RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

We had a receivable from related parties of $14.6 million and $7.9 million, as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, mainly relating to payroll, employee benefit plans and unit-based compensation for NuStar Energy and for services provided to NuStar Energy’s joint ventures. We also had a long-term receivable of $18.8 million and $18.1 million from related party as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, related to amounts payable for retiree medical benefits and other post-employment benefits for NuStar Energy. The following table summarizes information pertaining to related party transactions:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012
	(Thousands of Dollars)
Expenses for payroll, employee benefit plans and unit-based compensation	$	52,905	$	58,953
Other expenses	$	93	$	96

GP Services Agreement

NuStar Energy and NuStar GP, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NuStar GP Holdings, entered into a services agreement, effective January 1, 2008 (the GP Services Agreement). The GP Services Agreement provides that NuStar GP, LLC will furnish administrative and certain operating services necessary to conduct the business of NuStar Energy. All employees providing services to both NuStar GP Holdings and NuStar Energy are employed by NuStar GP, LLC; therefore, NuStar Energy reimburses NuStar GP, LLC for all employee costs, other than the expenses allocated to NuStar GP Holdings (the Holdco Administrative Services Expense). The GP Services Agreement will terminate on December 31, 2014, renewing automatically every two years unless terminated by either party upon six months’ prior written notice. The aggregate amounts of Holdco Administrative Services Expense that we incurred were $0.4 million and $0.5 million for three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Asphalt JV Services Agreement

On September 28, 2012, NuStar Energy sold a 50% ownership interest (the Asphalt Sale) in NuStar Asphalt LLC (Asphalt JV), previously a wholly-owned subsidiary of NuStar Energy. NuStar GP, LLC entered into a services agreement with Asphalt JV, effective September 28, 2012 (the Asphalt JV Services Agreement). The Asphalt JV Services Agreement provides that we furnish certain administrative and other operating services necessary to conduct the business of Asphalt JV. Asphalt JV compensates us for these services through an annual fee totaling $10.0 million, subject to adjustment based on the annual merit increase percentage applicable to our employees for the most recently completed contract year. The Asphalt JV Services Agreement will terminate on December 31, 2017 and will automatically renew for successive two-year terms. Asphalt JV may terminate the Asphalt JV Services Agreement at any time, with 180 days prior written notice or reduce the level of service with 45 days prior written notice. On March 14, 2013 and May 1, 2013, Asphalt JV provided written notice to us, reducing the level of services to be provided to Asphalt JV, which will reduce the annual fee by an aggregate amount of approximately $3.3 million.