Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Leased Properties

v2.4.0.8
Leased Properties
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Leases [Abstract]  
LEASED PROPERTIES
LEASED PROPERTIES
Pinedale LGS
On December 20, 2012, our subsidiary, Pinedale Corridor, LP ("Pinedale LP"), closed on a Purchase and Sale Agreement with an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Ultra Petroleum Corp. ("Ultra Petroleum"). Pinedale LP acquired a system of gathering, storage, and pipeline facilities (the "Liquids Gathering System" or "Pinedale LGS"), with associated real property rights in the Pinedale Anticline in Wyoming for $205 million in cash and certain investment securities having an approximate market value of $23 million. The asset purchase price was funded in part by the issuance of 13 million shares of common stock with net proceeds of $73.6 million after the underwriters discount.
Physical Assets
Construction of the Pinedale LGS was completed by Ultra Petroleum in 2010. It consists of more than 150 miles of pipelines with 107 receipt points and four above-ground central gathering facilities. The system is used by Ultra Petroleum as a method of separating water, condensate and associated flash gas from a unified stream and subsequently selling or treating and disposing of the separated products. Prior to entering the Pinedale LGS, a commingled hydrocarbon stream is separated into wellhead natural gas and a liquids stream. The wellhead natural gas is transported to market by a third party. The remaining liquids, primarily water, are transported by the Pinedale LGS to one of its four central gathering facilities where they pass through a three-phase separator which separates condensate, water and associated natural gas. Condensate is a valuable hydrocarbon commodity that is sold by Ultra Petroleum; water is transported to disposal wells or a treatment facility for re-use; and the natural gas is sold or otherwise used by Ultra Petroleum for fueling on-site operational equipment. To date, no major operational issues have been reported with respect to the Pinedale LGS.
The asset is depreciated for book purposes over an estimated useful life of 26 years. The amount of depreciation recognized for the leased property for the years ended December 31, 2013, November 30, 2012 and 2011, and for the one-month transition period ended December 31, 2012 was $8.9 million, $0, $0, and $286 thousand, respectively.
See Note 4 for further information regarding the Pinedale Lease Agreement.
Non-Controlling Interest Partner
Prudential Financial, Inc. ("Prudential") funded a portion of the acquisition of the Pinedale LGS by investing $30 million in cash in Pinedale LP. Pinedale GP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CorEnergy, funded a portion of the acquisition by contributing to Pinedale LP approximately $108.3 million in cash and certain equity securities valued at $20 million. Those investments were made on December 20, 2012. As a limited partner, Prudential holds 18.95 percent of the economic interest in Pinedale LP, while the general partner, Pinedale GP, holds the remaining 81.05 percent of the economic interest.
Debt
On December 20, 2012, Pinedale LP borrowed $70 million pursuant to a secured term credit facility with KeyBank National Association ("KeyBank") serving as a lender and the administrative agent on behalf of other lenders participating in the credit facility. The credit facility will remain in effect through December 2015, with an option to extend through December 2016. The credit facility is secured by the Pinedale LGS. See Note 11 for further information regarding the credit facility.
Eastern Interconnect Project (EIP)
Physical Assets
The EIP transmission assets are utilized by the lessee to move electricity across New Mexico between Albuquerque and Clovis. The physical assets include 216 miles of 345 kilovolt transmission lines, towers, easement rights, converters and other grid support components. Originally, the assets were depreciated for book purposes over an estimated useful life of 20 years. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement discussed in Note 4, the Company reevaluated the residual value used to calculate its depreciation of the EIP, and determined that a change in estimate was necessary. The change in estimate resulted in higher depreciation expenses beginning in November of 2012 through the expiration of the lease in April 2015.
The amount of depreciation expense related to the EIP leased property for the years ended December 31, 2013 and November 30, 2012 and 2011 and for the one-month transition period ended December 31, 2012 was $2.3 million, $837 thousand, $294 thousand and $190 thousand, respectively. The December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 amounts include one year and one month of incremental depreciation of approximately $1.6 million and $131 thousand, respectively.
See Note 4 for further information regarding the PNM Lease Agreement (as defined therein).
Debt
The Company assumed a note with an outstanding principal balance of $3.4 million. The debt was collateralized by the EIP transmission assets. The note, which accrued interest at an annual rate of 10.25 percent, and had principal and interest payments due on a semi-annual basis, was paid in full on October 1, 2012.