Unitholders' Equity |
9 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Sep. 30, 2015 | |
| Partners' Capital Notes [Abstract] | |
| Unitholders' Equity |
UNITHOLDERS’ EQUITY
The common units, Class B units and subordinated units represent limited partner interests in us. The holders of the units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights and privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. Our partnership agreement requires that, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute all of our available cash (as defined in our partnership agreement). Generally, our available cash is our cash on hand at the end of a quarter less the amount of any reserves established by our general partner. All distributions paid to date have been made from operating surplus as defined in the partnership agreement.
The holders of common units have the right to receive initial quarterly distributions of $0.425 per common unit, plus any arrearages thereon, before any distribution is made to the holders of the subordinated units. The holders of subordinated units will receive distributions only to the extent we have available cash above the initial quarterly distribution requirement for our common unitholders and general partner and certain reserves. Subordinated units will convert into common units on a one-for-one basis when we meet financial tests specified in the partnership agreement. Although common and subordinated unitholders are not obligated to fund losses of the Partnership, their capital accounts, which would be considered in allocating the net assets of the Partnership were it to be liquidated, continue to share in losses.
The general partner interest is entitled to at least 2% of all distributions made by us. In addition, the general partner holds incentive distribution rights, which allow the general partner to receive a higher percentage of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the initial quarterly distributions have been achieved and as additional target levels are met. The higher percentages range from 15% to 50%.
During 2012, Blackstone CQP Holdco LP (“Blackstone”) and Cheniere completed their purchases of a new class of equity interests representing limited partner interests in us (“Class B units”) for total consideration of $1.5 billion and $500.0 million, respectively. Proceeds from the financings were used to fund a portion of the costs of developing, constructing and placing into service the first two Trains of the natural gas liquefaction facilities at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal adjacent to the existing regasification facilities (the “Liquefaction Project”). In May 2013, Cheniere purchased an additional 12.0 million Class B units for consideration of $180.0 million in connection with our acquisition of CTPL and Cheniere Pipeline GP Interests, LLC. In 2013, Cheniere formed Cheniere Holdings to hold its limited partner interests in us. The Class B units are subject to conversion, mandatorily or at the option of the Class B unitholders under specified circumstances, into a number of common units based on the then-applicable conversion value of the Class B units. The Class B units are not entitled to cash distributions except in the event of our liquidation or a merger, consolidation or other combination of us with another person or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets. On a quarterly basis beginning on the date of the initial purchase of the Class B units and ending on the conversion date of the Class B units, the conversion value of the Class B units increases at a compounded rate of 3.5% per quarter, subject to additional upward adjustment for certain equity and debt financings. The accreted conversion ratio of the Class B units owned by Cheniere Holdings and Blackstone was 1.57 and 1.54, respectively, as of September 30, 2015. We expect the Class B units to mandatorily convert into common units within 90 days of the substantial completion date of Train 3 of the Liquefaction Project, which we currently expect to occur before April 30, 2017. If the Class B units are not mandatorily converted by July 2019, the holders of the Class B units have the option to convert the Class B units into common units at that time.
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