Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | (1) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Organization Enable Midstream Partners, LP (Partnership) is a Delaware limited partnership formed on May 1, 2013. The Partnership’s assets and operations are organized into two reportable segments: (i) gathering and processing and (ii) transportation and storage. The gathering and processing segment primarily provides natural gas and crude oil gathering and natural gas processing services to our producer customers. The transportation and storage segment provides interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline transportation and storage services primarily to our producer, power plant, LDC and industrial end-user customers. The Partnership’s natural gas gathering and processing assets are primarily located in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana and serve natural gas production in the Anadarko, Arkoma and Ark-La-Tex Basins. Crude oil gathering assets are located in Oklahoma and serve crude oil production in the SCOOP and STACK plays of the Anadarko Basin and in North Dakota and serve crude oil production in the Bakken Shale formation of the Williston Basin. The Partnership’s natural gas transportation and storage assets consist primarily of an interstate pipeline system extending from western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle to Louisiana, an interstate pipeline system extending from Louisiana to Illinois, an intrastate pipeline system in Oklahoma, and our investment in SESH, a pipeline extending from Louisiana to Alabama. CenterPoint Energy and OGE Energy each have 50% of the management interests in Enable GP. Enable GP is the general partner of the Partnership and has no other operating activities. Enable GP is governed by a board made up of two representatives designated by each of CenterPoint Energy and OGE Energy, along with the Partnership’s Chief Executive Officer and three independent board members CenterPoint Energy and OGE Energy mutually agreed to appoint. CenterPoint Energy and OGE Energy also own a 40% and 60% interest, respectively, in the incentive distribution rights held by Enable GP. At December 31, 2019 , CenterPoint Energy held approximately 53.7% or 233,856,623 of the Partnership’s common units, and OGE Energy held approximately 25.5% or 110,982,805 of the Partnership’s common units. Additionally, CenterPoint Energy holds 14,520,000 Series A Preferred Units. See Note 7 for further information related to the Series A Preferred Units. The limited partner interests of the Partnership have limited voting rights on matters affecting the business. As such, limited partners do not have rights to elect the Partnership’s General Partner (Enable GP) on an annual or continuing basis and may not remove Enable GP without at least a 75% vote by all unitholders, including all units held by the Partnership’s limited partners, and Enable GP and its affiliates, voting together as a single class. For the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , the Partnership owned a 50% interest in SESH. See Note 11 for further discussion of SESH. For the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , the Partnership held a 50% ownership interest in Atoka and consolidated Atoka in its Consolidated Financial Statements as EOIT acted as the managing member of Atoka and had control over the operations of Atoka. In addition, for the period November 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019 , the Partnership owned a 60% interest in ESCP, which is consolidated in its Consolidated Financial Statements as EOCS acted as the managing member of ESCP and had control over the operations of ESCP. Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes of the Partnership have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC and GAAP. For a description of the Partnership’s reportable segments, see Note 20 . Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Revenue Recognition The Partnership generates the majority of its revenues from midstream energy services, including natural gas gathering, processing, transportation and storage and crude oil, condensate and produced water gathering. The Partnership performs these services under various contractual arrangements, which include fee-based contract arrangements and arrangements pursuant to which it purchases and resells commodities in connection with providing the related service and earns a net margin for its fee. The Partnership reflects revenue as Product sales and Service revenues on the Consolidated Statements of Income as follows: Product sales: Product sales represent the sale of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and condensate where the product is purchased and used in connection with providing the Partnership’s midstream services. Service revenues: Service revenues represent all other revenue generated as a result of performing the Partnership’s midstream services. The Partnership recognizes revenue from natural gas gathering, processing, transportation and storage and crude oil, condensate and water gathering services to third parties in accordance with ASU No. 2014-09 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (Topic 606) upon its adoption on January 1, 2018. As the Partnership adopted using the modified retrospective method, revenue for all periods prior to January 1, 2018 were recognized in accordance with “Revenue Recognition” (Topic 605). Please see Note 3 for a description of the impact of adoption. Under Topic 606, revenue is recognized at an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring goods or services. The determination of that amount and the timing of recognition is based on identifying the contracts with customers, identifying the performance obligations in the contract, determining the transaction price, allocating the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and ultimately recognizing revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies the performance obligation. Service revenues for gathering, processing, transportation and storage services for the Partnership are recorded each month as services have been completed and performance obligations are met. Product revenues are recognized when control is transferred. Monthly revenues are based on the current month’s estimated volumes, contracted prices (considering current commodity prices), historical seasonal fluctuations and any known adjustments. The estimates are reversed in the following month and customers are billed on actual volumes and contracted prices. Gas sales are calculated on current-month nominations and contracted prices. Revenues associated with the production of NGLs are estimated based on current-month estimated production and contracted prices. These amounts are reversed in the following month and the customers are billed on actual production and contracted prices. Estimated revenues are reflected in Accounts receivable, net or Accounts receivable—affiliated companies, as appropriate, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and in Total revenues on the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Partnership records deferred revenue when it receives consideration from a third party before achieving certain criteria that must be met for revenue to be recognized in accordance with GAAP. The Partnership relies on certain key natural gas producer customers for a significant portion of natural gas and NGLs supply. The Partnership relies on certain key utilities for a significant portion of transportation and storage demand. The Partnership depends on third-party facilities to transport and fractionate NGLs that it delivers to third parties at the inlet of their facilities. For the year ended December 31, 2019 , one non-affiliate customer accounted for approximately 11% , or $328 million of our consolidated revenue. These revenues were primarily included in our gathering and processing segment. There are no revenue concentrations with individual non-affiliate customers in the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 . See note 16 for more information on revenues from affiliates. Additionally, for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , one third party purchased approximately 12% , 12% and 13% , respectively, of the NGLs delivered off our system, which accounted for approximately $131 million , $214 million and $140 million , or 4% , 6% and 5% , respectively, of total revenues. Additionally, in the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , another third party purchased 12% , 8% and 12% , respectively, of the NGLs delivered off our system, which accounted for $119 million , $152 million and $127 million , respectively, or 4% , 4% and 4% , respectively, of total revenues. Natural Gas and Natural Gas Liquids Purchases Cost of natural gas and natural gas liquids represents the cost of our natural gas and natural gas liquids purchased exclusive of depreciation, Operation and maintenance and General and administrative expenses and consists primarily of product and fuel costs. Estimates for gas purchases are based on estimated volumes and contracted purchase prices. Estimated gas purchases are included in Accounts Payable or Accounts Payable-affiliated companies, as appropriate, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and in Cost of natural gas and natural gas liquids, excluding Depreciation and amortization on the Consolidated Statements of Income. Operation and Maintenance and General and Administrative Expense Operation and maintenance expense represents the cost of our service related revenues and consists primarily of labor expenses, lease costs, utility costs, insurance premiums and repairs and maintenance expenses directly related to the operations of assets. General and administrative expense represents cost incurred to manage the business. This expense includes cost of general corporate services, such as treasury, accounting, legal, information technology and human resources and all other expenses necessary or appropriate to the conduct of business. Any Operation and maintenance expense and General and administrative expense associated with product sales is immaterial. Environmental Costs The Partnership expenses or capitalizes environmental expenditures, as appropriate, depending on their future economic benefit. The Partnership expenses amounts that relate to an existing condition caused by past operations that do not have future economic benefit. The Partnership records undiscounted liabilities related to these future costs when environmental assessments and/or remediation activities are probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. There are no material amounts accrued at December 31, 2019 or 2018 . Depreciation and Amortization Expense Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method based on economic lives or a regulatory-mandated recovery period. Amortization of intangible assets is computed using the straight-line method over the respective lives of the intangible assets. The computation of depreciation expense requires judgment regarding the estimated useful lives and salvage value of assets at the time the assets are placed in service. As circumstances warrant, useful lives are adjusted when changes in planned use, changes in estimated production lives of affiliated natural gas basins or other factors indicate that a different life would be more appropriate. Such changes could materially impact future depreciation expense. Changes in useful lives that do not result in the impairment of an asset are recognized prospectively. The computation of amortization expense on intangible assets requires judgment regarding the amortization method used. Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their useful lives using a method of amortization that reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible asset are consumed. Income Taxes The Partnership’s earnings are not subject to income tax ( other than Texas state margin taxes and taxes associated with the Partnership’s corporate subsidiary Enable Midstream Services) and are taxable at the individual partner level. For more information, see Note 18 . We account for deferred income taxes related to the federal and state jurisdictions using the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future taxes attributable to the difference between financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. Deferred tax assets are also recognized for the future tax benefits attributable to the expected utilization of tax net operating loss carryforwards. In the event future utilization is determined to be unlikely, a valuation allowance is provided to reduce the tax benefits from such assets. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the period in which the temporary differences and carryforwards are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect of a change in tax rates is recognized in the period which includes the enactment date. The Partnership recognizes interest and penalties as a component of income tax expense. Cash and Cash Equivalents The Partnership considers cash equivalents to be short-term, highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase. The Consolidated Balance Sheets have $4 million and $8 million of cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. Restricted Cash Restricted cash consists of cash which is restricted by agreements with third parties. The Consolidated Balance Sheets have $0 and $14 million of restricted cash as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not typically bear interest. The determination of the allowance for doubtful accounts requires management to make estimates and judgments regarding our customers’ ability to pay. The allowance for doubtful accounts is determined based upon specific identification and estimates of future uncollectable amounts. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our customers’ financial strength based on aging of accounts receivable, payment history and review of other relevant information, including ratings agency credit ratings and alerts, publicly available reports and news releases, and bank and trade references. It is the policy of management to review the outstanding accounts receivable at least quarterly, giving consideration to historical bad debt write-offs, the aging of receivables and specific customer circumstances that may impact their ability to pay the amounts due. Based on this review, management determined that a $2 million allowance for doubtful accounts was required at each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 . Inventory Materials and supplies inventory is valued at cost and is subsequently recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The Partnership recorded no write-downs to net realizable value related to materials and supplies inventory disposed or identified as excess or obsolete for each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 , and $1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 . Materials and supplies are recorded to inventory when purchased and, as appropriate, subsequently charged to operation and maintenance expense on the Consolidated Statements of Income or capitalized to property, plant and equipment on the Consolidated Balance Sheets when installed. Natural gas inventory is held, through the transportation and storage reportable segment, to provide operational support for the intrastate pipeline deliveries and to manage leased intrastate storage capacity. Natural gas liquids inventory is held, through the gathering and processing reportable segment, due to timing differences between the production of certain natural gas liquids and ultimate sale to third parties. Natural gas and natural gas liquids inventory is valued using moving average cost and is subsequently recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value. During the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , the Partnership recorded write-downs to net realizable value related to natural gas and natural gas liquids inventory of $8 million , $4 million and $2 million , respectively. The cost of gas associated with sales of natural gas and natural gas liquids inventory is presented in Cost of natural gas and natural gas liquids, excluding depreciation and amortization on the Consolidated Statements of Income. December 31, 2019 2018 (In millions) Materials and supplies $ 32 $ 31 Natural gas and natural gas liquids 14 19 Total Inventory $ 46 $ 50 Gas Imbalances Gas imbalances occur when the actual amounts of natural gas delivered from or received by the Partnership’s pipeline systems differ from the amounts scheduled to be delivered or received. Imbalances are due to or due from shippers and operators and can be settled in cash or natural gas depending on contractual terms. The Partnership values all imbalances at individual, or where appropriate an average of, current market indices applicable to the Partnership’s operations, not to exceed net realizable value. Long-Lived Assets (including Intangible Assets) The Partnership records property, plant and equipment and intangible assets at historical cost. Newly constructed plant is added to plant balances at cost which includes contracted services, direct labor, materials, overhead, transportation costs and capitalized interest. Replacements of units of property are capitalized as plant. For assets that belong to a common plant account, the replaced plant is removed from plant balances and charged to Accumulated depreciation. For assets that do not belong to a common plant account, the replaced plant is removed from plant balances with the related accumulated depreciation and the remaining balance net of any salvage proceeds is recorded as a loss in the Consolidated Statements of Income as Operation and maintenance expense. The Partnership expenses repair and maintenance costs as incurred. Repair, removal and maintenance costs are included in the Consolidated Statements of Income as Operation and maintenance expense. Assessing Impairment of Long-lived Assets (including Intangible Assets) and Goodwill The Partnership periodically evaluates long-lived assets, including property, plant and equipment, and specifically identifiable intangibles other than goodwill, when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of these assets may not be recoverable. The determination of whether an impairment has occurred is based on an estimate of undiscounted cash flows attributable to the assets, as compared to the carrying value of the assets. For more information, see Note 14 . The Partnership assesses its goodwill for impairment annually on October 1st, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of goodwill may not be recoverable. Goodwill is assessed for impairment by comparing the fair value of the reporting unit with its book value, including goodwill. The Partnership utilizes the market or income approaches to estimate the fair value of the reporting unit, also giving consideration to the alternative cost approach. Under the market approach, historical and current year forecasted cash flows are multiplied by a market multiple to determine fair value. Under the income approach, anticipated cash flows over a period of years plus a terminal value are discounted to present value using appropriate discount rates. The resulting fair value of the reporting unit is then compared to the carrying amount of the reporting unit and an impairment charge is recorded to goodwill for the difference. The Partnership performs its goodwill impairment testing at the reporting unit, which is one level below the transportation and storage and gathering and processing reportable segment level. For more information, see Note 10 . Regulatory Assets and Liabilities The Partnership applies the guidance for accounting for regulated operations to portions of the transportation and storage reportable segment. The Partnership’s rate-regulated businesses recognize removal costs as a component of depreciation expense in accordance with regulatory treatment. As of each of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , these removal costs of $24 million and $23 million , respectively, are classified as Regulatory liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Capitalization of Interest and Allowance for Funds Used During Construction Allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC) represents the approximate net composite interest cost of borrowed funds and a reasonable return on the equity funds used for construction. Although AFUDC increases both utility plant and earnings, it is realized in cash when the assets are included in rates for entities that apply guidance for accounting for regulated operations. Capitalized interest represents the approximate net composite interest cost of borrowed funds used for construction. Interest and AFUDC are capitalized as a component of projects under construction and will be amortized over the assets’ estimated useful lives. For the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , the Partnership capitalized interest and AFUDC of $2 million , $6 million and $1 million , respectively. Derivative Instruments The Partnership is exposed to various market risks. These risks arise from transactions entered into in the normal course of business. At times, the Partnership utilizes commodity derivative instruments such as physical forward contracts, financial futures and swaps to mitigate the impact of changes in commodity prices on its operating results and cash flows. Such derivatives are recognized in the Partnership’s Consolidated Balance Sheets at their fair value unless the Partnership elects hedge accounting or the normal purchase and sales exemption for qualified physical transactions. For commodity derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments, the gain or loss on the derivative is recognized in Product sales in the Consolidated Statements of Income. A commodity derivative may be designated as a normal purchase or normal sale if the intent is to physically receive or deliver the product for use or sale in the normal course of business. At times, the Partnership utilizes interest rate derivative instruments such as swaps to mitigate the impact of changes in interest rates on its operating results and cash flows. Such derivatives are recognized in the Partnership’s Consolidated Balance Sheets at their fair value. For interest rate derivative instruments designated as cash flow hedging instruments, the gain or loss on the derivative is recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive loss and will be reclassified to Interest expense in the same period in which the hedged transaction is recognized in earnings. The Partnership’s policies prohibit the use of leveraged financial instruments. A leveraged financial instrument, for this purpose, is a transaction involving a derivative whose financial impact will be based on an amount other than the notional amount or volume of the instrument. Fair Value Measurements The Partnership determines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. As required, the Partnership utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs (levels 1 and 2) and minimize the use of unobservable inputs (level 3) within the fair value hierarchy included in current accounting guidance. The Partnership generally applies the market approach to determine fair value. This method uses pricing and other information generated by market transactions for identical or comparable assets and liabilities. Assets and liabilities are classified within the fair value hierarchy based on the lowest level (least observable) input that is significant to the measurement in its entirety. Equity-Based Compensation The Partnership awards equity-based compensation to officers, directors and employees under the Long-Term Incentive Plan. All equity-based awards to officers, directors and employees under the Long-Term Incentive Plan, including grants of performance units, time-based phantom units (phantom units) and time-based restricted units (restricted units) are recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Income based on their fair values. The fair value of the phantom units and restricted units are based on the closing market price of the Partnership’s common unit on the grant date. The fair value of the performance units is estimated on the grant date using a lattice-based valuation model that factors in information, including the expected distribution yield, expected price volatility, risk-free interest rate and the probable outcome of the market condition, over the expected life of the performance units. Compensation expense for the phantom unit and restricted unit awards is a fixed amount determined at the grant date fair value and is recognized as services are rendered by employees over a vesting period. The vesting of the performance unit awards is also contingent upon the probable outcome of the market condition. Depending on forfeitures and actual vesting, the compensation expense recognized related to the awards could increase or decrease. Employee Benefit Plans On January 1, 2015, the Partnership adopted the 401(k) Savings Plan, covering all full-time employees. Participant contributions are discretionary, and can be up to 70% of compensation, as pre-tax, Roth, and /or after-tax contributions, subject to certain limits. We match 100% of employee contributions up to 6% of each participant’s eligible annual compensation, subject to certain limits. Matching contributions provided by the Partnership are immediately vested. The Partnership may also make discretionary profit sharing contributions. Allocations of such profit sharing contributions are based on the proportion of each participant’s eligible compensation of the plan year to the total of all participants’ eligible compensation, as defined. A participant must be employed on the last day of the Plan year in order to receive an allocation of profit sharing contributions. Profit sharing contributions must be approved by the Board of Directors annually. For the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , the Partnership contributed $20 million , $19 million and $18 million , respectively. During the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , the Partnership had certain employees who are participants under OGE Energy’s defined benefit and retiree medical plans, who will remain seconded to the Partnership, subject to certain termination rights of the Partnership and OGE Energy. For the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 , the Partnership reimbursed OGE Energy $3 million , $3 million and $5 million , respectively, for these benefits. See Note 16 for further information related to our related party transactions. Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Enable Midstream Partners, LP On November 14, 2017, the General Partner adopted the Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership (the Partnership Agreement), to implement certain changes to the Internal Revenue Code enacted by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 relating to partnership audit and adjustment procedures. The Partnership Agreement also removed references to the subordinated units (all of which previously converted into common units) and related provisions. |