As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 5, 2024
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
ENERGY TRANSFER LP
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware | 30-0108820 | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
8111 Westchester Drive, Suite 600
Dallas, Texas 75225
(214) 981-0700
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrants principal executive offices)
Dylan A. Bramhall
Executive Vice President and Group Chief Financial Officer
Energy Transfer LP
8111 Westchester Drive, Suite 600
Dallas, Texas 75225
(214) 981-0700
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies to:
James M. Wright Executive Vice President & General Counsel Energy Transfer LP 8111 Westchester Drive, Suite 600 Dallas, Texas 75225 (214) 981-0700 |
Kevin M. Richardson Samuel D. Rettew Latham & Watkins LLP 811 Main Street, Suite 3700 Houston, Texas 77002 (713) 546-5400 |
APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective on filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☒
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, and emerging growth company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer | ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | |||
Emerging growth company | ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for comply with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act. ☐
PROSPECTUS
ENERGY TRANSFER LP
Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests
Preferred Units Representing Limited Partner Interests
Debt Securities
We may offer and sell the securities identified above from time to time in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities.
Each time we offer and sell securities, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the offering and the amounts, prices and terms of the securities. The supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus with respect to that offering. You should carefully read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement before you invest in any of our securities.
We may offer and sell the securities described in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, or through a combination of these methods. If any underwriters, dealers or agents are involved in the sale of any of the securities, their names and any applicable purchase price, fee, commission or discount arrangement between or among them will be set forth, or will be calculable from the information set forth, in the applicable prospectus supplement. See the sections of this prospectus entitled About this Prospectus and Plan of Distribution for more information. No securities may be sold without delivery of this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering of such securities.
Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol ET. Our 9.250% Series I Fixed Rate Perpetual Preferred Units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol ETprI.
INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES INVOLVES RISKS. SEE THE RISK FACTORS ON PAGE 7 OF THIS PROSPECTUS AND ANY SIMILAR SECTION CONTAINED IN THE APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT CONCERNING FACTORS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE INVESTING IN OUR SECURITIES.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is June 5, 2024.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION; INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE |
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This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as a well-known seasoned issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, using a shelf registration process. By using a shelf registration statement, we may sell securities from time to time and in one or more offerings as described in this prospectus. Each time that we offer and sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement to this prospectus that contains specific information about the securities being offered and sold and the specific terms of that offering. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to these offerings. The prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus with respect to that offering. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, you should rely on the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, as applicable. Before purchasing any securities, you should carefully read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement (and any applicable free writing prospectuses), together with the additional information described under the heading Where You Can Find More Information; Incorporation by Reference.
We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectuses prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We will not make an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on its respective cover, that the information appearing in any applicable free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date of that free writing prospectus, and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. This prospectus incorporates by reference, and any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may contain and incorporate by reference, market data and industry statistics and forecasts that are based on independent industry publications and other publicly available information. Although we believe these sources are reliable, we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and we have not independently verified this information. In addition, the market and industry data and forecasts that may be included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any applicable free writing prospectus may involve estimates, assumptions and other risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under the heading Risk Factors contained in this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus, and under similar headings in other documents that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on this information.
When we refer to ET, we, our, us and the Partnership in this prospectus, we mean Energy Transfer LP and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified. When we refer to our general partner, we mean LE GP, LLC. When we refer to you, we mean the potential holders of the applicable series of securities.
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION; INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
Available Information
We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains a web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically with the SEC. The address of that website is http://www.sec.gov.
Our web site address is http://www.energytransfer.com. The information on our web site, however, is not, and should not be deemed to be, a part of this prospectus.
This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC and do not contain all of the information in the registration statement. The full registration statement may be obtained from the SEC or us, as provided below. Forms of the indenture and other documents establishing the terms of the offered securities are or may be filed as exhibits to the registration statement or documents incorporated by reference in the registration statement. Statements in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement about these documents are summaries and each statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. You should refer to the actual documents for a more complete description of the relevant matters. You may inspect a copy of the registration statement through the SECs website, as provided above.
Incorporation by Reference
The SECs rules allow us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus, which means that we can 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, and subsequent information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede that information. Any statement contained in this prospectus or a previously filed document incorporated by reference will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or a subsequently filed document incorporated by reference modifies or replaces that statement.
This prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement incorporate by reference the documents set forth below that have previously been filed with the SEC:
| Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on February 16, 2024; |
| Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on May 9, 2024; |
| Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 11, 2024, January 25, 2024, January 26, 2024, April 24, 2024, and May 29, 2024; and |
| The description of our common units contained in the Registration Statement filed on Form 8-A, dated January 31, 2006, filed with the SEC on January 11, 2006, and any amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purpose of updating the description. |
All reports and other documents we subsequently file pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which we refer to as the Exchange Act in this prospectus, prior to the termination of this offering but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.
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You may request a free copy of any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus by writing or telephoning us at the following address:
Energy Transfer LP
8111 Westchester Drive, Suite 600
Dallas, Texas 75225
Attn: Investor Relations
(214) 981-0700
Exhibits to the filings will not be sent, however, unless those exhibits have specifically been incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement.
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This prospectus and any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein contain various forward-looking statements and information that are based on our beliefs and those of our general partner, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to us. These forward-looking statements are identified as any statement that does not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein, words such as anticipate, project, expect, plan, goal, forecast, estimate, intend, could, believe, may, will and similar expressions and statements regarding our plans and objectives for future operations, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although we and our general partner believe that the expectations on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, neither we nor our general partner can give assurances that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or expected. Among the key risk factors that may have a direct bearing on our results of operations and financial condition are:
| the ability of our subsidiaries to make cash distributions to us, which is dependent on their results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; |
| the actual amount of cash distributions by our subsidiaries to us; |
| the volumes transported on our subsidiaries pipelines and gathering systems; |
| the level of throughput in our subsidiaries processing and treating facilities; |
| the fees our subsidiaries charge and the margins they realize for their gathering, treating, processing, storage and transportation services; |
| the prices and market demand for, and the relationship between, natural gas and natural gas liquids, or NGLs; |
| energy prices generally; |
| impacts of world health events; |
| the possibility of cyber and malware attacks; |
| the prices of natural gas and NGLs compared to the price of alternative and competing fuels; |
| the general level of petroleum product demand and the availability and price of NGL supplies; |
| the level of domestic oil, natural gas and NGL production; |
| the availability of imported oil, natural gas and NGLs; |
| actions taken by foreign oil and gas producing nations; |
| the political and economic stability of petroleum producing nations; |
| the effect of weather conditions on demand for oil, natural gas and NGLs; |
| availability of local, intrastate and interstate transportation systems; |
| the continued ability to find and contract for new sources of natural gas supply; |
| availability and marketing of competitive fuels; |
| the impact of energy conservation efforts; |
| energy efficiencies and technological trends; |
| governmental regulation and taxation; |
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| changes to, and the application of, regulation of tariff rates and operational requirements related to our subsidiaries interstate and intrastate pipelines; |
| hazards or operating risks incidental to the gathering, treating, processing and transporting of natural gas and NGLs; |
| competition from other midstream companies and interstate pipeline companies; |
| loss of key personnel; |
| loss of key natural gas producers or the providers of fractionation services; |
| reductions in the capacity or allocations of third-party pipelines that connect with our subsidiaries pipelines and facilities; |
| the effectiveness of risk-management policies and procedures and the ability of our subsidiaries liquids marketing counterparties to satisfy their financial commitments; |
| the nonpayment or nonperformance by our subsidiaries customers; |
| risks related to the development of new infrastructure projects or other growth projects, including failure to make sufficient progress to justify continued development, delays in obtaining customers, increased costs of financing and regulatory, environmental, political and legal uncertainties that may affect the timing and cost of these projects; |
| risks associated with the construction of new pipelines, treating and processing facilities or other facilities, or additions to our subsidiaries existing pipelines and their facilities, including difficulties in obtaining permits and rights-of-way or other regulatory approvals and the performance by third-party contractors; |
| the availability and cost of capital and our subsidiaries ability to access certain capital sources; |
| a deterioration of the credit and capital markets; |
| risks associated with the assets and operations of entities in which our subsidiaries own a noncontrolling interests, including risks related to management actions at such entities that our subsidiaries may not be able to control or exert influence; |
| the ability to successfully identify and consummate strategic acquisitions at purchase prices that are accretive to our financial results and to successfully integrate acquired businesses; |
| changes in laws and regulations to which we are subject, including tax, environmental, transportation and employment regulations or new interpretations by regulatory agencies concerning such laws and regulations; and |
| the costs and effects of legal and administrative proceedings. |
You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. When considering forward-looking statements, please review the risks described or referenced in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein. Each forward-looking statement made by us in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
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Energy Transfer LP is a publicly traded limited partnership owning and operating a diversified portfolio of energy assets. Our core operations include complementary natural gas midstream, intrastate and interstate transportation and storage assets; crude oil, NGLs and refined product transportation and terminalling assets; NGL storage and fractionation; and various acquisition and marketing assets. We also own Lake Charles LNG Company, as well as limited partner interests and the general partner interests of publicly traded master limited partnerships Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN) and USA Compression Partners, LP (NYSE: USAC).
The address of our principal executive office is 8111 Westchester Drive, Suite 600, Dallas, Texas 75225, and the telephone number at this address is (214) 981-0700.
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Investment in any securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement involves risks. Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risk factors incorporated by reference to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all other information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as updated by our subsequent filings under the Exchange Act, and the risk factors and other information contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities. There may be other unknown or unpredictable economic, business, competitive, regulatory or other factors that could have material adverse effects on our future results. Past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flow could be seriously harmed. This could cause the trading price of our securities to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. Please also carefully read the section entitled Forward-Looking Statements included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K.
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Common Units
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 Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership, as amended to date (our partnership agreement). For a description of the rights of holders of our common units to cash distributions, see the section in this prospectus entitled Distribution Policy. For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, see the section in this prospectus entitled Our Partnership Agreement. We urge you to read the partnership agreement, as the partnership agreement, and not this description, governs the rights of holders of our common units.
Number of Common Units
The majority of our common units are held by the public and the remaining are held by our affiliates. In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may issue additional common units without the approval of the then-existing holders of common units, and such additional issuance may dilute the then-existing common unitholders percentage interests in our net assets and the voting rights of the common unitholders under our partnership agreement. As of June 3, 2024, we had 3,371,355,966 common units outstanding, the majority of which are held by the public and the remaining held by our affiliates.
Voting Rights
Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, the holders of our common units have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business. The holders of our common units have no right to elect the general partner or the directors of the general partner on an annual or otherwise continuing basis. Our general partner may not be removed except by the vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding units, including units owned by the general partner and its affiliates. Each holder of common units is entitled to one vote for each common unit on all matters submitted to a vote of the unitholders. Common unitholders do not have preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership securities.
Holders of our common units may vote on the following matters:
| a sale or exchange of all or substantially all of our assets; |
| the election of a successor general partner in connection with the withdrawal or removal of our general partner; |
| dissolution or reconstitution of our partnership; |
| a merger of our partnership; |
| issuance of limited partner interests in some circumstances; and |
| certain amendments to the partnership agreement, including any amendment that will cause Energy Transfer to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation. |
Removal of the general partner requires:
| a 66 2/3% vote of all outstanding units; and |
| the election of a successor general partner by the holders of a majority of our outstanding common units. |
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Transfer of Common Units
Any transfers of a common unit will not be recorded by the transfer agent or recognized by us unless the transferee executes and delivers a transfer application. By executing and delivering a transfer application, the transferee of common units:
| becomes the record holder of the common units and is an assignee until admitted as a substituted limited partner; |
| automatically requests admission as a substituted limited partner; |
| represents and warrants that such transferee has the right, power and authority and, if an individual, the capacity to enter into our partnership agreement; |
| grants the powers of attorney set forth in our partnership agreement; and |
| gives the consents and approvals and makes the waivers contained in our partnership agreement. |
An assignee will become a substituted limited partner for the transferred common units upon the consent of our general partner and the recording of the name of the assignee on our books and records. Our general partner may withhold its consent in its sole discretion.
A transferees broker, agent or nominee may complete, execute and deliver a transfer application. We are entitled to treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holders rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.
Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon admission as a substituted limited partner for the transferred common units, a purchaser or transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application obtains only:
| the right to assign the common units to a purchaser or other transferee; and |
| the right to transfer the right to seek admission as a substituted limited partner for the transferred common units. |
Thus, a purchaser or transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application:
| will not receive cash distributions or federal income tax allocations, 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; and |
| may not receive some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of common units. |
The transferor of common units has a duty to provide the transferee with all information that may be necessary to transfer the common units. The transferor does not have a duty to insure the execution of the transfer application by the transferee and has no liability or responsibility if the transferee neglects or chooses not to execute and forward the transfer application to the transfer agent.
Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the common unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.
Listing
Our outstanding common units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol ET. Any additional common units we issue also will be listed on the NYSE.
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Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for the common units is Equiniti.
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This description is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. The provisions of our partnership agreement relating to distributions of our available cash are described under Distribution Policy.
The description of our partnership agreement contained herein does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of our Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership, dated November 3, 2023, as amended. A copy of our partnership agreement is filed as Exhibit 3.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 6, 2023, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. We urge you to read our partnership agreement, as our partnership agreement, and not this description, governs our partnership interests.
Purpose
Under our partnership agreement, we are permitted to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that is approved by our general partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law, provided that our general partner may not cause us to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that our general partner determines would cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes.
Power of Attorney
Each unitholder, and each person who acquires a unit from a unitholder, by accepting the unit, automatically 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 to amend, and to make consents and waivers under, our partnership agreement.
Distributions
Pursuant to our partnership agreement, we make quarterly distributions of available cash to all unitholders and our general partner. Please see Distribution Policy.
Reimbursement of Expenses
Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner in connection with operating our business. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. Our general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.
Issuance of Additional Partnership Securities; Preemptive Rights
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to the partnership securities for any partnership purpose at any time and from time to time to such persons, for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as our general partner determines, all without the approval of any limited partners.
It is possible 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 distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional
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partnership interests may dilute (i) the percentage interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets and (ii) the voting rights of the then-existing holders of common units under our partnership agreement.
In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership securities that have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled.
Upon issuance of additional partnership securities, our general partner will have the right to make additional capital contributions to the extent necessary to maintain its then-current general partner interest in us; provided, however, that the capital contributions of our general partner will be offset to the extent contributions received by us in exchange for the issuance of additional partnership securities are used by us concurrently with such contributions to redeem or repurchase from any person outstanding partnership securities of the same class as the partnership securities that were issued. Moreover, our general partner will have 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 partnership 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 necessary to maintain its percentage interest, including its interest represented by common units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance.
The holders of our common units do not have preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership securities.
As of June 3, 2024, we had 834,434,002 Class A units representing limited partner interests (the Class A units) outstanding. The Class A units vote together with our common units, as a single class, on any matter for which the holders of common units are entitled to vote, except as required by law. Additionally, for so long as Kelcy Warren is an officer or a director of our general partner, upon the issuance by us of additional common units or any securities that have voting rights that are pari passu with our common units, we will issue to the holder of Class A units a number of additional Class A units such that the holder maintains a voting interest in us that is identical to its voting interest in us prior to such issuance. The Class A units are not entitled to distributions and otherwise have no economic attributes, except that the Class A units in the aggregate will be entitled to an aggregate $100 distribution prior and in preference to any distribution of assets to the holders of any other classes or series of our securities upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up. The Class A units are not convertible into, or exchangeable for, common units. In addition to the other voting rights of the Class A units, without the approval of 66 2/3% of the Class A units, we may not take any action that disproportionately or materially adversely affects the rights, preferences or privileges of the Class A units or amend the terms of the Class A units. Without the prior approval of a conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner, the Class A units may not be transferred to any person or entity, other than to Kelcy Warren, Ray Davis or to any trust, family partnership or family limited liability company the sole beneficiaries, partners or members of which are Kelcy Warren, Ray Davis or their respective relatives.
Amendments to Our Partnership Agreement
General
Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by our general partner. Our general partner has no duty or obligation to propose any amendment to our partnership agreement and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us, any limited partner or assignee and, in declining to propose an amendment, is not required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by our partnership agreement, any other agreement contemplated under our partnership agreement or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation. A proposed amendment will be effective upon its approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units (a unit majority), unless a greater or different percentage is required under our partnership agreement or by Delaware law. Each proposed amendment that requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of outstanding units will be set forth in a writing
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that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is proposed, our general partner will seek the written approval of the requisite percentage of outstanding units or call a meeting of the unitholders to consider and vote on such proposed amendment. Our general partner will notify all record holders upon final adoption of any such proposed amendments.
Restrictions on Certain Amendments
Our partnership agreement provides that:
(1) | no provision of our partnership agreement that establishes a percentage of outstanding units (including units deemed owned by our general partner) required to take any action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that would have the effect of reducing such voting percentage unless such amendment is approved by the written consent or the affirmative vote of holders of outstanding units whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced; |
(2) | no amendment to our partnership agreement may (a) enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, unless such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant to clause (3) below, (b) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable to, our general partner or any of its affiliates without its consent, which consent may be given or withheld at its option, (c) change the provision of our partnership agreement providing for our dissolution upon an election to dissolve our partnership by our general partner that is approved by a unit majority (the election to dissolve provision), or (d) change the term of our partnership or, except as set forth in the election to dissolve provision, give any person the right to dissolve our partnership; |
(3) | except for mergers or consolidations approved pursuant to the partnership agreement, and without limitation of our general partners authority to adopt amendments to our partnership agreement described below under No Unitholder Approval, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any class of partnership interests in relation to other classes of partnership interests must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the outstanding partnership interests of the class affected; |
(4) | except for amendments described below under No Unitholder Approval and except in connection with unitholder approval of a merger or consolidation, no amendments shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting as a single class unless we obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited liability of any limited partner under applicable law; |
(5) | except for amendments described below under No Unitholder Approval, the provisions set forth in clauses (1) through (4) above and (6) below may only be amended with the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units; and |
(6) | without the approval of the holders of 66 2/3% of the Class A Units, we may not take any action that disproportionately or materially adversely affects the rights, preferences or privileges of the Class A Units or amend the terms of the Class A Units. |
No Unitholder Approval
Our general partner, without the approval of any limited partner, may amend any provision of our partnership agreement to reflect:
(1) | a change in our name, the location of our principal place of business, our registered agent or our registered office; |
(2) | admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with our partnership agreement; |
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(3) | a change that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue the qualification of our partnership as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that the members of the partnership group will not be treated as associations taxable as corporations or otherwise taxed as entities for federal income tax purposes; |
(4) | a change that our general partner determines (a) does not adversely affect the limited partners (including any particular class of partnership interests as compared to other classes of partnership interests) in any material respect, (b) to be necessary or appropriate to (i) satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (ii) facilitate the trading of our units (including the division of any class or classes of outstanding units into different classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such classes of units) or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any national securities exchange on which the units are or will be listed for trading, (c) to be necessary or appropriate in connection with action taken by our general partner pursuant to the provisions of our partnership agreement governing distributions, subdivisions and combinations of partnership securities or (d) is required to effect the intent of the provisions of our partnership agreement or is otherwise contemplated by our partnership agreement; |
(5) | a change in our fiscal year or taxable year and any other changes that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a change in our fiscal year or taxable year, including, if our general partner shall so determine, a change in the definition of Quarter under our partnership agreement and the dates on which distributions (other than the distributions to our existing preferred units, as described below in Distribution Policy) are to be made by us; |
(6) | an amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of counsel, to prevent us, or our general partner or its directors, officers, trustees or agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or plan asset regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, regardless of whether such are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor; |
(7) | subject to certain limitations, an amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the authorization of issuance of any class or series of partnership securities pursuant to our partnership agreement; |
(8) | any amendment expressly permitted in our partnership agreement to be made by our general partner acting alone; |
(9) | an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a merger agreement approved in accordance with the provisions of our partnership agreement; |
(10) | an amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by us of, or investment by us in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, in connection with the conduct by us of activities permitted by the terms of our partnership agreement; |
(11) | a merger or conveyance pursuant to which (a) our general partner has received an opinion of counsel that the conversion, merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in the loss of the limited liability of any limited partner or any member of the partnership group or cause us or any member of the partnership group to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (b) the sole purpose of such conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the legal form of us into another limited liability entity and (c) the governing instruments of the new entity provide the limited partners and our general partner with the same rights and obligations as are contained in our partnership agreement; or |
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(12) | any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing. |
Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner
Our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days notice to our unitholders, and that withdrawal will not constitute a breach of our partnership agreement. In addition, our partnership agreement permits our general partner in some instances to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in us without the approval of the unitholders.
If our general partner gives a notice of withdrawal, the holders of a unit majority, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor general partner. The person so elected as successor general partner will automatically become the successor general partner or managing member, to the extent applicable, of the other members of the partnership group of which our general partner is a general partner or a managing member. If, prior to the effective date of our general partners withdrawal, a successor is not selected by our unitholders or we do not receive a withdrawal opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters, our partnership will be dissolved in accordance with our partnership agreement.
Our general partner may be removed if such removal is approved by our unitholders holding at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding units (including units held by our general partner and its affiliates). The right of the holders of outstanding units to remove our general partner may not be exercised unless we have received a withdrawal opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. The ownership of more than 33 1/3% of our outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates would give it the practical ability to prevent its removal.
We will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the departing general partner or its affiliates for the benefit of us or the other members of the partnership group.
Transfer of General Partner Interest
Our general partner may transfer all or any of its general partner interest without unitholder approval. At any time, the members of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part of their membership interests in our general partner to an affiliate or a third party without the approval of our unitholders.
Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
We will continue as a limited partnership until dissolved under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:
| the withdrawal, removal, bankruptcy or dissolution of our general partner, unless a successor general partner is elected prior to or on the effective date of such withdrawal, removal, bankruptcy or dissolution and a withdrawal opinion of counsel is received by us; |
| an election to dissolve us by our general partner that is approved by the holders of a unit majority; |
| the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of us pursuant to the provisions of the Delaware Act; or |
| the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets and properties of the partnership group. |
Upon (a) our dissolution following the withdrawal or removal of our general partner and the failure of the partners to select a successor general partner, then within 90 days thereafter, or (b) our dissolution upon the bankruptcy or dissolution of our general partner, then, to the maximum extent permitted by law, within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a unit majority may elect to reconstitute us and continue our business on the same terms
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and conditions set forth in our partnership agreement by forming a new limited partnership on terms identical to those set forth in our partnership agreement and having as the successor general partner a person approved by the holders of a unit majority. Unless such an election is made within the applicable time period as set forth above, we shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up our affairs.
Limited Call Right
If at any time our general partner and its affiliates hold more than 90% of the total limited partner interests of any class then outstanding, our general partner will then have the right, which right it may assign and transfer in whole or in part to us or any affiliate of our general partner, exercisable at its option, to purchase all, but not less than all, of such limited partner interests of such class then outstanding held by persons other than our general partner and its affiliates. As a consequence, a unitholder may be required to sell his common units at an undesirable time or price.
Indemnification
Section 17-108 of the Delaware Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other person from and against all claims and demands whatsoever. Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons (each an indemnitee) to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as an indemnitee:
| our general partner; |
| any departing general partner; |
| any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partner or any departing general partner; |
| any person who is or was a member, partner, officer, director, fiduciary or trustee of any member of the partnership group, our general partner or any departing partner or any affiliate of any member of the partnership group, our general partner or any departing partner; |
| any person who is or was serving at the request of our general partner or any departing partner or any affiliate of our general partner or any departing partner as an officer, director, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person (provided, that a person will not be an indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodial services); or |
| any person that our general partner designates as an indemnitee for purposes of our partnership agreement. |
Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees in its sole discretion, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, such indemnification. We may 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 the partnership agreement.
Under our partnership agreement, an indemnitee will not be indemnified and held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to our partnership agreement, the indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or gross negligence or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the indemnitees conduct was unlawful.
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In the opinion of the SEC, indemnification provisions that purport to include indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act are contrary to public policy and are, therefore, unenforceable.
Registration Rights
Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any 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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General
We will distribute to our unitholders, within 50 calendar days after the end of each quarter (or the business day immediately thereafter), all of our available cash in the manner described below.
Definition of Available Cash
Available cash generally means, for any calendar quarter, all cash on hand at the end of such quarter:
| less the amount of cash that the general partner determines in good faith is necessary or appropriate to: |
| provide for the proper conduct of business; |
| satisfy general, administrative and other expenses and debt service requirements; |
| comply with applicable law, any of our debt instruments or other agreements; |
| provide funds for distributions to our unitholders and to our general partner for any one or more of the next four quarters; or |
| provide funds for distributions on our outstanding preferred units and Class B units; |
| plus all cash on hand on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter. |
Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation
If we dissolve in accordance with our partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called a liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors in the order of priority provided in the partnership agreement and by law, and, thereafter, we will distribute $100 to the holders of our Class A Units in the aggregate and any remaining proceeds to our other unitholders, including the holders of our common units and our general partner, in accordance with their respective positive capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.
No unitholder will have any obligation to restore any negative balance in its capital account upon liquidation of us.
Distributions to Preferred Unitholders
Prior to making any distributions to the unitholders as described above, the holders of our preferred units are entitled to receive, when, as, and if declared by our general partner out of legally available funds for such purpose, cumulative quarterly cash distributions. Unless otherwise determined by our general partner, distributions on the ET preferred units are deemed to have been paid out of available cash with respect to the quarter ended immediately preceding the quarter in which the distribution is made.
Distributions on each class of our preferred units are subject to an initial fixed distribution rate for a specified term, followed by a floating or reset distribution rate, as applicable, to extend thereafter until all of our outstanding preferred units of that class are redeemed.
The 6.250% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units had an initial distribution rate of 6.250% of the Series A liquidation preference of $1,000 per Series A preferred unit (the Series A Liquidation Preference) until February 14, 2023 and, thereafter, distributions accumulate for each distribution period at a percentage of the Series A Liquidation Preference equal to the sum of an annual floating rate of the three-month SOFR, a 0.26161% tenor spread adjustment and a spread of 4.028% per annum.
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The 6.625% Series B Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units have an initial distribution rate of 6.625% of the Series B liquidation preference of $1,000 per Series B preferred unit (the Series B Liquidation Preference) until February 14, 2028 and, thereafter, distributions will accumulate for each distribution period at a percentage of the Series B Liquidation Preference equal to the sum of an annual floating rate of the three-month SOFR, a 0.26161% tenor spread adjustment and a spread of 4.155% per annum.
The 6.750% Series F Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units have an initial distribution rate of 6.750% of the Series F liquidation preference of $1,000 per Series F preferred unit (the Series F Liquidation Preference) until May 15, 2025 and, thereafter, distributions will accumulate for each distribution period at a percentage of the Series F Liquidation Preference equal to the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate as of the most recent Series F Reset Distribution Determination Date plus a spread of 5.134% per annum.
The 7.125% Series G Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units have an initial distribution rate of 7.125% of the Series G liquidation preference of $1,000 per Series G preferred unit (the Series G Liquidation Preference) until May 15, 2030 and, thereafter, distributions will accumulate for each distribution period at a percentage of the Series G Liquidation Preference equal to the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate as of the most recent Series G Reset Distribution Determination Date plus a spread of 5.306% per annum.
The 6.500% Series H Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units have an initial distribution rate of 6.500% of the Series H liquidation preference of $1,000 per Series H preferred unit (the Series H Liquidation Preference) until November 15, 2026 and, thereafter, distributions will accumulate for each distribution period at a percentage of the Series H Liquidation Preference equal to the Five-year U.S. Treasury Rate as of the most recent Series H Reset Distribution Determination Date plus a spread of 5.694% per annum.
The 9.250% Series I Fixed Rate Perpetual Preferred Units have a cumulative distribution rate of $0.2111 per Series I preferred unit per fiscal quarter. Each Series I preferred unit is entitled to a liquidation preference of the sum of $9.1273 plus all accrued and unpaid distributions until an event giving rise to the dissolution of the Partnership.
Distributions to Other Units
Our partnership agreement provides that each Class B unit is entitled to a quarterly cash distribution in an amount equal to $0.35325 per Class B unit. If we are unable to pay the Class B unit quarterly distribution with respect to any quarter, (i) the amount of such accrued and unpaid distributions will accumulate until paid in full in cash and (ii) the balance of such accrued and unpaid distributions shall increase at a rate of 1.5% per annum, compounded quarterly, from the date such distribution was due until the date it is paid.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED UNITS
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited partner interests and other equity securities on the terms and conditions established by our general partner without the approval of any of our limited partners. In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may issue additional partnership interests that have special voting rights to which our common units are not entitled.
We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement a description of any preferred units issued by us that may be offered and sold pursuant to this prospectus.
As of June 3, 2024, we had outstanding:
| 950,000 6.250% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units, liquidation preference $1,000 per unit, representing a limited partner interest in ET (Series A preferred units); |
| 550,000 6.625% Series B Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units, liquidation preference $1,000 per unit, representing limited partner interests in ET (the Series B preferred units); |
| 500,000 6.750% Series F Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units, liquidation preference $1,000 per unit, representing limited partner interests in ET (the Series F preferred units); |
| 1,484,780 7.125% Series G Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units, liquidation preference $1,000 per unit, representing limited partner interests in ET (the Series G preferred units); |
| 900,000 6.500% Series H Fixed-Rate Reset Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units (the Series H preferred units and, together with the Series A preferred units, the Series B preferred units, the Series F preferred units and the Series G preferred units, the institutional preferred units); and |
| 41,464,179 Series I Fixed-Rate Perpetual Preferred Units, representing limited partner interests in ET (the Series I preferred units and, together with the institutional preferred units, the existing preferred units). |
We urge you to read our partnership agreement, as our partnership agreement, and not this description, governs our partnership interests.
Distributions
The holders of each series of existing preferred units are entitled to receive cumulative distributions as described under Distribution PolicyDistributions to Preferred Unitholders.
Listing
The Series I preferred units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol ETprI. The institutional preferred units are not listed on any securities exchange.
Ranking
Each series of existing preferred units, with respect to anticipated semi-annual or quarterly distributions and distributions upon the liquidation, winding-up and dissolution of our affairs, ranks:
| senior to any junior securities (including our common units and the general partner interest); |
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| pari passu with any parity securities (including each other series of our preferred units, including the existing preferred units); and |
| junior to any senior securities. |
Each series of existing preferred units is subordinated to all of our and our subsidiaries existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities (including our senior notes, and any other senior securities we may issue in the future with respect to assets available to satisfy claims against us).
Under our partnership agreement, we may issue junior securities from time to time in one or more series without the consent of the holders of the existing preferred units. Our general partner has the authority to determine the designations, preferences, rights, powers, and duties of any such series before the issuance of any units of that series. Our general partner will also determine the number of units constituting each series of securities. Our ability to issue additional parity securities in certain circumstances or senior securities is limited as described below under Voting Rights.
Optional Redemption
Institutional Preferred Units
At any time with respect to the Series A preferred units, at any time on or after February 15, 2028, with respect to the Series B preferred units, on any Series F Redemption Date (defined below), with respect to the Series F preferred units, on any Series G Redemption Date (defined below), with respect to the Series G preferred units, or during any Series H Redemption Period (as defined below), with respect to the Series H preferred units, we may redeem each series of institutional preferred units, in whole or in part, out of amounts legally available therefor, at a redemption price of $1,000 per unit plus an amount equal to all accumulated and unpaid distributions thereon to, but excluding, the date of redemption, whether or not declared. In addition, we may redeem each series of institutional preferred units, in whole but not in part, at a price of $1,020 per unit upon the occurrence of certain changes to the equity credit criteria attributed to the applicable series of institutional preferred units by any of ETs rating agencies as further described in our partnership agreement. Any such redemption would be effected only out of funds legally available for such purpose and would be subject to compliance with the provisions of the instruments governing our outstanding indebtedness. With respect to the Series A preferred units and the Series B preferred units, we must provide not less than 15 days and not more than 60 days written notice of any such redemption. With respect to the Series F preferred units, the Series G preferred units and the Series H preferred units, we must provide not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days written notice of any such redemption. We may undertake multiple partial redemptions with respect to each series of institutional preferred units.
Series F Redemption Date means May 15, 2025, and each fifth anniversary of the commencement of the prior Series F Redemption Date.
Series G Redemption Date means May 15, 2030, and each fifth anniversary of the commencement of the prior Series G Redemption Date.
Series H Redemption Period means the period from August 15, 2026 to November 15, 2026, and each three-month period beginning on the fifth anniversary of the commencement of the prior Series H Redemption Period.
Series I Preferred Units
If at any time not more than 20% of the total outstanding Series I preferred units are held by persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, our general partner shall then have the right, which right it may assign and transfer in whole or in party to us or any affiliate of our general partner, exercisable in its sole discretion, to
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purchase all, but not less than all, of such Series I preferred units than outstanding held by persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, at the greater of (x) the market price for the Series I preferred units at the date three days prior to the date on which notice of the purchase is mailed to holders of the Series I preferred units and (y) the highest price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for any limited partner interest of such class purchased during the 90-day period preceding the date on which notice of the purchase is mailed to holders of the Series I preferred units.
Conversion Rights
The institutional preferred units are not convertible into or exchangeable for any other securities or property at the option of the holder.
Holders of Series I preferred units may elect (i) to convert all or any portion of such preferred units, in an aggregate amount equaling or exceeding the Minimum Conversion Amount (as defined in the Partnership Agreement), into common units, at the then applicable Conversion Ratio (as defined in the Partnership Agreement, initially 2.07 common units for ten Series I preferred units), subject to the payment of any accrued but unpaid distributions to the date of such conversion and (ii) in the event of the Partnerships voluntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, to convert all or any portion of such Series I preferred units into common units, at the then applicable Conversion Ratio, subject to payment of any accrued but unpaid distributions to the date of conversion.
At any time, subject to certain liquidity requirements set forth in the Partnership Agreement, if the volume-weighted average trading price of the common units on the national securities exchange on which the common units are then listed (the VWAP Price) for 20 trading days over the 30-trading day period ending on the close of trading on the day immediately preceding the date notice is given by the Partnership of election of its conversion right is greater than the quotient of (i) $13.691 divided by (ii) the then applicable Conversion Ratio (or approximately $66.14 based on the initial Conversion Ratio), the Partnerships general partner, in its sole discretion, may convert all or a portion of the outstanding Series I preferred units into common units, at the then applicable Conversion Ratio, subject to the payment of any accrued but unpaid distributions to the date of conversion. Also, subject to certain liquidity requirements set forth in the Partnership Agreement, if the VWAP Price of the common units for 20 trading days over the 30-trading day period ending on the close of trading on the day immediately preceding the date notice is given by the Partnership of the exercise of its conversion right is greater than the quotient of (i) $9.1273 divided by (ii) the then applicable Conversion Ratio (or approximately $44.09 based on the initial Conversion Ratio), the Partnerships general partner, in its sole discretion, may convert all, but not less than all, of the outstanding Series I preferred units into a number of common units equal to the Adjusted Conversion Amount (as defined in the Partnership Agreement).
Liquidation Rights
If necessary, the holders of outstanding institutional preferred units will first be specially allocated items of our gross income and gain in a manner designed to cause, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of ETs affairs, whether voluntary or involuntary, a liquidation preference of $1,000 per unit.
If the amount of ETs gross income and gain available to be specially allocated to the existing preferred units is not sufficient to cause the capital account of such existing preferred unit to equal the liquidation preference of the existing preferred unit, then the amount that a holder of such existing preferred unit would receive upon liquidation may be less than the liquidation preference of such existing preferred unit. Any accumulated and unpaid distributions on the existing preferred units and the parity securities will be paid prior to any distributions in liquidation made in accordance with capital account balances. The rights of holders of the existing preferred units to receive the liquidation preference will be subject to the rights of the holders of any senior securities and the proportional rights of holders of the parity securities. A consolidation or merger of ET with or into any other entity, individually or in a series of transactions, will not be deemed to be a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of ETs affairs.
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Voting Rights
Except as described below, holders of the existing preferred units generally have no voting rights.
Unless ET has received the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding units of each series of existing preferred units, voting as a separate class, we may not adopt any amendment to our partnership agreement that would have a material adverse effect on the powers, preferences, duties, or special rights of such series of existing preferred units.
In addition, unless we have received the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding existing preferred units, voting as a class together with holders of any other parity securities upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable, we may not (i) create or issue any parity securities (including any additional existing preferred units) if the cumulative distributions payable on then outstanding existing preferred units (or parity securities, if applicable) are in arrears, or (ii) create or issue any senior securities.
On any matter on which the holders of the existing preferred units are entitled to vote as a class, such holders will be entitled to one vote per existing preferred unit.
Transfer of Units
There is no restriction on the transfer of the existing preferred units other than restrictions and conditions applicable to transfers of any limited partner interests under our partnership agreement.
Preemptive Rights
No holder of existing preferred units has any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of additional partnership securities under our partnership agreement.
Rights Upon a Change of Control
The holders of existing preferred units do not have any specific rights or protections upon a change of control at ET.
Sinking Fund
The existing preferred units do not have the benefit of any sinking fund.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, summarizes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of the series in a supplement to this prospectus. We will also indicate in the supplement to what extent the general terms and provisions described in this prospectus apply to a particular series of debt securities.
We may issue debt securities either separately, or together with, or upon the conversion or exercise of or in exchange for, other securities described in this prospectus. Debt securities may be our senior, senior subordinated or subordinated obligations and, unless otherwise specified in a supplement to this prospectus, the debt securities will be our direct, unsecured obligations and may be issued in one or more series.
The debt securities will be issued under an indenture dated December 14, 2022 between us, as issuer, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (as amended or supplemented, the indenture). We have summarized select portions of the indenture below. The summary is not complete. The indenture has been filed as Exhibit 4.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 14, 2022, and is incorporated into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part as Exhibit 4.1 to such registration statement, and you should read the indenture for provisions that may be important to you. Capitalized terms used in the summary and not defined herein have the meanings specified in the indenture.
General
The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of our board of directors and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a resolution of our board of directors, in an officers certificate or by a supplemental indenture. The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such series (including any pricing supplement or term sheet).
We can issue an unlimited amount of debt securities under the indenture that may be in one or more series with the same or various maturities, at par, at a premium, or at a discount. We will set forth in a prospectus supplement (including any pricing supplement or term sheet) relating to any series of debt securities being offered, the aggregate principal amount and the following terms of the debt securities, if applicable:
| the title and ranking of the debt securities (including the terms of any subordination provisions); |
| the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) at which we will sell the debt securities; |
| any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities; |
| the date or dates on which the principal of the securities of the series is payable; |
| the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or the method used to determine the rate or rates (including any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the debt securities will bear interest, the date or dates from which interest will accrue, the date or dates on which interest will commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date; |
| the place or places where principal of, and interest, if any, on the debt securities will be payable (and the method of such payment), where the securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and where notices and demands to us in respect of the debt securities may be delivered; |
| the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which we may redeem the debt securities; |
| any obligation we have to redeem or purchase the debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder of debt securities and the period or periods within |
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which, the price or prices at which and in the terms and conditions upon which securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation; |
| the dates on which and the price or prices at which we will repurchase debt securities at the option of the holders of debt securities and other detailed terms and provisions of these repurchase obligations; |
| the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof; |
| whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of certificated debt securities or global debt securities; |
| the portion of principal amount of the debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the principal amount; |
| the currency of denomination of the debt securities, which may be United States dollars or any foreign currency, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency; |
| the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal of, premium and interest on the debt securities will be made; |
| if payments of principal of, premium or interest on the debt securities will be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the debt securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to these payments will be determined; |
| the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities will be determined, if these amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index; |
| any provisions relating to any security provided for the debt securities; |
| any addition to, deletion of or change in the Events of Default described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities and any change in the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities; |
| any addition to, deletion of or change in the covenants described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities; |
| any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to the debt securities; |
| the provisions, if any, relating to conversion or exchange of any debt securities of such series, including if applicable, the conversion or exchange price and period, provisions as to whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion or exchange price and provisions affecting conversion or exchange; |
| any other terms of the debt securities, which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of the indenture as it applies to that series, including any terms that may be required under applicable law or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of the securities; and |
| whether any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries will guarantee the debt securities of that series, including the terms of subordination, if any, of such guarantees. |
We may issue debt securities that provide for an amount less than their stated principal amount to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity pursuant to the terms of the indenture. We will provide you with information on the federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any of these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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If we denominate the purchase price of any of the debt securities in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, or if the principal of and any premium and interest on any series of debt securities is payable in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, we will provide you with information on the restrictions, elections, general tax considerations, specific terms and other information with respect to that issue of debt securities and such foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The Subsidiary Guarantees
Our payment obligations under any series of debt securities may be jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guaranteed by one or more Subsidiary Guarantors. If a series of debt securities are so guaranteed, the Subsidiary Guarantors will execute a notation of guarantee as further evidence of their guarantee. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any guarantee by the Subsidiary Guarantors. If a series of debt securities is guaranteed by the Subsidiary Guarantors and is designated as subordinate to our Senior Indebtedness, then the guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantors will be subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of the Subsidiary Guarantors to substantially the same extent as the series is subordinated to our Senior Indebtedness. Please read Subordination.
Transfer and Exchange
Each debt security will be represented by either one or more global securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company (the Depositary), or a nominee of the Depositary (we will refer to any debt security represented by a global debt security as a book-entry debt security), or a certificate issued in definitive registered form (we will refer to any debt security represented by a certificated security as a certificated debt security) as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Except as set forth under the heading Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System below, book-entry debt securities will not be issuable in certificated form.
Certificated Debt Securities. You may transfer or exchange certificated debt securities at any office we maintain for this purpose in accordance with the terms of the indenture. No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of certificated debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with a transfer or exchange.
You may effect the transfer of certificated debt securities and the right to receive the principal of, premium and interest on certificated debt securities only by surrendering the certificate representing those certificated debt securities and either reissuance by us or the trustee of the certificate to the new holder or the issuance by us or the trustee of a new certificate to the new holder.
Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System. Each global debt security representing book-entry debt securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, the Depositary, and registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary. Please see Global Securities.
Covenants
A series of debt securities may contain financial and other covenants. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain a description of any such covenants that are added to the indenture specifically for the benefit of holders of a particular series.
No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control
Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions that may afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event we have a change in control or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction (whether or not such transaction results in a change in control) which could adversely affect holders of debt securities.
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Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets
ET shall not, in a transaction or series of transactions, consolidate with or merge into any Person or sell, lease, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to any Person unless:
| the Person formed by or resulting from any such consolidation or merger or to which such assets have been sold, leased, conveyed, transferred or otherwise disposed of (the successor) is ET or expressly assumes by supplemental indenture all of ETs obligations and liabilities under the indenture and the notes; |
| the successor is organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
| immediately after giving effect to the transaction or series of transactions, no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing under such indenture; and |
| we have delivered to the trustee an officers certificate and opinion of counsel, each stating that the merger, amalgamation, consolidation, sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition, and if a supplemental indenture is required, the supplemental indenture, comply with the indenture. |
The successor will be substituted for ET in such indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to such indenture. Thereafter, the successor may exercise the rights and powers of ET under such indenture. Each of the indentures will provide that if ET conveys or transfers all or substantially all of its assets, it will be released from all liabilities and obligations under such indenture and under the notes issued thereunder, except that no such release will occur in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of its assets.
Person means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof or any other entity.
Events of Default
Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, Event of Default means with respect to any series of debt securities, any of the following:
| default in the payment of any interest on or any additional amounts with respect to any debt security of that series when it becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days; |
| default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on any debt securities of that series as and when the same shall become due and payable, whether at stated maturity, upon redemption, by declaration, upon required repurchase or otherwise; |
| default in the payment of any sinking fund payment with respect to any debt securities of that series as and when the same shall become due and payable; |
| default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty by us, or if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by any Subsidiary Guarantor, by such Subsidiary Guarantor, in the indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than that series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after we receive written notice from the trustee or we and the trustee receive written notice from the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series as provided in the indenture; |
| certain voluntary or involuntary events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of us, or, if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by any Subsidiary Guarantor, of such Subsidiary Guarantor; |
| if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by any Subsidiary Guarantor, any of the subsidiary guarantees; |
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| ceases to be in full force and effect, except as otherwise provided in the indenture; |
| is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding; or |
| any Subsidiary Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under the indenture or its guarantee; or |
| any other Event of Default provided with respect to debt securities of that series that is described in the applicable prospectus supplement. |
No Event of Default with respect to a particular series of debt securities (except as to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) necessarily constitutes an Event of Default with respect to any other series of debt securities. The occurrence of certain Events of Default or an acceleration under the indenture may constitute an event of default under certain indebtedness of ours or our subsidiaries outstanding from time to time.
We will provide the trustee written notice of any Default or Event of Default within 30 days of becoming aware of the occurrence of such Default or Event of Default, which notice will describe in reasonable detail the status of such Default or Event of Default and what action we are taking or propose to take in respect thereof.
If an Event of Default with respect to debt securities of any series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, by a notice in writing to us (and to the trustee if given by the holders), declare to be due and payable immediately the principal of (or, if the debt securities of that series are discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all debt securities of that series. In the case of an Event of Default resulting from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding debt securities will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder of outstanding debt securities. At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to debt securities of any series has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may rescind and annul the acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal and interest, if any, with respect to debt securities of that series, have been cured or waived as provided in the indenture. We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of such discount securities upon the occurrence of an Event of Default.
The indenture provides that the trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture unless the trustee receives security or indemnity satisfactory to it against any cost, liability or expense which might be incurred by it in performing such duty or exercising such right or power. Subject to certain rights of the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series.
No holder of any debt security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any remedy under the indenture, unless:
| that holder has previously given to the trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to debt securities of that series; |
| the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and offered indemnity or security satisfactory to the trustee, to the trustee to |
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institute the proceeding as trustee, and the trustee has not received from the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series a direction inconsistent with that request and has failed to institute the proceeding within 60 days; |
| the trustee has failed to institute such proceeding within 90 calendar days of such notice; and |
| during or prior to such 90-day period, the trustee has not received from the holders of a majority in outstanding principal amount of the debt securities of such series a direction inconsistent with such request. |
Notwithstanding any other provision in the indenture, the holder of any debt security will have an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment of the principal of, premium and any interest on that debt security on or after the due dates expressed in that debt security and to institute suit for the enforcement of payment.
The indenture requires us, within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year, to furnish to the trustee a statement as to compliance with the indenture. If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the debt securities of any series and if it is known to a responsible officer of the trustee, the trustee shall mail to each holder of the debt securities of that series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs or, if later, after a responsible officer of the trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any series of any Default or Event of Default (except in payment on any debt securities of that series) with respect to debt securities of that series if the trustee determines in good faith that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of those debt securities.
Modification and Waiver
We and the trustee may modify, amend or supplement the indenture or the debt securities of any series without the consent of any holder of any debt security:
| to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency; |
| to comply with covenants in the indenture described above under the heading Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets; |
| to add any Subsidiary Guarantor with respect to the debt securities; |
| to secure the debt securities and/or any guarantees; |
| to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to or in place of certificated securities; |
| to add guarantees with respect to debt securities of any series or secure debt securities of any series; |
| to surrender any of our rights or powers under the indenture; |
| to add covenants or events of default for the benefit of the holders of debt securities of any series; |
| to comply with the applicable procedures of the applicable depositary; |
| to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder of debt securities; |
| to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of debt securities of any series as permitted by the indenture; |
| to effect the appointment of a successor trustee with respect to the debt securities of any series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture to provide for or facilitate administration by more than one trustee; or |
| to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the Trust Indenture Act). |
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We may also modify and amend the indenture with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modifications or amendments. We may not make any modification or amendment without the consent of the holders of each affected debt security then outstanding if that amendment will:
| reduce the amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver; |
| reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any debt security; |
| reduce the principal of or premium on or change the fixed maturity of any debt security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation with respect to any series of debt securities; |
| reduce the principal amount of discount securities payable upon acceleration of maturity; |
| waive a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or interest on any debt security (except a rescission of acceleration of the debt securities of any series by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of that series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration); |
| make the principal of or premium or interest on any debt security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt security; |
| make any change to certain provisions of the indenture relating to, among other things, the right of holders of debt securities to receive payment of the principal of, premium and interest on those debt securities and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and to waivers or amendments; or |
| waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security. |
Except for certain specified provisions, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series waive our compliance with provisions of the indenture. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all the debt securities of such series waive any past default under the indenture with respect to that series and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or any interest on any debt security of that series; provided, however, that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from the acceleration.
Defeasance of Debt Securities and Certain Covenants in Certain Circumstances
Legal Defeasance. The indenture provides that, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the applicable series of debt securities, we may be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the debt securities of any series (subject to certain exceptions). We will be so discharged upon the irrevocable deposit with the trustee, in trust, of money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. dollars, government obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money or U.S. government obligations in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank to pay and discharge each installment of principal, premium and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities.
This discharge may occur only if, among other things, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service
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(the IRS), a ruling or, since the date of execution of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred.
Defeasance of Certain Covenants. The indenture provides that, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the applicable series of debt securities, upon compliance with certain conditions:
| we may omit to comply with the covenant described under the heading Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets and certain other covenants set forth in the indenture, as well as any additional covenants which may be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement; and |
| any omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a Default or an Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of that series (covenant defeasance). |
The conditions include:
| depositing with the trustee money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. dollars, government obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank to pay and discharge each installment of principal of, premium and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities; and |
| delivering to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that we have received from, or there has been published by, the IRS a ruling or, since the date of execution of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and related covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit and related covenant defeasance had not occurred. |
Satisfaction and Discharge
The indenture will provide that we may satisfy and discharge the indenture as it relates to any series of debt securities if the debt securities of such series have matured or will mature within one year by reason of a redemption or otherwise, if certain requirements set forth in the indenture are satisfied.
No Personal Liability
None of the past, present or future partners, incorporators, managers, members, directors, officers, employees, unitholders of us or our general partner, as such, will be liable for:
| any of our obligations or the obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantors under the debt securities, the indenture or the guarantees; or |
| any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. |
By accepting a debt security, each holder will be deemed to have waived and released all such liability. This waiver and release is part of the consideration for our issuance of the debt securities. This waiver may not be effective, however, to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.
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Conversion or Exchange Rights
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms, if any, on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our common units. These terms will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. These provisions may allow or require the number of shares of common units to be received by holders of such series of debt securities to be adjusted.
Subordination
Debt securities of a series may be subordinated to our Senior Indebtedness, which we define generally to include any obligation created or assumed by us for the repayment of borrowed money and any guarantee thereof, whether outstanding or hereafter issued, unless, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing such obligation, it is provided that such obligation is subordinate or not superior in right of payment to the debt securities or to other obligations that are pari passu with or subordinated to the debt securities. Subordinated debt securities and any related guarantees will be subordinate in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the indenture and the prospectus supplement relating to such series, to the prior payment of all of our indebtedness and that of, if applicable, any Subsidiary Guarantor that is designated as Senior Indebtedness with respect to the series.
Governing Law
The indenture and the debt securities, including any claim or controversy arising out of or relating to the indenture or the debt securities, will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
The indenture will provide that we, the trustee and the holders of the debt securities (by their acceptance of the debt securities) irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to the indenture, the debt securities or the transactions contemplated thereby.
The indenture will provide that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon the indenture or the transactions contemplated thereby may be instituted in the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City of New York or the courts of the State of New York in each case located in the City of New York, and we, the trustee and the holder of the debt securities (by their acceptance of the debt securities) irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. The indenture will further provide that service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail (to the extent allowed under any applicable statute or rule of court) to such partys address set forth in the indenture will be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The indenture will further provide that we, the trustee and the holders of the debt securities (by their acceptance of the debt securities) irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the courts specified above and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim any such suit, action or other proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum.
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Book-Entry, Delivery and Form
Unless we indicate differently in any applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, the securities initially will be issued in book-entry form and represented by one or more global notes or global securities, or, collectively, global securities. The global securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, as depositary, or DTC, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of DTC. Unless and until it is exchanged for individual certificates evidencing securities under the limited circumstances described below, a global security may not be transferred except as a whole by the depositary to its nominee or by the nominee to the depositary, or by the depositary or its nominee to a successor depositary or to a nominee of the successor depositary.
DTC has advised us that it 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 Federal Reserve System; |
| a clearing corporation within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code; and |
| a clearing agency registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. |
DTC holds securities that its participants deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the settlement among its participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in participants accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct participants in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, including underwriters, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations. DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, or DTCC. DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others, which we sometimes refer to as indirect participants, that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant, either directly or indirectly. The rules applicable to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.
Purchases of securities under the DTC system must be made by or through direct participants, which will receive a credit for the securities on DTCs records. The ownership interest of the actual purchaser of a security, which we sometimes refer to as a beneficial owner, is in turn recorded on the direct and indirect participants records. Beneficial owners of securities will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchases. However, beneficial owners are expected to receive written confirmations providing details of their transactions, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the direct or indirect participants through which they purchased securities. Transfers of ownership interests in global securities are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in the global securities, except under the limited circumstances described below.
To facilitate subsequent transfers, all global securities deposited by direct participants with DTC will be registered in the name of DTCs partnership nominee, Cede & Co., or such other name as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. The deposit of securities with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. or such other nominee will not change the beneficial ownership of the securities. DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the securities. DTCs records reflect only the identity of the direct participants to whose accounts the securities are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The participants are responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.
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So long as the securities are in book-entry form, you will receive payments and may transfer securities only through the facilities of the depositary and its direct and indirect participants. We will maintain an office or agency in the location specified in the prospectus supplement for the applicable securities, where notices and demands in respect of the securities and the indenture may be delivered to us and where certificated securities may be surrendered for payment, registration of transfer or exchange.
Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct participants, by direct participants to indirect participants and by direct participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any legal requirements in effect from time to time.
Redemption notices will be sent to DTC. If less than all of the securities of a particular series are being redeemed, DTCs practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each direct participant in the securities of such series to be redeemed.
Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (or such other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to the securities. Under its usual procedures, DTC will mail an omnibus proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns the consenting or voting rights of Cede & Co. to those direct participants to whose accounts the securities of such series are credited on the record date, identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy.
So long as securities are in book-entry form, we will make payments on those securities to the depositary or its nominee, as the registered owner of such securities, by wire transfer of immediately available funds. If securities are issued in definitive certificated form under the limited circumstances described below and unless if otherwise provided in the description of the applicable securities herein or in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will have the option of making payments by check mailed to the addresses of the persons entitled to payment or by wire transfer to bank accounts in the United States designated in writing to the applicable trustee or other designated party at least 15 days before the applicable payment date by the persons entitled to payment, unless a shorter period is satisfactory to the applicable trustee or other designated party.
Redemption proceeds, distributions and dividend payments on the securities will be made to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC. DTCs practice is to credit direct participants accounts upon DTCs receipt of funds and corresponding detail information from us on the payment date in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC records. Payments by participants to beneficial owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is the case with securities held for the account of customers in bearer form or registered in street name. Those payments will be the responsibility of participants and not of DTC or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements in effect from time to time. Payment of redemption proceeds, distributions and dividend payments to Cede & Co., or such other nominee as may be requested by an authorized representative of DTC, is our responsibility, disbursement of payments to direct participants is the responsibility of DTC, and disbursement of payments to the beneficial owners is the responsibility of direct and indirect participants.
Except under the limited circumstances described below, purchasers of securities will not be entitled to have securities registered in their names and will not receive physical delivery of securities. Accordingly, each beneficial owner must rely on the procedures of DTC and its participants to exercise any rights under the securities and the indenture.
The laws of some jurisdictions may require that some purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities in definitive form. Those laws may impair the ability to transfer or pledge beneficial interests in securities.
DTC may discontinue providing its services as securities depositary with respect to the securities at any time by giving reasonable notice to us. Under such circumstances, in the event that a successor depositary is not obtained, securities certificates are required to be printed and delivered.
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As noted above, beneficial owners of a particular series of securities generally will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in those securities. However, if:
| DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a depositary for the global security or securities representing such series of securities or if DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act at a time when it is required to be registered and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days of the notification to us or of our becoming aware of DTCs ceasing to be so registered, as the case may be; |
| we determine, in our sole discretion, not to have such securities represented by one or more global securities; or |
| an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to such series of securities, |
we will prepare and deliver certificates for such securities in exchange for beneficial interests in the global securities. Any beneficial interest in a global security that is exchangeable under the circumstances described in the preceding sentence will be exchangeable for securities in definitive certificated form registered in the names that the depositary directs. It is expected that these directions will be based upon directions received by the depositary from its participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the global securities.
Euroclear and Clearstream
If so provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, you may hold interests in a global security through Clearstream Banking S.A., which we refer to as Clearstream, or Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System, which we refer to as Euroclear, either directly if you are a participant in Clearstream or Euroclear or indirectly through organizations which are participants in Clearstream or Euroclear. Clearstream and Euroclear will hold interests on behalf of their respective participants through customers securities accounts in the names of Clearstream and Euroclear, respectively, on the books of their respective U.S. depositaries, which in turn will hold such interests in customers securities accounts in such depositaries names on DTCs books.
Clearstream and Euroclear are securities clearance systems in Europe. Clearstream and Euroclear hold securities for their respective participating organizations and facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between those participants through electronic book-entry changes in their accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates.
Payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other matters relating to beneficial interests in global securities owned through Euroclear or Clearstream must comply with the rules and procedures of those systems. Transactions between participants in Euroclear or Clearstream, on one hand, and other participants in DTC, on the other hand, are also subject to DTCs rules and procedures.
Investors will be able to make and receive through Euroclear and Clearstream payments, deliveries, transfers and other transactions involving any beneficial interests in global securities held through those systems only on days when those systems are open for business. Those systems may not be open for business on days when banks, brokers and other institutions are open for business in the United States.
Cross-market transfers between participants in DTC, on the one hand, and participants in Euroclear or Clearstream, on the other hand, will be effected through DTC in accordance with the DTCs rules on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by their respective U.S. depositaries; however, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by the counterparty in such system in accordance with the rules and procedures and within the established deadlines (European time) of such system. Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its U.S. depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving interests in the global securities through DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day fund settlement. Participants in Euroclear or Clearstream may not deliver instructions directly to their respective U.S. depositaries.
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Due to time zone differences, the securities accounts of a participant in Euroclear or Clearstream purchasing an interest in a global security from a direct participant in DTC will be credited, and any such crediting will be reported to the relevant participant in Euroclear or Clearstream, during the securities settlement processing day (which must be a business day for Euroclear or Clearstream) immediately following the settlement date of DTC. Cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream as a result of sales of interests in a global security by or through a participant in Euroclear or Clearstream to a direct participant in DTC will be received with value on the settlement date of DTC but will be available in the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream cash account only as of the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream following DTCs settlement date.
Other
The information in this section of this prospectus concerning DTC, Clearstream, Euroclear and their respective book-entry systems has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we do not take responsibility for this information. This information has been provided solely as a matter of convenience. The rules and procedures of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear are solely within the control of those organizations and could change at any time. Neither we nor the trustee nor any agent of ours or of the trustee has any control over those entities and none of us takes any responsibility for their activities. You are urged to contact DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear or their respective participants directly to discuss those matters. In addition, although we expect that DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear will perform the foregoing procedures, none of them is under any obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be discontinued at any time. Neither we nor any agent of ours will have any responsibility for the performance or nonperformance by DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear or their respective participants of these or any other rules or procedures governing their respective operations.
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We may sell the offered securities from time to time:
| through underwriters or dealers; |
| through agents; |
| directly to one or more purchasers; or |
| through a combination of any of these methods of sale. |
We will identify the specific plan of distribution, including any underwriters, dealers, agents or direct purchasers and their compensation in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
This section is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective common unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel to our general partner and us, insofar as it relates to legal conclusions with respect to matters of U.S. federal income tax law. A description of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of preferred units and debt securities will be set forth in a prospectus supplement relating to the offering of such units or securities. This section is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), existing and proposed Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code (the Treasury Regulations) and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Later changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to we, us or our are references to Energy Transfer LP and our operating subsidiaries.
The following discussion does not comment on all federal income tax matters affecting us or our common unitholders and does not describe the application of the alternative minimum tax that may be applicable to certain Common unitholders. Moreover, the discussion focuses on common unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and has only limited application to corporations, estates, entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, trusts, nonresident aliens, U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions, tax-exempt institutions, foreign persons (including, without limitation, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies and foreign persons eligible for the benefits of an applicable income tax treaty with the United States), individual retirement accounts (IRAs), real estate investment trusts (REITs) or mutual funds, dealers in securities or currencies, traders in securities, U.S. persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, persons holding their units as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion transaction or other risk reduction transaction, persons subject to special tax accounting rules as a result of any item of gross income with respect to our common units being taken into account in an applicable financial statement and persons deemed to sell their units under the constructive sale provisions of the Code. In addition, the discussion only comments, to a limited extent, on state, local and foreign tax consequences. Accordingly, we encourage each prospective common unitholder to consult his own tax advisor in analyzing the state, local and foreign tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of our common units and potential changes in applicable laws.
No ruling has been requested from the Internal Revenue Service (the IRS) regarding our characterization as a partnership for tax purposes. Instead, we will rely on opinions of Latham & Watkins LLP. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsels best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any contest of this sort with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for our common units, including the prices at which our common units trade. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, principally legal, accounting and related fees, will result in a reduction in cash available for distribution to our unitholders and our general partner and thus will be borne indirectly by our unitholders and our general partner. Furthermore, the tax treatment of us, or of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions. Any modifications may or may not be retroactively applied.
All statements as to matters of U.S. federal income tax law and legal conclusions with respect thereto, but not as to factual matters, contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP and are based on the accuracy of the representations made by us and our general partner.
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Notwithstanding the above, and for the reasons described below, Latham & Watkins LLP has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific federal income tax issues: (i) the treatment of a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units (please read Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipTreatment of Short Sales); (ii) whether all aspects of our monthly method for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read Disposition of Common UnitsAllocations Between Transferors and Transferees); and (iii) whether our method for taking into account Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipSection 754 Election and Uniformity of Units).
Partnership Status
A partnership is not a taxable entity and incurs no federal income tax liability. Instead, each partner of a partnership is required to take into account his share of items of income, gain, loss and deduction of the partnership in computing his federal income tax liability, regardless of whether cash distributions are made to him by the partnership. Distributions by a partnership to a partner are generally not taxable to the partnership or the partner unless the amount of cash distributed to him is in excess of the partners adjusted basis in his partnership interest. Section 7704 of the Code provides that publicly traded partnerships will, as a general rule, be taxed as corporations. However, an exception, referred to as the Qualifying Income Exception, exists with respect to publicly traded partnerships of which 90% or more of the gross income for every taxable year consists of qualifying income. Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the transportation and processing of certain minerals and natural resources, including crude oil, natural gas and other products of a type that are produced in a petroleum refinery or natural gas processing plant, the retail and wholesale marketing of propane, the transportation of propane and natural gas liquids, certain related hedging activities, certain activities that are intrinsic to other qualifying activities, and our allocable share of our subsidiaries income from these sources. Other types of qualifying income include interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, real property rents, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 3% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based upon and subject to this estimate, the factual representations made by us and our general partner and a review of the applicable legal authorities, Latham & Watkins LLP is of the opinion that at least 90% of our current gross income constitutes qualifying income. The portion of our income that is qualifying income may change from time to time.
The IRS has made no determination as to our status or the status of our operating subsidiaries for federal income tax purposes. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP on such matters. It is the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP that, based upon the Code, the Treasury Regulations, published revenue rulings and court decisions and the representations described below that:
| we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes; and |
| each of our operating subsidiaries, except as otherwise identified to Latham & Watkins LLP, will be disregarded as an entity separate from us or will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. |
In rendering its opinion, Latham & Watkins LLP has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Latham & Watkins LLP has relied include:
| neither we nor any of our partnership or limited liability company subsidiaries, other than those identified as such to Latham & Watkins LLP, have elected or will elect to be treated, or is otherwise treated, as a corporation for federal income tax purposes; |
| for each taxable year, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income of the type that Latham & Watkins LLP has opined or will opine is qualifying income within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code; and |
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| each commodity 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 of a type that Latham & Watkins LLP has opined or will opine result in qualifying income. |
We believe that these representations have been true in the past, are true as of the date hereof and expect that these representations will continue to 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 if we had transferred 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 return for stock in that corporation, and then distributed that stock to the unitholders in liquidation of their interests in us. This deemed contribution and liquidation should be tax-free to unitholders and us so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.
If we were treated as an association taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on our tax return rather than being passed through to our unitholders, and our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. In addition, any distribution made to a unitholder would be treated as taxable dividend income, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable return of capital, to the extent of the unitholders tax basis in his common units, or taxable capital gain, after the unitholders tax basis in his common units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, taxation as a corporation would result in a material reduction in a unitholders cash flow and after-tax return and thus would likely result in a substantial reduction of the value of the units.
The discussion below is based on Latham & Watkins LLPs opinion that we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
Limited Partner Status
Common unitholders of Energy Transfer LP will be treated as partners of Energy Transfer LP for federal income tax purposes. Also, 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 Energy Transfer LP for federal income tax purposes.
A beneficial owner of our common units whose common units have been transferred to a short seller to complete a short sale would appear to lose his status as a partner with respect to those units for federal income tax purposes. Please read Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipTreatment of Short Sales.
Income, gains, losses or deductions would not appear to be reportable by a common unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes, and any cash distributions received by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes would therefore appear to be fully taxable as ordinary income. These holders are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences to them of holding our common units. The references to unitholders in the discussion that follows are to persons who are treated as partners in Energy Transfer LP for federal income tax purposes.
Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership
Flow-Through of Taxable Income
Subject to the discussion below under Entity-Level Collections, we will not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each common unitholder will be required to report on his income tax return his share of our income,
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gains, losses and deductions without regard to whether we make cash distributions to him. Consequently, we may allocate income to a common unitholder even if he has not received a cash distribution. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his allocable share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year ending with or within his taxable year. Our taxable year ends on December 31.
Treatment of Distributions
Distributions by us to a common unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder for federal income tax purposes, except to the extent the amount of any such cash distribution exceeds his tax basis in his common units immediately before the distribution. Our cash distributions in excess of a unitholders tax basis generally will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of the common units, taxable in accordance with the rules described under Disposition of Common Units. Any reduction in a unitholders share of our liabilities for which no partner, including the general partner, bears the economic risk of loss, known as nonrecourse liabilities, will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that unitholder. To the extent our distributions cause a unitholders at-risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year, he must recapture any losses deducted in previous years. Please read Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.
A decrease in a unitholders percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional common units will decrease his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash. This deemed distribution may constitute a non-pro rata distribution. A non-pro rata distribution of money or property may result in ordinary income to a unitholder, regardless of his tax basis in his common units, if the distribution reduces the unitholders share of our unrealized receivables, including depreciation, recapture and/or substantially appreciated inventory items, each as defined in the Code, and collectively, Section 751 Assets. To that extent, a unitholder will be treated as having been distributed his proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and then having exchanged those assets with us in return for the non-pro rata portion of the actual distribution made to him. This latter deemed exchange will generally result in a unitholders realization of ordinary income, which will equal the excess of (i) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (ii) the unitholders tax basis (often zero) for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.
Basis of Units
A unitholders initial tax basis for his common units will be the amount he paid for the common units plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be increased by his share of our income, by any increases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities and, on the disposition of a common unit, by his share of certain items related to business interest not yet deductible by him due to applicable limitations. Please read Limitations on Interest Deductions. That basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions from us, by the unitholders share of our losses, by any decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, by his share of our excess business interest (generally, the excess of our business interest over the amount that is deductible) and by his share of our expenditures that are not deductible in computing taxable income and are not required to be capitalized. A unitholder will have no share of our debt that is recourse to our general partner to the extent of the general partners net value as defined in Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 752 of the Code, but will have a share, generally based on his share of profits, of our nonrecourse liabilities. Please read Disposition of Common UnitsRecognition of Gain or Loss.
Limitations on Deductibility of Losses
The deduction by a unitholder of his share of our losses will be limited to the tax basis in his common units and, in the case of an individual unitholder, estate, trust, or corporate unitholder (if more than 50% of the value of the corporate unitholders stock is owned directly or indirectly by or for five or fewer individuals or some tax-exempt organizations), to the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be at risk with respect to our activities, if that is less than his tax basis. A common unitholder subject to these limitations must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause his at-risk amount to be less than zero at the end
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of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction to the extent that his at-risk amount is subsequently increased, provided such losses do not exceed such common unitholders tax basis in his common units. Upon the taxable disposition of a common unit, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at-risk limitation but may not be offset by losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at-risk limitation in excess of that gain would no longer be utilizable.
In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of the tax basis of his units, excluding any portion of that basis attributable to his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, reduced by (i) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or other similar arrangement and (ii) any amount of money he borrows to acquire or hold his units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to the unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholders at-risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax basis of the unitholders units increases or decreases, other than tax basis increases or decreases attributable to increases or decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities.
In addition to the basis and at-risk limitations on the deductibility of losses, the passive loss limitations generally provide that individuals, estates, trusts and some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations can deduct losses from passive activities, which are generally trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate, only to the extent of the taxpayers income from those passive activities. The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will only be available to offset our passive income generated in the future and will not be available to offset income from other passive activities or investments, including our investments or a unitholders investments in other publicly traded partnerships, or the unitholders salary, active business or other income. Passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a unitholders share of income we generate may be deducted in full when he disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss limitations are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at-risk rules and the basis limitation. A unitholders share of our net income may be offset by any of our suspended passive losses, but it may not be offset by any other current or carryover losses from other passive activities, including those attributable to other publicly traded partnerships.
An additional loss limitation may apply to certain of our unitholders for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2020, and before January 1, 2029. A non-corporate unitholder will not be allowed to take a deduction for certain excess business losses in such taxable years. An excess business loss is the excess (if any) of a taxpayers aggregate deductions for the taxable year that are attributable to the trades or businesses of such taxpayer (determined without regard to the excess business loss limitation or any deduction allowable for net operating losses, qualified business income or capital losses) over the aggregate gross income or gain of such taxpayer for the taxable year that is attributable to such trades or businesses (subject to certain limitations in the case of capital gains) plus a threshold amount. The current threshold amount is equal to $305,000, or $610,000 for taxpayers filing a joint return, and the threshold amount is adjusted annually. Any losses disallowed in a taxable year due to the excess business loss limitation may be used by the applicable unitholder in the following taxable year if certain conditions are met. Unitholders to which this excess business loss limitation applies will take their allocable share of our items of income, gain, loss and deduction into account in determining this limitation. This excess business loss limitation will be applied to a non-corporate unitholder after the passive loss limitations and may limit such unitholders ability to utilize any losses we generate allocable to such unitholder that are not otherwise limited by the basis, at-risk and passive loss limitations described above.
Limitations on Interest Deductions
Our ability to deduct interest paid or accrued on indebtedness properly allocable to a trade or business, business interest, may be limited in certain circumstances. Should our ability to deduct business interest be limited, the amount of taxable income allocated to our unitholders in the taxable year in which the limitation is in effect may increase. However, in certain circumstances, a unitholder may be able to utilize a portion of a
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business interest deduction subject to this limitation in future taxable years. Prospective unitholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the impact of this business interest deduction limitation on an investment in our common units.
In addition, the deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayers investment interest expense is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayers net investment income. Investment interest expense includes:
| interest on indebtedness properly allocable to property held for investment; |
| our interest expense attributed to portfolio income; and |
| the portion of interest expense incurred to purchase or carry an interest in a passive activity to the extent attributable to portfolio income. |
The computation of a unitholders 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, but generally does not include gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment or (if applicable) qualified dividend income. The IRS has indicated that the net passive income earned by a publicly traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its unitholders. In addition, the unitholders share of our portfolio income will be treated as investment income.
Entity-Level Collections
If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, local or foreign income tax on behalf of any unitholder or our general partner or any former unitholder, we are authorized to pay those taxes from our funds. That payment, if made, will be treated as a distribution of cash to the unitholder on whose behalf the payment was made. If the payment is made on behalf of a person 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 nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of an individual unitholder in which event the unitholder would be required to file a claim in order to obtain a credit or refund.
Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction
After giving effect to special allocation provisions with respect to our other classes of units, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our general partner and the common unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. If we have a net loss, that loss will be allocated to all common unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts, as adjusted for certain items in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations, and to our general partner in accordance with its percentage interest in us.
Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated to account for any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of any property contributed to us that exists at the time of such contribution, referred to in this discussion as the Contributed Property. The effect of these allocations, referred to as Section 704(c) Allocations, to a unitholder purchasing common units from us in an offering will be essentially the same as if the tax bases of our assets were equal to their fair market values at the time of such offering. In the event we issue additional common units or engage in certain other transactions in the future, we will make Reverse Section 704(c) Allocations, similar to the Section 704(c) Allocations described above, to all of our unitholders immediately prior to such issuance or other transactions to account for the difference between
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the book basis for purposes of maintaining capital accounts and the fair market value of all property held by us at the time of such issuance or future transaction. In addition, items of recapture income will be allocated to the extent possible to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to the treatment of that gain as recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by some unitholders. Finally, although we do not expect that our operations will result in the creation of negative capital accounts (subject to certain adjustments), if negative capital accounts (subject to certain adjustments) nevertheless result, items of our income and gain will be allocated in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate such negative balance as quickly as possible.
An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required by the Code to eliminate the difference between a partners book capital account, credited with the fair market value of Contributed Property, and tax capital account, credited with the tax basis of Contributed Property, referred to in this discussion as the Book-Tax Disparity, will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partners share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has substantial economic effect. In any other case, a partners share of an item will be determined on the basis of his interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:
| his relative contributions to us; |
| the interests of all the partners in profits and losses; |
| the interest of all the partners in cash flow; and |
| the rights of all the partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation. |
Latham & Watkins LLP is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in Section 754 Election and Disposition of Common UnitsAllocations Between Transferors and Transferees, allocations under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partners share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction.
Treatment of Short Sales
A unitholder whose units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of those units. If so, he 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:
| any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those units would not be reportable by the unitholder; |
| any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units would be fully taxable; and |
| while not entirely free from doubt, all of these distributions would appear to be ordinary income. |
Because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on the issue relating to partnership interests, Latham & Watkins LLP has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units; therefore, unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition from a loan to a short seller are urged to consult a tax advisor to discuss whether it is advisable to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing and loaning their units. The IRS has previously announced that it is studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please also read Disposition of Common UnitsRecognition of Gain or Loss.
Tax Rates
Currently, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 37% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than twelve months) of individuals is 20%. Such rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.
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In addition, a 3.8% Medicare tax (NIIT) is imposed on certain net investment income earned by individuals, estates and trusts. For these purposes, net investment income generally includes a unitholders allocable share of our income and gain realized by a unitholder from a sale of units. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) the unitholders net investment income or (ii) the amount by which the unitholders modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing separately) or $200,000 (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, or (ii) the excess adjusted gross income over the dollar amount at which the highest income tax bracket applicable to an estate or trust begins for such taxable year. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS have issued Treasury Regulations that provide guidance regarding the NIIT. Prospective common unitholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors as to the impact of the NIIT on an investment in our common units.
For taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2025, a non-corporate unitholder is entitled to a deduction equal to 20% of its qualified business income attributable to us, subject to certain limitations. For purposes of this deduction, a unitholders qualified business income attributable to us is equal to the sum of:
| the net amount of such unitholders allocable share of certain of our items of income, gain, deduction and loss (generally excluding certain items related to our investment activities, including capital gains and dividends, which are subject to a federal income tax rate of 20%); and |
| any gain recognized by such unitholder on the disposition of its units to the extent such gain is attributable to certain Section 751 assets, including depreciation recapture and inventory items we own. |
Prospective unitholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of this deduction and its interactions with the overall deduction for qualified business income.
Section 754 Election
We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. The election generally permits us to adjust a common unit purchasers tax basis in our assets (inside basis) under Section 743(b) of the Code to reflect his purchase price. This election does not apply with respect to a person who purchases common units directly from us. The Section 743(b) adjustment belongs to the purchaser and not to other unitholders. For purposes of this discussion, the inside basis in our assets with respect to a unitholder will be considered to have two components: (i) his share of our tax basis in our assets (common basis) and (ii) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis.
We have adopted the remedial allocation method as to all our properties. Where the remedial allocation method is adopted, the Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Code require a portion of the Section 743(b) adjustment that is attributable to recovery property that is subject to depreciation under Section 168 of the Code and whose book basis is in excess of its tax basis to be depreciated over the remaining cost recovery period for the propertys unamortized Book-Tax Disparity. Under Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to property subject to depreciation under Section 167 of the Code, rather than cost recovery deductions under Section 168, is generally required to be depreciated using either the straight-line method or the 150% declining balance method. Under our partnership agreement, our general partner is authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of units even if that position is not consistent with these and any other Treasury Regulations. Please read Uniformity of Units.
We depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the propertys unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as non-amortizable to the extent attributable to property
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that is not amortizable. This method is consistent with the methods employed by other publicly traded partnerships but is arguably inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets. To the extent this Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may take a depreciation or amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring units in the same month would receive depreciation or amortization, whether attributable to common basis or a Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in our assets. This kind of aggregate approach may result in lower annual depreciation or amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders. Please read Uniformity of Units. A unitholders tax basis for his common units is reduced by his share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individuals income tax return) so that any position we take that understates deductions will overstate such unitholders basis in his common units, which may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read Disposition of Common UnitsRecognition of Gain or Loss. Latham & Watkins LLP is unable to opine as to whether our method for taking into account Section 743 adjustments is sustainable for property subject to depreciation under Section 167 of the Code or if we use an aggregate approach as described above, as there is no direct or indirect controlling authority addressing the validity of these positions. Moreover, the IRS may challenge our position with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we take to preserve the uniformity of the units. If such a challenge were sustained, the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
Subject to certain limitations, a Section 743(b) adjustment may create additional depreciable basis that is eligible for bonus depreciation under Section 168(k) to the extent the adjustment is attributable to depreciable property and not to goodwill or real property. However, because we may not be able to determine whether transfers of our units satisfy all of the eligibility requirements and due to other limitations regarding administrability, we may elect out of the bonus depreciation provisions of Section 168(k) with respect to basis adjustments under Section 743(b).
A Section 754 election is advantageous if the transferees tax basis in his units is higher than the units share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. Conversely, a Section 754 election is disadvantageous if the transferees tax basis in his units is lower than those units share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. Thus, the fair market value of the units may be affected either favorably or unfavorably by the election. A basis adjustment is required regardless of whether a Section 754 election is made in the case of a transfer of an interest in us if we have a substantial built-in loss immediately after the transfer. Generally, a built-in loss is substantial if (i) it exceeds $250,000 or (ii) the transferee would be allocated a net loss in excess of $250,000 on a hypothetical sale of our assets for their fair market value immediately after a transfer of the interests at issue. In addition, a basis adjustment is required regardless of whether a Section 754 election is made if we distribute property and have a substantial basis reduction. A substantial basis reduction exists if, on a liquidating distribution of property to a unitholder, there would be a negative basis adjustment to our assets in excess of $250,000 if a Section 754 election were in place.
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. For example, the allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment among our assets must be made in accordance with the Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment allocated by us to our tangible assets to goodwill instead. 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 you that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS and that the deductions resulting from them will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different 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 he would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.
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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 his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our taxable year ending within or with his 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 his units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of his taxable year must include his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for his taxable year, with the result that he will be required to include in income for his taxable year his share of more than twelve months of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read Disposition of Common UnitsAllocations 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 will be borne by our unitholders holding interests in us prior to any such offering. Please read Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipAllocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.
To the extent allowable, we may use the depreciation and cost recovery methods, including bonus depreciation to the extent available, that will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets subject to these allowances are placed in service. Please read Uniformity of Units. Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated using accelerated methods permitted by the Code.
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 previously deducted and the nature of the property, 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 his interest in us. Please read Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipAllocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction and Disposition of Common UnitsRecognition of Gain or Loss.
The costs we incur in selling our units (called syndication expenses) must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon our termination. 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 U.S. 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 bases, of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or determinations of basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deductions previously reported by unitholders might change, and unitholders might be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.
Disposition of Common Units
Recognition of Gain or Loss
Gain or loss will be recognized on a sale of units equal to the difference between the amount realized and the unitholders tax basis for the units sold. A unitholders amount realized will be measured by the sum of the
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cash or the fair market value of other property received by him plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Because the amount realized includes a unitholders share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.
Prior distributions on our common units that in the aggregate were in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a common unit and, therefore, decreased a unitholders tax basis in that common unit will, in effect, become taxable income if the common unit is sold at a price greater than the unitholders tax basis in that common unit, even if the price received is less than his original cost.
Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder, other than a dealer in units, on the sale or exchange of a unit will generally be taxable as capital gain or loss. Capital gain recognized by an individual on the sale of units held for more than twelve months will generally be taxed at the U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains.
However, a portion of this gain or loss, which will likely be substantial, will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Code to the extent attributable to assets giving rise to unrealized receivables, including potential recapture items such as depreciation recapture, or to inventory items we own. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables and inventory items may exceed net taxable gain realized upon 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 a capital loss upon a sale of units. Capital losses may offset capital gains and no more than $3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gains in the case of corporations. Ordinary income recognized by a unitholder on disposition of our common units may be reduced by such unitholders deduction for qualified business income. Both ordinary income and capital gain recognized on a sale of units may be subject to the NIIT in certain circumstances. Please read Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipTax Rates.
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 partners tax basis in his entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partners entire interest in the partnership. Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify common units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the common units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling discussed above, a unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis common units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, he may designate specific common units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of common units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional common units or a sale of common units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult his tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.
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 partnership interest, one in which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, if the taxpayer or related persons enter(s) into:
| a short sale; |
| an offsetting notional principal contract; or |
| a futures or forward contract; |
in each case, with respect to the partnership interest or substantially identical property.
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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 also 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 and losses will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis in proportion to the number of days in each month and will be subsequently apportioned among our unitholders in proportion to the number of common units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month, which we refer to as the Allocation Date. However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets other than in the ordinary course of business will be allocated among our unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which that gain or loss is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.
The U.S. Department of Treasury and the IRS have issued Treasury Regulations that permit publicly traded partnerships to use a monthly simplifying convention that is similar to ours, but they do not specifically authorize all aspects of the proration method we have adopted. Accordingly, Latham & Watkins LLP is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferor and transferee unitholders. If this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferor and transferee unitholders, as well as unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year.
A unitholder who owns common units at any time during a quarter and who disposes of them prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deductions attributable to that quarter through the month of disposition but will not be entitled to receive that cash distribution.
Notification Requirements
A unitholder who sells any of his common units is generally required to notify us in writing of that sale within 30 days after the sale (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the sale). A purchaser of units who purchases units from another unitholder is also generally required to notify us in writing of that purchase within 30 days after the purchase. 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 purchase 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 or exchange through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.
Uniformity of Units
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of common units, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the common 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 can result from a literal application of Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6). Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the common units. Please read Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipSection 754 Election. We depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the
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extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the propertys unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as nonamortizable, to the extent attributable to property the common basis of which is not amortizable, consistent with the regulations under Section 743 of the Code, even though that position may be inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets. Please read Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipSection 754 Election. To the extent that the Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may adopt a depreciation and amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring units in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, whether attributable to common basis or a Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in our assets. If this position is adopted, it may result in lower annual depreciation and amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders and risk the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions not taken in the year that these deductions are otherwise allowable. This position will not be adopted if we determine that the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions will have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. If we choose not to utilize this aggregate method, we may use any other reasonable depreciation and amortization method to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any units that would not have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. In either case, and as stated above under Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipSection 754 Election, Latham & Watkins LLP has not rendered an opinion with respect to these methods. Moreover, the IRS may challenge any method of depreciating the Section 743(b) adjustment described in this paragraph. If this challenge were sustained, the uniformity of units might be affected, and the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions. Please read Disposition of Common UnitsRecognition of Gain or Loss.
Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
Ownership of units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, non-resident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign persons raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below to a limited extent, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a foreign person, you should consult your tax advisor before investing in our common units.
Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including IRAs and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income.
Virtually all of our income allocated to a unitholder that is a tax-exempt organization will be unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) and will be taxable to it. Further, a tax-exempt organization with more than one unrelated trade or business (including by attribution from investments in a partnership, such as us, that is engaged in one or more unrelated trades or businesses) must compute its UBTI separately for each such trade or business, including for purposes of determining any net operating loss deductions. As a result, it may not be possible for tax-exempt organizations to use losses from an investment in us to offset taxable income from another unrelated trade or business.
Non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts or estates that own common units will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of the ownership of such common units. As a consequence, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and guaranteed payments and pay U.S. federal income tax at regular rates on their share of our net income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, our quarterly distributions to foreign unitholders will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Each foreign unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes. A change in applicable law may require us to change these procedures.
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In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns common units will be treated as engaged in a U.S. trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the U.S. branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular U.S. federal income tax, on its share of our earnings and profits, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporations U.S. net equity, that is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business. 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 foreign unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a common unit will be subject to U.S. 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 foreign unitholder. Gain on the sale or disposition of a common unit will be treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business to the extent that a foreign unitholder would recognize gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business upon the hypothetical sale of our assets at fair market value on the date of the sale or exchange of that unit. Such gain shall be reduced by certain amounts treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business attributable to certain real property interests, as set forth in the following paragraph.
Under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a foreign common unitholder (other than certain qualified foreign pension funds (or an entity all of the interests of which are held by such a qualified foreign pension fund), which generally are entities or arrangements that are established and regulated by foreign law to provide retirement or other pension benefits to employees, do not have a single participant or beneficiary that is entitled to more than 5% of the assets or income of the entity or arrangement and are subject to certain preferential tax treatment under the laws of the applicable foreign country) generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a common unit if (i) he owned (directly or constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our common 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 all of our assets consisted of U.S. real property interests at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the common units or the five-year period ending on the date of disposition. Currently, more than 50% of our assets consist of U.S. real property interests and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future.
Therefore, foreign unitholders may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their common units.
Upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of a common unit by a foreign unitholder, the transferee is generally required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on such sale, exchange or other disposition if any portion of the gain on such sale, exchange or other disposition would be treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS have issued final regulations providing guidance on the application of these rules for transfers of certain publicly traded partnership interests, including transfers of our common units. Under these regulations, the amount realized on a transfer of our common units will generally be the amount of gross proceeds paid to the broker effecting the applicable transfer on behalf of the transferor, and such broker will generally be responsible for the relevant withholding obligations. Distributions made to our unitholders may also be subject to withholding under these rules to the extent a portion of a distribution is attributable to an amount in excess of our cumulative net income that has not previously been distributed. Prospective foreign unitholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the impact of these rules on an investment in our common units.
Additional withholding requirements may also affect certain foreign unitholders. Please read Administrative MattersAdditional Withholding Requirements.
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Administrative Matters
Information Returns and Audit Procedures
We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each calendar year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes his 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 unitholders share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure you that those positions will yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS. Neither we nor Latham & Watkins LLP can assure prospective common unitholders that the IRS will not successfully contend in court that those positions are impermissible. Any challenge by the IRS could negatively affect the value of the units.
The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior years tax liability, and possibly may result in an audit of his return. Any audit of a unitholders return could result in adjustments not related to our returns as well as those related to our returns.
Partnerships generally are treated as separate entities for purposes of federal 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 with the partners.
A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on his 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.
Pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, if the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns, it may assess and collect any taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment directly from us. Similarly, for such taxable years, if the IRS makes audit adjustments to income tax returns filed by an entity in which we are a member or a partner, it may assess and collect any taxes (including penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment directly from such entity. Generally, we expect to elect to have our general partner and our unitholders take any such audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the taxable year under audit, but there can be no assurance that such election will be effective in all circumstances. If we are unable to have our general partner and our unitholders take such audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the tax year under audit, our current unitholders may bear some or all of the tax liability resulting from such audit adjustment, even if such unitholders did not own our units during the tax year under audit. If, as a result of any such audit adjustment, we are required to make payments of taxes, penalties and interest, our cash available for distribution to our common unitholders might be substantially reduced.
Additionally, pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, we are required to designate a partner, or other person, with a substantial presence in the United States as the partnership representative (Partnership Representative). The Partnership Representative has the sole authority to act on our behalf for purposes of, among other things, U.S. federal income tax audits and judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS. If we do not make such a designation, the IRS can select any person as the Partnership Representative. We have designated our general partner as our Partnership Representative. Further, any actions taken by us or by the Partnership Representative on our behalf with respect to, among other things, U.S. federal income tax audits and judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS, will be binding on us and all of our unitholders.
Additional Withholding Requirements
Subject to the proposed Treasury Regulations discussed below, withholding taxes may apply to certain types of payments made to foreign financial institutions (as specially defined in the Code) and certain other foreign
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entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on interest, dividends and other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits and income from sources within the United States (FDAP Income), or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any property of a type that can produce interest or dividends from sources within the United States (Gross Proceeds) paid to a foreign financial institution or to a non-financial foreign entity (as specially defined in the Code), unless (i) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting, (ii) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in clause (i) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on payments to noncompliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing these requirements may be subject to different rules.
These rules generally apply to payments of FDAP Income currently and, while these rules generally would have applied to payments of relevant Gross Proceeds made on or after January 1, 2019, proposed Treasury Regulations eliminate these withholding taxes on payments of Gross Proceeds entirely. Unitholders generally may rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations until final Treasury Regulations are issued. Thus, to the extent we have FDAP Income that is not treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business (please read Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors), unitholders who are foreign financial institutions or certain other foreign entities, or persons that hold their common units through such foreign entities, may be subject to withholding on distributions they receive from us, or their distributive share of our income, pursuant to the rules described above.
Prospective common unitholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application of these withholding provisions to their investment in our common units.
Nominee Reporting
Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:
| the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee; |
| whether the beneficial owner is: |
| a person that is not a U.S. person; |
| a foreign government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or |
| a tax-exempt entity; |
| the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and |
| 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 dispositions. |
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 per failure, with a signicant penalty 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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Accuracy-Related Penalties
Certain penalties may be imposed on taxpayers as a result of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including: (i) negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, (ii) substantial understatements of income tax, (iii) substantial valuation misstatements and (iv) the disallowance of claimed tax benefits by reason of a transaction lacking economic substance or failing to meet the requirements of any similar rule of law. Except with respect to the disallowance of claimed tax benefits by reason of a transaction lacking economic substance or failing to meet the requirements of any similar rule of law, however, no penalty will be imposed for any portion of any such 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.
With respect to substantial understatements of income tax, the amount of any understatement subject to penalty generally is reduced by that portion of the understatement which is attributable to a position adopted on the return: (A) for which there is, or was, substantial authority; or (B) as to which there is a reasonable basis and the relevant facts of that position are adequately disclosed on the return. If any item of income, gain, loss or deduction included in the distributive shares of unitholders might result in that kind of an understatement of income for which no substantial authority exists, we must adequately disclose the relevant facts on our return. In addition, we will make a reasonable effort to furnish sufficient information for unitholders to make adequate disclosure on their returns and to take other actions as may be appropriate to permit unitholders to avoid liability for this penalty.
Recent Legislative Developments
The present 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 interpretation at any time. For example, from time to time, members of Congress and the President propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships, including the elimination of partnership tax treatment for publicly traded partnerships.
Any modification to the federal income tax laws and interpretations thereof may or may not be retroactively applied and could make it more difficult or impossible to meet the exception for us to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. Please read Partnership Status. We are unable to predict whether any such changes will ultimately be enacted. However, it is possible that a change in law could affect us, and any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our common units.
State, Local, Foreign and Other Tax Considerations
In addition to federal income taxes, you will likely be subject to other taxes, such as state, local and foreign income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property or in which you are a resident. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective common unitholder should consider their potential impact on his investment in us. We currently own property or does business in many states. Several of these states impose a personal income tax on individuals; certain of these states also impose an income tax on corporations and other entities. We may also own property or do business in other jurisdictions in the future. Although you may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some jurisdictions because your income from that jurisdiction falls below the filing and payment requirement, you will be required to file income tax returns and to pay income taxes in many of these jurisdictions in which we do business or own property and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. In some jurisdictions, tax losses may not produce a tax benefit in the year incurred and may not be available to offset income in subsequent taxable years. Some of the jurisdictions may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to
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be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the jurisdiction. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholders income tax liability to the jurisdiction, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Amounts withheld will be treated as if distributed to unitholders for purposes of determining the amounts distributed by us. Please read Tax Consequences of Unit OwnershipEntity-Level Collections. Based on current law and our estimate of our future operations, our general partner anticipates that any amounts required to be withheld will not be material.
It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent states, localities and foreign jurisdictions, of his investment in us. Accordingly, each prospective common unitholder is urged to consult his own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local and foreign, as well as U.S. federal tax returns, that may be required of him. Latham & Watkins LLP has not rendered an opinion on the state tax, local tax, alternative minimum tax or foreign tax consequences of an investment in us.
56
The validity of the securities offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, Houston, Texas. Latham & Watkins LLP 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.
The audited consolidated financial statements of Energy Transfer LP and subsidiaries and managements assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting incorporated by reference in this registration statement have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the reports of Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
57
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. | Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution |
The following is an estimate of the expenses (all of which are to be paid by the registrant) that we may incur in connection with the securities being registered hereby.
SEC registration fee |
$ | (1) | ||
Legal fees and expenses |
$ | (2) | ||
Accounting fees and expenses |
$ | (2) | ||
Printing and engraving expenses |
$ | (2) | ||
FINRA filing fee |
$ | (2) | ||
The New York Stock Exchange supplemental listing fee |
$ | (2) | ||
Blue Sky, qualification fees and expenses |
$ | (2) | ||
Transfer agent fees and expenses |
$ | (2) | ||
Trustee fees and expenses |
$ | (2) | ||
Miscellaneous |
$ | (2) | ||
|
|
|||
Total |
$ | (2) | ||
|
|
(1) | Pursuant to Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the SEC registration fee will be paid at the time of any particular offering of securities under the registration statement, and is therefore not currently determinable. |
(2) | These fees are calculated based on the securities offered and the number of issuances and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time. |
Item 15. | Indemnification of Directors and Officers |
As provided in our partnership agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference and described in greater detail in Our Partnership Agreement beginning on page 12 of this registration statement, we will generally indemnify our general partner, officers, directors and affiliates of our general partner to the fullest extent permitted by the law against all losses, claims, damages or similar events; provided, that the indemnitee will not be indemnified and held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgement entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which the indemnitee is seeking indemnification, the indemnitee acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct, or in the case of a criminal matter, acted with knowledge that the indemnitees conduct was unlawful. Subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions set forth in our partnership agreement, Section 17-108 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other person from and against all claims and demands whatsoever subject to such standards and restrictions as are set forth in our partnership agreement.
To the extent that the indemnification provisions of our partnership agreement purport to include indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is contrary to public policy and is therefore unenforceable.
We also maintain insurance coverage under a policy insuring our directors and officers against certain liabilities which they may incur in their capacity as such.
Item 16. | Exhibits |
Exhibit Number |
Description | |
1.1* | Form of Underwriting Agreement. |
II-1
* | To be filed by amendment or incorporated by reference in connection with the offering of the securities. |
Item 17. | Undertakings |
(a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii), and (a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is a part of the registration statement.
II-2
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:
(A) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
(B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:
The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
(iv) Any other communications that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
(b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrants annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plans annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
II-3
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
II-4
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Dallas, Texas, on June 5, 2024.
ENERGY TRANSFER LP | ||
By: | LE GP, LLC, | |
its general partner | ||
By: | /s/ Dylan A. Bramhall | |
Dylan A. Bramhall | ||
Executive Vice President & Group Chief Financial Officer |
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Thomas E. Long, Dylan A. Bramhall, James M. Wright, Jr. and William J. Healy, and each of them, any of whom may act without the joinder of the other, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments or post-effective amendments to this registration statement, and to file the same, with exhibits hereto and other documents in connection therewith or in connection with the registration of the securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto such attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary in connection with such matters and hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorneys-in-fact and agents or his substitutes may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated, which are with LE GP, LLC, the general partner of Energy Transfer LP, on June 5, 2024.
Signature |
Title | |
/s/ Kelcy L. Warren | Executive Chairman | |
Kelcy L. Warren | ||
/s/ Thomas E. Long | Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director (Co-Principal Executive Officer) | |
Thomas E. Long | ||
/s/ Marshall S. McCrea, III | Co-Chief Executive Officer and Director (Co-Principal Executive Officer) | |
Marshall S. McCrea, III | ||
/s/ Dylan A. Bramhall | Executive Vice President and Group Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | |
Dylan A. Bramhall | ||
/s/ A. Troy Sturrock | Group Senior Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer) | |
A. Troy Sturrock | ||
/s/ Steven R. Anderson | Director | |
Steven R. Anderson |
II-5
Signature |
Title | |
/s/ Richard D. Brannon | Director | |
Richard D. Brannon | ||
/s/ Michael K. Grimm | Director | |
Michael K. Grimm | ||
/s/ John W. McReynolds | Director | |
John W. McReynolds | ||
/s/ James R. Perry | Director | |
James R. Perry | ||
/s/ Matthew S. Ramsey | Director | |
Matthew S. Ramsey |
II-6
Exhibit 5.1
811 Main Street, Suite 3700 Houston, TX 77002 Tel: +1.713.546.5400 Fax: +1.713.546.5401 www.lw.com
FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES | ||||
Austin | Milan | |||
Beijing | Munich | |||
Boston | New York | |||
Brussels | Orange County | |||
Century City | Paris | |||
Chicago | Riyadh | |||
June 5, 2024 | Dubai | San Diego | ||
Düsseldorf | San Francisco | |||
Energy Transfer LP | Frankfurt | Seoul | ||
8111 Westchester Drive, Suite 600 | Hamburg | Silicon Valley | ||
Dallas, Texas 75225 | Hong Kong | Singapore | ||
Houston | Tel Aviv | |||
London | Tokyo | |||
Los Angeles | Washington, D.C. | |||
Madrid |
Re: | Registration Statement on Form S-3 |
To the addressees set forth above:
We have acted as special counsel to Energy Transfer LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership), in connection with its filing on the date hereof with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) of a registration statement on Form S-3 (the Registration Statement), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act). The Registration Statement includes a base prospectus (the Prospectus), which provides that it will be supplemented in the future by one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each, a Prospectus Supplement).
The Prospectus, as supplemented by one or more related Prospectus Supplements, will provide for the offering and sale of (i) one or more series of the Partnerships debt securities (the Debt Securities) to be issued under that certain indenture, dated as of December 14, 2022, entered into between the Partnership, as issuer, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the Base Indenture), as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time by one or more supplemental indentures (as so amended or supplemented, the Indenture), (ii) common units representing limited partner interests of the Partnership (the Common Units) and (iii) preferred units representing limited partner interests of the Partnership (the Preferred Units). The Debt Securities, the Common Units and the Preferred Units are collectively referred to as the Securities.
This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the enforceability of the Debt Securities and the validity of the Common Units and Preferred Units.
As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Partnership and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the internal laws of the State of New York and, in numbered paragraphs 2 and 3, the Delaware
June 5, 2024
Page 2
Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the DRULPA), and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or, in the case of Delaware, any other laws, or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any local agencies within any state.
Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof:
1. | When the Indenture has been duly authorized by all necessary limited partnership action of the Partnership and duly executed and delivered, and when the specific terms of a particular series of Debt Securities have been duly established in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and authorized by all necessary limited partnership action of the Partnership, and such Debt Securities have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any related Prospectus Supplement and such limited partnership action, such Debt Securities will be the legally valid and binding obligations of the Partnership, enforceable against the Partnership in accordance with their terms. |
2. | When an issuance of Common Units has been duly authorized by all necessary limited partnership action of the Partnership, upon issuance, delivery and payment therefor in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any related Prospectus Supplement and such limited partnership action, such Common Units will be validly issued and, under the DRULPA, purchasers of the Common Units will have no obligation to make further payments for their purchase of Common Units or contributions to the Partnership solely by reason of their ownership of Common Units or their status as limited partners of the Partnership, and no personal liability for the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Partnership, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, solely by reason of being limited partners of the Partnership. |
3. | When an issuance of Preferred Units has been duly authorized by all necessary limited partnership action of the Partnership, upon issuance, delivery and payment therefor in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any related Prospectus Supplement and such limited partnership action, such Preferred Units will be validly issued and, under the DRULPA, purchasers of the Preferred Units will have no obligation to make further payments for their purchase of Preferred Units or contributions to the Partnership solely by reason of their ownership of Preferred Units or their status as limited partners of the Partnership, and no personal liability for the debts, obligations and liabilities of the Partnership, whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, solely by reason of being limited partners of the Partnership. |
Our opinions are subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, preference, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair
June 5, 2024
Page 3
dealing, and the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is brought; and (iii) the invalidity under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy. We express no opinion as to (a) any provision for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary penalties, make-whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such provisions are deemed to constitute a penalty, (b) consents to, or restrictions upon, governing law, jurisdiction, venue, arbitration, remedies or judicial relief, (c) waivers of rights or defenses, (d) any provision requiring the payment of attorneys fees, where such payment is contrary to law or public policy, (e) any provision permitting, upon acceleration of any indebtedness (including, if applicable, any series of Debt Securities), collection of that portion of the stated principal amount thereof which might be determined to constitute unearned interest thereon, (f) the creation, validity, attachment, perfection, or priority of any lien or security interest, (g) advance waivers of claims, defenses, rights granted by law, or notice, opportunity for hearing, evidentiary requirements, statutes of limitation, trial by jury or at law, or other procedural rights, (h) waivers of broadly or vaguely stated rights, (i) provisions for exclusivity, election or cumulation of rights or remedies, (j) provisions authorizing or validating conclusive or discretionary determinations, (k) grants of setoff rights, (l) proxies, powers and trusts, (m) provisions prohibiting, restricting, or requiring consent to assignment or transfer of any right or property, (n) provisions purporting to make a guarantor primarily liable rather than as a surety, (o) provisions purporting to waive modifications of any guaranteed obligation to the extent such modification constitutes a novation, (p) any provision to the extent it requires that a claim with respect to a security denominated in other than U.S. dollars (or a judgment in respect of such a claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange at a particular date, to the extent applicable law otherwise provides, and (q) the severability, if invalid, of provisions to the foregoing effect.
With your consent, we have assumed (a) that the Indenture and the Debt Securities (collectively, the Documents) will be governed by the internal laws of the State of New York, (b) that each of the Documents has been or will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto, (c) that each of the Documents constitutes or will constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the parties thereto other than the Partnership, enforceable against each of them in accordance with their respective terms, and (d) that the status of each of the Documents as legally valid and binding obligations of the parties will not be affected by any (i) breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments, (ii) violations of statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders, or (iii) failures to obtain required consents, approvals or authorizations from, or to make required registrations, declarations or filings with, governmental authorities.
This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm in the Prospectus under the heading Legal Matters. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
Sincerely,
/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP
Exhibit 8.1
811 Main Street, Suite 3700 Houston, TX 77002 Tel: +1.713.546.5400 Fax: +1.713.546.5401 www.lw.com
FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES
| ||||
Austin Beijing Boston Brussels Century City Chicago Dubai Düsseldorf Frankfurt Hamburg Hong Kong Houston London Los Angeles Madrid |
Milan Munich New York Orange County Paris Riyadh San Diego San Francisco Seoul Silicon Valley Singapore Tel Aviv Tokyo Washington, D.C. |
June 5, 2024
Energy Transfer LP
8111 Westchester Drive, Suite 600
Dallas, Texas 75225
Re: Energy Transfer LP
To the addressee set forth above:
We have acted as special tax counsel to Energy Transfer LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership), in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) of a registration statement on Form S-3 filed by the Partnership under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act), on June 5, 2024 (the Registration Statement), and the prospectus related thereto (the Prospectus), for the purpose of registering under the Act, among other securities, common units of the Partnership.
This opinion is based on various facts and assumptions, and is conditioned upon certain representations made by the Partnership as to factual matters through a certificate of an officer of the Partnership (the Officers Certificate). In addition, this opinion is based upon the factual representations of the Partnership concerning its business, properties and governing documents as set forth in the Partnerships Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Partnerships responses to our examinations and inquiries.
In our capacity as special tax counsel to the Partnership, we have, with your consent, made such legal and factual examinations and inquiries, including an examination of originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of such documents, corporate records and other instruments, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion. In our examination, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures thereon, the legal capacity of natural persons executing such documents and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. For the purpose of our opinion, we have not made an independent investigation or audit of the facts set forth in the above-referenced documents or in the Officers Certificate. In addition, in rendering this opinion we have assumed the truth and accuracy of all representations and statements made to us that are qualified as to knowledge or belief, without regard to such qualification.
We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transaction only of the federal income tax laws of the United States and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of other federal laws, foreign laws, the laws of any state or any other jurisdiction or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any other local agencies within any state. No opinion is expressed as to any matter not discussed herein.
Based on such facts, assumptions and representations and subject to the limitations set forth herein and in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Officers Certificate, the statements in the Prospectus under the caption Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences, insofar as such statements purport to constitute summaries of United States federal income tax law and regulations or legal conclusions with respect thereto, constitute the opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP as to the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the matters described therein.
June 5, 2024
Page 2
This opinion is rendered to you as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update this opinion subsequent to the date hereof. This opinion is based on various statutory provisions, regulations promulgated thereunder and interpretations thereof by the Internal Revenue Service and the courts having jurisdiction over such matters, all of which are subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. Also, any variation or difference in the facts from those set forth in the representations described above, including in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Officers Certificate, may affect the conclusions stated herein.
This opinion is furnished to you, and is for your use in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose or furnished to, assigned to, quoted to or relied upon by any other person, firm or other entity, for any purpose, without our prior written consent, except that this opinion may be relied upon by persons entitled to rely on it pursuant to applicable provisions of federal securities law.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the incorporation by reference of this opinion to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules or regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Sincerely,
/s/ Latham & Watkins LLP
Exhibit 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We have issued our reports dated February 16, 2024, with respect to the consolidated financial statements and internal control over financial reporting of Energy Transfer LP included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement. We consent to the incorporation by reference of the aforementioned reports in this Registration Statement, and to the use of our name as it appears under the caption Experts.
/s/ GRANT THORNTON LLP
Dallas, Texas
June 5, 2024
Exhibit 25.1
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM T-1
STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939
OF A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE
Check if an Application to Determine Eligibility of
a Trustee Pursuant to Section 305(b)(2) ☐
U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
(Exact name of Trustee as specified in its charter)
91-1821036
I.R.S. Employer Identification No.
800 Nicollet Mall Minneapolis, Minnesota |
55402 | |
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Michael K. Herberger
U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association
13737 Noel Road, 8th Floor
Dallas, TX 75240
(972) 581-1612
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
Energy Transfer LP
(Issuer with respect to the Securities)
Delaware | XX-XXXXXXX | |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
8111 Westchester Drvie, Suite 600 Dallas, TX |
75225 | |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
Debt Securities
(Title of the Indenture Securities)
FORM T-1
Item 1. | GENERAL INFORMATION. Furnish the following information as to the Trustee. |
a) | Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject. |
Comptroller of the Currency
Washington, D.C.
b) | Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers. |
Yes
Item 2. | AFFILIATIONS WITH THE OBLIGOR. If the obligor is an affiliate of the Trustee, describe each such affiliation. |
None
Items 3-15 | Items 3-15 are not applicable because to the best of the Trustees knowledge, the obligor is not in default under any Indenture for which the Trustee acts as Trustee. |
Item 16. | LIST OF EXHIBITS: List below all exhibits filed as a part of this statement of eligibility and qualification. |
1. | A copy of the Articles of Association of the Trustee, attached as Exhibit 1. |
2. | A copy of the certificate of authority of the Trustee to commence business, attached as Exhibit 2. |
3. | A copy of the authorization of the Trustee to exercise corporate trust powers, included as Exhibit 2. |
4. | A copy of the existing bylaws of the Trustee, attached as Exhibit 4. |
5. | A copy of each Indenture referred to in Item 4. Not applicable. |
6. | The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, attached as Exhibit 6. |
7. | Report of Condition of the Trustee as of March 31, 2024, published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, attached as Exhibit 7. |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the Trustee, U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility and qualification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Dallas, State of Texas on the 4th of June, 2024.
By: | /s/ Michael K. Herberger | |
Michael K. Herberger | ||
Vice President |
Exhibit 1
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF
U. S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
For the purpose of organizing an association (the Association) to perform any lawful activities of national banks, the undersigned enter into the following Articles of Association:
FIRST. The title of this Association shall be U. S. Bank Trust Company, National Association.
SECOND. The main office of the Association shall be in the city of Portland, county of Multnomah, state of Oregon. The business of the Association will be limited to fiduciary powers and the support of activities incidental to the exercise of those powers. The Association may not expand or alter its business beyond that stated in this article without the prior approval of the Comptroller of the Currency.
THIRD. The board of directors of the Association shall consist of not less than five nor more than twenty-five persons, the exact number to be fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of a majority of the full board of directors or by resolution of a majority of the shareholders at any annual or special meeting thereof. Each director shall own common or preferred stock of the Association or of a holding company owning the Association, with an aggregate par, fair market, or equity value of not less than $1,000, as of either (i) the date of purchase, (ii) the date the person became a director, or (iii) the date of that persons most recent election to the board of directors, whichever is more recent. Any combination of common or preferred stock of the Association or holding company may be used.
Any vacancy in the board of directors may be filled by action of a majority of the remaining directors between meetings of shareholders. The board of directors may increase the number of directors up to the maximum permitted by law. Terms of directors, including directors selected to fill vacancies, shall expire at the next regular meeting of shareholders at which directors are elected, unless the directors resign or are removed from office. Despite the expiration of a directors term, the director shall continue to serve until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until there is a decrease in the number of directors and his or her position is eliminated.
Honorary or advisory members of the board of directors, without voting power or power of final decision in matters concerning the business of the Association, may be appointed by resolution of a majority of the full board of directors, or by resolution of shareholders at any annual or special meeting. Honorary or advisory directors shall not be counted to determined the number of directors of the Association or the presence of a quorum in connection with any board action, and shall not be required to own qualifying shares.
FOURTH. There shall be an annual meeting of the shareholders to elect directors and transact whatever other business may be brought before the meeting. It shall be held at the main office or any other convenient place the board of directors may designate, on the day of each year specified therefor in the Bylaws, or if that day falls on a legal holiday in the state in which the Association is located, on the next following banking day. If no election is held on the day fixed or in the event of a legal holiday on the following banking day, an election may be held on any subsequent day within 60 days of the day fixed, to be designated by the board of directors, or, if the directors fail to fix the day, by shareholders representing two-thirds of the shares issued and outstanding. In all cases, at least 10 days advance notice of the meeting shall be given to the shareholders by first-class mail.
In all elections of directors, the number of votes each common shareholder may cast will be determined by multiplying the number of shares he or she owns by the number of directors to be elected. Those votes may be cumulated and cast for a single candidate or may be distributed among two or more candidates in the manner selected by the shareholder. On all other questions, each common shareholder shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by him or her.
A director may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the board of directors, its chairperson, or to the Association, which resignation shall be effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later effective date.
A director may be removed by the shareholders at a meeting called to remove him or her, when notice of the meeting stating that the purpose or one of the purposes is to remove him or her is provided, if there is a failure to fulfill one of the affirmative requirements for qualification, or for cause; provided, however, that a director may not be removed if the number of votes sufficient to elect him or her under cumulative voting is voted against his or her removal.
FIFTH. The authorized amount of capital stock of the Association shall be 1,000,000 shares of common stock of the par value of ten dollars ($10) each; but said capital stock may be increased or decreased from time to time, according to the provisions of the laws of the United States. The Association shall have only one class of capital stock.
No holder of shares of the capital stock of any class of the Association shall have any preemptive or preferential right of subscription to any shares of any class of stock of the Association, whether now or hereafter authorized, or to any obligations convertible into stock of the Association, issued, or sold, nor any right of subscription to any thereof other than such, if any, as the board of directors, in its discretion, may from time to time determine and at such price as the board of directors may from time to time fix.
Transfers of the Associations stock are subject to the prior written approval of a federal depository institution regulatory agency. If no other agency approval is required, the approval of the Comptroller of the Currency must be obtained prior to any such transfers.
Unless otherwise specified in the Articles of Association or required by law, (1) all matters requiring shareholder action, including amendments to the Articles of Association must be approved by shareholders owning a majority voting interest in the outstanding voting stock, and
(2) each shareholder shall be entitled to one vote per share.
Unless otherwise specified in the Articles of Association or required by law, all shares of voting stock shall be voted together as a class, on any matters requiring shareholder approval.
Unless otherwise provided in the Bylaws, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting is the close of business on the day before the first notice is mailed or otherwise sent to the shareholders, provided that in no event may a record date be more than 70 days before the meeting.
The Association, at any time and from time to time, may authorize and issue debt obligations, whether subordinated, without the approval of the shareholders. Obligations classified as debt, whether subordinated, which may be issued by the Association without the approval of shareholders, do not carry voting rights on any issue, including an increase or decrease in the aggregate number of the securities, or the exchange or reclassification of all or part of securities into securities of another class or series.
SIXTH. The board of directors shall appoint one of its members president of this Association and one of its members chairperson of the board and shall have the power to appoint one or more vice presidents, a secretary who shall keep minutes of the directors and shareholders meetings and be responsible for authenticating the records of the Association, and such other officers and employees as may be required to transact the business of this Association. A duly appointed officer may appoint one or more officers or assistant officers if authorized by the board of directors in accordance with the Bylaws.
The board of directors shall have the power to:
(1) | Define the duties of the officers, employees, and agents of the Association. |
(2) | Delegate the performance of its duties, but not the responsibility for its duties, to the officers, employees, and agents of the Association. |
(3) | Fix the compensation and enter employment contracts with its officers and employees upon reasonable terms and conditions consistent with applicable law. |
(4) | Dismiss officers and employees. |
(5) | Require bonds from officers and employees and to fix the penalty thereof. |
(6) | Ratify written policies authorized by the Associations management or committees of the board. |
(7) | Regulate the manner any increase or decrease of the capital of the Association shall be made; provided that nothing herein shall restrict the power of shareholders to increase or decrease the capital of the Association in accordance with law, and nothing shall raise or lower from two-thirds the percentage required for shareholder approval to increase or reduce the capital. Manage and administer the business and affairs of the Association. |
(8) | Adopt initial Bylaws, not inconsistent with law or the Articles of Association, for managing the business and regulating the affairs of the Association. |
(9) | Amend or repeal Bylaws, except to the extent that the Articles of Association reserve this power in whole or in part to the shareholders. |
(10) | Make contracts. |
(11) | Generally perform all acts that are legal for a board of directors to perform. |
SEVENTH. The board of directors shall have the power to change the location of the main office to any authorized branch within the limits of the city of Portland, Oregon, without the approval of the shareholders, or with a vote of shareholders owning two-thirds of the stock of the Association for a location outside such limits and upon receipt of a certificate of approval from the Comptroller of the Currency, to any other location within or outside the limits of the city of Portland, Oregon, but not more than thirty miles beyond such limits. The board of directors shall have the power to establish or change the location of any office or offices of the Association to any other location permitted under applicable law, without approval of shareholders, subject to approval by the Comptroller of the Currency.
EIGHTH. The corporate existence of this Association shall continue until termination according to the laws of the United States.
NINTH. The board of directors of the Association, or any shareholder owning, in the aggregate, not less than 25 percent of the stock of the Association, may call a special meeting of shareholders at any time. Unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws or the laws of the United States, or waived by shareholders, a notice of the time, place, and purpose of every annual and special meeting of the shareholders shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed at least 10, and no more than 60, days prior to the date of the meeting to each shareholder of record at his/her address as shown upon the books of the Association. Unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws, any action requiring approval of shareholders must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting.
TENTH. These Articles of Association may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the shareholders by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Association, unless the vote of the holders of a greater amount of stock is required by law, and in that case by the vote of the holders of such greater amount; provided, that the scope of the Associations activities and services may not be expanded without the prior written approval of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Associations board of directors may propose one or more amendments to the Articles of Association for submission to the shareholders.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 11th of June, 1997.
/s/ Jeffery T. Grubb |
Jeffery T. Grubb |
/s/ Robert D. Sznewajs |
Robert D. Sznewajs |
/s/ Dwight V. Board |
Dwight V. Board |
/s/ P. K. Chatterjee |
P. K. Chatterjee |
/s/ Robert Lane |
Robert Lane |
Exhibit 2
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency | ||||
Washington, DC 20219 |
CERTIFICATE OF CORPORATE EXISTENCE AND FIDUCIARY POWERS
I, Michael J. Hsu, Acting Comptroller of the Currently, do hereby certify that:
1. The Comptroller of the Currently, pursuant to Revised Statuses 324, et seq, as amended, and 12 USC 1, et seq, as amended, has possession, custody, and control of all records pertaining to the chartering, regulation, and supervision of all national banking associations.
2. U.S. Bank Trust National Association, Wilmington, Delaware (Charter No. 24090), is a national banking association formed under the laws of the United States and is authorized thereunder to transact the business of banking and exercise fiduciary powers on the date of this certificate.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, today February 20, 2024, I have hereunto subscribed my name and caused my seal of office to be affixed to these presents at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in the City of Washington, District of Columbia.
Exhibit 4
U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
Meetings of Shareholders
Section 1.1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the shareholders, for the election of directors and the transaction of any other proper business, shall be held at a time and place as the Chairman or President may designate. Notice of such meeting shall be given not less than ten (10) days or more than sixty (60) days prior to the date thereof, to each shareholder of the Association, unless the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (the OCC) determines that an emergency circumstance exists. In accordance with applicable law, the sole shareholder of the Association is permitted to waive notice of the meeting. If, for any reason, an election of directors is not made on the designated day, the election shall be held on some subsequent day, as soon thereafter as practicable, with prior notice thereof. Failure to hold an annual meeting as required by these Bylaws shall not affect the validity of any corporate action or work a forfeiture or dissolution of the Association.
Section 1.2. Special Meetings. Except as otherwise specially provided by law, special meetings of the shareholders may be called for any purpose, at any time by a majority of the board of directors (the Board), or by any shareholder or group of shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding stock. Every such special meeting, unless otherwise provided by law, shall be called upon not less than ten (10) days nor more than sixty (60) days prior notice stating the purpose of the meeting.
Section 1.3. Nominations for Directors. Nominations for election to the Board may be made by the Board or by any shareholder.
Section 1.4. Proxies. Shareholders may vote at any meeting of the shareholders by proxies duly authorized in writing. Proxies shall be valid only for one meeting and any adjournments of such meeting and shall be filed with the records of the meeting.
Section 1.5. Record Date. The record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice and to vote at any meeting will be thirty days before the date of such meeting, unless otherwise determined by the Board.
Section 1.6. Quorum and Voting. A majority of the outstanding capital stock, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at anymeeting of shareholders, unless otherwise provided by law, but less than a quorum may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice. A majority of the votes cast shall decide every question or matter submitted to the shareholders at any meeting, unless otherwise provided by law or by the Articles of Association.
Section 1.7. Inspectors. The Board may, and in the event of its failure so to do, the Chairman of the Board may appoint Inspectors of Election who shall determine the presence of quorum, the validity of proxies, and the results of all elections and all other matters voted upon by shareholders at all annual and special meetings of shareholders.
Section 1.8. Waiver and Consent. The shareholders may act without notice or a meeting by a unanimous written consent by all shareholders.
Section 1.9. Remote Meetings. The Board shall have the right to determine that a shareholder meeting not be held at a place, but instead be held solely by means of remote communication in the manner and to the extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE II
Directors
Section 2.1. Board of Directors. The Board shall have the power to manage and administer the business and affairs of the Association. Except as expressly limited by law, all corporate powers of the Association shall be vested in and may be exercised by the Board.
Section 2.2. Term of Office. The directors of this Association shall hold office for one year and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, or until their earlier resignation or removal.
Section 2.3. Powers. In addition to the foregoing, the Board shall have and may exercise all of the powers granted to or conferred upon it by the Articles of Association, the Bylaws and by law.
Section 2.4. Number. As provided in the Articles of Association, the Board of this Association shall consist of no less than five nor more than twenty-five members, unless the OCC has exempted the Association from the twenty-five- member limit. The Board shall consist of a number of members to be fixed and determined from time to time by resolution of the Board or the shareholders at any meeting thereof, in accordance with the Articles of Association. Between meetings of the shareholders held for the purpose of electing directors, the Board by a majority vote of the full Board may increase the size of the Board but not to more than a total of twenty-five directors, and fill any vacancy so created in the Board; provided that the Board may increase the number of directors only by up to two directors, when the number of directors last elected by shareholders was fifteen or fewer, and by up to four directors, when the number of directors last elected by shareholders was sixteen or more. Each director shall own a qualifying equity interest in the Association or a company that has control of the Association in each case as required by applicable law. Each director shall own such qualifying equity interest in his or her own right and meet any minimum threshold ownership required by applicable law.
Section 2.5. Organization Meeting. The newly elected Board shall meet for the purpose of organizing the new Board and electing and appointing such officers of the Association as may be appropriate. Such meeting shall be held on the day of the election or as soon thereafter as practicable, and, in any event, within thirty days thereafter, at such time and place as the Chairman or President may designate. If, at the time fixed for such meeting, there shall not be a quorum present, the directors present may adjourn the meeting until a quorum is obtained.
Section 2.6. Regular Meetings. The regular meetings of the Board shall be held, without notice, as the Chairman or President may designate and deem suitable.
Section 2.7. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time, at any place and for any purpose by the Chairman of the Board or the President of the Association, or upon the request of a majority of the entire Board. Notice of every special meeting of the Board shall be given to the directors at their usual places of business, or at such other addresses as shall have been furnished by them for the purpose. Such notice shall be given at least twelve hours (three hours if meeting is to be conducted by conference telephone) before the meeting by telephone or by being personally delivered, mailed, or electronically delivered. Such notice need not include a statement of the business to be transacted at, or the purpose of, any such meeting.
Section 2.8. Quorum and Necessary Vote. A majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board, except when otherwise provided by law; but less than a quorum may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice. Unless otherwise provided by law or the Articles or Bylaws of this Association, once a quorum is established, any act by a majority of those directors present and voting shall be the act of the Board.
Section 2.9. Written Consent. Except as otherwise required by applicable laws and regulations, the Board may act without a meeting by a unanimous written consent by all directors, to be filed with the Secretary of the Association as part of the corporate records.
Section 2.10. Remote Meetings. Members of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may participate in a meeting of such Board or committee by means of conference telephone, video or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other and such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 2.11. Vacancies. When any vacancy occurs among the directors, the remaining members of the Board may appoint a director to fill such vacancy at any regular meeting of the Board, or at a special meeting called for that purpose.
ARTICLE III
Committees
Section 3.1. Advisory Board of Directors. The Board may appoint persons, who need not be directors, to serve as advisory directors on an advisory board of directors established with respect to the business affairs of either this Association alone or the business affairs of a group of affiliated organizations of which this Association is one. Advisory directors shall have such powers and duties as may be determined by the Board, provided, that the Boards responsibility for the business and affairs of this Association shall in no respect be delegated or diminished.
Section 3.2. Trust Audit Committee. At least once during each calendar year, the Association shall arrange for a suitable audit (by internal or external auditors) of all significant fiduciary activities under the direction of its trust audit committee, a function that will be fulfilled by the Audit Committee of the financial holding company that is the ultimate parent of this Association. The Association shall note the results of the audit (including significant actions taken as a result of the audit) in the minutes of the Board. In lieu of annual audits, the Association may adopt a continuous audit system in accordance with 12 C.F.R. § 9.9(b).
The Audit Committee of the financial holding company that is the ultimate parent of this Association, fulfilling the function of the trust audit committee:
(1) Must not include any officers of the Association or an affiliate who participate significantly in the administration of the Associations fiduciary activities; and
(2) Must consist of a majority of members who are not also members of any committee to which the Board has delegated power to manage and control the fiduciary activities of the Association.
Section 3.3. Executive Committee. The Board may appoint an Executive Committee which shall consist of at least three directors and which shall have, and may exercise, to the extent permitted by applicable law, all the powers of the Board between meetings of the Board or otherwise when the Board is not meeting.
Section 3.4. Trust Management Committee. The Board of this Association shall appoint a Trust Management Committee to provide oversight of the fiduciary activities of the Association. The Trust Management Committee shall determine policies governing fiduciary activities. The Trust Management Committee or such sub-committees, officers or others as may be duly designated by the Trust Management Committee shall oversee the processes related to fiduciary activities to assure conformity with fiduciary policies it establishes, including ratifying the acceptance and the closing out or relinquishment of all trusts. The Trust Management Committee will provide regular reports of its activities to the Board.
Section 3.5. Other Committees. The Board may appoint, from time to time, committees of one or more persons who need not be directors, for such purposes and with such powers as the Board may determine; however, the Board will not delegate to any committee any powers or responsibilities that it is prohibited from delegating under any law or regulation. In addition, either the Chairman or the President may appoint, from time to time, committees of one or more officers, employees, agents or other persons, for such purposes and with such powers as either the Chairman or the President deems appropriate and proper. Whether appointed by the Board, the Chairman, or the President, any such committee shall at all times be subject to the direction and control of the Board.
Section 3.6. Meetings, Minutes and Rules. An advisory board of directors and/or committee shall meet as necessary in consideration of the purpose of the advisory board of directors or committee, and shall maintain minutes in sufficient detail to indicate actions taken or recommendations made; unless required by the members, discussions, votes or other specific details need not be reported. An advisory board of directors or a committee may, in consideration of its purpose, adopt its own rules for the exercise of any of its functions or authority.
ARTICLE IV
Officers
Section 4.1. Chairman of the Board. The Board may appoint one of its members to be Chairman of the Board to serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Chairman shall supervise the carrying out of the policies adopted or approved by the Board; shall have general executive powers, as well as the specific powers conferred by these Bylaws; and shall also have and may exercise such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred upon or assigned by the Board.
Section 4.2. President. The Board may appoint one of its members to be President of the Association. In the absence of the Chairman, the President shall preside at any meeting of the Board. The President shall have general executive powers, and shall have and may exercise any and all other powers and duties pertaining by law, regulation or practice, to the office of President, or imposed by these Bylaws. The President shall also have and may exercise such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred or assigned by the Board.
Section 4.3. Vice President. The Board may appoint one or more Vice Presidents who shall have such powers and duties as may be assigned by the Board and to perform the duties of the President on those occasions when the President is absent, including presiding at any meeting of the Board in the absence of both the Chairman and President.
Section 4.4. Secretary. The Board shall appoint a Secretary, or other designated officer who shall be Secretary of the Board and of the Association, and shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings. The Secretary shall attend to the giving of all notices required by these Bylaws to be given; shall be custodian of the corporate seal, records, documents and papers of the Association; shall provide for the keeping of proper records of all transactions of the Association; shall, upon request, authenticate any records of the Association; shall have and may exercise any and all other powers and duties pertaining by law, regulation or practice, to the Secretary, or imposed by these Bylaws; and shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Board. The Board may appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries with such powers and duties as the Board, the President or the Secretary shall from time to time determine.
Section 4.5. Other Officers. The Board may appoint, and may authorize the Chairman, the President or any other officer to appoint, any officer as from time to time may appear to the Board, the Chairman, the President or such other officer to be required or desirable to transact the business of the Association. Such officers shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as pertain to their several offices, or as may be conferred upon or assigned to them by these Bylaws, the Board, the Chairman, the President or such other authorized officer. Any person may hold two offices.
Section 4.6. Tenure of Office. The Chairman or the President and all other officers shall hold office until their respective successors are elected and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office, subject to the right of the Board or authorized officer to discharge any officer at any time.
ARTICLE V
Stock
Section 5.1. The Board may authorize the issuance of stock either in certificated or in uncertificated form. Certificates for shares of stock shall be in such form as the Board may from time to time prescribe. If the Board issues certificated stock, the certificate shall be signed by the President, Secretary or any other such officer as the Board so determines. Shares of stock shall be transferable on the books of the Association, and a transfer book shall be kept in which all transfers of stock shall be recorded. Every person becoming a shareholder by such transfer shall, in proportion to such persons shares, succeed to all rights of the prior holder of such shares. Each certificate of stock shall recite on its face that the stock represented thereby is transferable only upon the books of the Association properly endorsed. The Board may impose conditions upon the transfer of the stock reasonably calculated to simplify the work of the Association for stock transfers, voting at shareholder meetings, and related matters, and to protect it against fraudulent transfers.
ARTICLE VI
Corporate Seal
Section 6.1. The Association shall have no corporate seal; provided, however, that if the use of a seal is required by, or is otherwise convenient or advisable pursuant to, the laws or regulations of any jurisdiction, the following seal may be used, and the Chairman, the President, the Secretary and any Assistant Secretary shall have the authority to affix such seal:
ARTICLE VII
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 7.1. Execution of Instruments. All agreements, checks, drafts, orders, indentures, notes, mortgages, deeds, conveyances, transfers, endorsements, assignments, certificates, declarations, receipts, discharges, releases, satisfactions, settlements, petitions, schedules, accounts, affidavits, bonds, undertakings, guarantees, proxies and other instruments or documents may be signed, countersigned, executed, acknowledged, endorsed, verified, delivered or accepted on behalf of the Association, whether in a s capacity or otherwise, by any officer of the Association, or such employee or agent as may be designated from time to time by the Board by resolution, or by the Chairman or the President by written instrument, which resolution or instrument shall be certified as in effect by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Association. The provisions of this section are supplementary to any other provision of the Articles of Association or Bylaws.
Section 7.2. Records. The Articles of Association, the Bylaws as revised or amended from time to time and the proceedings of all meetings of the shareholders, the Board, and standing committees of the Board, shall be recorded in appropriate minute books provided for the purpose. The minutes of each meeting shall be signed by the Secretary, or other officer appointed to act as Secretary of the meeting.
Section 7.3. Trust Files. There shall be maintained in the Association files all fiduciary records necessary to assure that its fiduciary responsibilities have been properly undertaken and discharged.
Section 7.4. Trust Investments. Funds held in a fiduciary capacity shall be invested according to the instrument establishing the fiduciary relationship and according to law. Where such instrument does not specify the character and class of investments to be made and does not vest in the Association a discretion in the matter, funds held pursuant to such instrument shall be invested in investments in which corporate fiduciaries may invest under law.
Section 7.5. Notice. Whenever notice is required by the Articles of Association, the Bylaws or law, such notice shall be by mail, postage prepaid, e- mail, in person, or by any other means by which such notice can reasonably be expected to be received, using the address of the person to receive such notice, or such other personal data, as may appear on the records of the Association. Except where specified otherwise in these Bylaws, prior notice shall be proper if given not more than 30 days nor less than 10 days prior to the event for which notice is given.
ARTICLE VIII
Indemnification
Section 8.1. The Association shall indemnify such persons for such liabilities in such manner under such circumstances and to such extent as permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as now enacted or hereafter amended. The Board may authorize the purchase and maintenance of insurance and/or the execution of individual agreements for the purpose of such indemnification, and the Association shall advance all reasonable costs and expenses (including attorneys fees) incurred in defending any action, suit or proceeding to all persons entitled to indemnification under this Section 8.1. Such insurance shall be consistent with the requirements of 12 C.F.R. § 7.2014 and shall exclude coverage of liability for a formal order assessing civil money penalties against an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12 U.S.C. § 1813(u).
Section 8.2. Notwithstanding Section 8.1, however, (a) any indemnification payments to an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12 U.S.C. § 1813(u), for an administrative proceeding or civil action initiated by a federal banking agency, shall be reasonable and consistent with the requirements of 12 U.S.C. § 1828(k) and the implementing regulations thereunder; and (b) any indemnification payments and advancement of costs and expenses to an institution-affiliated party, as defined at 12 U.S.C. § 1813(u), in cases involving an administrative proceeding or civil action not initiated by a federal banking agency, shall be in accordance with Delaware General Corporation Law and consistent with safe and sound banking practices.
ARTICLE IX
Bylaws: Interpretation and Amendment
Section 9.1. These Bylaws shall be interpreted in accordance with and subject to appropriate provisions of law, and may be added to, altered, amended, or repealed, at any regular or special meeting of the Board.
Section 9.2. A copy of the Bylaws and all amendments shall at all times be kept in a convenient place at the principal office of the Association, and shall be open for inspection to all shareholders during Association hours.
ARTICLE X
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 10.1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on the first day of January in each year and shall end on the thirty-first day of December following.
Section 10.2. Governing Law. This Association designates the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended from time to time, as the governing law for its corporate governance procedures, to the extent not inconsistent with Federal banking statutes and regulations or bank safety and soundness.
***
(February 8, 2021)
Exhibit 6
CONSENT
In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the undersigned, U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.
Dated: June 4, 2024
By: |
/s/ Michael K. Herberger | |
Michael K. Herberger | ||
Vice President |
Exhibit 7
U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association
Statement of Financial Condition
as of 3/31/2024
($000s)
3/31/2024 | ||||
Assets |
||||
Cash and Balances Due From Depository Institutions |
$ | 1,429,213 | ||
Securities |
4,389 | |||
Federal Funds |
0 | |||
Loans & Lease Financing Receivables |
0 | |||
Fixed Assets |
1,270 | |||
Intangible Assets |
577,915 | |||
Other Assets |
161,425 | |||
|
|
|||
Total Assets |
$ | 2,174,212 | ||
Liabilities |
||||
Deposits |
$ | 0 | ||
Fed Funds |
0 | |||
Treasury Demand Notes |
0 | |||
Trading Liabilities |
0 | |||
Other Borrowed Money |
0 | |||
Acceptances |
0 | |||
Subordinated Notes and Debentures |
0 | |||
Other Liabilities |
361,240 | |||
|
|
|||
Total Liabilities |
$ | 361,240 | ||
Equity |
||||
Common and Preferred Stock |
200 | |||
Surplus |
1,171,635 | |||
Undivided Profits |
641,137 | |||
Minority Interest in Subsidiaries |
0 | |||
|
|
|||
Total Equity Capital |
$ | 1,812,972 | ||
Total Liabilities and Equity Capital |
$ | 2,174,212 |
Exhibit 107.1
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
Form S-3
(Form Type)
ENERGY TRANSFER LP
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities
Security Type |
Security Class Title |
Fee Calculation or Carry Forward Rule(1) |
Amount Registered |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Unit |
Maximum Aggregate Offering Price |
Fee Rate | Amount of Registration Fee |
Carry Forward Form Type |
Carry Forward File Number |
Carry Forward Initial effective date |
Filing Fee Previously Paid In Connection with Unsold Securities to be Carried Forward | |||||||||||||
Newly Registered Securities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fees to Be Paid |
Equity | Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests |
Rule 456(b) and 457(r) |
(2) | (2) | (2) | (1) | (1) | ||||||||||||||||
Equity | Preferred Units Representing Limited Partner Interests |
Rule 456(b) and 457(r) |
(2) | (2) | (2) | (1) | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
Debt | Debt Securities | Rule 456(b) and 457(r) |
(2) | (2) | (2) | (1) | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
Fees Previously Paid |
N/A | | | | | | | | ||||||||||||||||
Carry Forward Securities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carry Forward Securities |
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Total Offering Amounts | | | | | | |||||||||||||||||||
Total Fees Previously Paid | | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Fee Offsets | | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Net Fee Due | |
(1) | The Registrant is relying on Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, to defer payment of all of the registration fee. The Registrant will pay pay-as-you-go registration fees in accordance with Rule 456(b). The Registrant will calculate the registration fee applicable to an offer of debt securities pursuant to this Registration Statement based on the fee payment rate in effect on the date of such fee payment. |
(2) | An unspecified number of securities or aggregate principal amount, as applicable, is being registered as may from time to time be offered at unspecified prices and, in addition, an unspecified number of additional Common Units is being registered as may be issued from time to time upon conversion of any Debt Securities that are convertible into Common Units or pursuant to any anti-dilution adjustments with respect to any such convertible Debt Securities. |