Equitrans Share Exchange

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Equity [Abstract]

Equitrans Share Exchange

Equitrans Share Exchange

On February 26, 2020, the Company entered into two share purchase agreements (the Share Purchase Agreements) with Equitrans Midstream, pursuant to which, among other things, the Company sold to Equitrans Midstream a total of 25,299,752 shares, or 50% of its ownership, of Equitrans Midstream's common stock in exchange for approximately $52 million in cash and rate relief under certain of the Company's gathering contracts with EQM, an affiliate of Equitrans Midstream (the Equitrans Share Exchange). The transactions contemplated by the Share Purchase Agreements closed on March 5, 2020 (the Share Purchase Closing Date). The rate relief was effected through the execution of the Consolidated GGA (defined herein). As of March 31, 2020, the Company owned approximately 11% of the outstanding shares of Equitrans Midstream's common stock.

On February 26, 2020 (the Consolidated GGA Effective Date), the Company entered into a gas gathering and compression agreement (the Consolidated GGA) with an affiliate of EQM, pursuant to which, among other things, EQM agreed to provide to the Company gas gathering services in the Marcellus and Utica Shales of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and the Company committed to an initial annual minimum volume commitment of 3.0 Bcf per day and an acreage dedication in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The Consolidated GGA is effective through December 31, 2035 and will renew annually thereafter unless terminated by the Company or EQM. The Consolidated GGA provides for additional cash bonus payments (the Henry Hub Cash Bonus) made by the Company to EQM during the period beginning on the first day of the quarter in which the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) is placed in service and ending on the earlier of 36 months thereafter or December 31, 2024. Such payments are conditioned upon the quarterly average of the NYMEX Henry Hub natural gas settlement price exceeding certain price thresholds. In addition, the Consolidated GGA provides a cash payment option that grants the Company the right to receive payments from EQM in the event that the MVP in-service date has not occurred prior to January 1, 2022.

On the Share Purchase Closing Date, the Company recorded in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet a contract asset representing the estimated fair value of the rate relief provided by the Consolidated GGA of $410 million, of which $26.7 million was classified as current, a derivative liability related to the Henry Hub Cash Bonus of approximately $117 million and a decrease in the Company's investment in Equitrans Midstream of approximately $158 million. The resulting gain of approximately

$187 million was recorded in the Statement of Condensed Consolidated Operations. Beginning in the first quarter of 2021, the Company will recognize amortization of the contract asset over a period of four years in a manner consistent with the expected timing of the Company's realization of the economic benefits of the rate relief provided by the Consolidated GGA.

The fair value of the contract asset was based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market and, as such, is a Level 3 fair value measurement. Key assumptions used in the fair value calculation included an estimated production volume forecast and a market-based discount rate. The fair value of the derivative liability for the Henry Hub Cash Bonus was based on significant inputs that were interpolated from observable market data and, as such, is a Level 2 fair value measurement. See Note 4 for a description of the fair value hierarchy.