Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt

Debt

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Debt

DEBT

As of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018, our debt consisted of the following (in millions):



	September 30,			December 31,
	2019			2018
Long-term debt:
SPL
5.625% Senior Secured Notes due 2021 (“2021 SPL Senior Notes”)	$	2,000		$	2,000
6.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 (“2022 SPL Senior Notes”)	1,000			1,000
5.625% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 (“2023 SPL Senior Notes”)	1,500			1,500
5.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2024 (“2024 SPL Senior Notes”)	2,000			2,000
5.625% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 (“2025 SPL Senior Notes”)	2,000			2,000
5.875% Senior Secured Notes due 2026 (“2026 SPL Senior Notes”)	1,500			1,500
5.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2027 (“2027 SPL Senior Notes”)	1,500			1,500
4.200% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 (“2028 SPL Senior Notes”)	1,350			1,350
5.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2037 (“2037 SPL Senior Notes”)	800			800
Cheniere Partners
5.250% Senior Notes due 2025 (“2025 CQP Senior Notes”)	1,500			1,500
5.625% Senior Notes due 2026 (“2026 CQP Senior Notes”)	1,100			1,100
4.500% Senior Notes due 2029 (“2029 CQP Senior Notes”)	1,500			—
2016 CQP Credit Facilities	—			—
CQP Credit Facilities entered into in 2019 (“2019 CQP Credit Facilities”)	—			—
Unamortized premium, discount and debt issuance costs, net	(179		)	(184		)
Total long-term debt, net	17,571			16,066

Current debt:
$1.2 billion SPL Working Capital Facility (“SPL Working Capital Facility”)	—			—

Total debt, net	$	17,571		$	16,066

2019 Debt Issuances and Terminations

2029 CQP Senior Notes

In September 2019, we issued an aggregate principal amount of $1.5 billion of the 2029 CQP Senior Notes, which are jointly and severally guaranteed by each of our subsidiaries other than SPL and, subject to certain conditions governing its guarantee, Sabine Pass LP (the “CQP Guarantors”). The proceeds of the offering were used to prepay the outstanding balance of the $750 million term loan under the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities (“CQP Term Facility”) and for general corporate purposes, including funding future capital expenditures in connection with the construction of Train 6 at the Liquefaction Project, resulting in the recognition of debt modification and extinguishment costs of $13 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019. As of September 30, 2019, only the $750 million revolving credit facility (“CQP Revolving Facility”), all of which is undrawn, remains as part of the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities.

Borrowings under the 2029 CQP Senior Notes accrue interest at a fixed rate of 4.500% per annum, and interest on the 2029 CQP Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in cash in arrears. The 2029 CQP Senior Notes are governed by the same base indenture as the 2025 CQP Senior Notes and the 2026 CQP Senior Notes (the “CQP Base Indenture”), and are further governed by the Third Supplemental Indenture (together with the CQP Base Indenture, the “2029 CQP Notes Indenture”), which contains customary terms and events of default and certain covenants that, among other things, limit our ability and the ability of the CQP Guarantors to incur liens and sell assets, enter into transactions with affiliates, enter into sale-leaseback transactions and consolidate, merge or sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the applicable entity’s properties or assets.

At any time prior to October 1, 2024, we may redeem all or a part of the 2029 CQP Senior Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2029 CQP Senior Notes redeemed, plus the “applicable premium” set forth in the 2029 CQP Notes Indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption. In addition, at any time prior to October 1, 2022, we may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2029 CQP Senior Notes with an amount

of cash not greater than the net cash proceeds from certain equity offerings at a redemption price equal to 104.5% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2029 CQP Senior Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption. At any time on or after October 1, 2024 through the maturity date of October 1, 2029, we may redeem the 2029 CQP Senior Notes, in whole or in part, at the redemption prices set forth in the 2029 CQP Notes Indenture.

The 2025 CQP Senior Notes, the 2026 CQP Senior Notes and the 2029 CQP Senior Notes (collectively, the “CQP Senior Notes”) are our senior obligations, ranking equally in right of payment with our other existing and future unsubordinated debt and senior to any of our future subordinated debt. In the event that the aggregate amount of our secured indebtedness and the secured indebtedness of the CQP Guarantors (other than the CQP Senior Notes or any other series of notes issued under the CQP Base Indenture) outstanding at any one time exceeds the greater of (1) $1.5 billion and (2) 10% of net tangible assets, the CQP Senior Notes will be secured to the same extent as such obligations under the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities. The obligations under the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities are secured on a first-priority basis (subject to permitted encumbrances) with liens on (1) substantially all the existing and future tangible and intangible assets and our rights and the rights of the CQP Guarantors and equity interests in the CQP Guarantors (except, in each case, for certain excluded properties set forth in the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities) and (2) substantially all of the real property of SPLNG (except for excluded properties referenced in the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities). The liens securing the CQP Senior Notes, if applicable, will be shared equally and ratably (subject to permitted liens) with the holders of other senior secured obligations, which include the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities obligations and any future additional senior secured debt obligations.

In connection with the closing of the 2029 CQP Senior Notes offering, we and the CQP Guarantors entered into a registration rights agreement (the “CQP Registration Rights Agreement”). Under the CQP Registration Rights Agreement, we and the CQP Guarantors have agreed to file with the SEC and cause to become effective a registration statement relating to an offer to exchange any and all of the 2029 CQP Senior Notes for a like aggregate principal amount of our debt securities with terms identical in all material respects to the 2029 CQP Senior Notes sought to be exchanged (other than with respect to restrictions on transfer or to any increase in annual interest rate), within 360 days after the notes issuance date of September 12, 2019. Under specified circumstances, we and the CQP Guarantors have also agreed to cause to become effective a shelf registration statement relating to resales of the 2029 CQP Senior Notes. We will be obligated to pay additional interest on the 2029 CQP Senior Notes if we fail to comply with our obligation to register the 2029 CQP Senior Notes within the specified time period.

2016 CQP Credit Facilities

In May 2019, the remaining commitments under the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities were terminated. There were no write-offs of discounts, premiums and debt issuance costs associated with the termination of the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities.

2019 CQP Credit Facilities

In May 2019, we entered into the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities, which consisted of the $750 million CQP Term Facility, which was prepaid and terminated upon issuance of the 2029 CQP Senior Notes in September 2019, and the $750 million CQP Revolving Facility. Borrowings under the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities will be used to fund the development and construction of Train 6 of the Liquefaction Project and for general corporate purposes, subject to a sublimit, and the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities are also available for the issuance of letters of credit.

Loans under the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities accrue interest at a variable rate per annum equal to LIBOR or the base rate (equal to the highest of the prime rate, the federal funds effective rate, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, plus 0.50%, and the adjusted one-month LIBOR plus 1.0%), plus the applicable margin. Under the CQP Term Facility, the applicable margin for LIBOR loans was 1.50% per annum, and the applicable margin for base rate loans was 0.50% per annum. Under the CQP Revolving Facility, the applicable margin for LIBOR loans is 1.25% to 2.125% per annum, and the applicable margin for base rate loans is 0.25% to 1.125% per annum, in each case depending on our then-current rating. Interest on LIBOR loans is due and payable at the end of each applicable LIBOR period (and at the end of every three-month period within the LIBOR period, if any), and interest on base rate loans is due and payable at the end of each calendar quarter.

The 2019 CQP Credit Facilities mature on May 29, 2024. Any outstanding balance may be repaid, in whole or in part, at any time without premium or penalty, except for interest rate breakage costs. The 2019 CQP Credit Facilities contain conditions precedent for extensions of credit, as well as customary affirmative and negative covenants, and limit our ability to make restricted

payments, including distributions, to once per fiscal quarter and one true-up per fiscal quarter as long as certain conditions are satisfied.

The 2019 CQP Credit Facilities are unconditionally guaranteed and secured by a first priority lien (subject to permitted encumbrances) on substantially all of our and the CQP Guarantors’ existing and future tangible and intangible assets and rights and equity interests in the CQP Guarantors (except, in each case, for certain excluded properties set forth in the 2019 CQP Credit Facilities).

Credit Facilities

Below is a summary of our credit facilities outstanding as of September 30, 2019 (in millions):



	SPL Working Capital Facility (1)		2019 CQP Credit Facilities
Original facility size	$	1,200	$	1,500
Less:
Outstanding balance	—		—
Commitments prepaid or terminated	—		750
Letters of credit issued	414		—
Available commitment	$	786	$	750

Interest rate on available balance	LIBOR plus 1.75% or base rate plus 0.75%		LIBOR plus 1.25% - 2.125% or base rate plus 0.25% - 1.125%
Maturity date	December 31, 2020		May 29, 2024


(1)	The SPL Working Capital Facility was amended in May 2019 in connection with commercialization and financing of Train 6 of the Liquefaction Project. All terms of the SPL Working Capital Facility substantially remained unchanged.

Restrictive Debt Covenants

As of September 30, 2019, we and SPL were in compliance with all covenants related to our respective debt agreements.

Interest Expense

Total interest expense consisted of the following (in millions):



	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Total interest cost	$	246		$	235		$	718		$	701
Capitalized interest	(15		)	(52		)	(70		)	(149		)
Total interest expense, net	$	231		$	183		$	648		$	552

Fair Value Disclosures

The following table shows the carrying amount, which is net of unamortized premium, discount and debt issuance costs, and estimated fair value of our debt (in millions):



	September 30, 2019				December 31, 2018
	Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Amount		Estimated Fair Value
Senior notes (1)	$	16,780	$	18,340	$	15,275	$	15,672
2037 SPL Senior Notes (2)	791		909		791		817
Credit facilities (3)	—		—		—		—


(1)	Includes 2021 SPL Senior Notes, 2022 SPL Senior Notes, 2023 SPL Senior Notes, 2024 SPL Senior Notes, 2025 SPL Senior Notes, 2026 SPL Senior Notes, 2027 SPL Senior Notes, 2028 SPL Senior Notes, 2025 CQP Senior Notes, 2026

CQP Senior Notes and 2029 CQP Senior Notes. The Level 2 estimated fair value was based on quotes obtained from broker-dealers or market makers of these senior notes and other similar instruments.


(2)	The Level 3 estimated fair value was calculated based on inputs that are observable in the market or that could be derived from, or corroborated with, observable market data, including our stock price and interest rates based on debt issued by parties with comparable credit ratings to us and inputs that are not observable in the market.

(3)

Includes SPL Working Capital Facility, 2016 CQP Credit Facilities and 2019 CQP Credit Facilities. The Level 3 estimated fair value approximates the principal amount because the interest rates are variable and reflective of market rates and the debt may be repaid, in full or in part, at any time without penalty.