOJ, and a change in NuStar Energy’s estimate of this liability may occur in the near term. However, the proposed settlement must be approved by multiple parties and requires the approval of the bankruptcy court and the federal district court. NuStar Energy estimates that a settlement may be finalized in early to mid-2012.

Eres Matter. In August 2008, Eres N.V. (Eres) forwarded a demand for arbitration to CITGO Asphalt Refining Company (CARCO), CITGO Petroleum Corporation (CITGO), NuStar Asphalt Refining, LLC (NuStar Asphalt) and NuStar Marketing LLC (NuStar Marketing, and together with CARCO, CITGO and NuStar Asphalt, the Defendants) contending that the Defendants breached a tanker voyage charter party agreement, dated November 2004, between Eres and CARCO (the Charter Agreement). The Charter Agreement provided for CARCO’s use of Eres’ vessels for the shipment of asphalt. Eres contended that NuStar Asphalt and/or NuStar Marketing (together, the NuStar Entities) assumed the Charter Agreement when NuStar Asphalt purchased the CARCO assets, and that the Defendants had failed to perform under the Charter Agreement. Eres valued its damages for the alleged breach of contract claim at approximately $78.1 million. On October 14, 2011, Eres and the Defendants entered into a Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release. Pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release, the NuStar Entities paid $33.5 million in full and final settlement of all of Eres' claims against the Defendants. The settlement amount was included in NuStar Energy's accrual for contingent losses as of September 30, 2011.

Other

NuStar Energy is also a party to additional claims and legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of its business. Due to the inherent uncertainty of litigation, there can be no assurance that the resolution of any particular claim or proceeding would not have a material adverse effect on NuStar Energy’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity. It is possible that if one or more of the matters described above were decided against NuStar Energy, the effects could be material to its results of operations in the period in which it would be required to record or adjust the related liability and could also be material to its cash flows in the periods it would be required to pay such liability.