Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

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Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates
Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include CorEnergy accounts and the accounts of our wholly owned subsidiaries and have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) set forth in the Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC"), as published by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"), and with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) instructions to Form 10-Q, and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The accompanying consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the Company's financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented. There were no adjustments that, in the opinion of management, were not of a normal and recurring nature. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation, and our net earnings are reduced by the portion of net earnings attributable to non-controlling interests.
Operating results for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2016 or any other interim or annual period. These consolidated financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis of the Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed with the SEC on March 14, 2016 (the "2015 CorEnergy 10-K").
Revenue Recognition
Revenue Recognition Transportation and distribution revenue – This represents revenue related to natural gas transportation, distribution, and supply. Transportation revenues are recognized by MoGas on firm contracted capacity over the contract period regardless of whether the contracted capacity is used. For interruptible or volumetric based transportation, revenue is recognized when physical deliveries of natural gas are made at the delivery point agreed upon by both parties. Distribution revenue is recognized by Omega based on agreed upon contractual terms over each annual period during the terms of the contract. Beginning February 1, 2016, due to changes that commenced under a new contract with the Department of Defense ("DOD"), gas sales and cost of (gas) sales are presented on a net basis in the Transportation and distribution revenue line.
Omega is also paid fees for the operation and maintenance of its natural gas distribution system, including any necessary expansion of the distribution system. Omega is responsible for the coordination, supervision, and quality of the expansions while actual construction is generally performed by third party contractors. Under the new DOD contract, the annual contracted amount for pipeline expansion is invoiced monthly by Omega on a straight-line basis. Revenues from expansion efforts are recognized using either a completed contract, percentage of completion, or cost-plus method based on the level and volume of estimates utilized, as well as the certainty or uncertainty of our ability to collect those revenues. Amounts invoiced in excess of earned revenue are classified as unearned revenue and included as a liability within the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Transportation and distribution expense
Transportation and distribution expense Included here are both MoGas's costs of operating and maintaining the natural gas transmission line, and Omega's costs of operating and maintaining the natural gas distribution system, including any necessary expansion of the distribution system. These costs are incurred both internally and externally. The internal costs relate to system control, pipeline operations, maintenance, insurance, and taxes. Other internal costs include payroll for employees associated with gas control, field employees, and management. The external costs consist of professional services such as audit and accounting, legal and regulatory, and engineering.
Historically, Omega's amounts paid for gas and propane delivered to customers were presented as cost of sales. Beginning February 1, 2016, under a new contract with the Department of Defense, amounts paid by Omega for gas and propane are netted against sales and are presented in the transportation and distribution revenue line. See paragraph (A) above.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Recent Accounting Pronouncements – In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU No. 2014-09 "Revenue from Contracts with Customers", which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The standard was originally effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. Early adoption is not permitted. On July 9, 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of the effective date making the standard effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The FASB will continue to permit entities to adopt the standard on the original effective date if they choose. The Company is currently evaluating which transition method to use and the potential future impact, if any, the standard will have on the Company's consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. However, we do not expect its adoption to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements, as a substantial portion of our revenue consists of rental income from leasing arrangements, which is specifically excluded from ASU 2014-09.
In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03 "Interest-Imputation of Interest Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs". The amendments in this update require debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. In June 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-15 "Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements" to clarify that ASU No. 2015-03 does not address the presentation or subsequent measurement of debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. As a result, an entity may present debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements as an asset instead of a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt. We adopted the accounting standards update as of January 1, 2016 with retrospective application to our December 31, 2015 Consolidated Balance Sheets. The effect of the adoption was to reclassify $510 thousand of debt issuance costs at December 31, 2015 from deferred costs, net of accumulated amortization, to long-term debt.
In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01 "Financial Instruments — Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities," which will require entities to measure their investments at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income unless the investments qualify for the new practicability exception. The practicability exception will be available for equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values. The guidance will be effective for us beginning with the first quarter of 2018. We are currently evaluating the impact that adopting the new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02 "Leases" which amends the existing accounting standards for lease accounting, including requiring lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets and making targeted changes to lessor accounting. ASU No. 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 31, 2018, with early adoption permitted. At adoption, the standard will be applied using a modified retrospective approach. Management is still in the process of evaluating the impact of the standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses" which introduces an approach based on expected losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments. The new model, referred to as the current expected credit losses ("CECL model"), will apply to financial assets subject to credit losses and measured at amortized cost, and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within that fiscal year. Early application of the guidance will be permitted for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We are currently evaluating the impact that adopting the new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows: Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments”. This new standard will make eight targeted changes to how cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and will require adoption on a retrospective basis unless it is impracticable to apply, in which case we would be required to apply the amendments prospectively as of the earliest date practicable. We are currently evaluating the impact that adopting the new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.