FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

We categorize our financial assets and liabilities using the three-tier hierarchy as follows:

Recurring

The following table sets forth financial assets and liabilities, measured at fair value on a recurring basis, as of the measurement dates indicated, and the basis for that measurement, by level within the fair value hierarchy (in thousands):



	December 31, 2015						December 31, 2014
	Level 1			Level 2			Level 1			Level 2
Financial assets:
Physical fixed price derivative contracts	$	—		$	27,676		$	—		$	44,912
Physical index derivative contracts	—			25			—			53
Futures contracts for refined products	51,641			—			27,143			—

Financial liabilities:
Physical fixed price derivative contracts	—			(456		)	—			(1,495		)
Physical index derivative contracts	—			(54		)	—			(312		)
Futures contracts for refined products	(703		)	—			(2,615		)	—
Fair value	$	50,938		$	27,191		$	24,528		$	43,158

The values of the Level 1 derivative assets and liabilities were based on quoted market prices obtained from the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The values of the Level 2 commodity derivative contracts were calculated using market approaches based on observable market data inputs, including published commodity pricing data, which is verified against other available market data, and market interest rate and volatility data. Level 2 fixed price derivative assets are net of credit value adjustments (“CVAs”) determined using an expected cash flow model, which incorporates assumptions about the credit risk of the derivative contracts based on the historical and expected payment history of each customer, the amount of product contracted for under the agreement and the customer’s historical and expected purchase performance under each contract. The Merchant Services segment determined CVAs are appropriate because few of the Merchant Services segment’s customers entering into these derivative contracts are large organizations with nationally-recognized credit ratings. The Level 2 fixed price derivative assets of $27.7 million and $44.9 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, are net of CVA of ($0.2) million and ($0.1) million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. As of December 31, 2015, the Merchant Services segment did not hold any net liability derivative position containing credit contingent features.

Financial instruments included in current assets and current liabilities are reported in the consolidated balance sheets at amounts which approximate fair value due to the relatively short period to maturity of these financial instruments. The fair values of our fixed-rate debt were estimated by observing market trading prices and by comparing the historic market prices of our publicly issued debt with the market prices of the publicly-issued debt of other MLP’s with similar credit ratings and terms. The fair values of our variable-rate debt are their carrying amounts, as the carrying amount reasonably approximates fair value due to the variability of the interest rates. The carrying value and fair value, using Level 2 input values, of our debt were as follows at the dates indicated (in thousands):



	December 31, 2015				December 31, 2014
	Carrying Amount		Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Fair Value

Fixed-rate debt	$	3,371,824	$	3,057,945	$	3,368,618	$	3,465,973
Variable-rate debt	472,488		472,488		166,000		166,000
Total debt	$	3,844,312	$	3,530,433	$	3,534,618	$	3,631,973

In addition, our pension plan assets are measured at fair value on a recurring basis, based on Level 1 and Level 3 inputs. See Note 19 for additional information.

We recognize transfers between levels within the fair value hierarchy as of the beginning of the reporting period. We did not have any transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 during the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014.

Non-Recurring

Certain nonfinancial assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis and are subject to fair value adjustments in certain circumstances, such as when there is evidence of impairment. During the year ended December 31, 2014, we recorded a net non-cash asset impairment charge of $23.4 million related to our Natural Gas Storage disposal group as a result of the execution of a purchase and sale agreement in July 2014 to sell the business, subsequent changes in the carrying value of the net assets of the business and the completed sale in December 2014. See Note 4 and Note 5 for additional information.

During the year ended December 31, 2013, we recorded a non-cash asset impairment charge of $169.0 million based on Level 3 inputs related to our Natural Gas Storage disposal group. We believed the combination of a repurposed natural gas and compressed air energy storage was the highest-and-best use of this facility and as such our fair value estimate less cost to sell was based on the disposal group operating as such. We applied the income approach due to the lack of recent comparable transactions in the marketplace and estimated the fair value using a present value of expected future cash flows valuation method. The present value of the expected future cash flows was determined using multiple pricing inputs, including, where applicable, commodity prices (power ancillary service charges, energy prices, capacity fees, and natural gas storage), discount rates, historical contract terms, and operational capabilities of the natural gas storage facility. Valuation adjustments were considered to factor in liquidity risk and model uncertainty. Unobservable pricing inputs were developed based on an evaluation of relevant empirical market data and historical pricing and operating cash flows. In addition, we engaged a third-party natural gas storage valuation specialist to assist with our internally developed fair value estimate.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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