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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2010
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Enterprise Products Partners L.P.
(Name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
1100 Louisiana, 10th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 381-6500
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
area code, of registrants principal executive offices)
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76-0568219
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
Richard H. Bachmann
1100 Louisiana, 10th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 381-6500
(Name, address, including zip code,
and telephone number, including area
code, of agent for service) |
Copy to:
David C. Buck
Andrews Kurth LLP
600 Travis, Suite 4200
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 220-4200
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: þ
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: o
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. o
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. o
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a
post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. o
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. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated
filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large
accelerated filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act. (Check one):
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Large accelerated filer þ
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Accelerated filer o
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Non accelerated filer o
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
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Smaller reporting company o |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Proposed Maximum |
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Proposed Maximum |
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Amount to be |
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Offering Price Per |
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Aggregate Offering |
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Amount of |
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Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered |
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Registered (1) |
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Unit (2) |
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Price (3) |
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Registration Fee |
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Common Units of Enterprise Products
Partners L.P. (4) |
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30,000,000 |
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33.51 |
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1,005,300,000 |
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71,677.89 |
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(1) |
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Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act, the common units being registered
hereunder include such indeterminate number of common units as may be issuable with respect to
the common units being registered hereunder as a result of unit splits, unit dividends or
similar transactions. |
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(2) |
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Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c)
under the Securities Act. The proposed maximum offering price per unit is calculated based on
the average of the high and low sales prices per unit of the registrants common units as
reported on The New York Stock Exchange on March 9, 2009. |
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The proposed maximum aggregate offering price is calculated based on the number of common
units to be registered and the proposed maximum offering price per unit. |
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Pursuant to Rule 429 under the Securities Act, the Prospectus contained in this Registration
Statement also applies to Registration Statement No. 333-142106. Pursuant to that Registration
Statement, 3,824,321 of our common units remain available for issuance, and a filing fee of
$3,774 was previously paid with respect to such common units. In accordance with Rule 429,
upon effectiveness, this Registration Statement shall constitute a post-effective amendment to
Registration Statement No. 333-142106. |
PROSPECTUS
Enterprise Products Partners L.P.
Distribution Reinvestment Plan
33,824,321 Common Units
With this prospectus, we are offering participation in our Distribution Reinvestment
Plan (the Plan) to owners of our common units. We have appointed The Bank of New York Mellon as
the administrator of the Plan. The Plan provides a simple, convenient and no-cost means of
investing in our common units.
Plan Highlights:
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You may participate in the Plan if you currently are a unitholder of record of our
common units or if you own our common units through your broker (by having your broker
participate on your behalf). |
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You may purchase additional common units by reinvesting all or a portion of the cash
distributions paid on your common units. |
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You may purchase our common units at a discount ranging from 0% to 5% (currently set at
5%) without paying any service fees, brokerage trading fees or other charges. (Note: If you
participate in the Plan through your broker, you should consult with your broker; your
broker may charge you a service fee.) |
Your participation in the Plan is voluntary, and you may terminate your account at any time.
You should read carefully this prospectus before deciding to participate in the Plan. You
should read the documents we have referred you to in the Where You Can Find More Information
section of this prospectus for information on us and for our financial statements.
Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol EPD.
Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. Investing in our common units
involves risk. You should review carefully Risk Factors beginning on page 3 for a discussion of
important risks you should consider before enrolling in the Plan. We suggest you retain this
prospectus for future reference.
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 March 12, 2010.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference into this
prospectus. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If
anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. You
should not assume that the information incorporated by reference into or provided in this
prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus.
In this prospectus, the terms we, us, our and Enterprise refer to Enterprise Products
Partners L.P. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated or the context requires otherwise.
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OUR COMPANY
We are a North American midstream energy company providing a wide range of services to
producers and consumers of natural gas, natural gas liquids, or NGLs, crude oil, refined products
and certain petrochemicals. In addition, we are an industry leader in the development of pipeline
and other midstream energy infrastructure in the continental United States and Gulf of Mexico. Our
midstream energy asset network links producers of natural gas, NGLs and crude oil from some of the
largest supply basins in the United States, Canada and the Gulf of Mexico with domestic consumers
and international markets.
Our Business Segments
We have five reportable business segments: (i) NGL Pipelines & Services; (ii) Onshore Natural
Gas Pipelines & Services; (iii) Onshore Crude Oil Pipelines & Services; (iv) Offshore Pipelines &
Services; and (v) Petrochemical & Refined Products Services. Our business segments are generally
organized and managed according to the type of services rendered (or technologies employed) and
products produced and/or sold.
NGL Pipelines & Services. Our NGL Pipelines & Services business segment includes our (i)
natural gas processing business and related NGL marketing activities, (ii) NGL pipelines
aggregating approximately 16,300 miles, (iii) NGL and related product storage and terminal
facilities with 163.4 million barrels (MMBbls) of working storage capacity and (iv) NGL
fractionation facilities. This segment also includes NGL import and export terminal operations.
Onshore Natural Gas Pipelines & Services. Our Onshore Natural Gas Pipelines & Services
business segment includes approximately 19,200 miles of onshore natural gas pipeline systems that
provide for the gathering and transportation of natural gas in Alabama, Colorado, Louisiana,
Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming. We own two salt dome natural gas storage facilities
located in Mississippi and lease natural gas storage facilities located in Texas and Louisiana.
This segment also includes our natural gas marketing activities.
Onshore Crude Oil Pipelines & Services. Our Onshore Crude Oil Pipelines & Services business
segment includes approximately 4,400 miles of onshore crude oil pipelines and 10.5 MMBbls of
above-ground storage tank capacity. This segment also includes our crude oil marketing activities.
Offshore Pipelines & Services. Our Offshore Pipelines & Services business segment serves some
of the most active drilling and development regions, including deepwater production fields, in the
northern Gulf of Mexico offshore Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. This segment includes
approximately 1,400 miles of offshore natural gas pipelines, approximately 1,000 miles of offshore
crude oil pipelines and six offshore hub platforms.
Petrochemical & Refined Products Services. Our Petrochemical & Refined Products Services
business segment consists of (i) propylene fractionation plants and related activities, (ii) butane
isomerization facilities, (iii) an octane enhancement facility, (iv) refined products pipelines,
including a regulated 4,700-mile products pipeline system, and related activities and (v) marine
transportation and other services.
We provide the foregoing services through our subsidiaries and unconsolidated affiliates.
Our principal offices are located at 1100 Louisiana Street, 10th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002,
and our telephone number is (713) 381-6500.
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RISK FACTORS
An investment in our common units involves risks. You should consider carefully the following
risk factors relating to our Distribution Reinvestment Plan, or the Plan, together with all of
the other information included in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus before
deciding to participate in the Plan. The risks relating to the Plan are not the only risks
associated with an investment in our common units. For key current (i) risks inherent in our
business that may have a material impact on our results of operations and financial condition, (ii)
risks inherent in an investment in us related to our common units as a result of our partnership
structure, and (iii) tax risks to common unitholders, please read Item 1A Risk Factors in Part I
of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Item 1A Risk Factors in Part II of our
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed for quarterly periods ending after our most recent Annual
Report and our future annual and quarterly reports that are incorporated by reference into this
prospectus, as such information may be amended or supplemented by any future filings with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission).
This prospectus also contains or incorporates by reference forward-looking statements that
involve risks and uncertainties. Please read Forward-Looking Statements. Our actual results could
differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain
factors, including risks described in the above documents and in this prospectus. If the events or
possibilities described in any of these risks occur, our business, financial position, results of
operations or cash flows could be adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our common
units could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Relating to the Plan
You will not know the price of the common units you are purchasing under the Plan at the time
you authorize the investment or elect to have your distributions reinvested. The price of our
common units may fluctuate between the time you decide to purchase common units under the Plan and
the time of actual purchase. As a result, you may purchase common units at a price higher than the
price you anticipated.
If you instruct the administrator to sell common units under the Plan, you will not be able to
direct the time or price at which your common units are sold. The price of our common units may
decline between the time you decide to sell common units and the time of actual sale.
If you decide to withdraw from the Plan and you request a certificate for whole common units
credited to you under the Plan from the administrator, the market price of our common units may
decline between the time you decide to withdraw and the time you receive the certificate.
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THE PLAN
Plan Overview
The Plan offers a simple, convenient and no-cost way for owners of our common units to invest
all or a portion of their cash distributions in our common units. The Plan is designed for
long-term investors who wish to invest and build their common unit ownership over time. Unlike an
individual brokerage account, the timing of purchases is subject to the provisions of the Plan. The
principal terms and conditions of the Plan are summarized in this prospectus under Commonly
Asked Questions below.
We have appointed The Bank of New York Mellon, or the Administrator, to administer the Plan,
and certain administrative support will be provided to the Administrator by its designated
affiliates. Together, the Administrator and its affiliates will purchase and hold common units for
Plan participants, keep records, send statements and perform other duties required by the Plan.
Only registered holders of our common units can participate directly in the Plan. If you are a
beneficial owner of common units in a brokerage account and wish to reinvest your distributions,
you can make arrangements with your broker or nominee to participate in the Plan on your behalf, or
you can request that your common units become registered in your name.
Please read this entire prospectus for a more detailed description of the Plan. If you are a
registered holder of our common units and would like to participate in the Plan, you can enroll
online via Investor ServiceDirect®, or by completing the enclosed Enrollment Form and mailing it to
the Administrator in the envelope provided. Please see questions number 2 and 6 below for
information on how to access Investor ServiceDirect®.
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COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How can I participate in the Plan?
If you are a current holder of record, or registered holder, of our common units, you may
participate directly in the Plan. If you own common units that are registered in someone elses
name (for example, a bank, broker or trustee), the Plan allows you to participate through such
person, should they elect to participate, without having to withdraw your common units from such
bank, broker or trustee. If your broker or bank elects not to participate in the Plan on your
behalf, you can participate by withdrawing your common units from such bank or broker and
registering your common units in your name.
2. How do I get started?
If you are a registered holder of our common units, once you have read this prospectus, you
can get started by enrolling in the Plan online through Investor ServiceDirect® at
www.bnymellon.com/shareowner/isd, or by completing the enclosed Enrollment Form and mailing it to
the Administrator in the envelope provided. Your participation will begin promptly after your
authorization is received. Once you have enrolled, your participation continues automatically, as
long as you wish. If you own common units that are registered in someone elses name (for example a
bank, broker or trustee), then you should contact such person to arrange for them to participate in
the Plan on your behalf.
3. How are distributions reinvested?
By enrolling in the Plan, you direct the Administrator to apply distributions to the purchase
of additional common units in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan. You may elect
to reinvest all or a portion of your distributions in additional common units. The Administrator
will invest distributions in whole and fractional common units on the quarterly distribution
payment date (the investment date). No interest will be paid on funds held by the Administrator
pending investment.
If the Administrator receives your Enrollment Form on or before the record date for the
payment of the next distribution, the amount of the distribution that you elect to be reinvested
will be invested in additional common units for your Plan account. If the Enrollment Form is
received in the period after any distribution record date, that distribution will be paid by check
or automatic deposit to a bank account that you designate and your initial distribution
reinvestment will commence with the following distribution.
You may change your distribution reinvestment election at any time on-line through Investor
ServiceDirect®, by telephone or by notifying the Administrator in writing. To be effective with
respect to a particular distribution, any such change must be received by the Administrator on or
before the record date for that distribution.
4. When are distributions reinvested?
The investment date will be the distribution payment date for each quarter (generally, before
the 15th calendar day of February, May, August and November). The record date for eligibility to
receive distributions generally will be the last business day of the month preceding a month in
which distributions are paid (generally, the last day of January, April, July and October). In the
unlikely event that, due to unusual market conditions, the Administrator is unable to invest the
funds within 30 days of the distribution payment date, the Administrator will return the funds to
you by check or by automatic deposit to a bank account that you designate. No interest will be paid
on funds held by the Administrator pending investment.
5. What is the source and price of common units purchased under the Plan?
We have the sole discretion to determine whether common units purchased under the Plan will
come from our authorized but unissued common units or from common units purchased on the open
market by the Administrator. We currently intend to use our authorized but unissued common units
for all common units to be purchased under the Plan.
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The price for authorized but unissued common units purchased with reinvested distributions
will be the average of the high and low trading prices of the common units on the New York Stock
ExchangeComposite Transactions for the five trading days immediately preceding the investment
date, less a discount ranging from 0% to 5%. The discount is initially set at 5%; therefore, the
initial purchase price for authorized but unissued common units purchased with reinvested
distributions will be 95% of such average trading price. (Note: If you participate in the Plan
through your broker, you should consult with your broker to determine if your broker will charge
you a service fee.)
The purchase price for common units purchased with reinvested distributions on the open market
will be the weighted average price of all common units purchased for the Plan for the respective
investment date, less a discount ranging from 0% to 5%. (Note: If you participate in the Plan
through your broker, you should consult with your broker to determine if your broker will charge
you a service fee.)
We will provide notice to you of any changes in the discount rate at least 30 days prior to
the following record date.
6. Who is the Administrator of the Plan?
The Bank of New York Mellon is the Administrator of the Plan. Certain administrative support
will be provided to the Administrator by its designated affiliates. If you have questions regarding
the Plan, please write to the Administrator at the following address: The Bank of New York Mellon
c/o BNY Mellon Shareowner Services, P.O. Box 358035, Pittsburgh, PA 15252-8035, or call the
Administrator at 1-800-982-7649 (toll free from inside the United States or Canada) or
1-201-680-6578 (from outside the United States or Canada). An automated voice response system is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Customer service representatives are available from 9:00
a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except holidays). Please include a
reference to Enterprise Products Partners L.P. in all correspondence.
In addition, you may visit the Administrators website at www.bnymellon.com/shareowner/isd. At
this website, if you are a registered holder of our common units, you can enroll in the Plan,
obtain information, and perform certain transactions on your Plan account by accessing Investor
ServiceDirect®. To gain access, you will need to use the Investor Identification Number (IID) which
can be found in a bolded box on your check stub, statement, or advice to establish your PIN. In
order to access your account through ISD, you will be required to complete an account activation
process. This one-time authentication process will be used to validate your identity in addition to
your IID and self-assigned PIN. Once you have gained access into your account, you may be requested
to certify your tax ID number. The system will ask you a series of questions and, based on your
response, will redirect you to the appropriate IRS tax form to be completed. If you do not certify
your tax ID number, the Administration will withhold taxes on distributions paid to you.
7. What is the cost of participating in the Plan?
There is no fee for reinvesting distributions through the Plan. You may be responsible for
certain charges if you withdraw from the Plan. Additionally, if you are a beneficial owner of our
common units and are participating in the Plan through your broker, you should consult with your
broker; you may be charged a fee by your broker for participating in the Plan on your behalf.
8. How many common units will be purchased for my account?
If you are a registered holder of our common units and are directly participating in the Plan,
the number of common units, including fractional common units, purchased under the Plan will depend
on the amount of your cash distribution you elect to reinvest and the price of the common units
determined as provided above. Common units purchased under the Plan, including fractional common
units, will be credited to your account. Both whole and fractional common units will be purchased.
Fractional common units will be computed to four decimal places.
If you are a beneficial owner and are participating in the Plan through your broker, you
should contact your broker for the details of how the number of common units you purchase will be
determined.
This prospectus relates to 33,824,321 of our common units registered for sale under the Plan.
We cannot assure you there will be enough common units to meet the requirements under the Plan. If
we do not have a sufficient
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number of authorized but unissued common units to meet the Plan requirements during any
quarter, and if the Administrator is unable to purchase a sufficient number of common units in the
open market, any reinvested distributions received by the Administrator but not invested in our
common units under the Plan will be returned to participants without interest.
9. What are the tax consequences of purchasing common units under the Plan?
Your cost basis for tax purposes in the common units you purchase under the Plan will be equal
to the amount of the distributions used to purchase those common units. Purchasing common units
pursuant to the Plan will not affect the tax obligations associated with the common units you
currently own. Participation in the Plan will reduce the amount of cash distributions available to
you to satisfy any tax obligations associated with owning common units. Please read Material Tax
Consequences for information relevant to holders of common units generally.
10. How can I withdraw from the Plan?
If you are a registered holder of our common units, you may discontinue the reinvestment of
your distributions at any time by providing notice to the Administrator. In addition, you may
change your distribution election on-line under the Administrators account management service, as
described above. To be effective for a particular distribution payment, the Administrator must
receive notice on or before the record date for that distribution. In addition, you may request
that all or part of your common units be sold. When your common units are sold through the
Administrator, you will receive the proceeds less a handling charge of $15.00 and any brokerage
trading fees, currently $0.12 per share.
If you are a beneficial owner of our common units and you are participating in the Plan
through your broker, you should direct your broker to discontinue participation in the Plan on your
behalf.
If you dispose of all the common units registered in your name, but do not give notice of
withdrawal to the Administrator, the Administrator will continue to reinvest the cash distributions
on any common units held in your account under the Plan until the Administrator is notified
otherwise.
Generally, an owner of common units may again become a participant in the Plan. However, we
reserve the right to reject the enrollment of a previous participant in the Plan on grounds of
excessive joining and termination. This reservation is intended to minimize administrative expense
and to encourage use of the Plan as a long-term investment service.
11. How will my common units be held under the Plan?
If you are a registered holder of our common units and you are directly participating in the
Plan, the common units that you acquire under the Plan will be maintained in your Plan account in
non-certificated form for safekeeping. Safekeeping protects your common units against physical
loss, theft or accidental destruction and also provides a convenient way for you to keep track of
your common units. Only common units held in safekeeping may be sold through the Plan.
If you own common units in certificated form, you may deposit your certificates for those
common units with the Administrator, free of charge. The Administrator will provide mail loss
insurance coverage for certificates with a value not exceeding $100,000 in any one shipping
package. Certificates should be delivered to the Administrator at 520 Ross Street, Room 0645,
Pittsburgh, PA 15262 by United States Post Office registered mail, a national courier service or
other receipted delivery service. Please note that mail loss insurance covers only the replacement
of common units and in no way protects against any loss resulting from fluctuations in the value of
our common units.
You may request a certificate for all or a portion of the whole common units in your Plan
account from the Administrator. Upon request, the Administrator will mail a certificate to you at
no cost within two business days. Please allow an additional five to seven business days for
delivery of your certificate.
If you are a beneficial owner of our common units and you are participating in the Plan
through your broker, the common units that are purchased on your behalf under the Plan will be
maintained in your account with your broker.
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12. How do I sell common units held under the Plan?
If you are a registered holder of our common units and you are directly participating in the
Plan, you can sell your Plan common units at any time by contacting the Administrator. Your sale
request will be processed, and your common units will, subject to market conditions and other
facts, generally be sold within 24 hours of receipt and processing of your request. Please note
that the Administrator cannot and does not guarantee the actual sale date or price, nor can it stop
or cancel any outstanding sale or issuance requests. All requests are final. The Administrator will
mail a check to you (less applicable sales fees) on the settlement date, which is three business
days after your common units have been sold. Please allow an additional five to seven business days
from the settlement date to receive your check.
Alternatively, you may choose to withdraw your common units from your Plan account and sell
them through a broker of your choice, in which case you would have to request that the
Administrator electronically transfer your common units to your broker through the Direct
Registration System. Or, you may request a certificate for your common units from the Administrator
for delivery to your broker prior to such sale.
If you are a beneficial owner of our common units and you are participating in the Plan
through your broker, you should contact your broker to sell your common units.
If you are an employee of Enterprise Products Company (formerly EPCO, Inc.) working in our
Houston headquarters offices or if you are one of our officers having a title of Vice President or
higher, any sale by you of Plan common units is subject to the Trading Window restriction
contained in our insider trading policy. Those persons are allowed to sell Plan common units only
during the 60-day period beginning on the second business day following each public announcement of
the Partnerships financial results. Sales of Plan common units by our executive officers are also
subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act).
13. How will I keep track of my investments?
If you are a registered holder of our common units and you are directly participating in the
Plan, the Administrator will send you a transaction notice confirming the details of each
transaction that you make and a quarterly statement of your account.
If you are a beneficial owner of our common units and you are participating in the Plan
through your broker, the details of the reinvestment transactions will be maintained by your
broker. You should contact your broker to determine how this information will be provided to you.
14. Can the Plan be suspended, modified or terminated?
We reserve the right to suspend, modify or terminate the Plan at any time. Participants will
be notified of any suspension, modification or termination of the Plan. If you are a registered
holder of our common units and you are directly participating in the Plan, upon our termination of
the Plan, a certificate will be issued to you for the number of whole common units in your account.
Any fractional common unit in your Plan account will be converted to cash and remitted to you by
check.
15. What would be the effect of any unit splits, unit distributions or other distributions?
Any common units we distribute as a distribution on common units (including fractional common
units) that are credited to your account under the Plan, or upon any split of such common units,
will be credited to your account. Distributions or splits distributed on all other common units
held by you and registered in your own name will be mailed directly to you. In a rights offering,
your entitlement will be based upon your total holdings, including those credited to your account
under the Plan. Rights applicable to common units credited to your account under the Plan will be
sold by the Administrator and the proceeds will be credited to your account under the Plan and
applied to the purchase of common units on the next investment date.
If you want to exercise, transfer or sell any portion of the rights applicable to the common
units credited to your account under the Plan, you must request, at least two days prior to the
record date for the issuance of any such rights, that a portion of the common units credited to your account be transferred from your
account and registered in your name.
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Responsibilities Under the Plan
We, the Administrator and any agent will not be liable in administering the Plan for any act
done in good faith, or for any omission to act in good faith, including, without limitation, any
claim of liability arising out of failure to terminate a participants account upon that
participants death prior to the receipt of notice in writing of such death. Since we have
delegated all responsibility for administering the Plan to the Administrator, we specifically
disclaim any responsibility for any of its actions or inactions in connection with the
administration of the Plan.
You should recognize that neither we, the Administrator, nor any agent can assure you of a
profit or protect you against an economic loss on common units purchased under the Plan.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
We do not know either the number of common units that will be purchased under the Plan or the
prices at which common units will be sold to participants. In connection with purchases of
authorized but unissued common units under the Plan, our general partner is entitled to make, but
is not obligated to make, a capital contribution in order to maintain its general partner interest
in us, which is currently 2%. The net proceeds we realize from sales of our authorized but unissued
common units pursuant to the Plan, including our general partners proportionate capital
contribution, if any, will be used for general partnership purposes.
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DESCRIPTION OF OUR COMMON UNITS
Generally, 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 partnership agreement. For a description of the relative rights and
preferences of holders of common units and our general partner in and to cash distributions, please
read Cash Distribution Policy elsewhere in this prospectus.
Our outstanding common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the NYSE) under the
symbol EPD. Any additional common units we issue will also be listed on the NYSE.
The transfer agent and registrar for our common units is Mellon Investor Services LLC.
Meetings/Voting
Each holder of common units is entitled to one vote for each common unit on all matters
submitted to a vote of the unitholders.
Status as Limited Partner or Assignee
Except as described below under Limited Liability, the common units will be fully paid,
and unitholders will not be required to make additional capital contributions to us.
Each purchaser of our common units must execute a transfer application whereby the purchaser
requests admission as a substituted limited partner and makes representations and agrees to
provisions stated in the transfer application. If this action is not taken, a purchaser will not be
registered as a record holder of common units on the books of our transfer agent or issued a common
unit certificate. Purchasers may hold common units in nominee accounts.
An assignee, pending its admission as a substituted limited partner, is entitled to an
interest in us equivalent to that of a limited partner with respect to the right to share in
allocations and distributions, including liquidating distributions. Our general partner will vote
and exercise other powers attributable to common units owned by an assignee who has not become a
substituted limited partner at the written direction of the assignee. Transferees who do not
execute and deliver transfer applications will be treated neither as assignees nor as record
holders of common units and will not receive distributions, federal income tax allocations or
reports furnished to record holders of common units. The only right the transferees will have is
the right to admission as a substituted limited partner in respect of the transferred common units
upon execution of a transfer application in respect of the common units. A nominee or broker who
has executed a transfer application with respect to common units held in street name or nominee
accounts will receive distributions and reports pertaining to its common units.
Limited Liability
Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the
meaning of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the Delaware Act) and that he
otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of our partnership agreement, his liability under
the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to some possible exceptions, generally to the amount of
capital he is obligated to contribute to us in respect of his units plus his share of any
undistributed profits and assets.
Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner to the
extent that at the time of the distribution, after giving effect to the distribution, all
liabilities of the partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership
interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of
the partnership, exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership.
For the purposes of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the
Delaware Act provides that the fair value of the property subject to liability of which recourse of
creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent
that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides
that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that
the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act is liable to the limited partnership for the
amount of the distribution for three years from the date of the distribution.
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Reports and Records
As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal
year, our general partner will mail or furnish to each unitholder of record (as of a record date
selected by our general partner) an annual report containing our audited financial statements for
the past fiscal year. These financial statements will be prepared in accordance with United States
generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, no later than 90 days after the close of
each quarter (except the fourth quarter), our general partner will mail or furnish to each
unitholder of record (as of a record date selected by our general partner) a report containing our
unaudited financial statements and any other information required by law.
Our general partner will use all reasonable efforts to furnish each unitholder of record
information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each
fiscal year. Our general partners ability to furnish this summary tax information will depend on
the cooperation of unitholders in supplying information to our general partner. Each unitholder
will receive information to assist him in determining his U.S. federal and state and Canadian
federal and provincial tax liability and filing his U.S. federal and state and Canadian federal and
provincial income tax returns.
A limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to the limited partners interest as a
limited partner, upon reasonable demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:
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a current list of the name and last known address of each partner; |
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a copy of our tax returns; |
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information as to the amount of cash and a description and statement of the agreed value
of any other property or services, contributed or to be contributed by each partner and the
date on which each became a partner; |
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copies of our partnership agreement, our certificate of limited partnership, amendments
to either of them and powers of attorney which have been executed under our partnership
agreement; |
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information regarding the status of our business and financial condition; and |
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any other information regarding our affairs as is just and reasonable. |
Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade
secrets and other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes in good faith is
not in our best interest or which we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to
keep confidential.
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CASH DISTRIBUTION POLICY
Distributions of Available Cash
General. Within approximately 45 days after the end of each quarter, we will distribute all of
our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.
Definition of Available Cash. Available cash is defined in our partnership agreement and
generally means, with respect to any calendar quarter, all cash on hand at the end of such quarter:
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less the amount of cash reserves that is necessary or appropriate in the reasonable
discretion of the general partner to: |
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provide for the proper conduct of our business; |
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comply with applicable law or any debt instrument or other agreement (including
reserves for future capital expenditures and for our future credit needs); or |
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provide funds for distributions to unitholders and our general partner in respect of
any one or more of the next four quarters; |
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plus all cash on hand on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter
resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter. Working
capital borrowings are generally borrowings that are made under our credit facilities
and in all cases are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions
to partners. |
Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus
General. Cash distributions are characterized as distributions from either operating surplus
or capital surplus. We distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available
cash from capital surplus.
Definition of Operating Surplus. Operating surplus is defined in the partnership agreement and
generally means:
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our cash balance on July 31, 1998, the closing date of our initial public offering of
common units (excluding $46.5 million to fund certain capital commitments existing at such
closing date); plus |
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all of our cash receipts since the closing of our initial public offering, excluding
cash from interim capital transactions such as borrowings that are not working capital
borrowings, sales of equity and debt securities and sales or other disposition of assets
for cash, other than inventory, accounts receivable and other assets sold in the ordinary
course of business or as part of normal retirements or replacements of assets; plus |
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up to $60.0 million of cash from interim capital transactions; plus |
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working capital borrowings made after the end of a quarter but before the date of
determination of operating surplus for the quarter; less |
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all of our operating expenditures since the closing of our initial public offering,
including the repayment of working capital borrowings, but not the repayment of other
borrowings, and including maintenance capital expenditures; less |
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the amount of cash reserved that we deem necessary or advisable to provide funds for
future operating expenditures. |
Definition of Capital Surplus. Capital surplus is generally generated only by borrowings
(other than borrowings for working capital purposes), sales of debt and equity securities and sales
or other dispositions of assets for cash (other than inventory, accounts receivable and other
assets disposed of in the ordinary course of business).
Characterization of Cash Distributions. To avoid the difficulty of trying to determine whether
available cash we distribute is from operating surplus or from capital surplus, all available cash
we distribute from any source will be treated as distributed from operating surplus until the sum
of all available cash distributed since July 31, 1998 equals the operating surplus as of the end of
the quarter prior to such distribution. Any available cash in excess of such amount (irrespective
of its source) will be deemed to be from capital surplus and distributed accordingly.
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If available cash from capital surplus is distributed in respect of each common unit in an
aggregate amount per common unit equal to the $11.00 initial public offering price of the common
units, the distinction between operating surplus and capital surplus will cease, and all
distributions of available cash will be treated as if they were from operating surplus. We do not
anticipate that there will be significant distributions from capital surplus.
Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus
We will make distributions of available cash from operating surplus with respect to any
quarter in the following manner:
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first, 98% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to the general partner, until
there has been distributed in respect of each unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly
distribution of $0.225; and |
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thereafter, in the manner described in Incentive Distributions below. |
Incentive Distributions
Incentive distributions represent the right to receive an increasing percentage of quarterly
distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and
the target distribution levels have been achieved. For any quarter for which available cash from
operating surplus is distributed to the common unitholders in an amount equal to the minimum
quarterly distribution of $0.225 per unit on all units, then any additional available cash from
operating surplus in respect of such quarter will be distributed among the common unitholders and
the general partner in the following manner:
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first, 98% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to the general partner, until the
common unitholders have received a total of $0.253 for such quarter in respect of each
outstanding unit (the First Target Distribution); |
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second, 85% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to the general partner, until
the unitholders have received a total of $0.3085 for such quarter in respect of each
outstanding unit (the Second Target Distribution); and |
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thereafter, 75% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 25% to the general partner. |
Distributions of Available Cash from Capital Surplus
How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made. We will make distributions of available
cash from capital surplus in the following manner:
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first, 98% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to the general partner, until we
have distributed, in respect of each outstanding common unit issued in our initial public
offering, available cash from capital surplus in an aggregate amount per common unit equal
to the initial unit price of $11.00; and |
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thereafter, all distributions of available cash from capital surplus will be distributed
as if they were from operating surplus. |
Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus. Our partnership agreement treats a distribution
of capital surplus on a common unit as the repayment of the common unit price from its initial
public offering, which is a return of capital. The initial public offering price less any
distributions of capital surplus per common unit is referred to as the unrecovered initial common
unit price. Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made on a common unit, the minimum
quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels for all units will be reduced in the same
proportion as the corresponding reduction in the unrecovered initial common unit price. Because
distributions of capital surplus will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution, after any of these
distributions are made, it may be easier for our general partner to receive incentive
distributions. However, any distribution by us of capital surplus before the unrecovered initial
common unit price is reduced to zero cannot be applied to the payment of the minimum quarterly
distribution.
Once we distribute capital surplus on a common unit in any amount equal to the unrecovered
initial common unit price, it will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and the target
distribution levels to zero and it will make all future distributions of available cash from
operating surplus, with 25% being paid to the holders of units, as applicable, and 75% to our
general partner.
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Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels
In addition to reductions of the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels
made upon a distribution of available cash from capital surplus, if we combine our common units
into fewer units or subdivide our common units into a greater number of common units, we will
proportionately adjust:
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the minimum quarterly distribution; |
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the target distribution levels; and |
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the unrecovered initial common unit price. |
For example, in the event of a two-for-one split of the common units (assuming no prior
adjustments), the minimum quarterly distribution, each of the target distribution levels and the
unrecovered capital of the common units would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level.
In addition, if legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted in a
manner that causes us to become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an
entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, then we will reduce the minimum quarterly
distribution and the target distribution levels by multiplying the same by one minus the sum of the
highest effective federal corporate income tax rate that could apply and any increase in the
effective overall state and local income tax rates. For example, if we became subject to a maximum
effective federal, state and local income tax rate of 35%, then the minimum quarterly distribution
and the target distribution levels would each be reduced to 65% of their previous levels.
Distributions of Cash upon Liquidation
If we dissolve in accordance with the 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 any remaining proceeds to the common unitholders and our
general partner in accordance with their respective capital account balances as so adjusted.
Manner of Adjustments for Gain. The manner of the adjustment is set forth in the partnership
agreement. Upon our liquidation, we will allocate any net gain (or unrealized gain attributable to
assets distributed in kind to the partners) as follows:
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first, to the general partner and the holders of common units having negative balances
in their capital accounts to the extent of and in proportion to such negative balances: |
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second, 98% to the holders of common units, pro rata, and 2% to the general partner,
until the capital account for each common unit is equal to the sum of: |
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the unrecovered capital in respect of such common unit; plus |
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the amount of the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which our
liquidation occurs. |
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third, 98% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to the general partner, until
there has been allocated under this paragraph third an amount per unit equal to: |
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the sum of the excess of the First Target Distribution per unit over the minimum
quarterly distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less |
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the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating
surplus in excess of the minimum quarterly distribution per unit that were distributed
98% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to the general partner for each quarter of our
existence; |
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fourth, 85% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to the general partner, until
there has been allocated under this paragraph fourth an amount per unit equal to: |
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the sum of the excess of the Second Target Distribution per unit over the First
Target Distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less
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the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating
surplus in excess of the First Target Distribution per unit that were distributed 85%
to the unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to the general partner for each quarter of our
existence; and |
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thereafter, 75% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 25% to the general partner. |
Manner of Adjustments for Losses. Upon our liquidation, any loss will generally be allocated
to the general partner and the unitholders as follows:
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first, 98% to the holders of common units in proportion to the positive balances in
their respective capital accounts and 2% to the general partner, until the capital accounts
of the common unitholders have been reduced to zero; and |
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thereafter, 100% to the general partner. |
Adjustments to Capital Accounts. In addition, interim adjustments to capital accounts will be
made at the time we issue additional partnership interests or make distributions of property. Such
adjustments will be based on the fair market value of the partnership interests or the property
distributed and any gain or loss resulting therefrom will be allocated to the common unitholders
and the general partner in the same manner as gain or loss is allocated upon liquidation. In the
event that positive interim adjustments are made to the capital accounts, any subsequent negative
adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from the issuance of additional partnership interests
in us, distributions of property by us, or upon our liquidation, will be allocated in a manner
which results, to the extent possible, in the capital account balances of the general partner
equaling the amount that would have been the general partners capital account balances if no prior
positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made.
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DESCRIPTION OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. Our
amended and restated partnership agreement has been filed with the Commission. The following
provisions of our partnership agreement are summarized elsewhere in this prospectus:
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distributions of our available cash are described under Cash Distribution Policy; |
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rights of holders of common units are described under Description of Our Common Units;
and |
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allocations of taxable income and other matters are described under Material Tax
Consequences. |
Purpose
Our purpose under our partnership agreement is to serve as a partner of Enterprise Products
Operating LLC, and to engage in any business activities that may be engaged in by Enterprise
Products Operating LLC or that are approved by our general partner. The limited liability company
agreement of Enterprise Products Operating LLC provides that it may engage in any activity that was
engaged in by our predecessors at the time of our initial public offering or reasonably related
thereto and any other activity approved by our general partner.
Power of Attorney
Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a unit from a unitholder and executes and
delivers a transfer application, 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 for the
amendment of, and to make consents and waivers under, our partnership agreement.
Voting Rights
Unitholders will not have voting rights except with respect to the following matters, for
which our partnership agreement requires the approval of the holders of a majority of the units,
unless otherwise indicated:
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the merger of our partnership or a sale, exchange or other disposition of all or
substantially all of our assets; |
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the removal of our general partner (requires 60% of the outstanding units, including
units held by our general partner and its affiliates); |
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the election of a successor general partner; |
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the dissolution of our partnership or the reconstitution of our partnership upon
dissolution; |
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approval of certain actions of our general partner (including the transfer by the
general partner of its general partner interest under certain circumstances); and |
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certain amendments to the partnership agreement, including any amendment that would
cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation. |
Under the partnership agreement, our general partner generally will be permitted to effect,
without the approval of unitholders, amendments to the partnership agreement that do not adversely
affect unitholders.
Reimbursements of Our General Partner
Our general partner does not receive any compensation for its services as our general partner.
It is, however, entitled to be reimbursed for all of its costs incurred in managing and operating
our business. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will determine the
expenses that are allocable to us in any reasonable manner determined by our general partner in its
sole discretion.
Issuance of Additional Securities
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited
partner interests and other equity securities that are equal in rank with or junior to our common
units on terms and conditions established by our general partner in its sole discretion without the
approval of any limited partners.
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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 cash distributions. In
addition, the issuance of additional partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of
the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.
In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also
issue additional partnership interests that, in the sole discretion of our general partner, may
have special voting rights to which common units are not entitled.
Our general partner has 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 equity 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 their percentage interests in us that existed
immediately prior to the issuance. The holders of common units will not have preemptive rights to
acquire additional common units or other partnership interests in us.
On October 26, 2009, we entered into Amendment No. 4 (the Fourth Amendment) to our
partnership agreement. The Fourth Amendment authorizes a series of our Class B units. The Class B
units will not be entitled to regular quarterly cash distributions for the first sixteen quarters
following the closing of a merger that occurred on October 26, 2009. The Class B units will convert
automatically into the same number of Enterprise common units on the date immediately following the
payment date of the sixteenth quarterly distribution following October 26, 2009 and holders of such
converted units will thereafter be entitled to receive distributions of available cash. Prior to
the payment date of the sixteenth quarterly distribution following October 26, 2009, the Class B
units will be entitled to vote with our common unitholders as a single class on all matters
that our common unitholders are entitled to vote on. Holders of the Class B units will be entitled
to vote as a separate class on any matter that adversely affects the rights or preference of such
class in relation to other classes of partnership interests. The approval of a majority of the
Class B units will be required to approve any matter for which the Class B unitholders are entitled
to vote as a separate class.
Amendments to Our Partnership Agreement
Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by our general partner. Any
amendment that materially and adversely affects the rights or preferences of any type or class of
limited partner interests in relation to other types or classes of limited partner interests or our
general partner interest will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of
limited partner interests or general partner interests so affected. However, in some circumstances,
more particularly described in our partnership agreement, our general partner may make amendments
to our partnership agreement without the approval of our limited partners or assignees to reflect:
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a change in our names, the location of our principal place of business, our registered
agent or our registered office; |
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the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners; |
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a change to qualify or continue our qualification as a limited partnership or a
partnership in which our limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any
state or to ensure that neither we, Enterprise Products Operating LLC, nor any of our
subsidiaries will be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed
as an entity for federal income tax purposes; |
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a change that does not adversely affect our limited partners in any material respect; |
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a change 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 or (ii) facilitate the trading of
our limited partner interests or comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement
of any national securities exchange on which our limited partner interests are or will be
listed for trading; |
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a change in our fiscal year or taxable year and any changes that are necessary or
advisable as a result of a change in our fiscal year or taxable year; |
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an amendment that is necessary to prevent us, or our general partner or its directors,
officers, trustees or agents from being subjected to the provisions of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, the |
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Investment Advisors Act of 1940, as amended, or plan asset regulations adopted under the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended; |
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an amendment that is necessary or advisable in connection with the authorization or
issuance of any class or series of our securities; |
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any amendment expressly permitted in our partnership agreement to be made by our general
partner acting alone; |
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an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a merger agreement approved in
accordance with our partnership agreement; |
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an amendment that is necessary or advisable to reflect, account for and deal with
appropriately our formation of, or investment in, any corporation, partnership, joint
venture, limited liability company or other entity other than Enterprise Products Operating
LLC, in connection with our conduct of activities permitted by our partnership agreement; |
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a merger or conveyance to effect a change in our legal form; or |
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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 written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation
of our partnership agreement. In addition, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder
approval upon 90 days notice to our limited partners if at least 50% of our outstanding common
units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates other than our general partner and
its affiliates.
Upon the voluntary withdrawal of our general partner, the holders of a majority of our
outstanding common units, excluding the common units held by the withdrawing general partner and
its affiliates, may elect a successor to the withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not
elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot
be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within 90 days after that
withdrawal, the holders of a majority of our outstanding units, excluding the common units held by
the withdrawing general partner and its affiliates, agree to continue our business and to appoint a
successor general partner.
Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the
holders of not less than 60% of our outstanding units, including units held by our general partner
and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax
matters. In addition, if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances
where cause does not exist and common units held by our general partner and its affiliates are not
voted in favor of such removal, our general partner will have the right to convert its general
partner interest into common units or to receive cash in exchange for such interests. Cause is
narrowly defined to mean that a court of competent jurisdiction has entered a final, non-appealable
judgment finding the general partner liable for actual fraud, gross negligence or willful or wanton
misconduct in its capacity as our general partner. Any removal of this kind is also subject to the
approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of our outstanding
common units, including those held by our general partner and its affiliates.
While our partnership agreement limits the ability of our general partner to withdraw, it
allows the general partner interest to be transferred to an affiliate or to a third party in
conjunction with a merger or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of our general partner.
In addition, our partnership agreement expressly permits the sale, in whole or in part, of the
ownership of our general partner. Our general partner may also transfer, in whole or in part, the
common units it owns.
Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
Upon our dissolution, unless we are reconstituted and continued as a new limited partnership,
the person authorized to wind up our affairs (the liquidator) will, acting with all the powers of
our general partner that the liquidator deems necessary or desirable in its good faith judgment,
liquidate our assets. The proceeds of the liquidation will be applied as follows:
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first, towards the payment of all of our creditors and the creation of a reserve for
contingent liabilities; and |
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then, to all partners in accordance with the positive balance in the respective capital
accounts. |
Under some circumstances and subject to some limitations, the liquidator may defer liquidation
or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time. If the liquidator determines that a
sale would be impractical or would cause a loss to our partners, our general partner may distribute
assets in kind to our partners.
Transfer of Ownership Interests in Our General Partner
At any time, the owners of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part of their
ownership interests in the general partner without the approval of the unitholders.
Change of Management Provisions
Our partnership agreement contains the following specific provisions that are intended to
discourage a person or group from attempting to remove our general partner or otherwise change
management:
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any units held by a person that owns 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding,
other than our general partner and its affiliates, cannot be voted on any matter; and |
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the partnership agreement contains provisions limiting the ability of unitholders to
call meetings or to acquire information about our operations, as well as other provisions
limiting the unitholders ability to influence the manner or direction of management. |
Limited Call Right
If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own 85% or more of the issued and
outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right to
purchase all, but not less than all, of the outstanding limited partner interests of that class
that are held by non-affiliated persons. The record date for determining ownership of the limited
partner interests would be selected by our general partner on at least 10 but not more than 60
days notice. The purchase price in the event of a purchase under these provisions would be the
greater of (1) the current market price (as defined in our partnership agreement) of the limited
partner interests of the class as of the date three days prior to the date that notice is mailed to
the limited partners as provided in the partnership agreement and (2) the highest cash price paid
by our general partner or any of its affiliates for any limited partner interest of the class
purchased within the 90 days preceding the date our general partner mails notice of its election to
purchase the units.
As of March 4, 2010 our general partner and its affiliates owned the 2% general partner
interest in us and 189,611,865 common units and 4,520,431 Class B units, representing an aggregate
31.0% of our issued and outstanding units representing limited partner interests. Our Class B units
are entitled to vote together with our common units as a single class on partnership matters and
have the same rights and privileges as our common units, except that they are not entitled to
regular quarterly cash distributions for the first sixteen quarters following October 26, 2009, the
closing date of our merger with TEPPCO Partners, L.P. The Class B units automatically convert into
the same number of common units on the date immediately following the payment date for the
sixteenth quarterly distribution following the closing date of the TEPPCO merger.
Indemnification
Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify our general partner,
its affiliates and their officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and
against all losses, claims or damages any of them may suffer by reason of their status as general
partner, officer or director, as long as the person seeking indemnity acted in good faith and in a
manner believed to be in or not opposed to our best interest. Any indemnification under these
provisions will only be out of our assets. Our general partner shall not be personally liable for,
or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate any
indemnification. We are authorized to 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 our partnership agreement.
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Registration Rights
Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) and applicable state securities laws any common
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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MATERIAL TAX CONSEQUENCES
This section is a discussion of the material tax considerations that may be relevant to
prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and, unless
otherwise noted in the following discussion, represents the opinion of Andrews Kurth LLP, special
counsel to our general partner and us, insofar as it relates to matters of United States federal
income tax law and legal conclusions with respect to those matters. This section is based upon
current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Internal Revenue Code,
existing and proposed 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 us or we are references to Enterprise
Products Partners L.P. and Enterprise Products Operating L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability
company, which is our operating partnership.
The following discussion does not address all federal income tax matters affecting us or our
unitholders. Moreover, the discussion focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or
residents of the United States and has only limited application to corporations, estates, trusts,
nonresident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt
institutions, foreign persons, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), real estate investment trusts
(REITs), employee benefit plans or mutual funds. Accordingly, we urge each prospective unitholder
to consult, and depend on, his own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and foreign
tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of the common units. All
statements as to matters of law and legal conclusions, but not as to factual matters, contained in
this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Andrews Kurth LLP and are based on the
accuracy of the representations made by us and our general partner.
No ruling has been or will be requested from the Internal Revenue Service (the IRS)
regarding our status as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. Instead, we will rely on
opinions and advice of Andrews Kurth 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 in this discussion 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 the
common units and the prices at which the 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.
For the reasons described below, Andrews Kurth LLP has not rendered an opinion with respect to
the following specific federal income tax issues: 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); whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable
income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read Disposition of
Common Units Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees); and whether our method for
depreciating Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read Tax
Consequences of Unit Ownership Section 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 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 Internal Revenue 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 exploration, development, mining or production, processing,
refining, transportation, storage and marketing of any mineral or natural resource, including our
allocable share of such income from DEP. Other types of qualifying income include interest (other
than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the
sale or other
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disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes
qualifying income. We estimate that less than 5% of our current gross income is not qualifying
income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based on and subject to this
estimate, the factual representations made by us and our general partner and a review of the
applicable legal authorities, Andrews Kurth 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.
No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS and the IRS has made no determination as to
our status or the status of the Enterprise Products Operating LLC as partnerships for federal
income tax purposes. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Andrews Kurth LLP on such matters.
It is the opinion of Andrews Kurth LLP that, based upon the Internal Revenue Code, its regulations,
published revenue rulings and court decisions and the representations described below, we and
Enterprise Products Operating LLC will be classified as partnerships for federal income tax
purposes.
In rendering its opinion, Andrews Kurth LLP has relied on factual representations made by us
and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Andrews
Kurth LLP has relied include:
(a) Neither we nor Enterprise Products Operating LLC has elected or will elect to be treated
as a corporation; and
(b) For each taxable year, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income that
Andrews Kurth LLP has opined or will opine is qualifying income within the meaning of Section
7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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 except to the extent that our liabilities exceed the tax
bases of our assets at that time. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal
income tax purposes.
If we were 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 the unitholders, and
our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. Moreover, if DEP were taxable as a
corporation in any taxable year, our share of DEPs items of income, gain, loss and deduction would
not be passed through to us and DEP would pay tax on its income at corporate rates. If DEP or we
were taxable as a corporation, losses recognized by DEP would not flow through to us or our losses
would not flow through to our unitholders, as the case may be. In addition, any distribution made
by us to a unitholder (or by DEP to us) would be treated as either taxable dividend income, to the
extent of our current or 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 our tax basis in DEP), or taxable capital gain, after the unitholders tax basis in his
common units (or our tax basis in DEP) is reduced to zero. Accordingly, taxation of either us or
DEP 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 Andrews Kurth LLPs opinion that we will be classified as a
partnership for federal income tax purposes.
Limited Partner Status
Unitholders who have become limited partners of Enterprise Products Partners L.P. will be
treated as partners of Enterprise Products Partners L.P. for federal income tax purposes. Also,
assignees who have executed and delivered transfer applications, and are awaiting admission as
limited partners, and 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 Enterprise Products Partners L.P.
for federal income tax purposes. As there is no direct authority addressing assignees of common
units who are entitled to execute and deliver transfer applications and thereby become entitled to
direct the
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exercise of attendant rights, but who fail to execute and deliver transfer applications,
Andrews Kurth LLPs opinion does not extend to these persons. Furthermore, a purchaser or other
transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application may not receive
some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of common units 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 for those common units.
A beneficial owner of common units whose 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 Ownership Treatment of Short
Sales.
Items of our income, gain, loss and deduction would not appear to be reportable by a
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 unitholders are urged to consult their own tax
advisors with respect to their tax consequences of holding units in Enterprise Products Partners
L.P. The references to unitholders in the discussion that follows are to persons who are treated
as partners in Enterprise Products Partners L.P. for federal income tax purposes.
Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership
Flow-through of Taxable Income. We do not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each
unitholder is required to report on his income tax return his share of our income, gains, losses
and deductions without regard to whether corresponding cash distributions are received by him.
Consequently, we may allocate income to a 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 or years ending with or within his
taxable year. Our taxable year ends on December 31.
Treatment of Distributions. Distributions by us to a 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 in his common units 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 below. Any reduction in a unitholders share
of our liabilities for which no partner, including our general partner, bears the economic risk of
loss, known as nonrecourse liabilities, will be treated as a distribution 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, the unitholder 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 which 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, both as defined in Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code, and collectively,
Section 751 Assets. To that extent, he will be treated as having been distributed his
proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and having then 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 the unitholders realization of ordinary income, which will equal
the excess of the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over the unitholders tax basis for the
share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.
Basis of Common 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
generally will be increased by his share of our income and by any increases in his share of our
nonrecourse liabilities. That basis generally 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 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, but will have a share, generally based on his
share of profits, of our nonrecourse liabilities. Please read Disposition of Common Units
Recognition of Gain or Loss.
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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 units and, in the case of an individual unitholder
or a 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 amount is less than his tax basis. A 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 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
in a later year to the extent that his tax basis or at risk amount, whichever is the limiting
factor, is subsequently increased provided that such losses are otherwise allowable. Upon the
taxable disposition of a 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 excess loss above that gain previously suspended by the at risk or basis
limitations is no longer 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 other than were 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 another unitholder who has an interest in us, 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 are permitted to 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. However, the application of the passive loss limitations to tiered publicly traded
partnerships is uncertain. We will take the position that any passive losses we generate that are
reasonably allocable to our investment in DEP will only be available to offset our passive income
generated in the future that is reasonably allocable to our investment in DEP and will not be
available to offset income from other passive activities or investments, including other
investments in private businesses or investments we may make in other publicly traded partnerships.
Moreover, because the passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly
traded partnership, 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 investments in other publicly traded
partnerships, or a unitholders salary or active business income. Further, your share of our net
income may be offset by any suspended passive losses from your investment in us, but may not be
offset by your current or carryover losses from other passive activities, including those
attributable to other publicly traded partnerships. Passive losses that are not deductible because
they exceed a unitholders share of income we generate may be deducted in full when the unitholder
disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The
passive activity loss limitations are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions,
including the at risk rules and the basis limitation.
The IRS could take the position that for purposes of applying the passive loss limitation
rules to tiered publicly traded partnerships, such as DEP and us, the related entities are treated
as one publicly traded partnership. In that case, any passive losses we generate would be available
to offset income from your investment in DEP. However, passive losses that are not deductible
because they exceed a unitholders share of income we generate would not be deductible in full
until a unitholder disposes of his entire investment in both us and DEP in a fully taxable
transaction with an unrelated party.
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.
Limitations on Interest Deductions. 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:
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interest on indebtedness properly allocable to property held for investment; |
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our interest expense attributed to portfolio income; and |
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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. The IRS has indicated that net
passive income earned by a publicly traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its
unitholders for purposes of the investment interest deduction limitation. 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. In general, if we have a net profit, our items
of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our general partner and the unitholders
in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that incentive distributions are
made to the general partner, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of
these distributions. If we have a net loss for the entire year, that loss will be allocated first
to our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us to
the extent of their positive capital accounts and, second, to our general partner.
Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated under Section 704(c)
of the Internal Revenue Code to account for the difference between the tax basis and fair market
value of our assets at the time we issue units in an offering, referred to in this discussion as
Contributed Property. These allocations are required to eliminate the difference between a
partners book capital account, credited with the fair market value of Contributed Property, and
the tax capital account, credited with the tax basis of Contributed Property, referred to in the
discussion as the Book-Tax Disparity. The effect of these allocations to a unitholder purchasing
common units in such an offering will be essentially the same as if the tax basis of our assets
were equal to their fair market value at the time of such an offering. In the event we issue
additional common units or engage in certain other transactions in the future, reverse Section
704(c) allocations, similar to the Section 704(c) allocations described above, will be made to all
partners to account for the difference, at the time of the future transaction, between the book
basis for purposes of maintaining capital accounts and the fair market value of all property held
by us at the time of the 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 other unitholders. Finally, although we do not expect that our operations will result in
the creation of negative capital accounts, if negative capital accounts nevertheless result, items
of our income and gain will be allocated in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the
negative balance as quickly as possible.
An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation
required by Section 704(c) to eliminate 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:
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his relative contributions to us;
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the interests of all the partners in profits and losses; |
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the interest of all the partners in cash flow and other nonliquidating
distributions; and |
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the rights of all the partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation. |
Andrews Kurth LLP is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in Tax
Consequences of Unit Ownership Section 754 Election Uniformity of Units and Disposition of
Common Units Allocations 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:
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any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those units would not be
reportable by the unitholder; |
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any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units would be fully
taxable; and |
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all of these distributions would appear to be ordinary income. |
Andrews Kurth LLP has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder
where 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 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 Units Recognition of Gain or Loss.
Alternative Minimum Tax. Each unitholder will be required to take into account his
distributive share of any items of our income, gain, loss or deduction for purposes of the
alternative minimum tax. The current minimum tax rate for noncorporate taxpayers is 26% on the
first $175,000 of alternative minimum taxable income in excess of the exemption amount and 28% on
any additional alternative minimum taxable income. Prospective unitholders are urged to consult
with their tax advisors as to the impact of an investment in units on their liability for the
alternative minimum tax.
Tax Rates. Under current law, the highest marginal United States federal income tax rate
applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 35% and the maximum United States federal income
tax rate for net capital gains of an individual is 15% if the asset disposed of was a capital asset
held for more than 12 months at the time of disposition. However, absent new legislation extending
the current rates, beginning January 1, 2011, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate
applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains of individuals will increase to 39.6
percent and 20 percent, respectively. Moreover, these rates are subject to change by new
legislation at any time.
Section 754 Election. We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Internal
Revenue 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 Internal Revenue Code to reflect his purchase price. This election applies to
a person who purchases units from a selling unitholder but does not apply 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, a unitholders inside basis in our assets will
be considered to have two components: (1) his share of our tax basis in our assets (common basis)
and (2) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis.
Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code require, if the remedial
allocation method is adopted (which we have adopted), a portion of the Section 743(b) adjustment
that is attributable to recovery property subject to depreciation under Section 168 of the Internal
Revenue Code 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
Internal Revenue Code, rather than cost recovery deductions under Section 168, is generally
required to
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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.
Although Andrews Kurth LLP is unable to opine as to the validity of this approach because
there is no controlling authority on this issue, we intend to 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 unamortized
Book-Tax Disparity of the property, or treat that portion as non-amortizable to the extent
attributable to property which is not amortizable. This method is consistent with 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 the common 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. 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.
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.
In that case, as a result of the election, the transferee would have, among other items, a greater
amount of depreciation deductions and his share of any gain or loss on a sale of our assets would
be less. 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, or if we distribute property and have a substantial basis
reduction. Generally a basis reduction or a built-in loss is substantial if it exceeds $250,000.
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 Internal
Revenue Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment we
allocated to our tangible assets to goodwill instead. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is
generally either non-amortizable 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.
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 or
years ending within or with his taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year
different than our taxable year 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
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for his taxable year his share of more than one year of our income, gain, loss and deduction.
Please read Disposition of Common Units Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.
Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization. We use the tax basis of our assets 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 the time we issue
units in an offering will be borne by partners holding interests in us immediately prior to an
offering. Please read Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and
Deduction.
To the extent allowable, we may elect to use the depreciation and cost recovery methods that
will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets subject to these
allowances are placed in service. Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated
using accelerated methods permitted by the Internal Revenue 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 common 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 Ownership Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction and Disposition of Common
Units Recognition of Gain or Loss.
The costs incurred 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 we may amortize, and as
syndication expenses, which we may not be able to amortize. The underwriting discounts and
commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses.
Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties. The 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 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 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 unitholders amount realized and the unitholders tax basis for the units
sold. A unitholders amount realized will be measured by the sum of the cash or the fair market
value of other property received by him plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities attributable
to the common units sold. 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 from us in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a common unit that
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 more than 12 months will generally be
taxed at a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 15% through December 31, 2010 and 20% thereafter
(absent legislation extending or adjusting the current rate). However, a portion, which will likely
be substantial, of this gain or loss will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or
loss under Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code to the extent attributable to assets giving
rise to depreciation recapture or other unrealized receivables or to inventory items we own.
The term unrealized receivables includes potential recapture items, including depreciation
recapture. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables, inventory items and depreciation
recapture may exceed net taxable gain
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realized on 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. Net capital losses may offset capital gains and no more than $3,000 of
ordinary income each year in the case of individuals and may only be used to offset capital gains
in the case of corporations.
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 Internal Revenue 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
common 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, 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 common units. A unitholder
considering the purchase of additional 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 Internal Revenue 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:
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a short sale; |
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an offsetting notional principal contract; or |
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a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest or
substantially identical property. |
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 or loss will
be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned
among the unitholders in proportion to the number of 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 in this
prospectus 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 the 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.
Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Internal Revenue Code and most
publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be
permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS
issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which a publicly traded
partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor
and transferee unitholders, although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. Existing
publicly traded partnerships are entitled to rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations; however,
they are not binding on the IRS and are subject to change until final Treasury Regulations are
issued. Accordingly, Andrews Kurth 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, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the
unitholders interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the unitholders. We
are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferor
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and transferee unitholders, as well as unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year,
to conform to a method permitted under future Treasury Regulations.
A unitholder who owns 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 but will not be entitled to receive that
cash distribution.
Notification Requirements. A unitholder who sells any of his units, other than through a
broker, generally is 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 notification, 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 transfer of units 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 U.S. and who effects the sale or exchange through a broker who will satisfy such
requirements.
Constructive Termination. We will be considered to have been terminated for tax purposes if
there are sales or exchanges which, in the aggregate, constitute 50% or more of the total interests
in our capital and profits within a 12-month period. A constructive termination results in the
closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable
year different from our taxable year, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than 12
months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of
termination. A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 will result in
us filing two tax returns (and unitholders could receive two Schedules K-1) for one fiscal year and
the cost of the preparation of these returns will be borne by all common unitholders. We would be
required to make new tax elections after a termination, including a new election under Section 754
of the Internal Revenue Code, and a termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for
depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the
termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination might either accelerate the application of, or
subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination. The IRS has recently announced a
relief procedure whereby if a publicly traded partnership that has technically terminated requests
and is granted relief from the IRS, among other things, the partnership will only have to provide
one Schedule K-1 to unitholders for the fiscal year notwithstanding that two partnership tax years
result from the termination.
Uniformity of Units
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units, we must maintain uniformity of
the economic and tax characteristics of the 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 units. Please read Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership Section 754 Election.
We intend to 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 unamortized Book-Tax Disparity of that property,
or treat that portion as nonamortizable, to the extent attributable to property which is not
amortizable, consistent with the Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue
Code, even though that position may be inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section
1.167(c)-1(a)(6). 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 a common basis or
Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable methods and lives as if they had
purchased a direct interest in our property. 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
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to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any units that would not
have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. Our counsel, Andrews Kurth LLP, is unable to
opine on the validity of any of these positions. 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. We do not believe these allocations will affect any
material items of income, gain, loss or deduction. Please read Disposition of Common Units
Recognition of Gain or Loss.
Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
Ownership of units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, regulated
investment companies, non-resident aliens, foreign corporations, and other foreign persons raises
issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax
consequences to them.
Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including
individual retirement accounts 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 and will be taxable to them.
A regulated investment company or mutual fund is required to derive 90% or more of its gross
income from certain permitted sources. The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 generally treats net
income from the ownership of publicly traded partnerships as derived from such a permitted source.
We anticipate that all of our net income will be treated as derived from such a permitted source.
Non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts or estates that own units will be
considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of the ownership of 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 pay federal income tax at regular rates on their share of our net
income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, we will withhold
tax at the highest applicable effective tax rate from cash distributions made quarterly to foreign
unitholders. Each foreign unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and
submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8 BEN 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.
In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns units will be treated as engaged in a
United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the United States branch
profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income
and gain, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporations U.S. net equity, that is
effectively connected with the conduct of a United States 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 Internal Revenue
Code.
Under a ruling published by the IRS, a foreign unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a
unit will be subject to federal income tax on gain realized on the sale or disposition of that unit
to the extent that this gain is effectively connected with a United States trade or business of the
foreign unitholder. Because a foreign unitholder is considered to be engaged in a trade or business
in the United States by virtue of the ownership of units, under this ruling, a foreign unitholder
who sells or otherwise disposes of a unit generally will be subject to federal income tax on gain
realized on the sale or other disposition of units. Apart from the ruling, a foreign unitholder
will not be taxed or subject to withholding upon the sale or disposition of a unit if he has owned
less than 5% in value of the units during the five-year period ending on the date of the
disposition and if the units are regularly traded on an established securities market at the time
of the sale or disposition.
Administrative Matters
Information Returns and Audit Procedures. We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90
days after the close of each taxable year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1,
which describes each unitholders 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
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that those positions will in all cases yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the
Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS.
Neither we nor Andrews Kurth LLP can assure prospective 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 own 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 income 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. The Internal Revenue
Code requires that one partner be designated as the Tax Matters Partner for these purposes. The
partnership agreement names our general partner as our Tax Matters Partner.
The Tax Matters Partner has made and will make some elections on our behalf and on behalf of
unitholders. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for
assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters
Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the
IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority
to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the
unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters
Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at
least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5%
interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review will go forward, and each
unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate in that action.
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.
Nominee Reporting. Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are
required to furnish the following information to us:
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the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the
nominee; |
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a statement regarding whether the beneficial owner is |
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a person that is not a United States person, |
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a foreign government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency
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a tax-exempt entity; |
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the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial
owner; and |
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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 sales. |
Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including
whether they are United States persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or
transfer for their own account. A penalty of $50 per failure, up to a maximum of $100,000 per
calendar year, is imposed by the Internal Revenue 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.
Accuracy-related Penalties. An additional tax equal to 20% of the amount of any portion of an
underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or
disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax and substantial
valuation misstatements, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. No penalty will be imposed,
however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that
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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.
For individuals, a substantial understatement of income tax in any taxable year exists if the
amount of the understatement exceeds the greater of 10% of the tax required to be shown on the
return for the taxable year or $5,000. The amount of any understatement subject to penalty
generally is reduced if any portion is attributable to a position adopted on the return:
(1) for which there is, or was, substantial authority, or
(2) as to which there is a reasonable basis if the pertinent 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 disclose the pertinent 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. More stringent rules apply to tax shelters, which we do not believe
includes us.
A substantial valuation misstatement exists if (a) the value of any property, or the adjusted
basis of any property, claimed on a tax return is 150% or more of the amount determined to be the
correct amount of the valuation or adjusted basis, (b) the price for any property or services (or
for the use of property) claimed on any such return with respect to any transaction between persons
described in Internal Revenue Code Section 482 is 200% or more (or 50% or less) of the amount
determined under Section 482 to be the correct amount of such price, or (c) the net Internal
Revenue Code Section 482 transfer price adjustment for the taxable year exceeds the lesser of $5
million or 10% of the taxpayers gross receipts.
No penalty is imposed unless the portion of the underpayment attributable to a substantial
valuation misstatement exceeds $5,000 ($10,000 for most corporations). If the valuation claimed on
a return is 200% or more than the correct valuation, the penalty imposed increases to 40%. We do
not anticipate making any valuation misstatements.
Reportable Transactions. If we were to engage in a reportable transaction, we (and possibly
you and others) would be required to make a detailed disclosure of the transaction to the IRS. A
transaction may be a reportable transaction based upon any of several factors, including the fact
that it is a type of tax avoidance transaction publicly identified by the IRS as a listed
transaction or a transaction of interest or that it produces certain kinds of losses in excess
of $2 million in any single year, or $4 million in any combination of six successive taxable years.
Our participation in a reportable transaction could increase the likelihood that our federal income
tax information return (and possibly your tax return) would be audited by the IRS. Please read
Information Returns and Audit Procedures above.
Moreover, if we were to participate in a reportable transaction with a significant purpose to
avoid or evade tax, or in any listed transaction, you may be subject to the following provisions of
the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004:
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accuracy-related penalties with a broader scope, significantly narrower exceptions, and
potentially greater amounts than described above at Accuracy-Related Penalties, |
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for those persons otherwise entitled to deduct interest on federal tax deficiencies,
nondeductibility of interest on any resulting tax liability, and |
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in the case of a listed transaction, an extended statute of limitations. |
We do not expect to engage in any reportable transactions.
Registration as a Tax Shelter. We registered as a tax shelter under the law in effect at the
time of our initial public offering and were assigned a tax shelter registration number. Issuance
of a tax shelter registration number to us does not indicate that investment in us or the claimed
tax benefits have been reviewed, examined or approved by the IRS. The American Jobs Creation Act of
2004 repealed the tax shelter registration rules and replaced them with the reporting regime
described above at Reportable Transactions. The term tax shelter
has a different meaning for this purpose than under the penalty rules described above at
Accuracy-Related Penalties.
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State, Local, Foreign and Other Tax Considerations
In addition to federal income taxes, you likely will 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 unitholder should consider their potential impact on his
investment in us. We currently own property or do business in a substantial number of states,
virtually all of which impose a personal income tax and many impose an income tax on corporations
and other entities. We may also own property or do business in other states in the future.
Although you may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some states because your income
from that state falls below the filing and payment requirement, you will be required to file income
tax returns and to pay income taxes in some or all of the 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 also 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 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 Ownership Entity-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 jurisdictions, of his investment in us. Accordingly, each prospective
unitholder is urged to consult, and depend on, 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 United States federal tax returns, that may be required of him. Andrews Kurth
LLP has not rendered an opinion on the state, local or foreign tax consequences of an investment in
us.
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
Subject to the discussion below, we will distribute newly issued common units sold under the
Plan. A registered broker/dealer that is an affiliate of the Administrator will assist in the
identification of investors and other related services, but will not be acting as an underwriter
with respect to common units sold under the Plan. You will pay no service fees or brokerage trading
fees whether common units are newly issued or purchased in the open market. We will pay all
brokerage trading fees or other charges on common units purchased through the Plan. However, if you
are participating in the Plan through your broker, you may be charged a fee by your broker for
participating in the Plan on your behalf. Additionally, if you request that your common units held
by the Administrator be sold, you will receive the proceeds less a handling charge of $15.00 and
any brokerage trading fees. The common units are currently listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Persons who acquire common units through the Plan and resell them shortly after acquiring
them, including coverage of short positions, under certain circumstances, may be participating in a
distribution of securities that would require compliance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act,
and may be considered to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act. We will not
extend to any such person any rights or privileges other than those to which he, she or it would be
entitled as a participant, nor will we enter into any agreement with any such person regarding the
resale or distribution by any such person of the common units.
We have no arrangements or understandings, formal or informal, with any person relating to the
sale of our common units to be received under the Plan. We reserve the right to modify, suspend or
terminate participation in the Plan by otherwise eligible persons to eliminate practices that are
inconsistent with the purposes of the Plan.
35
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed a registration statement on Form S-3 with the Commission under the Securities
Act that registers the securities offered by this prospectus. The registration statement, including
the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us. The rules and regulations
of the Commission allow us to omit from this prospectus some information included in the
registration statement.
We file annual, quarterly and current reports, and other information with the Commission under
the Exchange Act (Commission File No. 1-14323). You may read and copy any materials we file at the
Commissions public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the
Commission at 1-800-732-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our filings are
also available to the public at the Commissions web site at http://www.sec.gov. In addition,
documents filed by us can be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 20
Broad Street, New York, New York 10002. We maintain an Internet Website at www.epplp.com. On the
Investor Relations page of that site, we provide access to our Commission filings free of charge as
soon as reasonably practicable after filing with the Commission. The information on our Internet
Website is not incorporated in this prospectus by reference and you should not consider it a part
of this prospectus.
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The Commission allows us to incorporate by reference into this prospectus the information we
file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to
those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this
prospectus, and later information that we file with the Commission will automatically update and
supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future
filings we make with the Commission under section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act
until this offering is completed (other than information furnished under Items 2.02 or 7.01 of any
Form 8-K, which is not deemed filed under the Exchange Act).
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Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009; |
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Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on January 4, 2010, January 8,
2010, February 26, 2010 and March 8, 2010; and |
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The description of our common units contained in our registration statement on Form
8-A/A filed on May 15, 2007, and including any other amendments or reports filed for the
purpose of updating such description. |
We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this
prospectus has been delivered, a copy of any and all of our filings with the Commission. You may
request a copy of these filings by writing or telephoning us at:
Enterprise Products Partners L.P.
1100 Louisiana, 10th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: Investor Relations
Telephone: (713) 381-6500
36
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and some of the documents we have incorporated herein by reference 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 or the documents we have incorporated
herein by reference, words such as anticipate, project, expect, plan, seek, goal,
estimate, forecast, intend, could, believe, may, potential 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 such expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, neither we nor our general partner can
give assurances that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such 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:
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fluctuations in oil, natural gas and NGL prices and production due to weather and other
natural and economic forces; |
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a reduction in demand for our products by the petrochemical, refining or heating
industries; |
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the effects of our debt level on our future financial and operating flexibility; |
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a decline in the volumes of NGLs delivered by our facilities; |
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the failure of our credit risk management efforts to adequately protect us against
customer non-payment; |
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terrorist attacks aimed at our facilities; and |
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our failure to successfully integrate our operations with assets or companies we
acquire. |
You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. When considering
forward-looking statements, please review the risk factors described under Risk Factors in this
prospectus and incorporated by reference into this prospectus, in our most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K and in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed after our most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K.
LEGAL MATTERS
Andrews Kurth LLP, our counsel, will issue an opinion for us about the legality of the common
units and the material federal income tax consequences regarding the common units.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Enterprise Products Partners L.P. and subsidiaries
(the Partnership) incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Partnerships Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and the effectiveness of the Partnerships
internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an
independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated
herein by reference (which reports (i) express an unqualified opinion on the financial statements
and include an explanatory paragraph concerning the retroactive effects of the common control
acquisition of TEPPCO Partners, L.P. and Texas Eastern Products Pipeline Company, LLC by the
Partnership on October 26, 2009 and the related change in the composition of reportable segments as
a result of the acquisition and (ii) express an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of
internal control over financial reporting). Such consolidated financial statements have been so
incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in
accounting and auditing.
The consolidated balance sheet of Enterprise Products GP, LLC and subsidiaries as of December
31, 2009, incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Partnerships Current Report on
Form 8-K filed on March 8, 2010, has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent
registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report incorporated herein by reference.
Such consolidated balance sheet has been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm
given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.
37
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following table sets forth the estimated expenses payable by Enterprise Products Partners
L.P. (Enterprise Products Partners) and in connection with the issuance and distribution of the
securities covered by this registration statement.
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Registration fee |
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$ |
71,678 |
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Fees and expenses of accountants |
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15,000 |
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Fees and expenses of legal counsel |
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25,000 |
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Fees and expenses of Administrator |
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20,000 |
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Printing and engraving expenses |
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10,000 |
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Miscellaneous |
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5,000 |
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Total |
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$ |
146,678 |
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Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
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. Enterprise Products Partners L.P.s partnership agreement provides
that Enterprise Products Partners will indemnify (i) Enterprise Products GP, LLC, (ii) any
departing general partner, (iii) any person who is or was an affiliate of Enterprise Products GP or
any departing general partner, (iv) any person who is or was a member, partner, officer, director,
employee, agent or trustee of Enterprise Products GP or any departing general partner or any
affiliate of Enterprise Products GP or any departing general partner or (v) any person who is or
was serving at the request of Enterprise Products GP or any departing general partner or any
affiliate of any such person, any affiliate of Enterprise Products GP or any fiduciary or trustee
of another person (each, a Partnership Indemnitee), to the fullest extent permitted by law, from
and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (joint or several), expenses
(including, without limitation, legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest,
settlements and other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or
proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Partnership
Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of
its status as a Partnership Indemnitee; provided that in each case the Partnership Indemnitee acted
in good faith and in a manner that such Partnership Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of Enterprise Products Partners and, with respect to any criminal
proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe its conduct was unlawful. The termination of any
action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo
contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create an assumption that the Partnership Indemnitee acted
in a manner contrary to that specified above. Any indemnification under these provisions will be
only out of the assets of Enterprise Products Partners, and Enterprise Products GP shall not be
personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to Enterprise
Products Partners to enable it to effectuate, such indemnification. Enterprise Products Partners is
authorized to purchase (or to reimburse Enterprise Products GP or its affiliates for the cost of)
insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by such persons in connection
with Enterprise Products Partners activities, regardless of whether Enterprise Products Partners
would have the power to indemnify such person against such liabilities under the provisions
described above.
Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act provides that, subject to such
standards and restrictions, if any, as are set forth in its limited liability company agreement, a
Delaware limited liability company may, and shall have the power to, indemnify and hold harmless
any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever.
The limited liability company agreement of Enterprise Products GP provides for the indemnification
of (i) present or former members of the Board of Directors of Enterprise Products GP or any
committee thereof, (ii) present or former officers, employees, partners, agents or trustees of the
Enterprise Products GP or (iii) persons serving at the request of Enterprise Products GP in another
entity in a similar capacity as that referred to in the immediately preceding clauses (i) or (ii)
(each, a General Partner Indemnitee) to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against any
and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several,
II-1
expenses (including reasonable
legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements and other amounts
arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal,
administrative or investigative, in which any such person may be involved, or is threatened to
be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of such persons status as a General Partner
Indemnitee; provided, that in each case the General Partner Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a
manner which such General Partner Indemnitee believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best
interests of the Enterprise Products GP and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe such General Partner Indemnitees conduct was unlawful. The termination
of any proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or
its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that the General Partner Indemnitee acted in a
manner contrary to that specified above. Any indemnification pursuant to these provisions shall be
made only out of the assets of Enterprise Products GP. Enterprise Products GP is authorized to
purchase and maintain insurance, on behalf of the members of its Board of Directors, its officers
and such other persons as the Board of Directors may determine, against any liability that may be
asserted against or expense that may be incurred by such person in connection with the activities
of Enterprise Products GP, regardless of whether Enterprise Products GP would have the power to
indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of its limited liability company
agreement.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted
to directors, officers or persons controlling Enterprise Products Partners or Enterprise Products
GP as set forth above, Enterprise Products Partners and Enterprise Products GP have been informed
that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in
the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 16. Exhibits.
Reference is made to the Index to Exhibits following the signature pages hereto, which Index
to Exhibits is hereby incorporated into this item.
Item 17. Undertakings.
(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
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(1) |
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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;
(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. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the
total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered)
and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range
may be reflected in the form of a prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more
than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the
Calculation of Registration Fee table in the effective 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) 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 Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement, or that is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part
of this Registration Statement.
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(2) |
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That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act, 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; |
II-2
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(3) |
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To remove from the registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering; |
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(4) |
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That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act
to any purchaser, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a
Registration Statement relating to an offering, other than Registration Statements
relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A,
shall be deemed to be part of and included in this Registration Statement as of the
date it is first used after effectiveness; 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
first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in this Registration
Statement or prospectus that was part of the Registration Statement or made in any
such document immediately prior to such date of first use. |
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(5) |
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That, for the purpose of determining liability of a Registrant under
the Securities Act 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 an undersigned Registrant or its securities
provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the
undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.
(b) |
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The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrants annual report pursuant
to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing
of an employee benefit plans annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act)
that is incorporated by reference in this 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. |
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(h) |
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Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act 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 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 had 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-3
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 Houston, State of Texas, on March 12, 2010.
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ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS PARTNERS L.P.
By: ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS GP, LLC
as General Partner
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By: |
/s/ Michael A. Creel
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Michael A. Creel |
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President and Chief Executive Officer |
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II-4
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Richard H. Bachmann
and Michael A. Creel and each of them, any of whom may act without joinder of the others, his or
her lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for
him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and any additional
registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b), and to file the same with all exhibits thereto, and
other documents necessary or advisable in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, granting unto such attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, or
the substitute or substitutes of any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated below on
March 12, 2010.
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Signature |
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Title |
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(of Enterprise Products GP, LLC) |
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Director and Chairman |
Dan L. Duncan |
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Director, President and Chief Executive Officer |
Michael A. Creel
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(Principal Executive Officer) |
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Director, Executive Vice President and |
W. Randall Fowler
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Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer) |
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Director, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer |
Richard H. Bachmann
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and Secretary |
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Director, Executive Vice President and Chief |
A. James Teague
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Commercial Officer |
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Director |
E. William Barnett |
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Director |
Ralph S. Cunningham |
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Director |
Charles M. Rampacek |
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Director |
Rex C. Ross |
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Senior Vice President, Controller and Principal |
Michael J. Knesek
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Accounting Officer |
II-5
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
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Exhibit |
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No. |
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Description |
2.1
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Merger Agreement, dated as of December 15, 2003, by and among Enterprise Products
Partners L.P., Enterprise Products GP, LLC, Enterprise Products Management LLC,
GulfTerra Energy Partners, L.P. and GulfTerra Energy Company L.L.C. (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Form 8-K filed December 15, 2003). |
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2.2
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Amendment No. 1 to Merger Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2004, by and among
Enterprise Products Partners L.P., Enterprise Products GP, LLC, Enterprise Products
Management LLC, GulfTerra Energy Partners, L.P. and GulfTerra Energy Company, L.L.C.
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Form 8-K filed September 7, 2004). |
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2.3
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Parent Company Agreement, dated as of December 15, 2003, by and among Enterprise
Products Partners L.P., Enterprise Products GP, LLC, Enterprise Products GTM, LLC,
El Paso Corporation, Sabine River Investors I, L.L.C., Sabine River Investors II,
L.L.C., El Paso EPN Investments, L.L.C. and GulfTerra GP Holding Company
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.2 to Form 8-K filed December 15, 2003). |
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2.4
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Amendment No. 1 to Parent Company Agreement, dated as of April 19, 2004, by and
among Enterprise Products Partners L.P., Enterprise Products GP, LLC, Enterprise
Products GTM, LLC, El Paso Corporation, Sabine River Investors I, L.L.C., Sabine
River Investors II, L.L.C., El Paso EPN Investments, L.L.C. and GulfTerra GP Holding
Company (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Form 8-K filed April 21, 2004). |
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2.5
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Purchase and Sale Agreement (Gas Plants), dated as of December 15, 2003, by and
between El Paso Corporation, El Paso Field Services Management, Inc., El Paso
Transmission, L.L.C., El Paso Field Services Holding Company and Enterprise Products
Operating L.P. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.4 to Form 8-K filed December
15, 2003). |
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2.6
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Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 28, 2009, by and among Enterprise
Products Partners L.P., Enterprise Products GP, LLC, Enterprise Sub B LLC, TEPPCO
Partners, L.P. and Texas Eastern Products Pipeline Company, LLC (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Form 8-K filed June 29, 2009). |
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2.7
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Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 28, 2009, by and among Enterprise
Products Partners L.P., Enterprise Products GP, LLC, Enterprise Sub A LLC, TEPPCO
Partners, L.P. and Texas Eastern Products Pipeline Company, LLC (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 2.2 to Form 8-K filed June 29, 2009). |
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4.1
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Form of Common Unit certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Form
S-1A Registration Statement, Reg. No. 333-52537, filed July 21, 1998). |
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4.2
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Certificate of Limited Partnership of Enterprise Products Partners L.P.
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.6 to Form 10-Q filed November 9, 2007). |
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4.3
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Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Enterprise Products
Partners L.P., dated August 8, 2005 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 Form
8-K filed August 10, 2005). |
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4.4
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Amendment No. 1 to Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. dated December 27, 2007 (incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K/A filed January 3, 2008). |
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4.5
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Amendment No. 2 to Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. dated April 14, 2008 (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K filed April 16, 2008). |
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4.6
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Amendment No. 3 to Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. dated November 6, 2008 (incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 3.5 to Form 10-Q filed November 10, 2008). |
II-6
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Exhibit |
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No. |
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Description |
4.7
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Amendment No. 4 to Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. dated October 26, 2009 (incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K filed October 28, 2009). |
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4.8
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Fifth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Enterprise
Products GP, LLC, dated November 7, 2007 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2
to Form 10-Q filed November 9, 2007). |
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4.9
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First Amendment to Fifth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of
Enterprise Products GP, LLC, dated November 6, 2008 (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 3.7 to Form 10-Q filed November 10, 2008). |
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4.10
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Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2004, among Enterprise Products Operating L.P., as
Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent Guarantor, and Wells Fargo
Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to
Form 8-K filed October 6, 2004). |
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4.11
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First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2004, among Enterprise Products
Operating L.P., as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent Guarantor,
and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.2 to Form 8-K filed October 6, 2004). |
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4.12
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Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2004, among Enterprise
Products Operating L.P., as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent
Guarantor, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Form 8-K filed October 6, 2004). |
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4.13
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Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2004, among Enterprise Products
Operating L.P., as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent Guarantor,
and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.4 to Form 8-K filed October 6, 2004). |
|
|
|
4.14
|
|
Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2004, among Enterprise
Products Operating L.P., as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent
Guarantor, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.5 to Form 8-K filed October 6, 2004). |
|
|
|
4.15
|
|
Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 2, 2005, among Enterprise Products
Operating L.P., as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent Guarantor,
and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.2 to Form 8-K filed March 3, 2005). |
|
|
|
4.16
|
|
Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 2, 2005, among Enterprise Products
Operating L.P., as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent Guarantor,
and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.3 to Form 8-K filed March 3, 2005). |
|
|
|
4.17
|
|
Seventh Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 1, 2005, among Enterprise Products
Operating L.P., as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent Guarantor,
and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.46 to Form 10-Q filed November 4, 2005). |
|
|
|
4.18
|
|
Eighth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 18, 2006, among Enterprise Products
Operating L.P., as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent Guarantor,
and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.2 to Form 8-K filed July 19, 2006). |
|
|
|
4.19
|
|
Ninth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 24, 2007, among Enterprise Products
Operating L.P., as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent Guarantor,
and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.2 to Form 8-K filed May 24, 2007). |
|
|
|
4.20
|
|
Tenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 30, 2007, among Enterprise Products
Operating L.P., as Original Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent
Guarantor, Enterprise Products Operating LLC, as New Issuer, and Wells Fargo Bank,
National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.54 to Form
10-Q filed August 8, 2007). |
|
|
|
4.21
|
|
Eleventh Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 4, 2007, among Enterprise
Products Operating |
II-7
|
|
|
Exhibit |
|
|
No. |
|
Description |
|
|
LLC, as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent
Guarantor, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Form 138 8-K filed September 5, 2007). |
|
|
|
4.22
|
|
Twelfth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 3, 2008, among Enterprise Products
Operating LLC, as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent Guarantor,
and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.3 to Form 8-K filed April 3, 2008). |
|
|
|
4.23
|
|
Thirteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 3, 2008, among Enterprise
Products Operating LLC, as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent
Guarantor, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.4 to Form 8-K filed April 3, 2008). |
|
|
|
4.24
|
|
Fourteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of December 8, 2008, among Enterprise
Products Operating LLC, as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent
Guarantor, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Form 8-K filed December 8, 2008). |
|
|
|
4.25
|
|
Fifteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 10, 2009, among Enterprise
Products Operating LLC, as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent
Guarantor, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Form 8-K filed June 10, 2009). |
|
|
|
4.26
|
|
Sixteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 5, 2009, among Enterprise
Products Operating LLC, as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent
Guarantor, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Form 8-K filed October 5, 2009). |
|
|
|
4.27
|
|
Seventeenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 27, 2009, among Enterprise
Products Operating LLC, as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent
Guarantor, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K filed October 28, 2009). |
|
|
|
4.28
|
|
Eighteenth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 27, 2009, among Enterprise
Products Operating LLC, as Issuer, Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Parent
Guarantor, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Form 8-K filed October 28, 2009). |
|
|
|
4.29
|
|
Replacement Capital Covenant, dated May 24, 2007, executed by Enterprise Products
Operating L.P. and Enterprise Products Partners L.P. in favor of the covered
debtholders described therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K
filed May 24, 2007). |
|
|
|
4.30
|
|
First Amendment to Replacement Capital Covenant dated August 25, 2006, executed by
Enterprise Products Operating L.P. in favor of the covered debtholders described
therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to Form 8-K filed August 25,
2006). |
|
|
|
4.31
|
|
Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 12, 2006 between Cerrito Gathering Company,
Ltd., Cerrito Gas Marketing, Ltd., Encinal Gathering, Ltd., as Sellers, Lewis Energy
Group, L.P. as Guarantor, and Enterprise Products Partners L.P., as Buyer
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.6 to Form 10-Q filed August 8, 2006). |
|
|
|
4.32
|
|
Replacement Capital Covenant, dated October 27, 2009, among Enterprise Products
Operating LLC and Enterprise Products Partners L.P. in favor of the covered
debtholders described therein (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.9 to Form 8-K
filed October 28, 2009). |
|
|
|
5.1#
|
|
Opinion of Andrews Kurth LLP as to the legality of the securities being registered. |
|
|
|
8.1#
|
|
Opinion of Andrews Kurth LLP relating to tax matters. |
|
|
|
23.1#
|
|
Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP. |
|
|
|
23.2#
|
|
Consent of Andrews Kurth LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 and Exhibit 8.1). |
|
|
|
24.1#
|
|
Powers of Attorney for Enterprise Products GP, LLC (included on signature page). |
|
|
|
99.1#
|
|
Cover letter to accompany the prospectus to be sent to participants in the
Enterprise Products Partners |
II-8
|
|
|
Exhibit |
|
|
No. |
|
Description |
|
|
L.P. Distribution Reinvestment Plan who are registered
owners of common units. |
|
|
|
99.2#
|
|
Cover letter to accompany the prospectus to be sent to participants in the
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. Distribution Reinvestment Plan who are beneficial
owners of common units. |
|
|
|
99.3#
|
|
Enrollment Form for Enterprise Products Partners L.P. Distribution Reinvestment Plan. |
II-9