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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-207140
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(TO PROSPECTUS DATED OCTOBER 7, 2015)
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests Having an Aggregate
Offering Price of Up to $750,000,000
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus relate to the issuance and sale from time to time of common units representing limited partner interests in Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. having an aggregate offering price of up to $750,000,000 through one or more of our sales agents. These sales, if any, will be made pursuant to the terms of the equity distribution agreement dated November 30, 2016 between us and the sales agents, which will be filed as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K that we will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Under the terms of the equity distribution agreement, we also may sell common units to any sales agent as principal for its own account at a price agreed upon at the time of the sale. If we sell common units to any such sales agent as principal, we will enter into a separate terms agreement with such sales agent and we will describe that agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.
Our common units trade on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") under the symbol "PAA." On November 29, 2016, the last reported sale price of our common units on the NYSE was $29.66 per unit. Sales of common units under this prospectus supplement, if any, will be made by means of ordinary brokers' transactions through the facilities of the NYSE at market prices, in block transactions or as otherwise agreed between us and one or more of the sales agents.
Investing in our common units involves risks. Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. You should carefully consider the risks relating to investing in our common units and each of the risk factors described under "Risk Factors" on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement before you make an investment in our securities.
The compensation of the sales agents for sales of units shall be at a fixed commission rate of up to 2.0% of the gross sales price per common unit, depending upon the number of common units sold. The net proceeds from any sales under this prospectus supplement will be used as described under "Use of Proceeds" in this prospectus supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Wells Fargo Securities | Barclays | BB&T Capital Markets | BMO Capital Markets | |||
BNP PARIBAS | Citigroup | Deutsche Bank Securities | DNB Markets | |||
Fifth Third Securities | J.P. Morgan | Jefferies | BofA Merrill Lynch | |||
MUFG | Mizuho Securities | Morgan Stanley | Raymond James | |||
Scotia Howard Weil | SMBC Nikko | SunTrust Robinson Humphrey | UBS Investment Bank |
November 30, 2016
| Page | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Prospectus Supplement | ||||
Important Notice About Information in this Prospectus Supplement and the Accompanying Base Prospectus | S-ii | |||
Forward-Looking Statements | S-ii | |||
Prospectus Supplement Summary | S-1 | |||
Risk Factors | S-4 | |||
Use of Proceeds | S-5 | |||
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences | S-6 | |||
Plan of Distribution | S-8 | |||
Legal Matters | S-10 | |||
Experts | S-10 | |||
Where You Can Find More Information | S-10 | |||
Prospectus | ||||
About This Prospectus | i | |||
Where You Can Find More Information | i | |||
Forward-Looking Statements | ii | |||
About Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. | 1 | |||
Risk Factors | 3 | |||
Use of Proceeds | 4 | |||
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges | 5 | |||
Description of Our Debt Securities | 6 | |||
Description of Our Common Units | 15 | |||
Cash Distribution Policy | 17 | |||
Description of Our Partnership Agreement | 21 | |||
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences | 24 | |||
Plan of Distribution | 38 | |||
Legal Matters | 40 | |||
Experts | 41 |
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IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND THE ACCOMPANYING BASE PROSPECTUS
We are providing information to you about this offering of our common units in two separate documents that are bound together: (1) this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering, and (2) the accompanying base prospectus, which provides general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. This prospectus supplement may also add to, update or change information contained in the accompanying base prospectus. If information in this prospectus supplement is inconsistent with the accompanying base prospectus, you should rely on this prospectus supplement. Generally, when we refer to this "prospectus," we are referring to both documents combined.
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus contain and incorporate by reference information that you should consider when making your investment decision. Neither we nor any of the sales agents or their affiliates and agents have authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents or that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
We are not making an offer to sell our common units in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted.
The information in this prospectus supplement is not complete. You should carefully read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, including the information incorporated by reference herein and therein, before you invest, as these documents contain information you should consider when making your investment decision.
None of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., the sales agents or any of their respective representatives is making any representation to you regarding the legality of an investment in our common units by you under applicable laws. You should consult with your own advisors as to legal, tax, business, financial and related aspects of an investment in the common units.
All statements included in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements incorporating the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "plan," "intend" and "forecast," as well as similar expressions and statements regarding our business strategy, plans and objectives for future operations. The absence of such words, expressions or statements, however, does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. Any such forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events, based on what we believe to be reasonable assumptions. Certain factors could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from the results or outcomes anticipated in the forward-looking statements. The most important of these factors include, but are not limited to:
- •
- declines in the volume of crude oil, refined product and natural gas liquids ("NGL") shipped, processed, purchased, stored, fractionated and/or gathered at or through the use of our assets, whether due to declines in production from existing oil and gas reserves, failure to develop or slowdown in the development of additional oil and gas reserves, whether from reduced cash flow to fund drilling or the inability to access capital, or other factors;
- •
- the effects of competition;
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- •
- failure to implement or capitalize, or delays in implementing or capitalizing, on expansion projects;
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- unanticipated changes in crude oil market structure, grade differentials and volatility (or lack thereof);
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- environmental liabilities or events that are not covered by an indemnity, insurance or existing reserves;
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- fluctuations in refinery capacity in areas supplied by our mainlines and other factors affecting demand for various grades of crude oil, refined products and natural gas and resulting changes in pricing conditions or transportation throughput requirements;
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- the occurrence of a natural disaster, catastrophe, terrorist attack or other event, including attacks on our electronic and computer systems;
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- maintenance of our credit rating and ability to receive open credit from our suppliers and trade counterparties;
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- tightened capital markets or other factors that increase our cost of capital or limit our ability to obtain debt or equity financing on satisfactory terms to fund additional acquisitions, expansion projects, working capital requirements and the repayment or refinancing of indebtedness;
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- the currency exchange rate of the Canadian dollar;
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- continued creditworthiness of, and performance by, our counterparties, including financial institutions and trading companies with which we do business;
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- inability to recognize current revenue attributable to deficiency payments received from customers who fail to ship or move more than minimum contracted volumes until the related credits expire or are used;
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- non-utilization of our assets and facilities;
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- increased costs, or lack of availability, of insurance;
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- weather interference with business operations or project construction, including the impact of extreme weather events or conditions;
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- the availability of, and our ability to consummate, acquisition or combination opportunities;
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- the successful integration and future performance of acquired assets or businesses and the risks associated with operating in lines of business that are distinct and separate from our historical operations;
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- the effectiveness of our risk management activities;
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- shortages or cost increases of supplies, materials or labor;
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- the impact of current and future laws, rulings, governmental regulations, accounting standards and statements, and related interpretations;
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- fluctuations in the debt and equity markets, including the price of our units at the time of vesting under our long-term incentive plans;
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- risks related to the development and operation of our assets, including our ability to satisfy our contractual obligations to our customers;
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- factors affecting demand for natural gas and natural gas storage services and rates;
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- general economic, market or business conditions and the amplification of other risks caused by volatile financial markets, capital constraints and pervasive liquidity concerns; and
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- other factors and uncertainties inherent in the transportation, storage, terminalling and marketing of crude oil and refined products, as well as in the storage of natural gas and the processing, transportation, fractionation, storage and marketing of NGLs.
Other factors described or incorporated by reference herein, as well as factors that are unknown or unpredictable, could also have a material adverse effect on future results. Please read "Risk Factors" on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement and in Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 (File No. 001-14569), which is incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference, for information regarding risks you should consider before making an investment decision. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we do not intend to update these forward-looking statements and information.
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This summary highlights information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. It does not contain all of the information that you should consider before making an investment decision. You should read carefully the entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein and the other documents to which we refer herein and therein for a more complete understanding of this offering of common units. Please read "Risk Factors" on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, which is incorporated by reference herein, for information regarding risks you should consider before investing in our common units.
For purposes of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, references to "PAA," the "Partnership," "we," "us," "our" and similar terms refer to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and its subsidiaries. With respect to the cover page and in the section entitled "Prospectus Supplement Summary—The Offering," "we," "our" and "us" refer only to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and not to any of its subsidiaries. References to our "general partner," as the context requires, include any or all of PAA GP LLC, Plains AAP, L.P., Plains All American GP LLC, Plains GP Holdings, L.P. and PAA GP Holdings LLC.
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
We are a Delaware limited partnership formed in 1998. Our operations are conducted directly and indirectly through our primary operating subsidiaries. We own and operate midstream energy infrastructure and provide logistics services for crude oil, NGLs, natural gas and refined products.
We own an extensive network of pipeline transportation, terminalling, storage and gathering assets in key crude oil and NGL producing basins and transportation corridors and at major market hubs in the United States and Canada. Our business activities are conducted through three operating segments: Transportation, Facilities and Supply and Logistics.
Ongoing Acquisition and Investment Activities
Consistent with our business strategy, we are continuously engaged in the evaluation of potential acquisitions, joint ventures and capital projects. As a part of these efforts, we often engage in discussions with potential sellers or other parties regarding the possible purchase of, or investment in, assets and operations that are strategic and complementary to our existing operations. In addition, in the past we have evaluated and pursued, and intend in the future to evaluate and pursue, the acquisition of or investment in other energy-related assets that have characteristics and provide opportunities similar to our existing business lines and enable us to leverage our assets, knowledge and skill sets. Such efforts may involve participation by us in processes that have been made public and involve a number of potential buyers or investors, commonly referred to as "auction" processes, as well as situations in which we believe we are the only party or one of a limited number of parties who are in negotiations with the potential seller or other party. These acquisition and investment efforts often involve assets which, if acquired or constructed, could have a material effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
From time to time, we may also sell assets that we regard as non-core or that we believe might be a better fit with the business and/or assets of a third-party buyer.
We typically do not announce a transaction until after we have executed a definitive agreement. However, in certain cases in order to protect our business interests or for other reasons, we may defer public announcement of a transaction until closing or a later date. Past experience has demonstrated that discussions and negotiations regarding a potential transaction can advance or terminate in a short period of time. Moreover, the closing of any transaction for which we have entered into a definitive
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agreement may be subject to customary and other closing conditions, which may not ultimately be satisfied or waived. Accordingly, we can give no assurance that our current or future acquisition, divestiture or investment efforts will be successful. Although we expect the acquisitions and investments we make to be accretive in the long term, we can provide no assurance that our expectations will ultimately be realized.
Our Principal Executive Offices
Our executive offices are located at 333 Clay Street, Suite 1600, Houston, Texas 77002. Our telephone number is (713) 646-4100. We maintain a website atwww.plainsallamerican.com that provides information about our business and operations. Information contained on or available through our website is not incorporated into or otherwise a part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus.
Additional Information
For additional information about us, including our partnership structure and management, please refer to the documents set forth under "Where You Can Find More Information" in this prospectus supplement, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2016, June 30, 2016 and September 30, 2016, each of which is incorporated by reference herein.
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Common Units Offered | Common units having an aggregate offering price of up to $750,000,000. | |
Use of Proceeds | We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, after deducting the sales agents' commissions and our offering expenses, for general partnership purposes, which may include, among other things, repayment of indebtedness, acquisitions, capital expenditures and additions to working capital. | |
Amounts repaid under our credit facilities or commercial paper program may be reborrowed to fund our ongoing expansion capital program, future acquisitions and investments or for general partnership purposes. Please read "Use of Proceeds" in this prospectus supplement for further information. | ||
Exchange Listing | Our common units are traded on the NYSE under the symbol "PAA." | |
Conflicts of Interest | Affiliates of certain of the sales agents are lenders under our credit facilities or dealers under our commercial paper program and may hold commercial paper notes thereunder. To the extent we use proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our credit facilities or commercial paper program, such affiliates may receive proceeds from this offering. Please read "Plan of Distribution" in this prospectus supplement for further information. | |
Risk Factors | There are risks associated with this offering and our business. You should consider carefully the risk factors on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement and the other risks identified in the documents incorporated by reference herein before making an investment in the common units offered hereby. |
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Before making an investment in the common units offered hereby, you should carefully consider the risk factors included in Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 (File No. 001-14569), which is incorporated by reference herein, together with all of the other information included in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In such case, the trading price of our common units could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
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We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering, after deducting the sales agents' commissions and our offering expenses, for general partnership purposes, which may include, among other things, repayment of indebtedness, acquisitions, capital expenditures and additions to working capital. Amounts repaid under our credit facilities or commercial paper program may be reborrowed to fund our ongoing expansion capital program, future acquisitions and investments or for general partnership purposes.
Affiliates of certain of the sales agents are lenders under our credit facilities or dealers under our commercial paper program and may hold commercial paper notes thereunder. To the extent we use proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our credit facilities or commercial paper program, such affiliates may receive a portion of the net proceeds from this offering. Please read "Plan of Distribution" in this prospectus supplement for further information.
As of November 29, 2016, there were no borrowings outstanding under our senior unsecured revolving credit facility, which bears interest at a variable rate and matures in August 2021. As of November 29, 2016, we had approximately $750 million of borrowings outstanding under our senior secured hedged inventory facility with a weighted average interest rate of 1.60%. Our senior secured hedged inventory facility matures in August 2019. Borrowings from such facility are primarily used to finance purchased or stored hedged inventory, including New York Mercantile Exchange ("NYMEX") and Intercontinental Exchange ("ICE") margin deposits. As of November 29, 2016 there were no borrowings outstanding under our senior unsecured 364-day revolving credit facility, which bears interest at a variable rate and matures in August 2017. As of November 29, 2016, we had approximately $864 million of borrowings outstanding under our commercial paper program with a weighted average interest rate of approximately 1.42%. The outstanding borrowings under our commercial paper program have maturity dates of three months or less. Our commercial paper program is backstopped by our senior secured hedged inventory facility and our senior unsecured revolving credit facility. Borrowings from our commercial paper program are primarily used to fund hedged NGL and crude oil inventory and NYMEX and ICE margin deposits, capital investments and for other general partnership purposes.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
The tax consequences to you of an investment in our common units will depend in part on your own tax circumstances. Although this section updates and adds information related to certain tax considerations, it should be read in conjunction with the risk factors included under the caption "Tax Risks to Common Unitholders" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and with "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences" in the accompanying base prospectus, which provides a discussion of the principal federal income tax consequences associated with our operations and the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common units. The following discussion is limited as described under the caption "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences" in the accompanying base prospectus.
Taxation of the Partnership
Partnership Status
The IRS has issued proposed regulations regarding qualifying income under Section 7704(d)(1)(E) of the Code (the "Proposed Regulations"). We do not believe the Proposed Regulations affect our ability to qualify as a publicly traded partnership. However, there are no assurances that final regulations will not include changes that interpret Section 7704(d)(1)(E) in a manner that is contrary to the Proposed Regulations, which could modify the amount of our gross income that we are able to treat as qualifying income for the purposes of the Qualifying Income Exception.
Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership
Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction
In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our unitholders (other than the preferred unitholders) in accordance with their percentage interests in us. If we have a net loss, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated first among our unitholders (other than the preferred unitholders) in accordance with their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts, second among our preferred unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts, and thereafter to our general partner. At any time that distributions are made with respect to the preferred units, gross income will be allocated to the holders of preferred units to the extent of such distributions.
Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
Ownership of common units by employee benefit plans and other tax-exempt organizations as well as by non-resident alien individuals, non-U.S. corporations and other non-U.S. persons raises issues unique to those investors. Please read "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors" in the accompanying base prospectus.
Administrative Matters
Partnership Audit Rules for Tax Years Beginning After December 31, 2017
Recently enacted legislation, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, changes the audit procedures for large partnerships and in certain circumstances would permit the IRS to assess and collect taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) resulting from partnership-level federal income tax audits directly from us in the year in which the audit is completed. If we are required to make payments of taxes, penalties and interest resulting from audit adjustments, our cash available for distribution to our unitholders might be substantially reduced. Pursuant to this new legislation, we are required to designate an eligible person to act as the "Partnership Representative"
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with exclusive authority to act on our behalf in connection with federal income tax audits, requests by us for administrative adjustments, and any judicial proceedings arising in connection with those matters. Actions taken by the Partnership Representative will be binding on us and all of our unitholders. We anticipate that our general partner or its designee will act as the Partnership Representative.
Nominee Reporting
Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:
- (1)
- the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;
- (2)
- a statement regarding whether the beneficial owner is:
- (a)
- a non-U.S. person;
- (b)
- a non-U.S. government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or
- (c)
- a tax-exempt entity;
- (3)
- the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and
- (4)
- specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales.
Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are U.S. persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $250 per failure, up to a maximum of $3 million per calendar year, is imposed by the Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the units with the information furnished to us.
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We have entered into an equity distribution agreement with Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities, LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., DNB Markets, Inc., Fifth Third Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Jefferies LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, MUFG Securities Americas Inc., Mizuho Securities USA Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, as sales agents, under which we are permitted to offer and sell common units having an aggregate offering price of up to $750,000,000 from time to time. We have filed the equity distribution agreement as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. The sales, if any, of common units made under the equity distribution agreement will be made by means of ordinary brokers' transactions on the New York Stock Exchange at market prices, in block transactions, or as otherwise as agreed upon by one or more of the sales agents and us. The sales agents will not engage in any transactions that stabilize the price of our common units.
Under the terms of the equity distribution agreement, we also may sell common units to one or more of our sales agents as principal for its own account at a price agreed upon at the time of sale. If we sell common units to one or more of our sales agents as principal, we will enter into a separate agreement with the sales agent and we will describe this agreement in a separate prospectus supplement or pricing supplement.
We will designate the maximum amount of common units to be sold through the sales agents on a daily basis or otherwise as we and the sales agents agree and the minimum price per common unit at which such common units may be sold. Subject to the terms and conditions of the equity distribution agreement, the sales agents will use their reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the designated common units. We may instruct the sales agents not to sell any common units if the sales cannot be effected at or above the price designated by us in any such instruction. We or the sales agents may suspend the offering of common units at any time and from time to time by notifying the other party.
The sales agents will provide to us written confirmation following the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange each day in which common units are sold under the equity distribution agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of common units sold on that day, the gross sales proceeds and the net proceeds to us (after regulatory transaction fees, if any, but before other expenses). We will report at least quarterly the number of common units sold through the sales agents under the equity distribution agreement, the net proceeds to us (before expenses) and the commissions of the sales agents in connection with the sales of the common units.
We will pay each sales agent a commission of up to 2.0% of the gross sales price per common unit sold through it as our agent under the equity distribution agreement. We have agreed to reimburse the sales agents for certain of their expenses.
Settlement for sales of common units will occur on the third business day following the date on which any sales were made in return for payment of the net proceeds to us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
If we or any of the sales agents have reason to believe that our common units are no longer an "actively-traded security" as defined under Rule 101(c)(l) of Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that party will promptly notify the others and sales of common units pursuant to the equity distribution agreement or any terms agreement will be suspended until in our collective judgment Rule 101(c)(1) or another exemptive provision has been satisfied.
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The offering of common units pursuant to the equity distribution agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (1) the sale of all common units subject to the equity distribution agreement or (2) the termination of the equity distribution agreement by us or by the sales agents.
In connection with the sale of the common units on our behalf, each of the sales agents will be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act), and the compensation paid to the sales agents may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to provide indemnification and contribution to the sales agents against certain liabilities, including civil liabilities under the Securities Act.
Conflicts of Interest
The sales agents and/or affiliates of each of the sales agents have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various financial advisory and commercial and investment banking services for us and our affiliates, for which they have received and in the future will receive customary compensation and expense reimbursement.
Affiliates of certain of the sales agents are lenders under our credit facilities or dealers under our commercial paper program and may hold commercial paper notes thereunder. To the extent we use proceeds from this offering to repay indebtedness under our credit facilities or commercial paper program, such affiliates may receive proceeds from this offering.
In addition, in the ordinary course of their business activities, the sales agents and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers. Such investments and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of ours or our affiliates. If the sales agents or their affiliates have a lending relationship with us, they may hedge their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. The sales agents and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or financial instruments and may hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.
FINRA
In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, the maximum discount or commission to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer may not exceed 8% of the aggregate offering price of the common units offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement. Because FINRA views the common units offered hereby as interests in a direct participation program, this offering is being made in compliance with Rule 2310 of the FINRA Rules.
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The validity of the common units offered in this prospectus supplement will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for the sales agents by Baker Botts L.L.P., Houston, Texas.
The financial statements and management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this Prospectus Supplement by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are "incorporating by reference" into this prospectus supplement information we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). This procedure means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to documents filed with the SEC. The information we incorporate by reference is part of this prospectus supplement and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (excluding any information furnished and not filed pursuant to any Current Report on Form 8-K) until the offering and sale of the common units contemplated by this prospectus supplement are complete:
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- Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015;
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- Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2016, June 30, 2016 and September 30, 2016; and
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- Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 19, 2016 (Series A preferred unit purchase agreement), February 2, 2016 (closing of Series A preferred unit offering), May 18, 2016 (indictment related to Santa Barbara County crude oil release), July 14, 2016 (simplification agreement), August 9, 2016 (recommencement of at-the-market offering program), August 17, 2016 (amendments to credit facilities), August 31, 2016 (compensatory arrangements for certain officers), November 18, 2016 (documentation related to debt offering), November 21, 2016 (closing of the transactions contemplated by the simplification agreement) and November 29, 2016 (documentation related to debt offering).
You may request a copy of these filings (other than any exhibits unless specifically incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus) at no cost by making written or telephone requests for copies to:
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
333 Clay Street, Suite 1600
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Telephone: (713) 646-4100
Additionally, you may read and copy any materials that we have filed with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
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The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding us. The SEC's website address iswww.sec.gov.
You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus. We have not, and the sales agents and their affiliates and agents have not, authorized anyone else to provide you with any other information. You should not assume that the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus is accurate as of any date other than its date.
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PROSPECTUS
PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P.
PAA FINANCE CORP.
Common Units
Debt Securities
We may offer and sell the common units representing limited partner interests of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., and debt securities described in this prospectus from time to time in one or more classes or series and in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of our offerings. PAA Finance Corp. may act as co-issuer of the debt securities.
We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. This prospectus describes the general terms of these common units and debt securities and the general manner in which we will offer the common units and debt securities. The specific terms of any common units and debt securities we offer will be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also describe the specific manner in which we will offer the common units and debt securities.
Investing in our common units and the debt securities involves risks. Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. You should carefully consider the risk factors described under "Risk Factors" beginning on page 3 of this prospectus before you make an investment in our securities.
Our common units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "PAA." We will provide information in the prospectus supplement for the trading market, if any, for any debt securities we may offer.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is October 7, 2015.
About This Prospectus | i | |||
Where You Can Find More Information | i | |||
Forward-Looking Statements | ii | |||
About Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. | 1 | |||
Risk Factors | 3 | |||
Use of Proceeds | 4 | |||
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges | 5 | |||
Description of Our Debt Securities | 6 | |||
Description of Our Common Units | 15 | |||
Cash Distribution Policy | 17 | |||
Description of Our Partnership Agreement | 21 | |||
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences | 24 | |||
Plan of Distribution | 38 | |||
Legal Matters | 40 | |||
Experts | 41 |
In making your investment decision, you should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. If any other person provides you with additional, different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.
This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are not an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale of such securities is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus, or that the information contained in any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of such document, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we and PAA Finance Corp. have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") using a "shelf" registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, over time, offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus generally describes Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and the securities. Each time we sell securities with this prospectus, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information in this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in such prospectus supplement. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with additional information described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information," and any additional information you may need to make your investment decision.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We "incorporate by reference" information into this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede this
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information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus, or that the information contained in any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of such document.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K), including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, until all offerings under this registration statement are completed:
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- Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014;
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- Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2015 and June 30, 2015;
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- Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 9, 2015, January 20, 2015, March 2, 2015, May 15, 2015, May 26, 2015, June 11, 2015, August 14, 2015, August 19, 2015 and August 26, 2015; and
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- the description of our common units contained in our Form 8-A/A dated November 3, 1998 and any subsequent amendment thereto filed for the purpose of updating such description.
You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
333 Clay Street, Suite 1600
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: Corporate Secretary
Telephone: (713) 646-4100
Additionally, you may read and copy any documents filed by us at the SEC's public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-732-0330 for further information on its Public Reference Room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the SEC's websitewww.sec.gov.
We also make available free of charge on our website atir.paalp.com our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.
All statements included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements incorporating the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "plan," "intend" and "forecast," as well as similar expressions and statements regarding our business strategy, plans and objectives for future operations. The absence of such words, expressions or statements, however, does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. Any such forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events, based on what we believe to be reasonable assumptions. Certain factors could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially
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from the results or outcomes anticipated in the forward-looking statements. The most important of these factors include, but are not limited to:
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- failure to implement or capitalize, or delays in implementing or capitalizing, on planned growth projects;
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- declines in the volume of crude oil, refined product and NGL shipped, processed, purchased, stored, fractionated and/or gathered at or through the use of our facilities, whether due to declines in production from existing oil and gas reserves, failure to develop or slowdown in the development of additional oil and gas reserves, whether from reduced cash flow to fund drilling or the inability to access capital, or other factors;
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- unanticipated changes in crude oil market structure, grade differentials and volatility (or lack thereof);
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- environmental liabilities or events that are not covered by an indemnity, insurance or existing reserves;
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- fluctuations in refinery capacity in areas supplied by our mainlines and other factors affecting demand for various grades of crude oil, refined products and natural gas and resulting changes in pricing conditions or transportation throughput requirements;
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- the effects of competition;
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- the occurrence of a natural disaster, catastrophe, terrorist attack or other event, including attacks on our electronic and computer systems;
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- tightened capital markets or other factors that increase our cost of capital or limit our ability to obtain debt or equity financing on satisfactory terms to fund additional acquisitions, expansion projects, working capital requirements and the repayment or refinancing of indebtedness;
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- the currency exchange rate of the Canadian dollar;
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- continued creditworthiness of, and performance by, our counterparties, including financial institutions and trading companies with which we do business;
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- maintenance of our credit rating and ability to receive open credit from our suppliers and trade counterparties;
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- weather interference with business operations or project construction, including the impact of extreme weather events or conditions;
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- the availability of, and our ability to consummate, acquisition or combination opportunities;
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- the successful integration and future performance of acquired assets or businesses and the risks associated with operating in lines of business that are distinct and separate from our historical operations;
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- increased costs, or lack of availability, of insurance;
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- non-utilization of our assets and facilities;
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- the effectiveness of our risk management activities;
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- shortages or cost increases of supplies, materials or labor;
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- the impact of current and future laws, rulings, governmental regulations, accounting standards and statements, and related interpretations;
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- fluctuations in the debt and equity markets, including the price of our units at the time of vesting under our long-term incentive plans;
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- risks related to the development and operation of our facilities, including our ability to satisfy our contractual obligations to our customers at our facilities;
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- factors affecting demand for natural gas and natural gas storage services and rates;
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- general economic, market or business conditions and the amplification of other risks caused by volatile financial markets, capital constraints and pervasive liquidity concerns; and
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- other factors and uncertainties inherent in the transportation, storage, terminalling and marketing of crude oil and refined products, as well as in the storage of natural gas and the processing, transportation, fractionation, storage and marketing of natural gas liquids.
Other factors described herein or incorporated by reference, as well as factors that are unknown or unpredictable, could also have a material adverse effect on future results. Please read "Risk Factors" beginning on page 3 of this prospectus and in Item 1A. of our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 (File No. 001-14569). Except as required by applicable securities laws, we do not intend to update these forward-looking statements and information.
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ABOUT PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE, L.P.
Overview
We are a Delaware limited partnership formed in 1998. We own and operate midstream energy infrastructure and provide logistics services for crude oil, natural gas liquids ("NGL"), natural gas and refined products. The term NGL includes ethane and natural gasoline products as well as products commonly referred to as liquefied petroleum gas ("LPG") such as propane and butane.
We are one of the largest publicly traded partnerships with an extensive network of pipeline transportation, terminalling, storage, and gathering assets in key crude oil and NGL producing basins and transportation corridors and at major market hubs in the United States and Canada. Our business activities are conducted through three operating segments: transportation, facilities and supply and logistics.
PAA Finance Corp. was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in 2004, is wholly owned by Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., and has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of debt securities. Its activities are limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto.
For purposes of this prospectus, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, "Partnership," "Plains," "PAA," "we," "us," "our," "ours" and similar terms refer to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and its subsidiaries. References to our "general partner," as the context requires, include any or all of PAA GP LLC, Plains AAP, L.P. and Plains All American GP LLC.
Ongoing Acquisition and Investment Activities
Consistent with our business strategy, we are continuously engaged in the evaluation of potential acquisitions, joint ventures and capital projects. As a part of these efforts, we often engage in discussions with potential sellers or other parties regarding the possible purchase of or investment in assets and operations that are strategic and complementary to our existing operations. In addition, we have in the past evaluated and pursued, and intend in the future to evaluate and pursue, the acquisition of or investment in other energy-related assets that have characteristics and opportunities similar to our existing business lines and enable us to leverage our assets, knowledge and skill sets. Such efforts may involve participation by us in processes that have been made public and involve a number of potential buyers or investors, commonly referred to as "auction" processes, as well as situations in which we believe we are the only party or one of a limited number of parties who are in negotiations with the potential seller or other party. These acquisition and investment efforts often involve assets which, if acquired or constructed, could have a material effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We typically do not announce a transaction until after we have executed a definitive agreement. However, in certain cases in order to protect our business interests or for other reasons, we may defer public announcement of a transaction until closing or a later date. Past experience has demonstrated that discussions and negotiations regarding a potential transaction can advance or terminate in a short period of time. Moreover, the closing of any transaction for which we have entered into a definitive agreement may be subject to customary and other closing conditions, which may not ultimately be satisfied or waived. Accordingly, we can give no assurance that our current or future acquisition or investment efforts will be successful. Although we expect the acquisitions and investments we make to be accretive in the long term, we can provide no assurance that our expectations will ultimately be realized.
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Principal Executive Offices and Internet Address
Our principal executive offices are located at 333 Clay Street, Suite 1600, Houston, Texas 77002 and our telephone number is (713) 646-4100. Our website is located atwww.plainsallamerican.com. We make our periodic and current reports and other information filed with or furnished to the SEC available, free of charge, through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports and other information are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus.
Additional Information
For additional information about us, including our partnership structure and management, please refer to the documents set forth under "Where You Can Find More Information" in this prospectus, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, which is incorporated by reference herein.
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An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risk factors included in Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 (File No. 001-14569), which is incorporated into this prospectus by reference, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference, in evaluating an investment in our securities. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In such case, the trading price of our common units or value of our debt securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment. When we offer and sell any securities pursuant to a prospectus supplement, we may include additional risk factors relevant to such securities in the prospectus supplement.
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Unless otherwise indicated to the contrary in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of securities covered by this prospectus for general partnership purposes, which may include repayment of indebtedness, acquisitions, capital expenditures and additions to working capital.
Any specific allocation of the net proceeds of an offering of securities to a specific purpose will be determined at the time of the offering and will be described in a prospectus supplement.
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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated on a consolidated historical basis. For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, "earnings" consist of pre-tax income from continuing operations before income from equity investees plus fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest), distributed income of equity investees and amortization of capitalized interest. "Fixed charges" represent interest incurred (whether expensed or capitalized), amortization of debt expense (including discounts and premiums relating to indebtedness) and the portion of rental expense on operating leases deemed to be the equivalent of interest.
| Six Months Ended June 30, | Year Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
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| 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | |||||||||||||
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges(1) | 2.67x | 4.30x | 4.41x | 4.03x | 4.13x | 2.57x | |||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
- (1)
- Includes interest costs attributable to borrowings for hedged inventory purchases of $3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2015 and $12 million, $30 million, $12 million, $20 million and $17 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
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DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES
General
The debt securities will be:
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- our direct general obligations;
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- either senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities; and
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- issued under separate indentures (which may be existing indentures) among Plains All American Pipeline, PAA Finance and U.S. Bank National Association, as successor Trustee.
Plains All American Pipeline may issue debt securities in one or more series, and PAA Finance may be a co-issuer of one or more series of debt securities. PAA Finance was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in May 2004, is wholly-owned by Plains All American Pipeline, and has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of debt securities. Its activities are limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto. When used in this section "Description of the Debt Securities," the terms "we," "us," "our" and "issuers" refer jointly to Plains All American Pipeline and PAA Finance, and the terms "Plains All American Pipeline" and "PAA Finance" refer strictly to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and PAA Finance Corp., respectively.
If we offer senior debt securities, we will issue them under a senior indenture. If we issue subordinated debt securities, we will issue them under a subordinated indenture. A form of each indenture is filed as an exhibit to the latest registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We have not restated either indenture in its entirety in this description. You should read the relevant indenture because it, and not this description, controls your rights as holders of the debt securities. Capitalized terms used in this summary have the meanings specified in the indentures.
Specific Terms of Each Series of Debt Securities in the Prospectus Supplement
A prospectus supplement and a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:
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- whether PAA Finance will be a co-issuer of the debt securities;
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- whether the debt securities are senior or subordinated debt securities;
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- the title of the debt securities;
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- the total principal amount of the debt securities;
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- the assets, if any, that are pledged as security for the payment of the debt securities;
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- whether we will issue the debt securities in individual certificates to each holder in registered form, or in the form of temporary or permanent global securities held by a depository on behalf of holders;
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- the prices at which we will issue the debt securities;
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- the portion of the principal amount that will be payable if the maturity of the debt securities is accelerated;
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- the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities will be payable, if not U.S. dollars;
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- the dates on which the principal of the debt securities will be payable;
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- the interest rate that the debt securities will bear and the interest payment dates for the debt securities;
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- any conversion or exchange provisions;
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- any optional redemption provisions;
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- any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to repurchase or otherwise redeem the debt securities;
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- any changes to or additional events of default or covenants; and
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- any other terms of the debt securities.
We may offer and sell debt securities, including original issue discount debt securities, at a substantial discount below their principal amount. The prospectus supplement will describe special U.S. federal income tax and any other considerations applicable to those securities. In addition, the prospectus supplement may describe certain special U.S. federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any debt securities that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.
Possible Future Guarantees
We contemplate that none of the subsidiaries of Plains All American Pipeline will guarantee the debt securities of any series. If at any time after the issuance of the debt securities of any series, however, a subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline guarantees any of our debt, we will cause such subsidiary to guarantee that series in accordance with the applicable indenture by simultaneously executing and delivering a supplemental indenture.
Any guarantors of a series of debt securities would unconditionally guarantee to each holder and the Trustee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of that series when and as the same became due and payable, whether at maturity, upon redemption or repurchase, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise. If a series of debt securities is guaranteed, the related prospectus supplement will identify all of the guarantor subsidiaries. Also, such prospectus supplement will describe any limitation on the maximum amount of any particular guarantee and the conditions under which guarantees may be released.
Any guarantees would be general obligations of the guarantors. Guarantees of subordinated debt securities would be subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of the guarantors on the same basis as the subordinated debt securities are subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of Plains All American Pipeline.
Consolidation, Merger or Asset Sale
Each indenture will, in general, allow us to consolidate or merge with or into another domestic entity. It will also allow each issuer to sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to another domestic entity. If this happens, the remaining or acquiring entity must assume all of the issuer's responsibilities and liabilities under the indenture including the payment of all amounts due on the debt securities and performance of the issuer's covenants in the indenture.
However, each indenture will impose certain requirements with respect to any consolidation or merger with or into an entity, or any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of an issuer's assets, including:
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- the remaining or acquiring entity must be organized under the laws of the United States, any state or the District of Columbia; provided that PAA Finance may not merge, amalgamate or consolidate with or into another entity other than a corporation satisfying such requirement for so long as Plains All American Pipeline is not a corporation;
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- the remaining or acquiring entity must assume the issuer's obligations under the indenture; and
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- immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default (as defined under "—Events of Default and Remedies" below) may exist.
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The remaining or acquiring entity will be substituted for the issuer in the indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture, and the issuer will be relieved from any further obligations under the indenture.
No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control
Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions that protect the holders of the debt securities in the event of a change of control of us or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, whether or not such transaction results in a change of control of us.
Modification of Indentures
We may supplement or amend an indenture if the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series issued under the indenture affected by the supplement or amendment consent to it. Further, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive past defaults under the indenture and compliance by us with our covenants with respect to the debt securities of that series only. Those holders may not, however, waive any default in any payment on any debt security of that series or compliance with a provision that cannot be supplemented or amended without the consent of each holder affected. Without the consent of each outstanding debt security affected, no modification of the indenture or waiver may:
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- reduce the principal amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
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- reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any debt security;
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- reduce or waive the premium payable upon redemption or alter or waive the provisions with respect to the redemption of the debt securities (except as may be permitted in the case of a particular series of debt securities);
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- reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on any debt security;
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- waive a Default or an Event of Default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities (except a rescission of acceleration of the debt securities by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
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- except as otherwise permitted under the indenture, release any security that may have been granted with respect to the debt securities;
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- make any debt security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt securities;
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- in the case of any subordinated debt security, make any change in the subordination provisions that adversely affects the rights of any holder under those provisions;
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- make any change in the provisions of the indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of holders of debt securities to receive payments of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities;
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- waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security (except as may be permitted in the case of a particular series of debt securities);
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- except as otherwise permitted in the indenture, release any guarantor from its obligations under its guarantee or the indenture or change any guarantee in any manner that would adversely affect the rights of holders; or
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- make any change in the preceding amendment, supplement and waiver provisions (except to increase any percentage set forth therein).
We may supplement or amend an indenture without the consent of any holders of the debt securities in certain circumstances, including:
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- to establish the form of terms of any series of debt securities;
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- to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
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- to provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or in place of certificated notes;
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- to provide for the assumption of an issuer's obligations to holders of debt securities in the case of a merger or consolidation or disposition of all or substantially all of such issuer's assets;
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- in the case of any subordinated debt security, to make any change in the subordination provisions that limits or terminates the benefits applicable to any holder of Senior Indebtedness of Plains All American Pipeline;
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- to add or release any guarantors pursuant to the terms of the indenture;
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- to make any changes that would provide any additional rights or benefits to the holders of debt securities or that do not, taken as a whole, adversely affect the rights under the indenture of any holder of debt securities;
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- to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;
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- to evidence or provide for the acceptance of appointment under the indenture of a successor Trustee;
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- to add any additional Events of Default; or
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- to secure the debt securities and/or any guarantees.
Events of Default and Remedies
"Event of Default," when used in an indenture, will mean any of the following with respect to the debt securities of any series:
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- failure to pay when due the principal of or any premium on any debt security of that series;
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- failure to pay, within 60 days of the due date, interest on any debt security of that series;
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- failure to pay when due any sinking fund payment with respect to any debt securities of that series;
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- failure on the part of the issuers to comply with the covenant described under "—Consolidation, Merger or Asset Sale;"
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- failure to perform any other covenant in the indenture that continues for 30 days after written notice is given to the issuers;
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- certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of an issuer; or
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- any other Event of Default provided under the terms of the debt securities of that series.
An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities will not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under an indenture. The Trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default (except in the payment of principal,
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premium, if any, or interest) if it considers such withholding of notice to be in the best interests of the holders.
If an Event of Default for any series of debt securities occurs and continues, the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of the series may declare the entire principal of, and accrued interest on, all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. If this happens, subject to certain conditions, the holders of a majority in the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series can rescind the declaration.
Other than its duties in case of a default, a Trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under either indenture at the request, order or direction of any holders, unless the holders offer the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity. If they provide this reasonable security or indemnification, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of any series of debt securities may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding or any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any power conferred upon the Trustee, for that series of debt securities.
No Limit on Amount of Debt Securities
Neither indenture will limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue, unless we indicate otherwise in a prospectus supplement. Each indenture will allow us to issue debt securities of any series up to the aggregate principal amount that we authorize.
Registration of Notes
We will issue debt securities of a series only in registered form, without coupons, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.
Minimum Denominations
Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, the debt securities will be issued only in principal amounts of $1,000 each or integral multiples of $1,000.
No Personal Liability
None of the past, present or future partners, incorporators, managers, members, directors, officers, employees, unitholders or stockholders of either issuer, the general partner of Plains All American Pipeline or any guarantor will have any liability for the obligations of the issuers or any guarantors under either indenture or the debt securities or for any claim based on such obligations or their creation. Each holder of debt securities by accepting a debt security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the debt securities. The waiver may not be effective under federal securities laws, however, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.
Payment and Transfer
The Trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar under each indenture. The issuers may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of debt securities, and the issuers or any of their subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.
If a holder of debt securities has given wire transfer instructions to the issuers, the issuers will make all payments on the debt securities in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on the debt securities will be made at the corporate trust office of the Trustee, unless the issuers elect to make interest payments by check mailed to the holders at their addresses set forth in the debt security register.
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The Trustee and any paying agent will repay to us upon request any funds held by them for payments on the debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment as general creditors.
Exchange, Registration and Transfer
Debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount and the same terms but in different authorized denominations in accordance with the indenture. Holders may present debt securities for exchange or registration of transfer at the office of the registrar. The registrar will effect the transfer or exchange when it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. We will not charge a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities. We may, however, require the payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable for that registration.
We will not be required to:
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- issue, register the transfer of, or exchange debt securities of a series either during a period beginning 15 business days prior to the selection of debt securities of that series for redemption and ending on the close of business on the day of mailing of the relevant notice of redemption or repurchase, or between a record date and the next succeeding interest payment date; or
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- register the transfer of or exchange any debt security called for redemption or repurchase, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security we are redeeming or repurchasing in part.
Provisions Relating only to the Senior Debt Securities
The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other senior and unsubordinated debt. The senior debt securities will be effectively subordinated, however, to all of our secured debt to the extent of the value of the collateral for that debt. We will disclose the amount of our secured debt in the prospectus supplement.
Provisions Relating only to the Subordinated Debt Securities
Subordinated Debt Securities Subordinated to Senior Indebtedness
The subordinated debt securities will rank junior in right of payment to all of the Senior Indebtedness of Plains All American Pipeline. "Senior Indebtedness" will be defined in a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions respecting any issuance of a series of subordinated debt securities, and the definition will be set forth in the prospectus supplement.
Payment Blockages
The subordinated indenture will provide that no payment of principal, interest and any premium on the subordinated debt securities may be made in the event:
- •
- we or our property is involved in any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or bankruptcy;
- •
- we fail to pay the principal, interest, any premium or any other amounts on any Senior Indebtedness of Plains All American Pipeline within any applicable grace period or the maturity of such Senior Indebtedness is accelerated following any other default, subject to certain limited exceptions set forth in the subordinated indenture; or
- •
- any other default on any Senior Indebtedness of Plains All American Pipeline occurs that permits immediate acceleration of its maturity, in which case a payment blockage on the subordinated debt securities will be imposed for a maximum of 179 days at any one time.
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No Limitation on Amount of Senior Debt
The subordinated indenture will not limit the amount of Senior Indebtedness that Plains All American Pipeline may incur, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.
Book Entry, Delivery and Form
The debt securities of a particular series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates that will be deposited with the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York ("DTC"). This means that we will not issue certificates to each holder. Instead, one or more global debt securities will be issued to DTC, who will keep a computerized record of its participants (for example, your broker) whose clients have purchased the debt securities. The participant will then keep a record of its clients who purchased the debt securities. Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for a certificated debt security, a global debt security may not be transferred, except that DTC, its nominees and their successors may transfer a global debt security as a whole to one another.
Beneficial interests in global debt securities will be shown on, and transfers of global debt securities will be made only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.
DTC has provided us the following information: DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a "banking organization" within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the United States Federal Reserve System, a "clearing corporation" within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a "clearing agency" registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC holds securities that its participants ("Direct Participants") deposit with DTC. DTC also records the settlement among Direct Participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through computerized records for Direct Participants' accounts. This eliminates the need to exchange certificates. Direct Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations.
DTC's book-entry system is also used by other organizations such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that work through a Direct Participant. The rules that apply to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.
DTC is owned by a number of its Direct Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., The American Stock Exchange, Inc. and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA").
We will wire all payments on the global debt securities to DTC's nominee. We and the Trustee will treat DTC's nominee as the owner of the global debt securities for all purposes. Accordingly, we, the Trustee and any paying agent will have no direct responsibility or liability to pay amounts due on the global debt securities to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities.
It is DTC's current practice, upon receipt of any payment on the global debt securities, to credit Direct Participants' accounts on the payment date according to their respective holdings of beneficial interests in the global debt securities as shown on DTC's records. In addition, it is DTC's current practice to assign any consenting or voting rights to Direct Participants whose accounts are credited with debt securities on a record date, by using an omnibus proxy. Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities, and voting by participants, will be governed by the customary practices between the participants and owners of beneficial interests, as is the case with debt securities held for the account of customers registered in "street name." However, payments will be the responsibility of the participants and not of DTC, the Trustee or us.
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Debt securities represented by a global debt security will be exchangeable for certificated debt securities with the same terms in authorized denominations only if:
- •
- DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or if DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under applicable law and in either event a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 90 days; or
- •
- we determine not to require all of the debt securities of a series to be represented by a global debt security.
Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance
Each indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding debt securities of any series issued thereunder, when:
(a) either:
(1) all outstanding debt securities of that series that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed debt securities that have been replaced or paid and debt securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to us) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(2) all outstanding debt securities of that series that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the giving of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee and in any case we have irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness of such debt securities not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of debt securities that have been due and payable) or the stated maturity or redemption date;
(b) we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable by us under the indenture; and
(c) we have delivered an officers' certificate and an opinion of counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.
The debt securities of a particular series will be subject to legal or covenant defeasance to the extent, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in the prospectus supplement.
The Trustee
U.S. Bank National Association is the Trustee under the senior indenture and will be the initial Trustee under the subordinated indenture. We maintain a banking relationship in the ordinary course of business with U.S. Bank National Association and some of its affiliates.
Resignation or Removal of Trustee
If the Trustee has or acquires a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee must either eliminate its conflicting interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and the applicable indenture. Any resignation will require the appointment of a successor trustee under the applicable indenture in accordance with the terms and conditions of such indenture.
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The Trustee may resign or be removed by us with respect to one or more series of debt securities and a successor Trustee may be appointed to act with respect to any such series. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series may remove the Trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series.
Limitations on Trustee if it is a Creditor
Each indenture will limit the right of the Trustee thereunder, in the event that it becomes a creditor of an issuer or any guarantor, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise.
Certificates and Opinions to be Furnished to Trustee
Each indenture will provide that, in addition to other certificates or opinions that may be specifically required by other provisions of the indenture, every application by us for action by the Trustee must be accompanied by a certificate of certain of our officers and an opinion of counsel (who may be our counsel) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with by us.
Governing Law
Each indenture and all of the debt securities will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
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DESCRIPTION OF OUR COMMON UNITS
Generally, our common units represent limited partner interests that entitle the holders to participate in our cash distributions and to exercise the rights and privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the relative rights and preferences of holders of common units and our general partner in and to cash distributions. See "Cash Distribution Policy."
Our outstanding common units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol "PAA." Any additional common units we issue will also be listed on the NYSE.
The transfer agent and registrar for our common units is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company.
Voting
Each holder of common units is entitled to one vote for each common unit on all matters submitted to a vote of the unitholders.
Status as Limited Partner or Assignee
Except as described below under "—Limited Liability," the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional capital contributions to us.
Each purchaser of common units offered by this prospectus must execute a transfer application whereby the purchaser requests admission as a substituted limited partner and makes representations and agrees to provisions stated in the transfer application. If this action is not taken, a purchaser will not be registered as a record holder of common units on the books of our transfer agent or issued a common unit certificate. Purchasers may hold common units in nominee accounts.
An assignee, pending its admission as a substituted limited partner, is entitled to an interest in us equivalent to that of a limited partner with respect to the right to share in allocations and distributions, including liquidating distributions. Our general partner will vote and exercise other powers attributable to common units owned by an assignee who has not become a substituted limited partner at the written direction of the assignee. A nominee or broker who has executed a transfer application with respect to common units held in street name or nominee accounts will receive distributions and reports pertaining to its common units.
Limited Liability
Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the "Delaware Act") and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of our partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to some possible exceptions, generally to the amount of capital he is obligated to contribute to us in respect of his units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets.
Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner to the extent that at the time of the distribution, after giving effect to the distribution, all liabilities of the partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purposes of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of the property subject to liability of which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act
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provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act is liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years from the date of the distribution.
Reports and Records
As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, our general partner will furnish or make available to each unitholder of record (as of a record date selected by our general partner) an annual report containing our audited financial statements for the past fiscal year. These financial statements will be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, no later than 45 days after the close of each quarter (except the fourth quarter), our general partner will furnish or make available to each unitholder of record (as of a record date selected by our general partner) a report containing our unaudited financial statements and any other information required by law.
Our general partner will use all reasonable efforts to furnish each unitholder of record information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year. Our general partner's ability to furnish this summary tax information will depend on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying information to our general partner. Each unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his U.S. federal and state tax liability and filing his U.S. federal and state income tax returns.
A limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to the limited partner's interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:
- •
- a current list of the name and last known address of each partner;
- •
- a copy of our tax returns;
- •
- information as to the amount of cash and a description and statement of the agreed value of any other property or services, contributed or to be contributed by each partner and the date on which each became a partner;
- •
- copies of our partnership agreement, our certificate of limited partnership, amendments to either of them and powers of attorney which have been executed under our partnership agreement;
- •
- information regarding the status of our business and financial condition; and
- •
- any other information regarding our affairs as is just and reasonable.
Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets and other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes in good faith is not in our best interest or which we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.
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Distributions of Available Cash
General. We will distribute to our unitholders, on a quarterly basis, all of our available cash in the manner described below.
Definition of Available Cash. Available cash generally means, for any quarter ending prior to liquidation, all cash on hand at the end of that quarter less the amount of cash reserves that are necessary or appropriate in the reasonable discretion of the general partner to:
- •
- provide for the proper conduct of our business;
- •
- comply with applicable law or any partnership debt instrument or other agreement; or
- •
- provide funds for distributions to unitholders and the general partner in respect of any one or more of the next four quarters.
Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus
General. Cash distributions to our unitholders will be characterized as either operating surplus or capital surplus. We distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available cash from capital surplus. See "—Quarterly Distributions of Available Cash."
Definition of Operating Surplus. Operating surplus refers generally to:
- •
- our cash balances on the closing date of our initial public offering; plus
- •
- $25 million; plus
- •
- all of our cash receipts from operations, excluding cash that is capital surplus; less
- •
- all of our operating expenses, debt service payments (but not including payments required with the sale of assets or any refinancing with the proceeds of new indebtedness or an equity offering), maintenance capital expenditures and reserves established for future operations.
Definition of Capital Surplus. Capital surplus will generally be generated only by:
- •
- borrowings other than working capital borrowings;
- •
- sales of debt and equity securities; and
- •
- sales or other dispositions of assets for cash, other than inventory, accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business.
We will treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed after the closing date of our initial public offering equals the operating surplus as of the end of the quarter prior to the distribution. Any available cash in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, will be treated as capital surplus.
If we distribute available cash from capital surplus for each common unit in an aggregate amount per common unit equal to the initial public offering price of the common units, there will not be a distinction between operating surplus and capital surplus, and all distributions of available cash will be treated as operating surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make distributions from capital surplus.
Effect of Issuance of Additional Units
We can issue additional common units or other equity securities for consideration and under terms and conditions approved by our general partner in its sole discretion and without the approval of our
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unitholders. We may fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities.
Holders of any additional common units that we issue will be entitled to share equally with our then-existing unitholders in distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing unitholders. If we issue additional partnership interests, our general partner will be required to make an additional capital contribution to us.
Quarterly Distributions of Available Cash
We will make quarterly distributions to our partners prior to our liquidation in an amount equal to 100% of our available cash for that quarter. We expect to make distributions of all available cash within 45 days after the end of each quarter to holders of record on the applicable record date. The minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels are also subject to certain other adjustments as described below under "—Distributions from Capital Surplus" and "—Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels."
Distributions From Operating Surplus
We will make distributions of available cash from operating surplus in the following manner:
- •
- First, 98% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to the general partner, until we distribute for each unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and
- •
- Thereafter, in the manner described in "—Incentive Distribution Rights" below.
Incentive Distribution Rights
Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. The target distribution levels are based on the amounts of available cash from operating surplus distributed that exceed the minimum quarterly distribution, if any, and the related 2% distribution to the general partner.
For any quarter that we distribute available cash from operating surplus to the common unitholders in an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution on all units, then we will distribute any additional available cash from operating surplus in that quarter among the unitholders and the general partner in the following manner:
- •
- First, 85% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to the general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.2475 for that quarter for each outstanding unit (the "first target distribution");
- •
- Second, 75% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25% to the general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.3375 for that quarter for each outstanding unit (the "second target distribution"); and
- •
- Thereafter, 50% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50% to the general partner.
Our distributions to the general partner above, other than in its capacity as holders of units, that are in excess of its aggregate 2% general partner interest represent the incentive distribution rights. The right to receive incentive distribution rights is not part of its general partner interest and may be transferred separately from that interest, subject to certain restrictions.
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Adjustments to Incentive Distribution Rights
In connection with acquisitions or similar transactions, we have and may in the future modify the incentive distribution rights to, among other reasons, accelerate the accretion or other benefits of the transaction to limited partners.
Distributions from Capital Surplus
How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made. We will make distributions of available cash from capital surplus in the following manner:
- •
- First, 98% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to the general partner, until we distribute, for each common unit issued in this offering, available cash from capital surplus in an aggregate amount per common unit equal to the initial public offering price; and
- •
- Thereafter, we will make all distributions of available cash from capital surplus as if they were from operating surplus.
Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus. Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of available cash from capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price. To show that repayment, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced by multiplying each amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the unrecovered capital of the common units immediately after giving effect to that repayment and the denominator of which is the unrecovered capital of the common units immediately prior to that repayment.
When Payback Occurs. When "payback" of the reduced initial unit price has occurred, i.e., when the unrecovered capital of the common units is zero, then
- •
- the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced to zero for subsequent quarters;
- •
- all distributions of available cash will be treated as operating surplus; and
- •
- the general partner will be entitled to receive 50% of distributions of available cash in its capacities as general partner and as holder of the incentive distribution rights.
Distributions of available cash from capital surplus will not reduce the minimum quarterly distribution or target distribution levels for the quarter in which they are distributed.
Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels
How We Adjust the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels. In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our units into fewer units or subdivide our units into a greater number of units (but not if we issue additional common units for cash or property), we will proportionately adjust:
- •
- the minimum quarterly distribution;
- •
- the target distribution levels;
- •
- the unrecovered capital; and
- •
- other amounts calculated on a per unit basis.
For example, in the event of a two-for-one split of the common units, the minimum quarterly distribution, each of the target distribution levels and the unrecovered capital of the common units would each be reduced to 50% of its pre-split level.
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If We Became Subject to Taxation. If legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by the relevant governmental authority so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, we will adjust the minimum quarterly distribution and each of the target distribution levels, respectively, to equal the product obtained by multiplying the amount thereof by:
- •
- one minus the sum of (x) the maximum effective federal income tax rate to which we as an entity were subject plus (y) any increase in state and local income taxes to which we are subject for the taxable year of the event, after adjusting for any allowable deductions for federal income tax purposes for the payment of state and local income taxes.
For example, assuming we were not previously subject to state and local income tax, if we become taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes and became subject to a maximum marginal federal, and effective state and local, income tax rate of 38%, then the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels would each be reduced to 62% of the amount immediately prior to that adjustment.
Distribution of Cash Upon Liquidation
General. If we dissolve and liquidate, we will sell our assets or otherwise dispose of our assets and we will adjust the partners' capital account balances to show any resulting gain or loss. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors in the order of priority provided in our partnership agreement and by law and, thereafter, distribute to the unitholders and the general partner in accordance with their adjusted capital account balances.
Manner of Adjustment. If we liquidate, we would allocate any loss to the general partner and each unitholder as follows:
- •
- First, 98% to the holders of common units who have positive balances in their capital accounts in proportion to those positive balances and 2% to the general partner, until the capital accounts of the common unitholders have been reduced to zero; and
- •
- Thereafter, 100% to the general partner.
Interim Adjustments to Capital Accounts. If we issued additional security interests or made distributions of property, interim adjustments to capital accounts would also be made. These adjustments would be based on the fair market value of the interests or the property distributed and any gain or loss would be allocated to the unitholders and the general partner in the same way that a gain or loss is allocated upon liquidation. If positive interim adjustments are made to the capital accounts, any subsequent negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from our issuance of additional interests, distributions of property, or upon our liquidation, would be allocated in a way that, to the extent possible, in the capital account balances of the general partner equaling the amount which would have been the general partner's capital account balances if no prior positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made.
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DESCRIPTION OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. The following provisions of our partnership agreement are summarized elsewhere in this prospectus:
- •
- distributions of our available cash are described under "Cash Distribution Policy;"
- •
- allocations of taxable income and other tax matters are described under "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences;" and
- •
- rights of holders of common units are described under "Description of Our Common Units."
Purpose
Our purpose under our partnership agreement is to serve as a partner of our operating partnerships and to engage in any business activities that may be engaged in by our operating partnerships or that are approved by our general partner. The partnership agreements of our operating partnerships provide that they may engage in any activity that was engaged in by our predecessors at the time of our initial public offering or reasonably related thereto and any other activity approved by our general partner.
Power of Attorney
Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a unit from a unitholder and executes and delivers a transfer application, grants to our general partner and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance or dissolution. The power of attorney also grants the authority for the amendment of, and to make consents and waivers under, our partnership agreement.
Reimbursements of Our General Partner
Our general partner does not receive any compensation for its services as our general partner. It is, however, entitled to be reimbursed for all of its costs incurred in managing and operating our business. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will determine the expenses that are allocable to us in any reasonable manner determined by our general partner in its sole discretion.
Issuance of Additional Securities
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited partner interests and other equity securities that are equal in rank with or junior to our common units on terms and conditions established by our general partner in its sole discretion without the approval of any limited partners.
It is likely that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our cash distributions. In addition, the issuance of additional partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.
In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership interests that, in the sole discretion of our general partner, may have special voting rights to which common units are not entitled.
Our general partner has the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units or other equity securities whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those securities to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent
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necessary to maintain their percentage interests in us that existed immediately prior to the issuance. The holders of common units will not have preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership interests in us.
Amendments to Our Partnership Agreement
Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by our general partner. Any amendment that materially and adversely affects the rights or preferences of any type or class of limited partner interests in relation to other types or classes of limited partner interests or our general partner interest will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests or general partner interests so affected. However, in some circumstances, more particularly described in our partnership agreement, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of our limited partners or assignees.
Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner
Our general partner may withdraw as general partner without obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days' written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. In addition, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days' notice to our limited partners if at least 50% of our outstanding common units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates other than our general partner and its affiliates.
Upon the voluntary withdrawal of our general partner, the holders of a majority of our outstanding common units, excluding the common units held by the withdrawing general partner and its affiliates, may elect a successor to the withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within 90 days after that withdrawal, the holders of a majority of our outstanding units, excluding the common units held by the withdrawing general partner and its affiliates, agree to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner.
Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds of our outstanding units, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of this kind is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of our outstanding common units, including those held by our general partner and its affiliates.
While our partnership agreement limits the ability of our general partner to withdraw, it allows the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights to be transferred to an affiliate or to a third party in conjunction with a merger or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of our general partner.
In addition, our partnership agreement expressly permits the sale, in whole or in part, of the ownership of our general partner. Our general partner may also transfer, in whole or in part, the common units it owns.
Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
Upon our dissolution, unless we are reconstituted and continued as a new limited partnership, the person authorized to wind up our affairs (the liquidator) will, acting with all the powers of our general partner that the liquidator deems necessary or desirable in its good faith judgment, liquidate our assets. The proceeds of the liquidation will be applied as follows:
- •
- first, towards the payment of all of our creditors and the creation of a reserve for contingent liabilities; and
- •
- then, to all partners in accordance with the positive balance in the respective capital accounts.
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Under some circumstances and subject to some limitations, the liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time. If the liquidator determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause a loss to our partners, our general partner may distribute assets in kind to our partners.
Change of Management Provisions
Our partnership agreement contains the following specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove our general partner or otherwise change management:
- •
- generally, if a person acquires 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding other than from our general partner or its affiliates, the units owned by such person cannot be voted on any matter; and
- •
- provisions limiting the ability of unitholders to call meetings or to acquire information about our operations, as well as other provisions limiting the unitholders' ability to influence the manner or direction of management.
Limited Call Right
If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own 80% or more of the issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right to purchase all, but not less than all, of the outstanding limited partner interests of that class that are held by non-affiliated persons. The record date for determining ownership of the limited partner interests would be selected by our general partner on at least 10 but not more than 60 days' notice. The purchase price in the event of a purchase under these provisions would be the greater of (1) the current market price (as defined in our agreement) of the limited partner interests of the class as of the date three days prior to the date that notice is mailed to the limited partners as provided in our partnership agreement and (2) the highest cash price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for any limited partner interest of the class purchased within the 90 days preceding the date our general partner mails notice of its election to purchase the units.
Indemnification
Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify our general partner, its affiliates and their officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims or damages any of them may suffer by reason of their status as general partner, officer or director, as long as the person seeking indemnity acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or (in the case of an indemnitee other than the general partner) not opposed to our best interest. Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Our general partner shall not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate any indemnification.
We are authorized to purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our partnership agreement.
Registration Rights
Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any common units, or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates or their assignees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
This section summarizes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders and is based upon current provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), existing and proposed U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder (the "Treasury Regulations"), and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Changes in these authorities may cause the federal income tax consequences to a prospective unitholder to vary substantially from those described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to "we" or "us" are references to the partnership and its subsidiaries.
Legal conclusions contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and are based on the accuracy of representations made by us to them for this purpose. However, this section does not address all federal income tax matters that affect us or our unitholders and does not describe the application of the alternative minimum tax that may be applicable to certain unitholders. Furthermore, this section focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States (for federal income tax purposes), who have the U.S. dollar as their functional currency, who use the calendar year as their taxable year, and who hold units as capital assets (generally, property that is held for investment). This section has limited applicability to corporations, partnerships (including entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes), estates, trusts, non-resident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, non-U.S. persons, individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"), employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts or mutual funds.Accordingly, we encourage each unitholder to consult the unitholder's own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences particular to that unitholder resulting from ownership or disposition of units and potential changes in applicable tax laws.
We are relying on opinions and advice of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. with respect to the matters described herein. An opinion of counsel represents only that counsel's best legal judgment and does not bind the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") or a court. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any such contest of the matters described herein may materially and adversely impact the market for our units and the prices at which our units trade. In addition, our costs of any contest with the IRS will be borne indirectly by our unitholders and our general partner because the costs will reduce our cash available for distribution. Furthermore, the tax consequences of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions, which may be retroactively applied.
For the reasons described below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following federal income tax issues: (1) the treatment of a unitholder whose units are the subject of a securities loan (e.g., a loan to a short seller to cover a short sale of units) (please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Securities Loans"); (2) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read "—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees"); and (3) whether our method for taking into account Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election" and "—Uniformity of Units").
Taxation of the Partnership
Partnership Status
We expect to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, generally will not be liable for entity-level federal income taxes. Instead, as described below, each of our unitholders will take into account its respective share of our items of income, gain, loss and deduction in computing its federal income tax liability as if the unitholder had earned such income
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directly, even if we make no cash distributions to the unitholder. Distributions we make to a unitholder generally will not give rise to income or gain taxable to such unitholder, unless the amount of cash distributed exceeds the unitholder's adjusted tax basis in its units.
Section 7704 of the Code generally provides that publicly traded partnerships will be treated as corporations for federal income tax purposes. However, if 90% or more of a partnership's gross income for every taxable year it is publicly traded consists of "qualifying income," the partnership may continue to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes (the "Qualifying Income Exception"). Qualifying income includes (i) income and gains derived from processing, transportation, storage, terminalling, and marketing of any natural resource, including crude oil, natural gas, and products thereof, (ii) interest (other than from a financial business), (iii) dividends, (iv) gains from the sale of real property and (v) gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of qualifying income. We estimate that less than 5 percent of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time.
Based upon factual representations made by us and our general partner regarding the composition of our income and the other representations set forth below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that we will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. In rendering its opinion, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied include, without limitation:
(a) Neither we nor any of our partnership or limited liability company subsidiaries has elected to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes;
(b) For each taxable year since and including the year of our initial public offering, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income of a character that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined is "qualifying income" within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code; and
(c) Each hedging transaction that we treat as resulting in qualifying income has been and will be appropriately identified as a hedging transaction pursuant to applicable Treasury Regulations, and has been and will be associated with oil, gas, or products thereof that are held or to be held by us in activities that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined or will opine result in qualifying income.
We believe that these representations are true and will be true in the future.
If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as transferring all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in exchange for stock in that corporation and then as distributing that stock to our unitholders in liquidation. This deemed contribution and liquidation should not result in the recognition of taxable income by our unitholders or us so long as our liabilities do not exceed the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.
The present U.S. federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our common units may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial changes or differing interpretations at any time. For example, the Obama administration's budget proposal for fiscal year 2016 recommends that certain publicly traded partnerships earning income from activities related to fossil fuels be taxed as corporations beginning in 2021. From time to time, members of Congress propose and consider such substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships. If successful, the Obama administration's proposal or other similar proposals could eliminate the qualifying income exception to the treatment of all publicly traded
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partnerships as corporations upon which we rely for our treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Any modification to the U.S. federal income tax laws may be applied retroactively and could make it more difficult or impossible for us to meet the exception for certain publicly traded partnerships to be treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We are unable to predict whether any of these changes or other proposals will ultimately be enacted. Any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our common units.
If for any reason we are taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be taken into account by us in determining the amount of our liability for federal income tax, rather than being passed through to our unitholders. Our taxation as a corporation would materially reduce the cash available for distribution to unitholders and thus would likely substantially reduce the value of our units. Any distribution made to a unitholder at a time we are treated as a corporation would be (i) a taxable dividend to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, then (ii) a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the unitholder's tax basis in its units, and thereafter (iii) taxable capital gain.
The remainder of this discussion is based on the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. that we will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership
Limited Partner Status
Unitholders who are admitted as limited partners of the partnership, as well as unitholders whose units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of units, will be treated as partners of the partnership for federal income tax purposes. Also:
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- assignees who have executed and delivered transfer applications, and are awaiting admission as limited partners, and
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- unitholders whose common units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of their common units
will be treated as partners of the partnership for federal income tax purposes. As there is no direct or indirect controlling authority addressing assignees of common units who are entitled to execute and deliver transfer applications and thereby become entitled to direct the exercise of attendant rights, but who fail to execute and deliver transfer applications, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.'s opinion does not extend to these persons. Furthermore, a purchaser or other transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application may not receive some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of common units unless the common units are held in a nominee or street name account and the nominee or broker has executed and delivered a transfer application for those common units.
For a discussion related to the risks of losing partner status as a result of securities loans, please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Securities Loans." Unitholders who are not treated as partners in us as described above are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences applicable to them under the circumstances.
Flow-Through of Taxable Income
Subject to the discussion below under "—Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes" with respect to payments we may be required to make on behalf of our unitholders, and aside from any taxes paid by a corporate subsidiary, we will not pay any federal income tax. However, a portion of our
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operations and subsidiaries may also be subject to state and local taxes. Each unitholder will be required to report on its federal income tax return each year its share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year or years ending with or within its taxable year without regard to whether we make cash distributions to such unitholder. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if that unitholder has not received a cash distribution.
Basis of Units
A unitholder's tax basis in its units initially will be the amount it paid for those units plus the unitholder's initial share of our liabilities. That basis generally will be (i) increased by the unitholder's share of our income and any increases in such unitholder's share of our "nonrecourse liabilities" (liabilities for which no partner, including our general partner, bears the economic risk of loss), and (ii) decreased, but not below zero, by distributions to it, by its share of our losses, and any decreases in its share of our nonrecourse liabilities and its share of our expenditures that are neither deductible nor required to be capitalized.
Treatment of Distributions
Distributions made by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder, unless such distributions exceed the unitholder's tax basis in its units, in which case the unitholder generally will recognize gain taxable in the manner described below under "—Disposition of Units."
Any reduction in a unitholder's share of our liabilities will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that unitholder. A decrease in a unitholder's percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional units may decrease the unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities. For purposes of the foregoing, a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities generally will be based upon that unitholder's share of the unrealized appreciation (or depreciation) in our assets, to the extent thereof, with any excess liabilities allocated based on the unitholder's share of our profits. Please read "Disposition of Units."
A non-pro rata distribution of money or property (including a deemed distribution as a result of a reallocation of our liabilities described above) may cause a unitholder to recognize ordinary income, if the distribution reduces the unitholder's share of our "unrealized receivables," including depreciation and depletion recapture and substantially appreciated "inventory items," both as defined in Section 751 of the Code ("Section 751 Assets"). To the extent of such reduction, the unitholder would be deemed to receive its proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and exchange such assets with us in return for an allocable portion of the non-pro rata distribution. This latter deemed exchange generally will result in the unitholder's realization of ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the unitholder's tax basis (generally zero) in the Section 751 Assets deemed to be relinquished in the exchange.
Limitations on Deductibility of Losses
A unitholder may not be entitled to deduct the full amount of loss we allocate to it because its share of our losses will be limited to the lesser of (i) the unitholder's tax basis in its units, and (ii) in the case of a unitholder that is an individual, estate, trust or certain types of closely-held corporations, the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be "at risk" with respect to our activities. In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of its tax basis in its units, reduced by (1) any portion of that basis attributable to the unitholder's share of our liabilities, (2) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or similar arrangement and (3) any amount of money the unitholder borrows to acquire or hold its units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to another unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholder subject to the at risk limitation must recapture
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losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions (including distributions deemed to result from a reduction in a unitholder's share of nonrecourse liabilities) cause the unitholder's at risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year.
Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of basis or at risk limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction in a later year to the extent that the unitholder's tax basis or at risk amount, whichever is the limiting factor, is subsequently increased. Upon a taxable disposition of units, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at risk limitation but not losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at risk limitation in excess of that gain can no longer be used and will not be available to offset a unitholder's salary or active business income.
In addition to the basis and at risk limitations, a passive activity loss limitation generally limits the deductibility of losses incurred by individuals, estates, trusts, some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations from "passive activities" (generally, trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate). The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will be available to offset only passive income generated by us, and will not be available to offset your income from other passive activities or investments, including your investments in other publicly traded partnerships or your salary, active business or other income. Passive losses that exceed a unitholder's share of passive income we generate may be deducted in full when the unitholder disposes of all of its units in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive activity loss rules are generally applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at risk and basis limitations.
Limitations on Interest Deductions
The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer's "investment interest expense" generally is limited to the amount of that taxpayer's "net investment income." Investment interest expense includes:
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- interest on indebtedness allocable to property held for investment;
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- interest expense allocated against portfolio income; and
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- the portion of interest expense incurred to purchase or carry an interest in a passive activity to the extent allocable against portfolio income.
The computation of a unitholder's investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a unit. Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses other than interest directly connected with the production of investment income. Net investment income generally does not include qualified dividend income or gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment. A unitholder's share of a publicly traded partnership's portfolio income and, according to the IRS, net passive income will be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest expense limitation.
Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes
If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax on behalf of any current or former unitholder or our general partner, we are authorized to pay those taxes and treat the payment as a distribution of cash to the relevant unitholder or general partner. If the payment is made on behalf of a unitholder whose identity cannot be determined, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. We are authorized to amend our partnership agreement in the manner necessary to maintain uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics of units and to adjust later distributions, so that after giving effect to these distributions, the priority and characterization of distributions otherwise applicable under our partnership agreement is maintained as
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nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of a unitholder, in which event the unitholder may be entitled to claim a refund of the overpayment amount. Unitholders are urged to consult their tax advisors to determine the consequences to them of any tax payment we make on their behalf.
Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction
In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. If we have a net loss, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated first among our unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts and thereafter to our general partner. At any time that distributions are made with respect to common units or that incentive distributions are made to the general partner, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of such distributions.
Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated under Section 704(c) of the Code to account for any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time such assets are contributed to us and at the time of any subsequent offering of our units (a "Book-Tax Disparity"). In addition, items of recapture income will be specially allocated to the extent possible to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to that recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by other unitholders.
An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, generally must have "substantial economic effect" as determined under Treasury Regulations. If an allocation does not have substantial economic effect, it will be reallocated to our common unitholders the basis of their interests in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:
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- his relative contributions to us;
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- the interests of all the partners in profits and losses;
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- the interest of all the partners in cash flow; and
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- the rights of all the partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation.
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in "—Section 754 Election" and "—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees," allocations under our partnership agreement will have substantial economic effect.
Treatment of Securities Loans
A unitholder whose units are loaned (for example, to a "short seller" to cover a short sale of units) may be treated as having disposed of those units. If so, such unitholder would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period (i) any of our income, gain, loss or deduction allocated to those units would not be reportable by the lending unitholder, and (ii) any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units may be treated as ordinary income.
Due to a lack of controlling authority, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder that enters into a securities loan with respect to its units. Unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of income recognition from a loan of their units are urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing and lending their units. The IRS has announced that it is studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."
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Tax Rates
Under current law, the highest marginal federal income tax rates for individuals applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains (generally, gains from the sale or exchange of certain investment assets held for more than one year) are 39.6% and 20%, respectively. These rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.
In addition, a 3.8% net investment income tax applies to certain net investment income earned by individuals, estates and trusts. For these purposes, net investment income generally includes a common unitholder's allocable share of our income and gain realized by a common unitholder from a sale of units. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) the common unitholder's net investment income from all investments and (ii) the amount by which the common unitholder's modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000 (if married filing separately) or $200,000 (if the unitholder is unmarried or in any other case). In the case of an estate or trust, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) undistributed net investment income and (ii) the excess adjusted gross income over the dollar amount at which the highest income tax bracket applicable to an estate or trust begins.
Section 754 Election
We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Code that permits us to adjust the tax basis in our assets as to specific purchased units under Section 743(b) of the Code to reflect the unit purchase price. The Section 743(b) adjustment separately applies to each purchaser of units based upon the values and basis of our assets at the time of the relevant purchase. The Section 743(b) adjustment does not apply to a person who purchases units directly from us. For purposes of this discussion, a common unitholder's basis in our assets will be considered to have two components: (1) its share of the tax basis in our assets as to all common unitholders ("common basis") and (2) its Section 743(b) adjustment to that tax basis (which may be positive or negative).
Under Treasury Regulations, a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to property depreciable under Section 168 of the Code, such as our storage assets, may be amortizable over the remaining cost recovery period for such property, while a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to properties subject to depreciation under Section 167 of the Code, must be amortized straight-line or using the 150% declining balance method. As a result, if we owned any assets subject to depreciation under Section 167 of the Code, the amortization rates could give rise to differences in the taxation of common unitholders purchasing units from us and common unitholders purchasing from other common unitholders.
Under our partnership agreement, we are authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of units even if that position is not consistent with these or any other Treasury Regulations. Please read "—Uniformity of Units." Consistent with this authority, we intend to treat properties depreciable under Section 167, if any, in the same manner as properties depreciable under Section 168 for this purpose. These positions are consistent with the methods employed by other publicly traded partnerships but are inconsistent with the existing Treasury Regulations, and Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not opined on the validity of this approach.
The IRS may challenge our positions with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we take to preserve the uniformity of units due to lack of controlling authority. Because a unitholder's tax basis for its units is reduced by its share of our items of deduction or loss, any position we take that understates deductions will overstate a unitholder's basis in its units, and may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss." If a challenge to such treatment were sustained, the gain from the sale of units may be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
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The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and will be made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment we allocated to our assets subject to depreciation to goodwill or nondepreciable assets. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally nonamortizable or amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure any unitholder that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS or that the resulting deductions will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different tax basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of units may be allocated more income than it would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.
Tax Treatment of Operations
Accounting Method and Taxable Year
We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in income its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for each taxable year ending within or with its taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of its units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of its taxable year must include its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for its taxable year, with the result that it will be required to include in income for its taxable year its share of more than one year of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees."
Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization
The tax basis of our assets will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of these assets. The federal income tax burden associated with the difference between the fair market value of our assets and their tax basis immediately prior to an offering generally will be borne by our partners holding interests in us prior to this offering. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction."
If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation and depletion deductions previously taken, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of its interest in us. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction" and "—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."
The costs we incur in offering and selling our units (called "syndication expenses") must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon our termination. While there are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us, the underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses.
Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties
The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values and the initial tax basis of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make
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many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of tax basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deduction previously reported by unitholders could change, and unitholders could be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.
Disposition of Units
Recognition of Gain or Loss
A unitholder will be required to recognize gain or loss on a sale of units equal to the difference between the unitholder's amount realized and tax basis in the units sold. A unitholder's amount realized generally will equal the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property it receives plus its share of our liabilities with respect to such units. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder's share of our liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.
Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder on the sale or exchange of a unit held for more than one year generally will be taxable as long-term capital gain or loss. However, gain or loss recognized on the disposition of units will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Code to the extent attributable to Section 751 Assets, such as depreciation or depletion recapture. Ordinary income attributable to Section 751 Assets may exceed net taxable gain realized on the sale of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and capital gain or loss upon a sale of units. Net capital loss may offset capital gains and, in the case of individuals, up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year.
The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an "equitable apportionment" method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner's tax basis in its entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner's entire interest in the partnership.
Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling discussed above, a unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, it may designate specific units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of our units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional units or a sale of units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult its tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.
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Specific provisions of the Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an "appreciated" financial position, including a partnership interest with respect to which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, in the event the taxpayer or a related person enters into:
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- a short sale;
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- an offsetting notional principal contract; or
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- a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest or substantially identical property.
Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to issue regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.
Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees
In general, our taxable income or loss will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month (the "Allocation Date"). Nevertheless, we allocate certain deductions for depreciation of capital additions based upon the date the underlying property is placed in service, and gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets or, in the discretion of the general partner, any other extraordinary item of income, gain, loss or deduction will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which such income, gain, loss or deduction is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.
Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, however, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders. Nonetheless, the safe harbor in the proposed regulations differs slightly from the proration method we have adopted because the safe harbor would allocate tax items among the months based upon the relative number of days in each month, and could require certain tax items which our general partner may not consider extraordinary to be allocated to the month in which such items actually occur. Accordingly, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferee and transferor unitholders. If this method is not allowed under the final Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder's interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among our unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferee and transferor unitholders, as well as among unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under future Treasury Regulations.
A unitholder who disposes of units prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to the month of disposition but will not be entitled to receive a cash distribution for that period.
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Notification Requirements
A unitholder who sells or purchases any of its units is generally required to notify us in writing of that transaction within 30 days after the transaction (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the transaction). Upon receiving such notifications, we are required to notify the IRS of that transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a transfer of units may, in some cases, lead to the imposition of penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.
Constructive Termination
We will be considered to have terminated our partnership for federal income tax purposes upon the sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For such purposes, multiple sales of the same unit are counted only once. A constructive termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in such unitholder's taxable income for the year of termination.
A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 will result in us filing two tax returns for one fiscal year and the cost of the preparation of these returns will be borne by all unitholders. However, pursuant to an IRS relief procedure the IRS may allow, among other things, a constructively terminated partnership to provide a single Schedule K-1 for the calendar year in which a termination occurs. We would be required to make new tax elections after a termination, including a new election under Section 754 of the Code, and the termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination might either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination.
Uniformity of Units
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units and for other reasons, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the units to a purchaser of these units. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements, both statutory and regulatory. A lack of uniformity could result from a literal application of Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not anticipated to apply to a material portion of our assets. Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the units. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election."
If necessary to preserve the uniformity of our units, our partnership agreement permits our general partner to take positions in filing our tax returns even when contrary to a literal application of regulations like the one described above. These positions may include reducing for some common unitholders the depreciation, amortization or loss deductions to which they would otherwise be entitled or reporting a slower amortization of Section 743(b) adjustments for some common unitholders than that to which they would otherwise be entitled. The general partner does not anticipate needing to take such positions, but if they were necessary, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. would be unable to opine as to validity of such filing positions in the absence of direct and controlling authority.
A unitholder's basis in units is reduced by its share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individual income tax return) so that any position that we take that understates deductions will overstate the unitholder's basis in its units, and may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss" above and "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754
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Election" above. The IRS may challenge one or more of any positions we take to preserve the uniformity of units. If such a challenge were sustained, the uniformity of units might be affected, and, under some circumstances, the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
Ownership of units by employee benefit plans and other tax-exempt organizations as well as by non-resident alien individuals, non-U.S. corporations and other non-U.S. persons (collectively, "Non-U.S. Unitholders") raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. Prospective unitholders that are tax-exempt entities or Non-U.S. Unitholders should consult their tax advisors before investing in our units. Employee benefit plans and most other tax-exempt organizations, including IRAs and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to a tax-exempt unitholder.
Non-U.S. Unitholders are taxed by the United States on income effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business ("effectively connected income") and on certain types of U.S.-source non-effectively connected income (such as dividends), unless exempted or further limited by an income tax treaty. Non-U.S. Unitholders will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of their ownership of our units. Furthermore, it is probable that they will be deemed to conduct such activities through permanent establishments in the U.S. within the meaning of applicable tax treaties. Consequently, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax on their share of our net income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, distributions to Non-U.S. Unitholders are subject to withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Each Non-U.S. Unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes.
In addition, because a Non-U.S. Unitholder classified as a corporation will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the U.S. branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation's "U.S. net equity" to the extent reflected in the corporation's effectively connected earnings and profits. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is a "qualified resident." In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Code.
A Non-U.S. Unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a unit will be subject to federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. Unitholder. Under a ruling published by the IRS, interpreting the scope of "effectively connected income," gain recognized by a Non-U.S. Unitholder from the sale of its interest in a partnership that is engaged in a trade or business in the United States will be considered to be "effectively connected" with a U.S. trade or business. Thus, part of all of a Non-U.S. Unitholder's gain from the sale or other disposition of its units may be treated as effectively connected with a unitholder's indirect U.S. trade or business constituted by its investment in us. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a Non-U.S. Unitholder generally will be subject to federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a unit if (i) it owned (directly or indirectly constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of our worldwide real property interests and our other assets used or held for use in a trade or business consisted of U.S. real property interests (which include U.S. real estate, including land, improvements, and associated personal property, and interests in certain entities holding U.S. real
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estate) at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the units or the 5-year period ending on the date of disposition. More than 50% of our assets may consist of U.S. real property interests. Therefore, Non-U.S. Unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their units.
Administrative Matters
Information Returns and Audit Procedures
We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each taxable year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each unitholder's share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure our unitholders that those positions will yield a result that conforms to all of the requirements of the Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS.
The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Neither we, nor Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. can assure prospective unitholders that the IRS will not successfully contend in court that those positions are impermissible, and such a challenge could adversely affect the value of the units. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year's tax liability and may result in an audit of the unitholder's own return. Any audit of a unitholder's return could result in adjustments not related to our returns as well as those related to its returns.
Publicly traded partnerships generally are treated as entities separate from their owners for purposes of federal income tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings of the partners. The Code requires that one partner be designated as the "Tax Matters Partner" for these purposes, and our partnership agreement designates our general partner.
The Tax Matters Partner has made and will make elections on our behalf and on behalf of common unitholders. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review will go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate in that action.
A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on its federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.
Nominee Reporting
Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:
(1) the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;
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(2) a statement regarding whether the beneficial owner is:
(a) a non-U.S. person;
(b) a non-U.S. government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or
(c) a tax-exempt entity;
(3) the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and
(4) specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales.
Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are U.S. persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $100 per failure, up to a maximum of $1.5 million per calendar year, is imposed by the Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the units with the information furnished to us.
Accuracy-Related Penalties
Certain penalties may be imposed as a result of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for the underpayment of that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding the underpayment of that portion. We do not anticipate that any accuracy-related penalties will be assessed against us.
State, Local and Other Tax Considerations
In addition to federal income taxes, unitholders may be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangibles taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business or own property now or in the future or in which the unitholder is a resident. We currently conduct business or own property in a number of states in the United States. Most of these states impose a personal income tax and an income tax on corporations and other entities. Moreover, we may also own property or do business in other states in the future that impose income or similar taxes on nonresident individuals. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on its investment in us.
Tax Consequences of Ownership of Debt Securities
A description of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of any series of debt securities will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of such debt securities.
�� It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent states and localities, of its investment in us. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state, local, or non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in us. We strongly recommend that each prospective unitholder consult, and depend on, its own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. It is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all tax returns that may be required of it.
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Under this prospectus, we intend to offer our securities to the public:
- •
- through one or more underwriters for public offering and sale;
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- through one or more broker-dealers who may act as agent or may purchase securities as principal and thereafter resell the securities from time to time:
- •
- in or through one or more transactions (which may involve crosses and block transactions) or distributions;
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- on the NYSE;
- •
- in the over-the-counter market; or
- •
- in private transactions; or
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- to investors directly.
We will price our securities at:
- •
- market prices prevailing at the time of any sale under this registration statement;
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- prices related to then-current market prices;
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- a fixed price; or
- •
- negotiated prices.
We may change the price of the securities offered from time to time.
We will pay or allow distributors' or sellers' commissions that will not exceed those customary in the types of transactions involved.
Broker-dealers or underwriters may receive compensation in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may receive commissions from purchasers of the securities for whom they may act as agents. If any broker-dealer purchases the securities as principal, it may effect resales of the securities from time to time to or through other broker-dealers, and other broker-dealers may receive compensation in the form of concessions or commissions from the purchasers of securities for whom they may act as agents.
To the extent required, the names of the specific managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, as well as other important information, will be set forth in prospectus supplements. In that event, the discounts and commissions we will allow or pay to the underwriters, if any, and the discounts and commissions the underwriters may allow or pay to dealers or agents, if any, will be set forth in, or may be calculated from, the prospectus supplements. Any underwriters, brokers, dealers and agents who participate in any sale of the securities may also engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of their businesses. We may indemnify underwriters, brokers, dealers and agents against specific liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us and the sale thereof may be made by us directly to institutional investors or others, who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale thereof. The terms of any such sales will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto.
We may offer our units into an existing trading market on the terms described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. Underwriters and dealers who may participate in any at-the-market offerings will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto.
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The aggregate maximum compensation the underwriters will receive in connection with the sale of any securities under this prospectus and the registration statement of which it forms a part will not exceed 8% of the gross proceeds from the sale.
Because FINRA views our common units as interests in a direct participation program, any offering of common units under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part will be made in compliance with Rule 2310 of the FINRA Rules.
To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. The place and time of delivery for the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement.
In connection with offerings under this shelf registration and in compliance with applicable law, underwriters, brokers or dealers may engage in transactions which stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at levels above those which might otherwise prevail in the open market. Specifically, underwriters, brokers or dealers may over-allot in connection with offerings, creating a short position in the securities for their own accounts. For the purpose of covering a syndicate short position or stabilizing the price of the securities, the underwriters, brokers or dealers may place bids for the securities or effect purchases of the securities in the open market. Finally, the underwriters may impose a penalty whereby selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other brokers or dealers for distribution the securities in offerings may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market, and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
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The validity of the securities offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. will also render an opinion on the material federal income tax consequences regarding the securities. If certain legal matters in connection with an offering of the securities made by this prospectus and a related prospectus supplement are passed on by counsel for the underwriters of such offering, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement related to that offering.
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The financial statements of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
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Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests
Having an Aggregate Offering Price of Up to $750,000,000
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
November 30, 2016
Wells Fargo Securities
Barclays
BB&T Capital Markets
BMO Capital Markets
BNP PARIBAS
Citigroup
Deutsche Bank Securities
DNB Markets
Fifth Third Securities
J.P. Morgan
Jefferies
BofA Merrill Lynch
MUFG
Mizuho Securities
Morgan Stanley
Raymond James
Scotia Howard Weil
SMBC Nikko
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey
UBS Investment Bank