ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION	1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION Organization On November 1, 2019, Buckeye Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“Buckeye”), merged with Hercules Merger Sub LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Merger Sub”), with Buckeye continuing as the surviving entity and a wholly owned subsidiary of Hercules Intermediate Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Hercules” and such merger, the “Merger”). Buckeye GP LLC (“Buckeye GP”) remains our general partner. Hercules is wholly owned by IFM Global Infrastructure Fund, a Cayman Islands Unit Trust. As used in these Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, “we,” “us,” “our” and “Buckeye” mean Buckeye Partners, L.P. and, where the context requires, includes our subsidiaries. As previously disclosed, on May 10, 2019, we entered into the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Hercules, Merger Sub, Buckeye Pipe Line Services Company, a Pennsylvania corporation, and Buckeye GP. Under the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, each of our issued and outstanding limited partner units representing limited partnership interests (“LP Units”) (other than LP Units owned immediately prior to the Merger by us or by Hercules or any of its subsidiaries), ceased to be outstanding and was converted into the right to receive $41.50 in cash, without interest. Concurrent with the consummation of the Merger, we terminated our $1.5 billion credit facility with SunTrust Bank as administrative agent (the “Prior $1.5 billion Credit Facility”) and obtained new senior secured credit facilities in an aggregate principal amount of up to $2.85 billion, consisting of (a) a $600 million senior secured revolving facility (the “New Revolving Facility”) and (b) a $2.25 billion senior secured term loan facility (the “New Term Facility”). Up to and prior to the Merger, Buckeye Partners, L.P. was a publicly traded Delaware master limited partnership (“MLP”), and its LP Units were listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the ticker symbol “BPL.” In connection with the consummation of the Merger, we requested that the NYSE delist our LP Units and, as a result, trading of our LP Units, which traded under the ticker symbol “BPL” on the NYSE, was suspended prior to the opening of the NYSE on November 1, 2019. We also requested that the NYSE file a Form 25 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) notifying the SEC of the delisting of our LP Units and the withdrawal of registration of our LP Units under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act. Following the effectiveness of the Form 25, we intend to file with the SEC a Form 15 regarding the termination of registration of our LP Units under the Exchange Act and the suspension of reporting obligations with respect to our LP Units. However, we expect to continue to file periodic reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), pursuant to requirements under our existing outstanding senior note issuances. For more information regarding the closing of the Merger, please see our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 1, 2019. For more information regarding the Merger and the Merger Agreement, please see our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 10, 2019 and our Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on June 25, 2019, as supplemented by the Form 8-K we filed with the SEC on July 22, 2019. We own and operate a diversified global network of integrated assets providing midstream logistic solutions, primarily consisting of the transportation, storage, processing and marketing of liquid petroleum products. We are one of the largest independent liquid petroleum products pipeline operators in the United States in terms of volumes delivered, with approximately 6,000 miles of pipeline. We also use our service expertise to operate and/or maintain third-party pipelines and terminals and perform certain engineering and construction services for our customers. Our global terminal network comprises more than 115 liquid petroleum products terminals with aggregate tank capacity of over 118 million barrels across our portfolio of pipelines, inland terminals and marine terminals located primarily in key petroleum logistics hubs in the East Coast, Midwest and Gulf Coast regions of the United States as well as in the Caribbean. Our terminal assets facilitate global flows of crude oil and refined petroleum products, offering our customers connectivity between supply areas and market centers through some of the world’s most important bulk liquid storage and blending hubs. Our wholly-owned flagship marine terminal in The Bahamas, Buckeye Bahamas Hub Limited (“BBH”), is one of the largest marine crude oil and refined petroleum products storage facilities in the world and provides an array of logistics and blending services for the global flow of petroleum products. Our Gulf Coast regional hub, Buckeye Texas Partners LLC (“Buckeye Texas”), offers world-class marine terminalling, storage and processing capabilities. We are also a wholesale distributor of refined petroleum products in certain areas served by our pipelines and terminals. Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and the rules of the SEC. Accordingly, our financial statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of our results of operations for the interim periods. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of our subsidiaries controlled by us and variable interest entities of which we are the primary beneficiary. Intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires our management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses during the reporting period and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements. Estimates and assumptions about future events and their effects cannot be made with certainty. Estimates may change as new events occur, when additional information becomes available and if our operating environment changes. Actual results could differ from our estimates. We believe that the disclosures in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. Recently Adopted Accounting Standards Derivatives and Hedging. Effective January 1, 2019, we adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2017-12, which amends and simplifies the existing standard in order to improve the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better align risk management activities in financial statements and make targeted improvements to simplify the application of the current standard related to the assessment of hedge effectiveness. In October 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2018-16, which includes the Overnight Index Swap Rate based on Secured Overnight Financing Rate as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and disclosures. Leases. Effective January 1, 2019, we adopted ASC Topic 842, Leases (“ASC 842”), applying the modified retrospective transition method. We applied the transition provision for ASC 842 at our adoption date instead of at the earliest comparative period presented in our financial statements and, therefore, we recognized and measured leases existing at January 1, 2019, but without retrospective application. ASC 842 requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use (“ROU”) lease asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for leases with lease terms greater than twelve months. ASC 842 also requires enhanced disclosures regarding the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The most significant impact was the recognition of ROU lease assets and lease liabilities for operating leases on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet along with certain incremental disclosures. No impact was recorded to the income statement or beginning retained earnings upon our adoption of ASC 842. See Note 9 - Leases for further discussion. Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting. Effective January 1, 2019, we adopted ASU 2018-07, which conformed the current nonemployee share-based accounting with employee share-based accounting. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and disclosures. Recent Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted Codification Improvements. In April 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-04, which clarifies certain aspects of accounting for credit losses, hedging activities, and financial instruments (addressed by ASUs 2016-13, 2017-12, and 2016-01, respectively). The amendments clarify the scope of the credit losses standard (ASU 2016-13) and address issues related to accrued interest receivable balances, recoveries, variable interest rates and prepayments. The amendments on recognizing and measuring financial instruments (ASU 2016-01), address the scope of the guidance, the requirement for remeasurement under ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, when using the measurement alternative, certain disclosure requirements and which equity securities have to be remeasured at historical exchange rates. The amendments to the credit losses and hedging standards have the same effective dates as those standards, unless an entity has already adopted the standards. The amendments to the recognition and measurement guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. We adopted the amendments related to hedging and financial instruments effective June 30, 2019, which did not have an impact on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. We expect to adopt the amendments related to credit losses concurrently with the adoption of ASU 2016-13. Collaborative Arrangements. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18, which clarifies whether certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). The new standard also provides more comparability in the presentation of revenue for certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The standard should be applied retrospectively to the date of initial application of ASC 606. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020. We do not believe the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or on our disclosures. Targeted Improvements to Related Party Guidance for Variable Interest Entities. In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-17 that changes the standard for determining whether a decision-making fee is a variable interest. The standard provides that indirect interests held through related parties under common control will be considered on a proportional basis when determining whether certain decision-making fees are variable interests. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The standard should be applied retrospectively, with a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020 and are currently evaluating the impact that it will have on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures. Cloud Computing Arrangements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, which aligns a customer’s accounting for capitalizing implementation costs in a cloud computing service arrangement that is hosted by the vendor with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain an internal-use software license. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The standard can be applied prospectively or retrospectively. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020 and are currently evaluating the impact that it will have on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures. Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, which amends the existing standard on disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. The new standard is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The new standard requires retrospective application. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2021 and are currently evaluating the impact that it will have on our disclosures. Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, which amends the existing standard on disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The new standard requires prospective application on changes in unrealized gains and losses, the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements, and the narrative description of measurement uncertainty. The effects of other amendments must be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020 and are currently evaluating the impact that it will have on our disclosures. Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, which replaces the current incurred loss impairment method with a method that reflects expected credit losses on financial instruments. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-19, which clarifies the scope of the standard in the amendments in ASU 2016-13. In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-05, which provides entities with an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option for certain financial instruments. The new standard is effective as of January 1, 2020, and early adoption is permitted as of January 1, 2019. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020. We do not believe the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or on our disclosures.

On November 1, 2019, Buckeye Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“Buckeye”), merged with Hercules Merger Sub LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Merger Sub”), with Buckeye continuing as the surviving entity and a wholly owned subsidiary of Hercules Intermediate Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Hercules” and such merger, the “Merger”). Buckeye GP LLC (“Buckeye GP”) remains our general partner. Hercules is wholly owned by IFM Global Infrastructure Fund, a Cayman Islands Unit Trust. As used in these Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, “we,” “us,” “our” and “Buckeye” mean Buckeye Partners, L.P. and, where the context requires, includes our subsidiaries.

As previously disclosed, on May 10, 2019, we entered into the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Hercules, Merger Sub, Buckeye Pipe Line Services Company, a Pennsylvania corporation, and Buckeye GP. Under the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, each of our issued and outstanding limited partner units representing limited partnership interests (“LP Units”) (other than LP Units owned immediately prior to the Merger by us or by Hercules or any of its subsidiaries), ceased to be outstanding and was converted into the right to receive $41.50 in cash, without interest.

Concurrent with the consummation of the Merger, we terminated our $1.5 billion credit facility with SunTrust Bank as administrative agent (the “Prior $1.5 billion Credit Facility”) and obtained new senior secured credit facilities in an aggregate principal amount of up to $2.85 billion, consisting of (a) a $600 million senior secured revolving facility (the “New Revolving Facility”) and (b) a $2.25 billion senior secured term loan facility (the “New Term Facility”).

Up to and prior to the Merger, Buckeye Partners, L.P. was a publicly traded Delaware master limited partnership (“MLP”), and its LP Units were listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the ticker symbol “BPL.” In connection with the consummation of the Merger, we requested that the NYSE delist our LP Units and, as a result, trading of our LP Units, which traded under the ticker symbol “BPL” on the NYSE, was suspended prior to the opening of the NYSE on November 1, 2019. We also requested that the NYSE file a Form 25 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) notifying the SEC of the delisting of our LP Units and the withdrawal of registration of our LP Units under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act. Following the effectiveness of the Form 25, we intend to file with the SEC a Form 15 regarding the termination of registration of our LP Units under the Exchange Act and the suspension of reporting obligations with respect to our LP Units. However, we expect to continue to file periodic reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), pursuant to requirements under our existing outstanding senior note issuances.

For more information regarding the closing of the Merger, please see our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 1, 2019. For more information regarding the Merger and the Merger Agreement, please see our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 10, 2019 and our Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on June 25, 2019, as supplemented by the Form 8-K we filed with the SEC on July 22, 2019.

We own and operate a diversified global network of integrated assets providing midstream logistic solutions, primarily consisting of the transportation, storage, processing and marketing of liquid petroleum products. We are one of the largest independent liquid petroleum products pipeline operators in the United States in terms of volumes delivered, with approximately 6,000 miles of pipeline. We also use our service expertise to operate and/or maintain third-party pipelines and terminals and perform certain engineering and construction services for our customers. Our global terminal network comprises more than 115 liquid petroleum products terminals with aggregate tank capacity of over 118 million barrels across our portfolio of pipelines, inland terminals and marine terminals located primarily in key petroleum logistics hubs in the East Coast, Midwest and Gulf Coast regions of the United States as well as in the Caribbean. Our terminal assets facilitate global flows of crude oil and refined petroleum products, offering our customers connectivity between supply areas and market centers through some of the world’s most important bulk liquid storage and blending hubs. Our wholly-owned flagship marine terminal in The Bahamas, Buckeye Bahamas Hub Limited (“BBH”), is one of the largest marine crude oil and refined petroleum products storage facilities in the world and provides an array of logistics and blending services for the global flow of petroleum products. Our Gulf Coast regional hub, Buckeye Texas Partners LLC (“Buckeye Texas”), offers world-class marine terminalling, storage and processing capabilities. We are also a wholesale distributor of refined petroleum products in certain areas served by our pipelines and terminals.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and the rules of the SEC. Accordingly, our financial statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of our results of operations for the interim periods. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of our subsidiaries controlled by us and variable interest entities of which we are the primary beneficiary. Intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires our management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses during the reporting period and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements. Estimates and assumptions about future events and their effects cannot be made with certainty. Estimates may change as new events occur, when additional information becomes available and if our operating environment changes. Actual results could differ from our estimates.

We believe that the disclosures in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Derivatives and Hedging. Effective January 1, 2019, we adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2017-12, which amends and simplifies the existing standard in order to improve the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better align risk management activities in financial statements and make targeted improvements to simplify the application of the current standard related to the assessment of hedge effectiveness. In October 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2018-16, which includes the Overnight Index Swap Rate based on Secured Overnight Financing Rate as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

Leases. Effective January 1, 2019, we adopted ASC Topic 842, Leases (“ASC 842”), applying the modified retrospective transition method. We applied the transition provision for ASC 842 at our adoption date instead of at the earliest comparative period presented in our financial statements and, therefore, we recognized and measured leases existing at January 1, 2019, but without retrospective application. ASC 842 requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use (“ROU”) lease asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for leases with lease terms greater than twelve months. ASC 842 also requires enhanced disclosures regarding the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The most significant impact was the recognition of ROU lease assets and lease liabilities for operating leases on our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet along with certain incremental disclosures. No impact was recorded to the income statement or beginning retained earnings upon our adoption of ASC 842. See Note 9 - Leases for further discussion.

Codification Improvements. In April 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-04, which clarifies certain aspects of accounting for credit losses, hedging activities, and financial instruments (addressed by ASUs 2016-13, 2017-12, and 2016-01, respectively). The amendments clarify the scope of the credit losses standard (ASU 2016-13) and address issues related to accrued interest receivable balances, recoveries, variable interest rates and prepayments. The amendments on recognizing and measuring financial instruments (ASU 2016-01), address the scope of the guidance, the requirement for remeasurement under ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, when using the measurement alternative, certain disclosure requirements and which equity securities have to be remeasured at historical exchange rates. The amendments to the credit losses and hedging standards have the same effective dates as those standards, unless an entity has already adopted the standards. The amendments to the recognition and measurement guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. We adopted the amendments related to hedging and financial instruments effective June 30, 2019, which did not have an impact on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. We expect to adopt the amendments related to credit losses concurrently with the adoption of ASU 2016-13.

Collaborative Arrangements. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18, which clarifies whether certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants should be accounted for as revenue under ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). The new standard also provides more comparability in the presentation of revenue for certain transactions between collaborative arrangement participants. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The standard should be applied retrospectively to the date of initial application of ASC 606. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020. We do not believe the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or on our disclosures.

Targeted Improvements to Related Party Guidance for Variable Interest Entities. In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-17 that changes the standard for determining whether a decision-making fee is a variable interest. The standard provides that indirect interests held through related parties under common control will be considered on a proportional basis when determining whether certain decision-making fees are variable interests. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The standard should be applied retrospectively, with a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020 and are currently evaluating the impact that it will have on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

Cloud Computing Arrangements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, which aligns a customer’s accounting for capitalizing implementation costs in a cloud computing service arrangement that is hosted by the vendor with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain an internal-use software license. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The standard can be applied prospectively or retrospectively. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020 and are currently evaluating the impact that it will have on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, which amends the existing standard on disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. The new standard is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The new standard requires retrospective application. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2021 and are currently evaluating the impact that it will have on our disclosures.

Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, which amends the existing standard on disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The new standard requires prospective application on changes in unrealized gains and losses, the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements, and the narrative description of measurement uncertainty. The effects of other amendments must be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020 and are currently evaluating the impact that it will have on our disclosures.

Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, which replaces the current incurred loss impairment method with a method that reflects expected credit losses on financial instruments. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-19, which clarifies the scope of the standard in the amendments in ASU 2016-13. In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-05, which provides entities with an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option for certain financial instruments. The new standard is effective as of January 1, 2020, and early adoption is permitted as of January 1, 2019. We expect to adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020. We do not believe the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or on our disclosures.