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Transactions with Affiliates
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Related Party Fees and Other Arrangements, Limited Liability Company (LLC) or Limited Partnership (LP) [Abstract]  
Transactions with Affiliates
5.  TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

Affiliate transactions. Revenues from affiliates include amounts earned by WES from services provided to Anadarko as well as from the sale of residue, drip condensate and NGLs to Anadarko. In addition, WES purchases natural gas from an affiliate of Anadarko pursuant to gas purchase agreements. Operation and maintenance expense includes amounts accrued for or paid to affiliates for the operation of WES assets, whether in providing services to affiliates or to third parties, including field labor, measurement and analysis, and other disbursements. A portion of general and administrative expenses is paid by Anadarko, which results in affiliate transactions pursuant to the reimbursement provisions of the omnibus agreements of WES and WGP. Affiliate expenses do not bear a direct relationship to affiliate revenues, and third-party expenses do not bear a direct relationship to third-party revenues. See Note 2 for further information related to contributions of assets to WES by Anadarko.

Cash management. Anadarko operates a cash management system whereby excess cash from most of its subsidiaries’ separate bank accounts is generally swept to centralized accounts. Prior to the acquisition of WES assets, third-party sales and purchases related to such assets were received or paid in cash by Anadarko within its centralized cash management system. The outstanding affiliate balances were entirely settled through an adjustment to net investment by Anadarko in connection with the acquisition of WES assets. Subsequent to the acquisition of WES assets from Anadarko, transactions related to such assets are cash-settled directly with third parties and with Anadarko affiliates. Chipeta cash settles its transactions directly with third parties and Anadarko, as well as with the other subsidiaries of WES.

5.  TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES (CONTINUED)

Note receivable from and Deferred purchase price obligation - Anadarko. Concurrently with the closing of WES’s May 2008 initial public offering, WES loaned $260.0 million to Anadarko in exchange for a 30-year note bearing interest at a fixed annual rate of 6.50%, payable quarterly. The fair value of the note receivable from Anadarko was $288.9 million and $317.8 million at September 30, 2015, and December 31, 2014, respectively. The fair value of the note reflects consideration of credit risk and any premium or discount for the differential between the stated interest rate and quarter-end market interest rate, based on quoted market prices of similar debt instruments. Accordingly, the fair value of the note receivable from Anadarko is measured using Level 2 inputs.
The consideration to be paid by WES for the March 2015 acquisition of DBJV consists of a cash payment to Anadarko due on March 31, 2020. See Note 2 and Note 9.

Commodity price swap agreements. WES has commodity price swap agreements with Anadarko to mitigate exposure to a substantial majority of the commodity price volatility that would otherwise be present as a result of the purchase and sale of natural gas, condensate or NGLs. Notional volumes for each of the commodity price swap agreements are not specifically defined. Instead, the commodity price swap agreements apply to the actual volume of natural gas, condensate and NGLs purchased and sold at the Hugoton system, the MGR assets and the DJ Basin complex, with various expiration dates through December 2016. On December 31, 2014, WES’s commodity price swap agreements for the Hilight and Newcastle systems and the Granger complex (excluding the Granger straddle plant) expired without renewal. The commodity price swap agreements do not satisfy the definition of a derivative financial instrument and, therefore, are not required to be measured at fair value.
Below is a summary of the fixed price ranges on all of WES’s outstanding commodity price swap agreements as of September 30, 2015:
per barrel except natural gas
 
2015
 
2016
Ethane
 
$
18.41

23.41

 
$
23.11

Propane
 
47.08

52.99

 
52.90

Isobutane
 
62.09

74.02

 
73.89

Normal butane
 
54.62

65.04

 
64.93

Natural gasoline
 
72.88

81.82

 
81.68

Condensate
 
76.47

81.82

 
81.68

Natural gas (per MMBtu)
 
4.66

5.96

 
4.87


The following table summarizes gains and losses upon settlement of commodity price swap agreements recognized in the consolidated statements of income:
 
 
Three Months Ended 
 September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended 
 September 30,
thousands
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Gains (losses) on commodity price swap agreements related to sales: (1)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Natural gas sales
 
$
5,774

 
$
3,179

 
$
39,100

 
$
1,525

Natural gas liquids sales
 
33,746

 
22,737

 
116,475

 
66,746

Total
 
39,520

 
25,916

 
155,575

 
68,271

Losses on commodity price swap agreements related to purchases (2)
 
(23,998
)
 
(19,533
)
 
(99,897
)
 
(38,081
)
Net gains (losses) on commodity price swap agreements
 
$
15,522

 
$
6,383

 
$
55,678

 
$
30,190

                                                                                                                                                                                    
(1) 
Reported in affiliate natural gas, natural gas liquids and drip condensate sales in the consolidated statements of income in the period in which the related sale is recorded.
(2) 
Reported in cost of product in the consolidated statements of income in the period in which the related purchase is recorded.

5.  TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES (CONTINUED)

DJ Basin complex and Hugoton system swap extensions. On June 25, 2015, WES extended its commodity price swap agreements with Anadarko for the DJ Basin complex from July 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015, and for the Hugoton system from October 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015. The table below summarizes the swap prices compared to the forward market prices on the date the commodity price swap extensions were executed.
 
 
DJ Basin Complex
 
Hugoton System
per barrel except natural gas
 
2015 Swap Prices
 
Market Prices (1)
 
2015 Swap Prices
 
Market Prices (1)
Ethane
 
$
18.41

 
$
1.96

 
 
Propane
 
47.08

 
13.10

 
 
Isobutane
 
62.09

 
19.75

 
 
Normal butane
 
54.62

 
18.99

 
 
Natural gasoline
 
72.88

 
52.59

 
 
Condensate
 
76.47

 
52.59

 
$
78.61

 
$
32.56

Natural gas (per MMBtu)
 
5.96

 
2.75

 
5.50

 
2.74

                                                                                                                                                                                    
(1) 
Represents the New York Mercantile Exchange forward strip price as of June 25, 2015, adjusted for location, basis and, in the case of NGLs, transportation and fractionation costs.

Revenues or costs attributable to volumes settled during the respective extension period, at the applicable market price in the above table, will be recognized in the consolidated statements of income. WES will also record a capital contribution from Anadarko in its consolidated statement of equity and partners’ capital for the amount by which the swap price exceeds the applicable market price in the above table. For each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, the capital contribution from Anadarko was $7.9 million.

Gas gathering and processing agreements. WES has significant gas gathering and processing arrangements with affiliates of Anadarko on a majority of its systems. WES’s gathering, treating and transportation throughput (excluding equity investment throughput and throughput measured in barrels) attributable to natural gas production owned or controlled by Anadarko was 42% and 46% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, and 48% and 49% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively. WES’s processing throughput (excluding equity investment throughput and throughput measured in barrels) attributable to natural gas production owned or controlled by Anadarko was 47% and 51% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, and 58% for each of the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014.

Purchase and sale agreements. WES sells a significant amount of its natural gas, condensate and NGLs to Anadarko Energy Services Company (“AESC”), Anadarko’s marketing affiliate. In addition, WES purchases natural gas, condensate and NGLs from AESC pursuant to purchase agreements. WES’s purchase and sale agreements with AESC are generally one-year contracts, subject to annual renewal.

5.  TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES (CONTINUED)

WGP LTIP. WGP GP awards phantom units under the Western Gas Equity Partners, LP 2012 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“WGP LTIP”) primarily to its independent directors and its Chief Executive Officer. The phantom units awarded to the independent directors vest one year from the grant date, while all other awards are subject to graded vesting over a three-year service period. Compensation expense is recognized over the vesting period and was $56,000 and $0.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, and $57,000 and $0.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively.

WES LTIP. WES GP awards phantom units under the Western Gas Partners, LP 2008 Long-Term Incentive Plan (“WES LTIP”) primarily to its independent directors, but also from time to time to its executive officers and Anadarko employees performing services for WES. The phantom units awarded to the independent directors vest one year from the grant date, while all other awards are subject to graded vesting over a three-year service period. Compensation expense is recognized over the vesting period and was $0.1 million and $0.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, and $0.2 million and $0.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively.

WGP LTIP and Anadarko Incentive Plans. General and administrative expenses included $1.0 million and $3.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, respectively, and $0.9 million and $2.7 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively, of equity-based compensation expense, allocated to WES by Anadarko, for awards granted to the executive officers of WES GP and other employees under the WGP LTIP and the Anadarko Petroleum Corporation 2008 and 2012 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plans (collectively referred to as the “Anadarko Incentive Plans”). Of this amount, $2.7 million is reflected as a contribution to partners’ capital in the consolidated statement of equity and partners’ capital for the nine months ended September 30, 2015.

Equipment purchases and sales. The following table summarizes WES’s purchases from and sales to Anadarko of pipe and equipment:
 
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
thousands
 
Purchases
 
Sales
Cash consideration
 
$
12,131

 
$
16,143

 
$
700

 
$

Net carrying value
 
7,411

 
9,745

 
366

 

Partners’ capital adjustment
 
$
4,720

 
$
6,398

 
$
334

 
$


5.  TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES (CONTINUED)

Summary of affiliate transactions. The following table summarizes affiliate transactions, which include revenue from affiliates, reimbursement of operating expenses and purchases of natural gas:
 
 
Three Months Ended 
 September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended 
 September 30,
thousands
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Revenues and other (1)
 
$
247,458

 
$
269,632

 
$
777,739

 
$
769,331

Equity income, net (1)
 
21,976

 
19,063

 
59,137

 
41,322

Cost of product (1)
 
35,673

 
27,034

 
132,663

 
85,071

Operation and maintenance (2)
 
17,662

 
15,583

 
50,534

 
44,961

General and administrative (3)
 
7,875

 
7,214

 
23,154

 
21,786

Operating expenses
 
61,210

 
49,831

 
206,351

 
151,818

Interest income (4)
 
4,225

 
4,225

 
12,675

 
12,675

Interest expense (5)
 
4,310

 

 
9,922

 

Distributions to WGP unitholders (6)
 
69,508

 
52,456

 
196,177

 
148,291

Distributions to WES unitholders (7)
 
568

 
492

 
1,648

 
1,235

                                                                                                                                                                                    
(1) 
Represents amounts earned or incurred on and subsequent to the date of acquisition of WES assets, as well as amounts earned or incurred by Anadarko on a historical basis related to WES assets prior to the acquisition of such assets by WES, recognized under gathering, treating or processing agreements, and purchase and sale agreements.
(2) 
Represents expenses incurred on and subsequent to the date of the acquisition of WES assets, as well as expenses incurred by Anadarko on a historical basis related to WES assets prior to the acquisition of such assets by WES.
(3) 
Represents general and administrative expense incurred on and subsequent to the date of WES’s acquisition of WES assets, as well as a management services fee for reimbursement of expenses incurred by Anadarko for periods prior to the acquisition of WES assets by WES. These amounts include equity-based compensation expense allocated to WES and WGP by Anadarko (see WES LTIP and WGP LTIP and Anadarko Incentive Plans within this Note 5) and amounts charged by Anadarko under the WGP omnibus agreement.
(4) 
Represents interest income recognized on the note receivable from Anadarko.
(5) 
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015, includes WES’s accretion expense recognized on the Deferred purchase price obligation - Anadarko for the acquisition of DBJV (see Note 2 and Note 9) and for the nine months ended September 30, 2015, includes interest expense recognized on the WGP working capital facility (see Note 9).
(6) 
Represents distributions paid under WGP’s partnership agreement (see Note 3 and Note 4).
(7) 
Represents distributions paid to other subsidiaries of Anadarko under WES’s partnership agreement (see Note 3 and Note 4).

Concentration of credit risk. Anadarko was the only customer from whom revenues exceeded 10% of consolidated revenues for all periods presented in the consolidated statements of income.