Plains All American Pipeline to Acquire Remaining 50% Interest in Natural Gas Storage JV
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Comments on Intent to Recommend Distribution Increase
HOUSTON--(Business Wire)--
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NYSE:PAA) and Vulcan Capital today announced
that they have executed definitive agreements under which a subsidiary of PAA
will acquire Vulcan Capital`s 50% indirect interest in PAA Natural Gas Storage,
LLC (PNGS). The aggregate purchase price of $220 million consists of $90 million
cash, 1.9 million PAA common units valued at $90 million, and deferred
contingent cash consideration of up to $40 million. The contingent consideration
is subject to achievement of certain events and performance milestones expected
to occur over the next several years. The transaction is expected to close on
September 3, 2009.
As a result of the transaction, PAA will own 100% of the natural gas storage
business and related operating entities, which will be accounted for on a
consolidated basis. The Partnership has historically accounted for its 50%
indirect interest in PNGS under the equity method. At closing, PAA will repay
the joint venture`s outstanding project finance debt using joint venture cash
and borrowings under its revolving credit facility. As of June 30, 2009, the
joint venture had approximately $450 million of debt and approximately $52
million of cash.
"We are extremely pleased to announce this transaction and are excited about the
near-term and long-term potential of the natural gas storage business," said
Greg L. Armstrong, CEO of PAA. "This transaction provides economic returns
solidly in excess of our weighted average cost of capital and will result in
immediate accretion to the Partnership."
"Increasing our interest to 100% will enhance our strategic flexibility with
respect to future organic growth and acquisitions, and also increase the
visibility of the value that has already been created," said Armstrong.
"Notably, the cash-flow stream of our natural gas storage business is
essentially 100% fee-based, with currently available storage capacity
substantially committed under contracts ranging up to ten years in duration.
Moreover, the cash-flow profile is expected to increase steadily over the next
several years as we continue to expand the storage capacity through our
development activities at our Pine Prairie facility."
Geoff McKay, a Managing Director at Vulcan Capital, said, "We have enjoyed
working with the entire PAA team over the last four years to build value
together at PNGS. Through our significant equity position in PAA, we will
continue to be a meaningful participant in the growth of this and PAA`s other
businesses, and we look forward to continuing to support PAA`s future success."
The transaction was approved by the board of directors of the general partner of
PAA and by its conflicts committee. The conflicts committee, which is comprised
entirely of independent directors, received a fairness opinion from Simmons &
Company International with respect to the consideration paid by PAA in this
transaction.
PAA management intends to recommend to its board of directors an increase in the
Partnership`s quarterly distribution level to $0.92 per unit, or $3.68 per unit
on an annualized basis, effective with the November 2009 distribution, subject
to adverse developments in the economic and financial markets, or other events
that would make such recommendation inappropriate. To enhance PAA`s distribution
coverage ratio over the next 24 months as cash flows ramp-up from expansion
activities, PAA`s general partner has agreed to reduce its incentive
distributions by an aggregate of $8 million over the next two years - $1.25
million per quarter for the first four quarters and $0.75 million per quarter
for the next four quarters. The IDR reduction will become effective with the
planned November 2009 distribution increase.
Conference Call
The Partnership will host a conference call at 10:00 AM (Central); 11:00 AM
(Eastern) on Friday, August 28, 2009, to discuss the acquisition. Specific items
to be addressed in this call include:
1. a brief description of the transaction;
2. the Partnership`s financing plans for funding the transaction;
3. the strategic rationale for the transaction;
4. an overview of the PNGS assets and business;
5. certain accounting matters important to an understanding of the transaction impacts on PAA; and
6. the anticipated financial performance of PNGS.
Webcast Instructions
To access the Internet webcast, please go to the Partnership`s website at
www.paalp.com, choose "Investor Relations," then choose "Conference Calls."
Following the live webcast, the call will be archived for a period of sixty (60)
days on the Partnership`s website.
If you are unable to participate in the webcast, please dial 800-288-8974, or,
for international callers, 612-332-0335 at approximately 9:55 AM (Central). No
password or reservation number is required. You may access the slide
presentation accompanying the conference call a few minutes prior to the call
under the Conference Call Summaries portion of the Conference Calls tab of the
Investor Relations section of PAA`s website at www.paalp.com.
Telephonic Replay Instructions
To listen to a telephonic replay of the conference call, please dial
800-475-6701, or, for international callers, 320-365-3844, and replay access
code 113862. The replay will be available beginning Friday, August 28, 2009, at
approximately 12:00 PM (Central) and continue until 11:59 PM (Central) on
Monday, September 28, 2009.
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. is a publicly traded master limited
partnership engaged in the transportation, storage, terminalling and marketing
of crude oil, refined products and liquefied petroleum gas and other natural gas
related petroleum products. Through its ownership in PAA Natural Gas Storage,
the partnership is also engaged in the development and operation of natural gas
storage facilities. The Partnership is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Forward Looking Statements
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in
this release are forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from results
anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties
include, among other things, risks related to the development and operation of
natural gas storage facilities; shortages or cost increases of power supplies,
materials or labor; equipment failure; subsurface geology; permitting delays at
governmental agencies; weather interference with business operations or project
construction; factors affecting supply and demand for natural gas and resulting
changes in pricing conditions or storage requirements; the availability of, and
our ability to consummate, acquisition or combination opportunities; failure to
implement or capitalize on planned internal growth projects; maintenance of our
credit rating and ability to receive open credit from our suppliers and trade
counterparties; continued creditworthiness of, and performance by, our
counterparties, including financial institutions and trading companies with
which we do business; the success of our risk management activities;
environmental liabilities or events that are not covered by an indemnity,
insurance or existing reserves; our ability to obtain debt or equity financing
on satisfactory terms to fund additional acquisitions, expansion projects,
working capital requirements and the repayment or refinancing of indebtedness;
the successful integration and future performance of acquired assets or
businesses and the risks associated with operating in lines of business that are
distinct and separate from our historical operations; the impact of current and
future laws, rulings, governmental regulations, accounting standards and
statements and related interpretations; the effects of competition;
interruptions in service and fluctuations in tariffs or volumes on third-party
pipelines; increased costs or lack of availability of insurance; future
developments and circumstances at the time distributions are declared; general
economic, market or business conditions and the amplification of other risks
caused by deteriorated financial markets, capital constraints and pervasive
liquidity concerns; and other factors and uncertainties inherent in the
transportation, storage, terminalling and marketing of crude oil, refined
products and liquefied petroleum gas and other natural gas related petroleum
products discussed in the Partnership`s filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
Manager, Investor Relations
Roy I. Lamoreaux, 713-646-4222 or 800-564-3036
or
Vice President
A. Patrick Diamond, 713-646-4487 or 800-564-3036
or
Vulcan Capital
David Postman, 206-342-2370
or
Sard Verbinnen & Co
Andrew Cole, 212-687-8080
Copyright Business Wire 2009
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090827005925/en
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