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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration No. 333-197796

 

The information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is not complete and may be changed. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JULY 20, 2016
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus dated September 12, 2014)

 

Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P.

3,000,000 Common Units

Representing Limited Partner Interests

 

 

We are offering 3,000,000 common units representing limited partner interests in Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. Certain affiliates of Ergon, Inc. (“Ergon”) are expected to purchase an aggregate of approximately $600,000 of our common units in this offering. Our common units trade on the Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “BKEP.” The last reported trading price of our common units on Nasdaq on July 19, 2016 was $6.03 per common unit. Our Series A preferred units trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol “BKEPP.” The last reported trading price of our Series A preferred units on Nasdaq on July 19, 2016 was $7.59 per Series A preferred unit.

 

		Per Unit		Total
Public offering price		$		$
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1)		$		$
Proceeds to Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. (before expenses)		$		$

 

(1)	The underwriter will not receive any underwriting discount or commission on common units offered by this prospectus to certain affiliates of Ergon.

We have granted the underwriter a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 450,000 common units from us on the same terms and conditions as set forth above if the underwriter sells more than 3,000,000 common units in this offering.

 

 

Investing in our common units involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page S-9 of this prospectus supplement and page 3 of the accompanying base prospectus.

None of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission, or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The underwriter expects to deliver the common units on or about                 , 2016.

 

 

 

Wells Fargo Securities

Prospectus Supplement dated                 , 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		Page
Prospectus Supplement
Important Information in this Prospectus Supplement and the Accompanying Prospectus			S-ii
Market and Industry Data			S-ii
Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements			S-ii
Summary			S-1
Risk Factors			S-9
Use of Proceeds			S-10
Capitalization			S-11
Price Range of Common Units and Distributions			S-12
Material Income Tax Considerations			S-13
Underwriting			S-15
Legal Matters			S-19
Experts			S-19
Available Information			S-19
Information Incorporated by Reference			S-19
Prospectus
About This Prospectus			1
About Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P.			2
Risk Factors			3
Forward -Looking Statements			4
Use of Proceeds			5
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Unit Distributions			6
Description of the Debt Securities			7
Description of the Common Units			16
Description of the Partnership Securities			19
Description of the Warrants			20
Description of the Rights			22
The Partnership Agreement			23
Cash Distribution Policy			38
Material Federal Income Tax Consequences			47
Plan of Distribution			64
Where You Can Find More Information			66
Legal Matters			67
Experts			67

 

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

AND THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering of common units. The second part is the accompanying base prospectus, which gives more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering of common units. Generally, when we refer only to the “prospectus,” we are referring to both this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus combined. If the information relating to the offering varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.

Any statement made in this prospectus supplement or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus supplement or in any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated by reference into this prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus. Please read “Information Incorporated by Reference” on page S-19 of this prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us relating to this offering of common units. Neither we nor the underwriter have authorized any person to provide any information or represent anything about us other than what is contained in this prospectus. None of the information on our website referred to in this prospectus is incorporated by reference herein. We do not take any responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others may provide to you. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where an offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus or any free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the dates shown in such documents or that any information we have incorporated by reference herein is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since such dates.

None of Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P., the underwriter or any of their respective representatives is making any representation to you regarding the legality of an investment in our common units by you under applicable laws. You should consult with your own advisors as to legal, tax, business, financial and related aspects of an investment in our common units.

MARKET AND INDUSTRY DATA

Market and industry data and forecasts used in this prospectus supplement and incorporated by reference herein and the documents incorporated by reference herein have been obtained from independent industry sources as well as from research reports prepared for other purposes. Although we believe these third-party sources to be reliable, we have not independently verified the data obtained from these sources and we cannot assure you of the accuracy or completeness of the data. Forecasts and other forward-looking information obtained from these sources are subject to the same qualifications and uncertainties as the other forward-looking statements in this prospectus supplement.

DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some of the information included in this prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference herein contain “forward-looking” statements. Statements included in this prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference herein that are not historical facts (including any statements regarding plans and objectives of management for future operations or economic performance, or assumptions or forecasts related thereto) are forward-looking statements. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology including “may,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,”

 

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“intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” or other similar words. These statements discuss future expectations, contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition, or state other forward-looking information. We and our representatives may from time to time make other oral or written statements that are also forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are made based on information currently available to us.

Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements include, among other things, those set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 as well as the following risks and uncertainties:

 

•

the satisfaction of the conditions to the closing of the Transactions (as defined below) and the possibility that the Transactions will not close;

 

•

timing of the completion of the proposed Transactions;

 

•

dependence on certain key customers for a portion of our revenues;

 

•

our exposure to credit risk of our third-party customers;

 

•

uncertainties relating to our debt levels and restrictions in our credit facility;

 

•

access to capital and anticipated liquidity;

 

•

the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices, interest rates and demand for our services;

 

•

the level of crude oil production around our assets;

 

•

competition within our industry;

 

•

our ability to grow through acquisitions, including any acquisitions from Ergon (as defined below) or internal growth projects and the successful integration and future performance of such assets;

 

•

changes in laws and regulations, particularly with regard to taxes, safety and protection of the environment;

 

•

unanticipated or extended delays in construction and expansion projects;

 

•

general economic, market and business conditions; and

 

•

the risks described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference herein.

Before you invest, you should be aware that the occurrence of any of the events described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 could substantially harm our business, results of operations and financial condition. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the events described in the forward-looking statements might not occur or might occur to a different extent or at a different time than we have described. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Before making an investment in the common units offered hereby, you should carefully consider the risk factors under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, together with all of the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In such case, the value of the common units could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to the Transactions

The Transactions may not be completed, and even if the Transactions are completed, we may fail to realize the benefits anticipated as a result of the Transactions.

The Transactions are expected to close on or before September 30, 2016, subject to a number of closing conditions, including clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended. If these conditions are not satisfied or waived, the Transactions will not be consummated. There can be no assurances that the Transactions will be consummated or that the expected benefits of such acquisition will be realized. The closing of this offering is not conditioned on, nor is it a condition to, the consummation of the Transactions. If the Transactions are delayed, not consummated or consummated in a manner different than described herein, the price of our common units may decline. In addition, if the Transactions are not consummated, our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds of this offering. Accordingly, if you decide to purchase common units in this offering, you should be willing to do so whether or not we complete the Transactions.

If we are able to consummate the Transactions, such consummation would involve potential risks, including, without limitation, difficulties in integrating the acquired business, inefficiencies and unexpected costs and liabilities. If we consummate the Transactions and if these risks or other expected costs and liabilities were to materialize, any desired benefits of the Transactions may not be fully realized, if at all, and our future financial performance and results of operations could be negatively impacted.

Ergon may compete with us, which could adversely affect our existing business and limit our ability to acquire additional assets or businesses.

Upon consummation of the Transactions, Ergon will indirectly own our general partner. Neither our partnership agreement nor any other agreement with Ergon prohibits Ergon from owning assets or engaging in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us. In addition, Ergon may acquire, construct or dispose of additional midstream or other assets in the future, without any obligation to offer us the opportunity to purchase or construct any of those assets. Ergon is privately owned company with a presence in over 12 countries worldwide, and is one of the largest asphalt emulsion marketers in the United States. Ergon has significantly greater resources and experience than we have, which factors may make it more difficult for us to compete with Ergon with respect to commercial activities as well as for acquisition candidates. As a result, competition from Ergon could adversely impact our results of operations and cash available for distribution.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We expect to receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $                 million, or approximately $             million if the underwriter exercises its option to purchase additional common units in full, in each case, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Our general partner does not intend to make a capital contribution to maintain its general partner interest in connection with this offering.

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering, including any net proceeds from the underwriter’s exercise of its option to purchase additional common units, to fund a portion of the repurchase of our Series A preferred units from Vitol and Charlesbank in connection with the Transactions. If the Transactions do not close, then we intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general partnership purposes, including, among other things, repayment of borrowings outstanding under our credit facility.

As of July 18, 2016, we had $274.0 million of borrowings and $1.3 million in outstanding letters of credit under our credit facility, leaving approximately $124.7 million for future borrowing based on a borrowing capacity of $400.0 million. Borrowings under our credit facility bear interest, at our option, at either the reserve-adjusted eurodollar rate (as defined in the credit agreement) plus an applicable margin that ranges from 2.0% to 3.0% or the alternate base rate (the highest of the agent bank’s prime rate, the federal funds effective rate plus 0.5%, and the 30-day eurodollar rate plus 1.0%) plus an applicable margin that ranges from 1.0% to 2.0%. Our weighted average interest rate for the three months ended March 31, 2016 was 3.60%. Our credit facility matures in June 2018. Borrowings under our credit facility were used for general partnership purposes and growth capital projects. Amounts repaid under our credit facility may be reborrowed from time to time.

An affiliate of the underwriter is a lender under our credit facility, and as such, may receive a portion of the net proceeds from this offering pursuant to any repayment of borrowings under such facility. Please read “Underwriting — Relationships.”

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and our capitalization as of March 31, 2016:

 

•

on a historical basis; and

 

•

as adjusted to reflect the sale of common units in this offering and the application of the net proceeds therefrom.

You should read this table in conjunction with our financial statements and notes that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus for additional information about our capital structure. The following table does not reflect any common units that may be sold to the underwriter upon exercise of its option to purchase additional common units.

 

		As of March 31, 2016
		Historical				As Adjusted
		(in thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents		$	2,016			$
Long-term debt(1)		$	273,000			$
Partners’ capital:
Series A preferred units			204,599
Common units			484,566
General partner interest			(611,469	)
Total partners’ capital		$	77,696			$
Total capitalization		$	350,696			$

 

(1)	As of July 18, 2016, we had $274.0 million of borrowings and $1.3 million in outstanding letters of credit under our credit facility, leaving approximately $124.7 million for future borrowing based on a borrowing capacity of $400.0 million.

 

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PRICE RANGE OF COMMON UNITS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

Our common units trade on Nasdaq under the symbol “BKEP.” The following table shows the high and low sales prices per common unit as well as distributions declared by quarter for the periods indicated. The last reported sales price of our common units on Nasdaq on July 19, 2016 was $6.03 per unit. As of July 18, 2016, there were approximately 998 record holders of our common units.

 

Quarter Ended		High				Low				Distribution per Common Unit
September 30, 2016(1)		$	6.14			$	5.07					(2)
June 30, 2016		$	5.61			$	4.56				0.1450	(3)
March 31, 2016		$	5.77			$	3.81			$	0.1450
December 31, 2015		$	6.69			$	4.54			$	0.1450
September 30, 2015		$	7.52			$	5.38			$	0.1450
June 30, 2015		$	8.40			$	7.25			$	0.1425
March 31, 2015		$	8.45			$	5.91			$	0.1395
December 31, 2014		$	8.30			$	5.48			$	0.1365
September 30, 2014		$	9.32			$	7.52			$	0.1345
June 30, 2014		$	9.50			$	8.65			$	0.1325
March 31, 2014		$	9.40			$	8.27			$	0.1300

 

(1)	The high and low sales prices per common unit are reported through July 19, 2016.

 

(2)	The distribution attributable to the quarter ending September 30, 2016 has not yet been declared or paid. We expect to declare and pay a cash distribution within 45 days following the end of the quarter.

 

(3)	The distribution attributable to the quarter ended June 30, 2016 was declared on July 19, 2016 but has not yet been paid. This cash distribution is payable on August 12, 2016 to unitholders of record as of the close of business on August 2, 2016.

 

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MATERIAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The tax consequences to you of an investment in our common units will depend in part on your own tax circumstances. For a discussion of the principal federal income tax considerations associated with our operations and the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common units, please read “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences” in the accompanying base prospectus. Please also read under the heading “Risk Factors — Tax Risks to Unitholders” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, for a discussion of the tax risks related to purchasing and owning our common units. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor about the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences peculiar to your circumstances.

Ratio of Taxable Income to Distributions

We estimate that if you purchase common units in this offering and own them through December 31, 2018, then you will be allocated, on a cumulative basis, an amount of federal taxable income for that period that will be 20% or less of the cash distributed with respect to that period. However, the ratio of taxable income to distributions in any single year in the projection period may be higher or lower. Thereafter, we anticipate that the ratio of allocable taxable income to cash distributions to the unitholders will increase. These estimates are based upon the assumption that gross income from operations will approximate the amount required to make the current quarterly distribution amount on all units and other assumptions with respect to capital expenditures, cash flow, net working capital and anticipated cash distributions. These estimates and assumptions are subject to, among other things, numerous business, economic, regulatory, competitive and political uncertainties beyond our control. Further, the estimates are based on current tax law and tax reporting positions that we will adopt and with which the IRS could disagree. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that these estimates will prove to be correct. The actual ratio of taxable income to distributions could be higher or lower than expected, and any differences could be material and could materially affect the value of the common units. For example, the ratio of allocable taxable income to cash distributions to a purchaser of common units in this offering will be higher, and perhaps substantially higher, than our estimate with respect to the period described above if:

 

•

gross income from operations exceeds the amount required to make the current quarterly distribution amount on all units, yet we only distribute the current quarterly distribution amount on all units; or

 

•

we make a future offering of common units and use the proceeds of the offering in a manner that does not produce substantial additional deductions during the period described above, such as to repay indebtedness outstanding at the time of this offering or to acquire property that is not eligible for depreciation or amortization for federal income tax purposes or that is depreciable or amortizable at a rate significantly slower than the rate applicable to our assets at the time of this offering.

Audit Procedures

Pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, if the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns for tax years beginning after 2017, it (and some states) may collect any resulting taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) directly from us. We will generally have the ability to shift any such tax liability to our general partner and our unitholders in accordance with their interests in us during the year under audit, but there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so (or will choose to do so) under all circumstances, or that we will be able to (or choose to) effect corresponding shifts in state income or similar tax liability resulting from the IRS adjustment in states in which we do business in the year under audit or in the adjustment year. If we make payments of taxes, penalties and interest resulting from audit adjustments, our cash available for distribution to our unitholders might be substantially reduced.

Pursuant to this new legislation, we will designate a person (our general partner) to act as the partnership representative who shall have the sole authority to act on behalf of the partnership with respect to dealings with the IRS under these new audit procedures.

 

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For a description of the audit procedures that apply to tax years beginning before 2018, please read the discussion in the base prospectus under “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Administrative Matters — Information Returns and Audit Procedures.”

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 or, in the discretion of the general partner, any other extraordinary item of income, gain, loss or deduction will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which such income, gain, loss or deduction is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.

The Department of the Treasury and the IRS recently issued Treasury Regulations pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. We are currently evaluating these regulations, which apply beginning with our taxable year that begins on January 1, 2016. The Treasury Regulations do not specifically authorize us to use the proration method we have currently adopted. Accordingly, Baker Botts L.L.P. 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 unitholder’s interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the unitholders.

A unitholder who disposes of units prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to the month of disposition but will not be entitled to receive a cash distribution for that period. Please read the discussion in the base prospectus under “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Disposition of Common Units —Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”

Additional Withholding Requirements.

The additional withholding requirements described in the base prospectus supplement under “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Administrative Matters — Additional Withholding Requirements” will not apply to gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any property of a type which can produce interest or dividends from sources within the U.S. until after December 31, 2018. Please read the discussion in the base prospectus under “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Administrative Matters — Additional Withholding Requirements.”

Nominee Reporting

Beginning with returns and statements required to be filed after December 31, 2015, the penalties described in the base prospectus under “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Administrative Matters — Nominee Reporting” are generally imposed at a rate of $250 per failure, up to a maximum of $3 million per calendar year. Both the amount of such penalty and the amount of such cap on the maximum penalty per calendar year are adjusted for inflation each year. Please read the discussion in the base prospectus under “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences — Administrative Matters — Nominee Reporting.”

 

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UNDERWRITING

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, referred to as the underwriter, is acting as sole book-running manager of the underwritten offering. Subject to the terms and conditions stated in the underwriting agreement for this offering, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC has agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to it, 3,000,000 common units.

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the underwriter to purchase the common units included in this offering are subject to approval of legal matters by counsel and to other conditions. The underwriter is obligated to purchase all of the common units (other than those covered by the option to purchase additional common units described below) if it purchases any of the common units.

Option to Purchase Additional Common Units

We have granted to the underwriter an option, exercisable for 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement, to purchase up to 450,000 additional common units at the public offering price less the underwriting discount.

Underwriting Discount and Expenses

The underwriter proposes to offer some of the common units directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and some of the common units to dealers at the public offering price less a concession not to exceed $            per common unit. If all of the common units are not sold at the initial offering price, the underwriter may change the public offering price and the other selling terms. All compensation received by the underwriter in connection with this offering will not exceed 8% of the gross offering proceeds.

The following table shows the underwriting discounts that we are to pay to the underwriter in connection with this offering. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriter’s option to purchase additional common units.

 

		No Exercise				Full Exercise
Per Unit		$				$
Total		$				$

Certain affiliates of Ergon are expected to purchase an aggregate of approximately $600,000 of our common units in this offering. The underwriter will not receive any underwriting discount or commission on such common units offered.

We estimate that our total expenses of this offering, excluding underwriting discounts, will be approximately $250,000. We have also agreed to reimburse the underwriter for up to $25,000 of any fees and expenses of counsel related to the review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) of the terms and sale of the common units offered by this prospectus supplement.

Lock-Up Agreements

We, our general partner and the directors and executive officers of our general partner and certain of our affiliates have agreed not to, without the prior written consent of the representatives, for a period of 60 days from the date of the prospectus supplement, directly or indirectly:

 

•

offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of any common units or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common units, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition;

 

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•

enter into any swap or other agreement, arrangement or transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequence of ownership of any common units or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any common units;

 

•

make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any common units or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common units; or

 

•

publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.

Notwithstanding the provisions set forth above, a party to the lock-up agreement may transfer any common units or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for common units or other securities without prior written consent:

 

•

if the party to the lock-up agreement is a natural person, as a bona fide gift or gifts or by will, by intestate succession or pursuant to a so-called “living trust” or other revocable trust established to provide for the disposition of property upon death, in each case to any member of the immediate family of such party or to a trust the beneficiaries of which are exclusively the members of such party’s immediate family, or as a bona fide gift or gifts to a charity or educational institution;

 

•

if the party to the lock-up is a partnership or a limited liability company, to a partner or member, as the case may be, of such partnership or limited liability company if, in any such case, such transfer is not for value; and

 

•

in connection with the Transactions described in this prospectus supplement. Please read “Summary — Recent Developments — Ergon Transactions.”

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC may release any of the securities subject to these lock-up arrangements at any time without notice. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC has no present intent or arrangement to release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements. The release of any lock-up is considered on a case-by-case basis. Factors that will be considered in deciding whether to release common units may include the length of time before the lock-up period expires, the number of common units involved, the reasons for the requested release, market conditions, the trading price of our common units, historical trading volume of our common units and whether the person seeking the release is an officer, director or affiliate of us.

Listing

Our common units are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “BKEP.”

Passive Market Making

In connection with the offering, the underwriter may engage in passive market making transactions in the common units on the Nasdaq Global Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) during the period before the commencement of offers or sales of common units and extending through the completion of distribution. A passive market maker must display its bids at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of the security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid that bid must be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.

Price Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

In connection with the offering, the underwriter may purchase and sell common units in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, syndicate covering transactions and stabilizing transactions. Short sales involve syndicate sales of common units in excess of the number of common units to be purchased by the underwriter in the offering, which creates a syndicate short position. “Covered” short sales are sales of common units made in an amount up to the number of common units represented by the underwriter’s option to purchase additional common units. In determining the source of common units to

 

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close out the covered syndicate short position, the underwriter will consider, among other things, the price of common units available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase units through the option to purchase additional common units. Transactions to close out the covered syndicate short position involve either purchases of the common units in the open market after the distribution has been completed or the exercise of the option to purchase additional common units. The underwriter may also make “naked” short sales of common units in excess of the option to purchase additional common units. The underwriter must close out any naked short position by purchasing common units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriter is concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common units in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of bids for or purchases of common units in the open market while the offering is in progress.

The underwriter also may impose a penalty bid. Penalty bids permit the underwriter to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the representatives repurchase common units originally sold by that syndicate member in order to cover syndicate short positions or make stabilizing purchases.

Any of these activities may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common units. They may also cause the price of the common units to be higher than the price that would otherwise exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. The underwriter may conduct these transactions on the Nasdaq Global Market or in the over-the-counter market, or otherwise. If the underwriter commences any of these transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.

Electronic Distribution

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by the underwriter. The underwriter may agree to allocate a number of common units for sale to their online brokerage account holders. The common units will be allocated to the underwriter that may make internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations. In addition, common units may be sold by the underwriter to securities dealers who resell common units to online brokerage account holders.

Other than this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in electronic format, information contained in any website maintained by an underwriter is not part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or registration statement of which the accompanying prospectus forms a part, has not been endorsed by us and should not be relied on by investors in deciding whether to purchase common units. The underwriter is not responsible for information contained in websites that they do not maintain.

Indemnification

We, our general partner and BKEP Operating, L.L.C. have agreed to indemnify the underwriter against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933 or to contribute to payments the underwriter may be required to make because of any of those liabilities.

Relationships

The underwriter and its affiliates have performed and may in the future perform various investment and commercial banking and advisory services for us and our affiliates from time to time for which they have received or will receive customary fees and expenses. The underwriter and its affiliates may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of their business. In particular, an affiliate of the underwriter is a lender under our credit facility, and as such, may receive a portion of the net proceeds from this offering pursuant to any repayment of borrowings under such facility. The underwriter also served as the financial advisor to Ergon in connection with the Transactions.

In addition, in the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriter and its affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related

 

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derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and instruments of ours or our affiliates. The underwriter and its affiliates may also make investment recommendations or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long or short positions in such securities and instruments.

FINRA

Because the FINRA views the common units offered hereby as interests in a direct participation program, there is no conflict of interest between us and the underwriter under Rule 5121 of the FINRA Rules and this offering is being made in compliance with Rule 2310 of the FINRA Rules. Investor suitability with respect to the common units should be judged similarly to the suitability with respect to other securities that are listed for trading on a national securities exchange.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the common units will be passed upon for us by Baker Botts L.L.P., Dallas, Texas. Certain legal matters are being passed upon for the underwriter by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) of Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and other reports and other information with the Commission under the Exchange Act. You may read and copy any reports, statements or other information filed by us at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

We make available free of charge on our internet website at www.bkep.com our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and you should not consider such information as part of this prospectus supplement.

INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we have filed with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus supplement by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference herein is an important part of this prospectus supplement. Information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and may replace information in this prospectus supplement and information previously filed with the SEC. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any information furnished under Items 2.02 or 7.01 on any Current Report on Form 8-K, or any corresponding information furnished under Item 9.01 or included as an exhibit), including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus supplement and until the termination of this offering:

 

•

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015;

 

•

Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016;

 

•

Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on July 14, 2016 and July 20, 2016 (in each case to the extent filed and not furnished); and

 

•

The description of our common units contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on May 10, 2011, and including any other amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

 

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You may obtain any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement from the SEC through the SEC’s website at the address provided above. You also may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by visiting our internet website at www.bkep.com, or by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:

Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P.

201 NW 10th Street, Suite 200

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73103

Attention: Investor Relations

Telephone: (405) 278-6400

 

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PROSPECTUS

 

 

$400,000,000

BLUEKNIGHT ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.

BKEP FINANCE CORPORATION

Common Units

Partnership Securities

Warrants

Rights

Debt Securities

 

 

We may offer, from time to time, in one or more series, the following securities under this prospectus:

 

•

common units representing limited partner interests in Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P.;

 

•

partnership securities;

 

•

warrants to purchase common units, partnership securities or debt securities;

 

•

rights to purchase common units, partnership securities or debt securities; and

 

•

debt securities, which may be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities.

BKEP Finance Corporation may act as co-issuer of the debt securities, and certain other direct or indirect subsidiaries of Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. may guarantee the debt securities.

We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers, and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. The aggregate initial offering price of all securities sold by us under this prospectus will not exceed $400,000,000. This prospectus describes the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which we will offer the securities. The specific terms of any securities we offer will be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also describe the specific manner in which we will offer the securities.

Our common units are traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “BKEP.” We will provide information in the prospectus supplement for the trading market, if any, for any partnership securities, warrants, rights and debt securities we may offer.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves risk. Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. You should carefully consider the risk factors described under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3 of this prospectus before you make any investment in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined whether this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is September 12, 2014.

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Table of Contents

 

		Page
About this Prospectus			1
About Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P.			2
Risk Factors			3
Forward-Looking Statements			4
Use of Proceeds			5
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Ratio of Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Unit Distributions			6
Description of the Debt Securities			7
Description of the Common Units			16
Description of the Partnership Securities			19
Description of the Warrants			20
Description of the Rights			22
The Partnership Agreement			23
Cash Distribution Policy			38
Material Federal Income Tax Consequences			47
Plan of Distribution			64
Where You Can Find More Information			66
Legal Matters			67
Experts			67

 

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You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are not an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus, or that the information contained in any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of a security.

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we and BKEP Finance Corporation have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process or continuous offering process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell up to $400,000,000 of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. Each time we offer securities, we will provide you with this prospectus and a prospectus supplement that will describe, among other things, the specific amounts and prices of the securities being offered and the terms of the offering, including, in the case of partnership securities, warrants, rights and debt securities, the specific terms of the securities.

The prospectus supplement may include additional risk factors or other special considerations applicable to those securities and may also add, update, or change information in this prospectus. Additional information, including our financial statements and the notes thereto, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our reports filed with the SEC. Please read “Where You Can Find More Information.” You are urged to read this prospectus and any prospectus supplements relating to the securities offered to you, together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information,” carefully before investing in our common units, partnership securities, warrants, rights, or debt securities. To the extent information in this prospectus is inconsistent with information contained in a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

As used in this prospectus, “we,” “us” and “our” and similar terms mean Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

 

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ABOUT BLUEKNIGHT ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.

We are a publicly traded master limited partnership with operations in twenty-three states. We provide integrated terminalling, storage, processing, gathering and transportation services for companies engaged in the production, distribution and marketing of crude oil and asphalt product. We do not take title of the crude oil and asphalt for which we provide services for our customers, and our only inventory consists of pipeline linefill and tank bottoms necessary to operate our assets.

Our general partner, Blueknight Energy Partners G.P., L.L.C., is a Delaware limited liability company. Our general partner has sole responsibility for conducting our business and managing our operations.

We own 100% of BKEP Finance Corporation. BKEP Finance Corporation was organized for the purpose of co-issuing our debt securities and has no material assets or liabilities, other than as co-issuer of our debt securities. Its activities will be limited to co-issuing our debt securities and engaging in activities incidental thereto.

BKEP Operating, L.L.C., BKEP Management, Inc., BKEP Crude, L.L.C., BKEP Pipeline, L.L.C., BKEP Materials, L.L.C., BKEP Asphalt, L.L.C., Blueknight Motor Carrier LLC, BKEP Sub, L.L.C., BKEP Services LLC and Knight Warrior LLC may unconditionally guarantee any series of debt securities of Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. and BKEP Finance Corporation offered by this prospectus, as set forth in a related prospectus supplement. As used in this prospectus, the term “Subsidiary Guarantors” means the subsidiaries that unconditionally guarantee any such series of debt securities.

Our principal executive offices are located at 201 NW 10th, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73103, and our phone number is (405) 278-6400. Our website is located at http://www.bkep.com. We make our periodic reports and other information filed with or furnished to the SEC available, free of charge, through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus unless specifically so designated and filed with the SEC.

For additional information as to our business, properties, and financial condition, please refer to the documents cited in “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

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RISK FACTORS

The nature of our business activities subjects us to certain hazards and risks. Additionally, limited partner interests are inherently different from the capital stock of a corporation, although many of the business risks to which we are subject are similar to those that would be faced by a corporation engaged in similar businesses. You should carefully consider the risk factors and all of the other information included in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, including those included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and, if applicable, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, in evaluating an investment in our securities. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition, or results of operations could be adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our common units, partnership securities, warrants, rights or debt securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment. When we offer and sell any securities pursuant to a prospectus supplement, we may include additional risk factors relevant to such securities in the prospectus supplement.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some of the information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference contain “forward-looking” statements. These statements discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future trends, plans, events, results of operations or financial condition, or state other information relating to us, based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Words such as “may,” “will,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “project” and other similar phrases or expressions identify forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements are made based upon management’s current plans, expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting us and therefore involve a number of risks and uncertainties. We caution that forward-looking statements are not guarantees and that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we have incorporated by reference.

We disclaim any obligation to publicly update or advise of any change in any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated to the contrary in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general partnership purposes, which may include debt repayment, future acquisitions, capital expenditures and additions to working capital.

Any specific allocation of the net proceeds of an offering of securities to a purpose will be determined at the time of the offering and will be described in a prospectus supplement.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED UNIT DISTRIBUTIONS

The table below sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges and ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred unit distributions for the periods indicated on a consolidated historical basis.

 

		Year Ended December 31, 2009				Year Ended December 31, 2010				Year Ended December 31, 2011				Year Ended December 31, 2012				Year Ended December 31, 2013				Six Months Ended June 30, 2014
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges			—				—				2.0				3.2				3.1				2.0
Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred unit distributions			—				—				1.4				1.2				1.3				—

Earnings included in the calculation of this ratio consist of (i) earnings from continuing operations before tax, minus (ii) capitalized interest, plus (iii) depreciation of capitalized interest. Fixed charges included in the calculation of this ratio consist of (i) interest expense, plus (ii) estimated interest associated with rent expense, plus (iii) capitalized interest. For the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, our earnings were insufficient to cover fixed charges and the deficiency of earnings were $28.5 million and $17.4 million, respectively.

The ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred unit distributions is calculated by dividing earnings by fixed charges. For this purpose, “earnings” has the meaning assigned above and “fixed charges” has the meaning assigned above plus preferred unit distributions of consolidated subsidiaries. For the six months ended June 30, 2014 and the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, our earnings were insufficient to cover fixed charges and the deficiency of earnings were $3.1 million, $30.7 million and $17.4 million, respectively.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE DEBT SECURITIES

Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. and BKEP Finance Corporation may issue senior debt securities. The issuers will issue senior debt securities under an indenture among them, the Subsidiary Guarantors, if any, and a trustee that we will name in the related prospectus supplement. We refer to this indenture as the senior indenture. The issuers may also issue subordinated debt securities under an indenture to be entered into among them, the Subsidiary Guarantors, if any, and the trustee. We refer to this indenture as the subordinated indenture. We refer to the senior indenture and the subordinated indenture collectively as the indentures. The debt securities will be governed by the provisions of the related indenture and those made part of the indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

We have summarized material provisions of the indentures, the debt securities and the guarantees below. This summary is not complete. We have filed the forms of senior and subordinated indentures with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and you should read the indentures for provisions that may be important to you.

Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this “Description of the Debt Securities” to “we,” “us,” “our” and the “issuers” mean Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. and BKEP Finance Corporation, and references in this prospectus to an “indenture” refer to the particular indenture under which we issue a series of debt securities.

Provisions Applicable to Each Indenture

General. Any series of debt securities:

 

•

will be general obligations of the issuers of such series;

 

•

will be general obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors if they are guaranteed by the Subsidiary

 

•

may be subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness (as defined below) of the issuers and the Subsidiary Guarantors.

The indentures do not limit the amount of debt securities that may be issued under any indenture, and do not limit the amount of other indebtedness or securities that we may issue. We may issue debt securities under the indentures from time to time in one or more series, each in an amount authorized prior to issuance.

No indenture contains any covenants or other provisions designed to protect holders of the debt securities in the event we participate in a highly leveraged transaction or upon a change of control. The indentures also do not contain provisions that give holders the right to require us to repurchase their securities in the event of a decline in our credit ratings for any reason, including as a result of a takeover, recapitalization or similar restructuring or otherwise.

Terms. We will prepare a prospectus supplement and either a supplemental indenture, or authorizing resolutions of the board of directors of our general partner, accompanied by an officers’ certificate, relating to any series of debt securities that we offer, which will include specific terms relating to some or all of the following:

 

•

whether the debt securities will be senior or subordinated debt securities;

 

•

the form and title of the debt securities of that series;

 

•

the total principal amount of the debt securities of that series;

 

•

whether the debt securities of that series will be issued in individual certificates to each holder or in the form of temporary or permanent global securities held by a depositary on behalf of holders;

 

•

the date or dates on which the principal of and any premium on the debt securities of that series will be payable;

 

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•

any interest rate which the debt securities of that series will bear, the date from which interest will accrue, interest payment dates and record dates for interest payments;

 

•

any right to extend or defer the interest payment periods and the duration of the extension;

 

•

whether and under what circumstances any additional amounts with respect to the debt securities of that series will be payable;

 

•

whether debt securities of that series are entitled to the benefits of any guarantee of any Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

•

the place or places where payments on the debt securities of that series will be payable;

 

•

any provisions for the optional redemption or early repayment of that series of debt securities;

 

•

any provisions that would require the redemption, purchase or repayment of that series of debt securities;

 

•

the denominations in which that series of debt securities will be issued;

 

•

the portion of the principal amount of that series of debt securities that will be payable if the maturity is accelerated, if other than the entire principal amount;

 

•

any additional means of defeasance of that series of debt securities, any additional conditions or limitations to defeasance of the debt securities or any changes to those conditions or limitations;

 

•

any changes or additions to the events of default or covenants described in this prospectus;

 

•

any restrictions or other provisions relating to the transfer or exchange of that series of debt securities;

 

•

any terms for the conversion or exchange of that series of debt securities for our other securities or securities of any other entity;

 

•

any changes to the subordination provisions for the subordinated debt securities; and

 

•

any other terms of the debt securities of that series.

This description of debt securities will be deemed modified, amended or supplemented by any description of any series of debt securities set forth in a prospectus supplement related to that series.

We may sell the debt securities at a discount, which may be substantially below their stated principal amount. These debt securities may bear no interest or interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below market rates. If we sell these debt securities, we will describe in the prospectus supplement any material United States federal income tax consequences and other special considerations.

The Subsidiary Guarantees. The Subsidiary Guarantors may fully, unconditionally, jointly and severally guarantee on an unsecured basis all series of non-convertible debt securities of the issuers. In the event of any such guarantee, each Subsidiary Guarantor will execute a notation of guarantee as further evidence of their guarantee. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any guarantee by the Subsidiary Guarantors. The Subsidiary Guarantors will not guarantee any convertible debt securities.

If a series of non-convertible senior debt securities is so guaranteed, the Subsidiary Guarantors’ guarantee of the senior debt securities will be the Subsidiary Guarantors’ unsecured and unsubordinated general obligation, and will rank on a parity with all of the Subsidiary Guarantors’ other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. If a series of non-convertible subordinated debt securities is so guaranteed, the Subsidiary Guarantors’ guarantee of the subordinated debt securities will be the Subsidiary Guarantors’ unsecured general obligation and will be subordinated to all of the Subsidiary Guarantors’ other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness.

The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under its guarantee of the non-convertible debt securities will be limited to the maximum amount that will not result in the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantor under the guarantee constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law, after giving effect to:

 

•

all other contingent and fixed liabilities of the Subsidiary Guarantor; and

 

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•

any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Subsidiary Guarantors in respect of the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantor under its guarantee.

The guarantee of any Subsidiary Guarantor may be released under certain circumstances. If we exercise our legal or covenant defeasance option with respect to debt securities of a particular series as described below in “—Defeasance,” then any Subsidiary Guarantor will be released with respect to that series. Further, if no default has occurred and is continuing under the indentures, and to the extent not otherwise prohibited by the indentures, a Subsidiary Guarantor will be unconditionally released and discharged from the guarantee:

 

•

automatically upon any sale, exchange or transfer, whether by way of merger or otherwise, to any person that is not our affiliate, of all of our direct or indirect limited partnership or other equity interests in the Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

•

automatically upon the merger of the Subsidiary Guarantor into us or any other Subsidiary Guarantor or the liquidation and dissolution of the Subsidiary Guarantor; or

 

•

following delivery of a written notice by us to the trustee, upon the release of all guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantor of any debt of ours for borrowed money for a purchase money obligation or for a guarantee of either, except for any series of debt securities.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets. The indentures generally permit a consolidation or merger involving the issuers or the Subsidiary Guarantors. They also permit the issuers or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, to lease, assign, transfer or dispose of all or substantially all of their assets. Each of the issuers and the Subsidiary Guarantors has agreed, however, that it will not consolidate with or merge into any entity (other than one of the issuers or a Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable) or lease, assign, transfer or dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to any entity (other than one of the issuers or a Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable) unless:

 

•

it is the continuing entity; or

 

•

if it is not the continuing entity, the resulting entity or transferee is organized and existing under the laws of any United States jurisdiction and assumes the performance of its covenants and obligations under the indentures; and

 

•

in either case, immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no default or event of default would occur and be continuing or would result from the transaction.

Upon any such consolidation, merger or asset lease, assignment, transfer or other disposition involving the issuers or the Subsidiary Guarantors, the resulting entity or transferee will be substituted for the issuers or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, under the applicable indenture and debt securities. In the case of an asset transfer or other disposition other than a lease, the issuers or the Subsidiary Guarantors, as applicable, will be released from the applicable indenture.

Events of Default. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the following are events of default with respect to a series of debt securities:

 

•

failure to pay interest on or other charges relating to that series of debt securities when due that continues for 30 days;

 

•

default in the payment of principal or premium, if any, on any debt securities of that series when due, whether at its stated maturity, upon redemption, by declaration upon required repurchase or otherwise;

 

•

default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment with respect to any debt securities of that series when due that continues for 30 days;

 

•

failure by the issuers or, if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by any Subsidiary Guarantors, by such Subsidiary Guarantor, to comply for 60 days with the other agreements contained in the indentures, any supplement to the indentures or any board resolution authorizing the issuance of that series after written notice by the trustee or by the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities issued under that indenture that are affected by that failure;

 

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•

certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the issuers or, if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by any Subsidiary Guarantor, of any such Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

•

if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by any Subsidiary Guarantor:

 

•

any of the guarantees ceases to be in full force and effect, except as otherwise provided in the indentures;

 

•

any of the guarantees is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding; or

 

•

any Subsidiary Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under the indentures or its guarantee; and

 

•

any other event of default provided for in that series of debt securities.

A default under one series of debt securities will not necessarily be a default under another series. The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of the debt securities of any default or event of default (except in any payment on the debt securities) if the trustee considers it in the interest of the holders of the debt securities to do so.

If an event of default for any series of debt securities occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series affected by the default (or, in some cases, 25% in principal amount of all debt securities issued under the applicable indenture that are affected, voting as one class) may declare the principal of and all accrued and unpaid interest on those debt securities to be immediately due and payable. If an event of default relating to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization occurs, the principal of and interest on all the debt securities issued under the applicable indenture will become immediately due and payable without any action on the part of the trustee or any holder. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series affected by the default (or, in some cases, of all debt securities issued under the applicable indenture that are affected, voting as one class) may in some cases rescind this accelerated payment requirement.

A holder of a debt security of any series issued under each indenture may pursue any remedy under that indenture only if:

 

•

the holder gives the trustee written notice of a continuing event of default for that series;

 

•

the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series make a written request to the trustee to pursue the remedy;

 

•

the holders offer to the trustee indemnity satisfactory to the trustee;

 

•

the trustee fails to act for a period of 60 days after receipt of the request and offer of indemnity; and

 

•

during that 60-day period, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series do not give the trustee a direction inconsistent with the request.

 

•

This provision does not, however, affect the right of a holder of a debt security to sue for enforcement of any overdue payment.

In most cases, holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series (or of all debt securities issued under the applicable indenture that are affected, voting as one class) may direct the time, method and place of:

 

•

conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee; and

 

•

exercising any trust or power conferred upon the trustee relating to or arising as a result of an event of default.

The issuers are required to file each year with the trustee a written statement as to its compliance with the covenants contained in the applicable indenture.

 

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Modification and Waiver. Each indenture may be amended or supplemented if the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series issued under that indenture that are affected by the amendment or supplement (acting as one class) consent to it. Without the consent of the holder of each debt security affected, however, no modification may:

 

•

reduce the amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, a supplement or a waiver;

 

•

reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on the debt security;

 

•

reduce the principal of, any premium on or any sinking fund payment with respect to the debt security or change its stated maturity;

 

•

reduce any premium payable on the redemption of the debt security or change the time at which the debt security may or must be redeemed;

 

•

change any obligation to pay additional amounts on the debt security;

 

•

make payments on the debt security payable in currency other than as originally stated in the debt security;

 

•

impair the holder’s right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to the debt security;

 

•

make any change in the percentage of principal amount of debt securities necessary to waive compliance with certain provisions of the indenture or to make any change in the provision related to modification;

 

•

modify the provisions relating to the subordination of any subordinated debt security in a manner adverse to the holder of that security;

 

•

waive a continuing default or event of default regarding any payment on the debt securities; or

 

•

release any Subsidiary Guarantor, or modify the guarantee of any Subsidiary Guarantor in any manner adverse to the holders.

Each indenture may be amended or supplemented or any provision of that indenture may be waived without the consent of any holders of debt securities issued under that indenture:

 

•

to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;

 

•

to provide for the assumption of the issuers’ obligations under the indentures by a successor upon any merger, consolidation or asset transfer permitted under the indenture;

 

•

to provide for uncertificated debt securities in addition to or in place of certificated debt securities or to provide for bearer debt securities;

 

•

to provide any security for, any guarantees of or any additional obligors on any series of debt securities or, with respect to the senior indenture, the related guarantees;

 

•

to comply with any requirement to effect or maintain the qualification of that indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939;

 

•

to add covenants that would benefit the holders of any debt securities or to surrender any rights the issuers have under the indentures;

 

•

to add events of default with respect to any debt securities; and

 

•

to make any change that does not adversely affect any outstanding debt securities of any series issued under that indenture in any material respect.

 

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The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series (or, in some cases, of all debt securities issued under the applicable indenture that are affected, voting as one class) may waive any existing or past default or event of default with respect to those debt securities. Those holders may not, however, waive any default or event of default in any payment on any debt security or compliance with a provision that cannot be amended or supplemented without the consent of each holder affected.

Defeasance. When we use the term defeasance, we mean discharge from some or all of our obligations under the indentures. If any combination of funds or government securities are deposited with the trustee under an indenture sufficient to make payments on the debt securities of a series issued under that indenture on the dates those payments are due and payable, then, at our option, either of the following will occur:

 

•

we will be discharged from our or their obligations with respect to the debt securities of that series and, if applicable, the related guarantees (“legal defeasance”); or

 

•

we will no longer have any obligation to comply with the restrictive covenants, the merger covenant and other specified covenants under the applicable indenture, and the related events of default will no longer apply (“covenant defeasance”).

If a series of debt securities is defeased, the holders of the debt securities of the series affected will not be entitled to the benefits of the applicable indenture, except for obligations to register the transfer or exchange of debt securities, replace stolen, lost or mutilated debt securities or maintain paying agencies and hold moneys for payment in trust. In the case of covenant defeasance, our obligation to pay principal, premium and interest on the debt securities and, if applicable, guarantees of the payments will also survive.

Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, we will be required to deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel that the deposit and related defeasance would not cause the holders of the debt securities to recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If we elect legal defeasance, that opinion of counsel must be based upon a ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or a change in law to that effect.

No Personal Liability of General Partner. Blueknight Energy Partners G.P., L.L.C., our general partner, and its directors, officers, employees, incorporators and members, in such capacity, will not be liable for the obligations of the issuers or any Subsidiary Guarantor under the debt securities, the indentures or the guarantees or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. By accepting a debt security, each holder of that debt security will have agreed to this provision and waived and released any such liability on the part of Blueknight Energy Partners G.P., L.L.C. and its directors, officers, employees, incorporators and members. This waiver and release are part of the consideration for our issuance of the debt securities. It is the view of the SEC that a waiver of liabilities under the federal securities laws is against public policy and unenforceable.

Governing Law. New York law will govern the indentures and the debt securities.

Trustee. We may appoint a separate trustee for any series of debt securities. We use the term “trustee” to refer to the trustee appointed with respect to any such series of debt securities. We may maintain banking and other commercial relationships with the trustee and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business, and the trustee may own debt securities.

Form, Exchange, Registration and Transfer. The debt securities will be issued in registered form, without interest coupons. There will be no service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities. However, payment of any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable for that registration may be required.

Debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount and the same terms but in different authorized denominations in accordance with the applicable

 

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indenture. Holders may present debt securities for registration of transfer at the office of the security registrar or any transfer agent we designate. The security registrar or transfer agent will effect the transfer or exchange if its requirements and the requirements of the applicable indenture are met.

The trustee will be appointed as security registrar for the debt securities. If a prospectus supplement refers to any transfer agents we initially designate, we may at any time rescind that designation or approve a change in the location through which any transfer agent acts. We are required to maintain an office or agency for transfers and exchanges in each place of payment. We may at any time designate additional transfer agents for any series of debt securities.

In the case of any redemption, we will not be required to register the transfer or exchange of:

 

•

any debt security during a period beginning 15 business days prior to the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption and ending on the close of business on the day of mailing of such notice; or

 

•

any debt security that has been called for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being redeemed in part.

Payment and Paying Agents. Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, payments on the debt securities will be made in U.S. dollars at the office of the trustee and any paying agent. At our option, however, payments may be made by wire transfer for global debt securities or by check mailed to the address of the person entitled to the payment as it appears in the security register. Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, interest payments may be made to the person in whose name the debt security is registered at the close of business on the record date for the interest payment.

Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, the trustee under the applicable indenture will be designated as the paying agent for payments on debt securities issued under that indenture. We may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts.

If the principal of or any premium or interest on debt securities of a series is payable on a day that is not a business day, the payment will be made on the following business day. For these purposes, unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, a “business day” is any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New York, New York or a place of payment on the debt securities of that series is authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed.

Subject to the requirements of any applicable abandoned property laws, the trustee and paying agent will pay to us upon written request any money held by them for payments on the debt securities that remains unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment. In that case, all liability of the trustee or paying agent with respect to that money will cease.

Book-Entry Debt Securities. The debt securities of a series may be issued in the form of one or more global debt securities that would be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the prospectus supplement. Global debt securities may be issued in either temporary or permanent form. We will describe in the prospectus supplement the terms of any depositary arrangement and the rights and limitations of owners of beneficial interests in any global debt security.

Provisions Applicable Solely to the Subordinated Indenture

Subordination. Debt securities of a series may be subordinated to the issuers’ “Senior Indebtedness,” which is defined generally to include any obligation created or assumed by the issuers (or, if the series is guaranteed, any Subsidiary Guarantors) for the repayment of borrowed money, any purchase money obligation created or

 

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assumed by the issuer, and any guarantee therefor, whether outstanding or hereafter issued, unless, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing such obligation, it is provided that such obligation is subordinate or not superior in right of payment to the debt securities (or, if the series is guaranteed, the guarantee of any Subsidiary Guarantor), or to other obligations which are pari passu with or subordinated to the debt securities (or, if the series is guaranteed, the guarantee of any Subsidiary Guarantor). Subordinated debt securities will be subordinated in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the subordinated indenture and the prospectus supplement relating to such series, to the prior payment of all of our indebtedness and that of any Subsidiary Guarantor that is designated as “Senior Indebtedness” with respect to the series.

The holders of Senior Indebtedness of the issuers or, if applicable, a Subsidiary Guarantor will receive payment in full of the Senior Indebtedness before holders of subordinated debt securities will receive any payment of principal, premium or interest with respect to the subordinated debt securities upon any payment or distribution of our assets or, if applicable to any series of outstanding debt securities, the Subsidiary Guarantors’ assets, to creditors:

 

•

upon a liquidation or dissolution of the issuers or, if applicable to any series of outstanding debt securities, the Subsidiary Guarantors; or

 

•

in a bankruptcy, receivership or similar proceeding relating to the issuers or, if applicable to any series of outstanding debt securities, to the Subsidiary Guarantors.

Until the Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, any distribution to which holders of subordinated debt securities would otherwise be entitled will be made to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, except that the holders of subordinated debt securities may receive units representing limited partner interests and any debt securities that are subordinated to Senior Indebtedness to at least the same extent as the subordinated debt securities.

If the issuers do not pay any principal, premium or interest with respect to Senior Indebtedness within any applicable grace period (including at maturity), or any other default on Senior Indebtedness occurs and the maturity of the Senior Indebtedness is accelerated in accordance with its terms, the issuers may not:

 

•

make any payments of principal, premium, if any, or interest with respect to subordinated debt securities;

 

•

make any deposit for the purpose of defeasance of the subordinated debt securities; or

 

•

repurchase, redeem or otherwise retire any subordinated debt securities, except that in the case of subordinated debt securities that provide for a mandatory sinking fund, the issuers may deliver subordinated debt securities to the trustee in satisfaction of our sinking fund obligation,

unless, in either case,

 

•

the default has been cured or waived and any declaration of acceleration has been rescinded;

 

•

the Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full in cash; or

 

•

the issuers and the trustee receive written notice approving the payment from the representatives of each issue of “Designated Senior Indebtedness.”

Generally, “Designated Senior Indebtedness” will include:

 

•

any specified issue of Senior Indebtedness of at least $100.0 million; and

 

•

any other Senior Indebtedness that we may designate in respect of any series of subordinated debt securities.

During the continuance of any default, other than a default described in the immediately preceding paragraph, that may cause the maturity of any Designated Senior Indebtedness to be accelerated immediately

 

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without further notice, other than any notice required to effect such acceleration, or the expiration of any applicable grace periods, the issuers may not pay the subordinated debt securities for a period called the “Payment Blockage Period.” A Payment Blockage Period will commence on the receipt by the issuers and the trustee of written notice of the default, called a “Blockage Notice,” from the representative of any Designated Senior Indebtedness specifying an election to effect a Payment Blockage Period and will end 179 days thereafter.

The Payment Blockage Period may be terminated before its expiration:

 

•

by written notice from the person or persons who gave the Blockage Notice;

 

•

by repayment in full in cash of the Designated Senior Indebtedness with respect to which the Blockage Notice was given; or

 

•

if the default giving rise to the Payment Blockage Period is no longer continuing.

Unless the holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness have accelerated the maturity of the Designated Senior Indebtedness, we may resume payments on the subordinated debt securities after the expiration of the Payment Blockage Period.

Generally, not more than one Blockage Notice may be given in any period of 360 consecutive days. The total number of days during which any one or more Payment Blockage Periods are in effect, however, may not exceed an aggregate of 179 days during any period of 360 consecutive days.

After all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full and until the subordinated debt securities are paid in full, holders of the subordinated debt securities will be subrogated to the rights of holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive distributions applicable to Senior Indebtedness.

As a result of the subordination provisions described above, in the event of insolvency, the holders of Senior Indebtedness, as well as certain of our general creditors, may recover more, ratably, than the holders of the subordinated debt securities.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS

The Common Units

The common units represent limited partner interests in us that entitle the holders to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the relative rights and preferences of holders of common units in and to partnership distributions, please read this section and “Cash Distribution Policy.” For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please see “The Partnership Agreement.”

Our common units are traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “BKEP.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Duties. American Stock Transfer & Trust Company serves as the registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units, except the following that must be paid by unitholders:

 

•

surety bond premiums to replace lost or stolen certificates, taxes, and other governmental charges;

 

•

special charges for services requested by a unitholder; and

 

•

other similar fees or charges.

There is no charge to the holders of common units for disbursements of our cash distributions. We will indemnify the transfer agent, its agents, and each of their stockholders, directors, officers, and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.

Resignation or Removal. The transfer agent may resign by notice to us or may be removed by us. The resignation or removal of the transfer agent will become effective upon our appointment of a successor transfer agent and registrar and its acceptance of the appointment. If no successor has been appointed and has accepted the appointment within 30 days after notice of the resignation or removal, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.

Transfer of Units

By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Each transferee:

 

•

represents that the transferee has the capacity, power, and authority to become bound by our partnership agreement;

 

•

automatically agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of, and is deemed to have executed, our partnership agreement; and

 

•

gives the consents and approvals contained in our partnership agreement.

A transferee will become a substituted limited partner of our partnership for the transferred common units automatically upon the recording of the transfer on our books and records. Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.

We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder’s rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.

 

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Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfers of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to seek to become a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units subject to the conditions of, and in the manner provided under, our partnership agreement.

Until a common unit has been transferred and recorded on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.

Our general partner has the right under our partnership agreement to institute procedures, by giving notice to each of our unitholders, that would require transferees of units and, upon the request of our general partner, existing holders of our units to certify that they are Eligible Holders (as defined below). The purpose of these certification procedures would be to enable us to utilize a federal income tax expense as a component of the pipeline’s cost of service upon which tariffs may be established under FERC rate making policies applicable to entities that pass-through their taxable income to their owners. Eligible Holders are individuals or entities subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us or entities not subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us, so long as all of the entity’s owners are subject to such taxation. If these tax certification procedures are implemented, transferees of common units will be required to certify, and our general partner, acting on our behalf, may at any time require each unitholder to re-certify:

 

•

that the transferee or unitholder is an individual or an entity subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us; or

 

•

that, if the transferee unitholder is an entity not subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us, as in the case, for example, of a mutual fund taxed as a regulated investment company or a partnership, all the entity’s owners are subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us.

In the event that this notice is given by our general partner, which we refer to as a FERC Notice, transfers of a unit will not be recorded by the transfer agent or recognized by us unless the transferee executes and delivers a properly completed tax certification.

Following a FERC Notice, a transferee’s broker, agent or nominee may, but is not obligated to, complete, execute and deliver a tax certification. We are entitled to treat the nominee holder of a unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder’s rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.

Following a FERC Notice, in addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to request admission as a limited partner in our partnership for the transferred units. A purchaser or transferee of units who does not execute and deliver a properly completed tax certification obtains only:

 

•

the right to assign the common unit to a purchaser or other transferee; and

 

•

the right to transfer the right to seek admission as a limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units.

As a result, following a FERC Notice, a purchaser or transferee of units who does not execute and deliver a properly completed transfer application:

 

•

will not receive cash distributions;

 

•

will not be allocated any of our income, gain, deduction, losses or credits for federal income tax or other tax purposes;

 

•

may not receive some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of common units; and

 

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•

will have no voting rights,

unless the units are held in a nominee or “street name” account and the nominee or broker has executed and delivered a tax certification as to itself and any beneficial holders.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PARTNERSHIP SECURITIES

Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited partner interests and other equity securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our general partner in its sole discretion without the approval of any limited partners.

It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities. 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 also may issue additional partnership interests that, in the sole discretion of our general partner, have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled.

Upon issuance of additional partnership interests, our general partner may make, but is not required to make, additional capital contributions in us. If our general partner chooses not to make an additional capital contribution equal to its percentage interest, such interest will be reduced to reflect its percentage of the total capital contributed.

The following is a description of the general terms and provisions of our partnership securities. The particular terms of any series of partnership securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and the amendment to our partnership agreement, if necessary, relating to that series of partnership securities, which will be filed as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in this prospectus at or before the time of issuance of any such series of partnership securities. If so indicated in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any such series may differ from the terms set forth below.

Our general partner is authorized to approve the issuance of one or more series of partnership securities without further authorization of the limited partners and to fix the number of securities, the designations, rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions of any such series.

The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the number of securities, particular designation, relative rights and preferences and the limitations of any series of partnership securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered. The particular terms of any such series may include the following:

 

•

the maximum number of securities to constitute the series and the designation and ranking thereof;

 

•

the annual distribution rate, if any, on securities of the series, whether such rate is fixed or variable or both, the dates from which distributions will begin to accrue or accumulate, whether distributions will be cumulative and whether such distributions will be paid in cash, securities or otherwise;

 

•

whether the securities of the series will be redeemable and, if so, the price at the terms and conditions on which the securities of the series may be redeemed, including the time during which securities of the series may be redeemed and any accumulated distributions thereof that the holders of the securities of the series will be entitled to receive upon the redemption thereof;

 

•

the liquidation preference, if any, applicable to securities of the series;

 

•

the terms and conditions, if any, on which the securities of the series will be convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities of any other class or classes of partnership securities, including the price or prices or the rate or rates of conversion or exchange and the method, is any, of adjusting the same; and

 

•

the voting rights, if any, of the securities of the series.

Partnership securities will be fully paid and non-assessable when issued upon full payment of the purchase price therefor. The prospectus supplement will contain, if applicable, a description of the material United States federal income tax consequences relating to the purchase and ownership of the series of partnership securities offered by the prospectus supplement. The transfer agent, registrar and distributions disbursement agent for the partnership securities will be designated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE WARRANTS

General Description of Warrants

We may issue warrants for the purchase of common units, partnership securities or debt securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with other securities and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants. A copy of the warrant agreement will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of warrants.

Common Unit Warrants and Partnership Securities Warrants

The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to purchase common units or partnership securities will describe the terms of the common unit warrants or partnership securities warrants, including, among other things, the following:

 

•

the title of the warrants;

 

•

the offering price for the warrants, if any;

 

•

the aggregate number of the warrants;

 

•

the designation and terms of the common units or partnership securities that maybe purchased upon exercise of the warrants;

 

•

if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities that the warrants are issued with and the number of warrants issued with each security;

 

•

if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable;

 

•

the number of common units or partnership securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which such securities may be purchased upon exercise;

 

•

the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants commence and expire;

 

•

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

•

the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 

•

if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations;

 

•

anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any;

 

•

redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants;

 

•

any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures, and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants; and

 

•

any other information we think is important about the warrants.

Debt Warrants

The prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants to purchase debt securities will describe the terms of those warrants, including, among other things, the following:

 

•

the title of the warrants;

 

•

the offering price for the warrants, if any;

 

•

the aggregate number of the warrants;

 

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•

the designation and terms of the debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of the warrant;

 

•

if applicable, the designation and terms of the debt securities that the warrants are issued with and the number of warrants issued with each debt security;

 

•

if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any debt securities issued with them will be separately transferable;

 

•

the principal amount of debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which the debt securities may be purchased upon exercise;

 

•

the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire;

 

•

if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;

 

•

whether the warrants will be certificated and whether the warrants represented by warrant certificates or the debt securities that may be issued upon exercise of the warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form;

 

•

information relating to book-entry procedures, if any;

 

•

the currency or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and the exercise price are payable;

 

•

if applicable, a discussion of material United States federal income tax considerations;

 

•

anti-dilution provisions of the warrants, if any;

 

•

redemption or call provisions, if any, applicable to the warrants;

 

•

any additional terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants; and

 

•

any other information we think is important about the warrants.

Exercise of Warrants

Each warrant will entitle the holder of the warrant to purchase at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement the number of common units or partnership securities or principal amount of debt securities being offered. Holders may exercise warrants at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants are void. Holders may exercise warrants as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants being offered.

Until you exercise your warrants to purchase our common units, partnership securities or debt securities, you will not have any rights as a holder of common units, partnership securities or debt securities, as the case may be, by virtue of your ownership of warrants.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF THE RIGHTS

We may issue rights to purchase common units, partnership securities or debt securities. These rights may be issued independently or together with any other security offered hereby and may or may not be transferable by the unitholder receiving the rights in such offering. In connection with any offering of such rights, we may enter into a standby arrangement with one or more underwriters or other purchasers pursuant to which the underwriters or other purchasers may be required to purchase any securities remaining unsubscribed for after such offering.

Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agreement which we will enter into with a bank or trust company, as rights agent, all as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the certificates relating to the rights and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights. We will file the rights agreement and the rights certificates relating to each series of rights with the SEC, and incorporate them by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part on or before the time we issue a series of rights.

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of any offering of rights for which this prospectus is being delivered, including, among other things, the following:

 

•

the date of determining the unitholders entitled to the rights distribution;

 

•

the number of rights issued or to be issued to each unitholder;

 

•

the exercise price payable for each common unit, partnership security, or unit of debt securities upon the exercise of the rights;

 

•

the number and terms of the common units, partnership securities, or units of debt securities which may be purchased per each right;

 

•

the extent to which the rights are transferable;

 

•

the date on which the holder’s ability to exercise the rights shall commence, and the date on which the rights shall expire;

 

•

the extent to which the rights may include an over-subscription privilege with respect to unsubscribed securities;

 

•

if applicable, the material terms of any standby underwriting or purchase arrangement entered into by us in connection with the offering of such rights;

 

•

any other terms of the rights, including the terms, procedures, conditions, and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the rights; and

 

•

any other information we think is important about the rights.

The description in the applicable prospectus supplement of any rights that we may offer will not necessarily be complete and will be qualified in its entirety by reference to the applicable rights certificate, which will be filed with the SEC.

 

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THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. Our partnership agreement is available as described under “Where You Can Find More Information.” We will provide prospective investors with a copy of our partnership agreement upon request at no charge.

We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:

 

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with regard to distributions of available cash, please see “Cash Distribution Policy;”

 

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with regard to the rights of holders of our common units, please read “Description of the Common Units;”

 

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with regard to the transfer of common units, please see “Description of the Common Units—Transfer of Units;” and

 

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with regard to allocations of taxable income, taxable loss and other matters, please see “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences.”

Organization and Duration

Our partnership was organized on February 22, 2007 and will have a perpetual existence unless terminated pursuant to the terms of our partnership agreement.

Purpose

Our purpose under the partnership agreement is to engage in any business activities that are approved by our general partner. Our general partner, however, may not cause us to engage in any business activities that the general partner determines would cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes.

Although our general partner has the ability to cause us and our subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the midstream energy business, our general partner has no current plans to do so and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. Our general partner is authorized in general to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.

Power of Attorney

Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a unit from a unitholder, by accepting the unit, automatically 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 our general partner the authority to amend, and to grant consents and waivers on behalf of the limited partners under, our partnership agreement.

Cash Distributions

Our partnership agreement specifies the manner in which we will make cash distributions to holders of our common units, Series A Preferred Units and other partnership securities as well as to our general partner in respect of its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights. For a description of these cash distribution provisions, please see “Cash Distribution Policy.”

Capital Contributions

Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under “—Limited Liability.”

 

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Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its general partner interest if we issue additional units. Our general partner’s interest, and the percentage of our cash distributions to which it is entitled, will be proportionately reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its general partner interest. Our general partner will be entitled to make a capital contribution in order to maintain its general partner interest in the form of the contribution to us of common units based on the current market value of the contributed common units.

Voting Rights

Below is a summary of the unitholder vote required for the matters specified below. Matters requiring the approval of a “unit majority” require the approval of a majority of the outstanding common units, Series A Preferred Units (voting on an as if converted basis) and Class B units, if any, voting as a class.

In voting their common units, Series A Preferred Units and Class B units, if any, our general partner and its affiliates will have no fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us and the limited partners.

The Series A Preferred Units have voting rights that are identical to the voting rights of common units and vote with the common units as a single class, so that each Series A Preferred Unit is entitled to one vote for each common unit into which such Series A Preferred Unit is convertible on each matter with respect to which each common unit is entitled to vote. In addition, the approval of a majority of the Series A Preferred Units, voting separately as a class, is necessary on any matter that adversely affects any of the rights of the Series A Preferred Units or amends or modifies the terms of the Series A Preferred Units in any material respect or affects the holders of the Series A Preferred Units disproportionately in relation to the holders of common units, including, without limitation, any action that would (i) reduce the distribution amount to the Series A Preferred Units or change the time or form of payment of distributions, (ii) reduce the amount payable to the Series A Preferred Units upon the liquidation of our partnership, (iii) modify the conditions relating to the conversion of the Series A Preferred Units or (iv) issue any equity security that, with respect to distributions or rights upon liquidation, ranks equal to or senior to the Series A Preferred Units or issue any additional Series A Preferred Units.

 

Issuance of additional common units or units of equal or junior rank to the common units		No approval right.
Issuance of units senior to the common units on or before June 30, 2015 (the “Senior Security Restriction Period”)		Majority of the outstanding common units (excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates and excluding any class or series of partnership securities that, with respect to distributions on such partnership securities or distributions on liquidation of our partnership, ranks senior to the common units during the Senior Security Restriction Period (“Senior Securities”)), with certain exceptions described under “—Issuance of Additional Securities.” We need the consent of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Units to issue any additional Series A Preferred Units or issue any equity security that, with respect to distributions or rights upon liquidation, ranks equal to or senior to the Series A Preferred Units.
Issuance of units senior to the common units after June 30, 2015		No approval with respect to the common unitholders. We need the consent of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Units to issue any additional Series A Preferred Units or issue any equity security that, with respect to distributions or rights upon liquidation, ranks equal to or senior to the Series A Preferred Units.

 

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Amendment of the partnership agreement		Certain amendments may be made by the general partner without the approval of the unitholders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a unit majority. Please see “—Amendment of the Partnership Agreement.”
Merger of our partnership or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets		Unit majority in certain circumstances. Please see “—Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets.”
Dissolution of our partnership		Unit majority. Please see “—Termination and Dissolution.”
Continuation of our business upon dissolution		Unit majority. Please see “—Termination and Dissolution.”
Withdrawal of the general partner		Under most circumstances, the approval of a majority of the common units and Series A Preferred Units, voting as a class, excluding common units and Series A Preferred Units held by our general partner and its affiliates, is required for the withdrawal of our general partner prior to June 30, 2017 in a manner that would cause a dissolution of our partnership. Please see “—Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner.”
Removal of the general partner		Not less than 66 2⁄3% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates. Please see “—Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner.”
Transfer of the general partner interest		Our general partner may transfer all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest in us without a vote of our unitholders to an affiliate or another person in connection with its merger or consolidation with or into, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets to, such person. The approval of a majority of the common units and Series A Preferred Units, voting as a class, excluding common units and Series A Preferred Units held by the general partner and its affiliates, is required in other circumstances for a transfer of the general partner interest to a third party prior to June 30, 2017. Please see “—Transfer of General Partner Units.”
Transfer of incentive distribution rights		Except for transfers to an affiliate or another person as part of our general partner’s merger or consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of its assets or the sale of all of the ownership interests in such holder, the approval of a majority of the common units and Series A Preferred Units, voting as a class, excluding common units and Series A Preferred Units held by the general partner and its affiliates, is required in most circumstances for a transfer of the incentive distribution rights to a third party prior to June 30, 2017. Please see “—Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights.”
Transfer of ownership interests in our general partner		No approval required at any time. Please see “—Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner.”

 

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Limited Liability

Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Act and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of the partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital he is obligated to contribute to us for his common units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:

 

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to remove or replace our general partner;

 

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to approve some amendments to the partnership agreement; or

 

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to take other action under the partnership agreement;

constituted “participation in the control” of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as the general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us who reasonably believe that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither the partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against the general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of the general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for this type of a claim in Delaware case law.

Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited 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, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for 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 shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Act, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except that such person is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.

Our subsidiaries conduct business in a number of states and we may have subsidiaries that conduct business in additional states in the future. Maintenance of our limited liability as a limited partner of the operating company may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the operating company conducts business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there.

Limitations on the liability of limited partners for the obligations of a limited partner have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our membership interest in the operating company or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any state without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace the general partner, to approve some amendments to the partnership agreement, or to take other action under the partnership agreement constituted “participation in the control” of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as the general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that the general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.

 

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Issuance of Additional Securities

Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our general partner without the approval of the unitholders, except:

 

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that we will need the consent of a majority of the outstanding Series A Preferred Units to issue any additional Series A Preferred Units or issue any equity security that, with respect to distributions or rights upon liquidation, ranks equal to or senior to the Series A Preferred Units; and

 

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during the Senior Security Restriction Period, we will not issue any Senior Securities without the consent of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units (excluding the common units held by our general partner and its affiliates and excluding any Senior Securities that are convertible into common units); provided that we may issue an unlimited number of Senior Securities during the Senior Security Restriction Period without obtaining such consent if (i) issuances are made upon conversion, redemption or exchange of Senior Securities into or for Senior Securities of equal or lesser rank, where the aggregate amount of distributions that would have been paid with respect to such newly issued Senior Securities, plus the related distributions to our general partner, in respect of the four-quarter period ending prior to the first day of the quarter in which the issuance is to be consummated (assuming such newly issued Senior Securities had been outstanding throughout such period) would not have exceeded the distributions actually paid during such period on the Senior Securities that are to be converted, redeemed or exchanged, plus the related distributions to our general partner, (ii) such issuances are made in connection with the combination or subdivision of any class of Senior Securities, (iii) such issuances are made in connection with an acquisition or expansion capital improvement that increases estimated pro forma Adjusted Operating Surplus (less estimated pro forma distributions on the Series A Preferred Units and on any other Senior Securities) on a per-common unit basis, as determined in good faith by our general partner, as compared to actual Adjusted Operating Surplus (less actual distributions on the Series A Preferred Units and on any other Senior Securities) on a per-common unit basis or (iv) the net proceeds of such issuances are used to repay indebtedness of our partnership or its subsidiaries; provided, however, that in the case of subsection (iv) such new securities may not be issued to an affiliate of our general partner unless the cost to service any new indebtedness that we determine that we could issue to retire existing indebtedness (with our general partner’s determination being conclusive) is greater than the distribution obligations associated with the Senior Securities issued in connection with its retirement and one or more of the following conditions are also met: (A) the indebtedness that is being repaid matures within 12 months of such repayment, or (B) such indebtedness has experienced a default or event of default (even if the lenders of such indebtedness have agreed to forebear or waive such default or event of default) or (C) our general partner expects to experience a default or event of default under such indebtedness within six months of such repayment (with our general partner’s determination being conclusive).

It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other partnership 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 distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional common units or other partnership securities 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 securities that, as determined by our general partner, may have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled. In addition, our partnership agreement does not prohibit the issuance by our subsidiaries of equity securities, which may effectively rank senior to the common units.

Upon issuance of additional partnership securities (other than the issuance of partnership securities issued in connection with a reset of the incentive distribution target levels relating to our general partner’s incentive

 

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distribution rights or the issuance of partnership securities upon conversion of outstanding partnership securities), our general partner will be entitled, but not required, to make additional capital contributions to the extent necessary to maintain its general partner interest in us. Our general partner’s interest in us will be reduced if we issue additional units in the future (other than issuance of partnership securities issued in connection with a reset of the incentive distribution target levels relating to our general partner’s incentive distribution rights or the issuance of partnership securities upon conversion of outstanding partnership securities) and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its general partner interest. Moreover, our general partner will have 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 partnership 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 the percentage interest of the general partner and its affiliates, including such interest represented by common units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. The holders of common units do not have preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership securities.

Amendment of the Partnership Agreement

General. Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, our general partner is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a unit majority.

Prohibited Amendments. No amendment may be made that would:

 

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enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, unless approved by at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests so affected; or

 

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enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by us to our general partner or any of its affiliates without the consent of our general partner, which consent may be given or withheld at its option.

The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in any of the clauses above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting together as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates).

No Unitholder Approval. Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner or assignee to reflect:

 

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a change in our name, the location of our principal place of our business, our registered agent or our registered office;

 

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the admission, substitution, withdrawal, or removal of partners in accordance with our partnership agreement;

 

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a change that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for us to qualify or to continue our qualification as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that neither we, nor the operating company, nor any of its 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 in our fiscal year or taxable year and related changes;

 

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an amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of our counsel, to prevent us or our general partner or the directors, officers, agents, or trustees of our general partner from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, or plan asset regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed;

 

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subject to the provisions of our partnership agreement, an amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the authorization or issuance of additional partnership securities, including any amendment that our general partner determines is necessary or appropriate in connection with:

 

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the adjustments of the minimum quarterly distribution, first target distribution, second target distribution and third target distribution in connection with the reset of our general partner’s incentive distribution rights as described under “Cash Distribution Policy—General Partner’s Right to Reset Incentive Distribution Levels;” or

 

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the implementation of the provisions relating to our general partner’s right to reset its incentive distribution rights in exchange for Class B units; and

 

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any modification of the incentive distribution rights made in connection with the issuance of additional partnership securities or rights to acquire partnership securities, provided that, any such modifications and related issuance of partnership securities have received approval by a majority of the members of the conflicts committee of our general partner;

 

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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 that has been approved under the terms of the partnership agreement;

 

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any amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation by us of, or our investment in, any corporation, partnership, or other entity, as otherwise permitted by our partnership agreement;

 

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any amendment necessary to require limited partners to provide a statement, certification or other evidence to us regarding whether such limited partner is subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us;

 

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conversions into, mergers with or conveyances to another limited liability entity that is newly formed and has no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of the conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives by way of the conversion, merger or conveyance; or

 

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any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in the clauses above.

In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner if our general partner determines that those amendments:

 

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do not adversely affect in any material respect the limited partners considered as a whole or any particular class of limited partners as compared to other classes of limited partners;

 

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are necessary or appropriate to 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;

 

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are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of limited partner interests or to comply with any rule, regulation, guideline, or requirement of any securities exchange on which the limited partner interests are or will be listed for trading;

 

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are necessary or appropriate for any action taken by our general partner relating to splits or combinations of units under the provisions of our partnership agreement; or

 

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are required to effect the intent expressed in the registration statement for our initial public offering or the definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on July 28, 2011 or the intent of the provisions of the partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by our partnership agreement.

Opinion of Counsel and Unitholder Approval. For amendments of the type not requiring unitholder approval, our general partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners or result in our being treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments. No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting as a single class unless we first obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners.

In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action is required to be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.

Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets

A merger, consolidation or conversion of us requires the prior consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interest of us or the limited partners.

In addition, the partnership agreement generally prohibits our general partner, without the prior approval of the holders of a unit majority, from causing us to, among other things, sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation, or other combination, or approving on our behalf the sale, exchange, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of our subsidiaries. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate, or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without that approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without that approval. Finally, our general partner may consummate any merger without the prior approval of our unitholders if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters, the transaction would not result in a material amendment to the partnership agreement, each of our units will be an identical unit of our partnership following the transaction, and the partnership securities to be issued do not exceed 20% of our outstanding partnership securities immediately prior to the transaction.

If the conditions specified in the partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner may convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey some or all of our assets to, a newly formed entity if the sole purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters, and the governing instruments of the new entity provide the limited partners and the general partner with the same rights and obligations as contained in the partnership agreement. The unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under the partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets, or any other similar transaction or event.

 

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Termination and Dissolution

We will continue as a limited partnership until terminated under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:

 

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the election of our general partner to dissolve us, if approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority;

 

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there being no limited partners, unless we are continued without dissolution in accordance with applicable Delaware law;

 

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the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of our partnership; or

 

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the withdrawal or removal of our general partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be our general partner other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with our partnership agreement or withdrawal or removal following approval and admission of a successor.

Upon a dissolution under the last clause above, the holders of a unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement by appointing as a successor general partner an entity approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that:

 

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the action would not result in the loss of limited liability of any limited partner; and

 

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neither our partnership, our operating company nor any of our other subsidiaries would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of that right to continue.

Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds

Upon our dissolution, unless we are continued as a new limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner that are necessary or appropriate, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as described in “Cash Distribution Policy—Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation.” The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners.

Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner

Except as described below, our general partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as our general partner prior to June 30, 2017 without obtaining the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units and Series A Preferred Units, voting as a class, excluding common units and Series A Preferred Units held by the general partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. On or after June 30, 2017, 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. Notwithstanding the information above, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days’ notice to the limited partners if at least 50% of the outstanding units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates other than the general partner and its affiliates. In addition, the partnership agreement permits our general partner in some instances to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in us without the approval of the unitholders. Please see “—Transfer of General Partner Units” and “—Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights.”

Upon withdrawal of our general partner under any circumstances, other than as a result of a transfer by our general partner of all or a part of its general partner interest in us, the holders of a unit majority may select a successor to that 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,

 

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unless within a specified period of time after that withdrawal, the holders of a unit majority agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner. Please see “—Termination and Dissolution.”

Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 66 ²⁄₃% of the outstanding units, voting together as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units and Class B units, if any, voting as a separate class. The ownership of more than 33 ¹⁄₃% of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates would give them the practical ability to prevent our general partner’s removal.

Our partnership agreement also provides that, if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by our general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal, our general partner will have the right to convert its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights into common units or to receive cash in exchange for those interests based on the fair market value of those interests at that time.

In the event of removal of a general partner under circumstances where cause exists or withdrawal of a general partner where that withdrawal violates our partnership agreement, a successor general partner will have the option to purchase the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights of the departing general partner for a cash payment equal to the fair market value of those interests. Under all other circumstances where our general partner withdraws or is removed by the limited partners, the departing general partner will have the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner and its incentive distribution rights for their fair market value. In each case, this fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing general partner and the successor general partner. If no agreement is reached, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the departing general partner and the successor general partner will determine the fair market value. Or, if the departing general partner and the successor general partner cannot agree upon an expert, then an expert chosen by agreement of the experts selected by each of them will determine the fair market value.

If the option described above is not exercised by either the departing general partner or the successor general partner, the departing general partner’s general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights will automatically convert into common units equal to the fair market value of those interests as determined by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected in the manner described in the preceding paragraph.

In addition, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred for the termination of any employees employed by the departing general partner or its affiliates for our benefit.

Transfer of General Partner Units

Except for the transfer by our general partner of all, but not less than all, of its general partner units to:

 

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an affiliate of our general partner (other than an individual); or

 

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another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of our general partner with or into another entity or the transfer by our general partner of all or substantially all of its assets to another entity;

our general partner may not transfer all or any part of its general partner units to another person prior to June 30, 2017 without the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units and Series A Preferred Units, voting as a class, excluding common units and Series A Preferred Units held by our general

 

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partner and its affiliates. As a condition of this transfer, the transferee must assume, among other things, the rights and duties of our general partner, agree to be bound by the provisions of our partnership agreement, and furnish an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters.

Our general partner and its affiliates may at any time transfer units to one or more persons, without unitholder approval.

Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner

At any time, Vitol Holding B.V. and Charlesbank Capital Partners, LLC and their respective affiliates may sell or transfer all or part of their respective membership interests in our general partner to an affiliate or a third party without the approval of our unitholders.

Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights

Our general partner or its affiliates or a subsequent holder may transfer its incentive distribution rights to an affiliate of the holder (other than an individual) or another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of such holder with or into another entity, the sale of all of the ownership interest in the holder or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets to, that entity without the prior approval of the unitholders. Prior to June 30, 2017, other transfers of the incentive distribution rights will require the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding common units and Series A Preferred Units, voting as a class, excluding common units and Series A Preferred Units held by our general partner and its affiliates. On or after June 30, 2017, the incentive distribution rights will be freely transferable.

Change of Management Provisions

Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove our general partner or otherwise change our management. If any person or group other than our general partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group that acquires the units from our general partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by our general partner or to any person or group who acquires the units with the prior approval of the board of directors of our general partner.

Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by our general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal, our general partner will have the right to convert its general partner units and its incentive distribution rights into common units or to receive cash in exchange for those interests based on the fair market value of those interests at that time.

Limited Call Right

If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the then-issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the limited partner interests of the class held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by our general partner, on at least 10 but not more than 60 days’ notice. The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:

 

•

the highest cash price paid by either of our general partner or any of its affiliates for any limited partner interests of the class purchased within the 90 days preceding the date on which our general partner first mails notice of its election to purchase those limited partner interests; and

 

•

the current market price as of the date three days before the date the notice is mailed.

 

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As a result of our general partner’s right to purchase outstanding limited partner interests, a holder of limited partner interests may have his limited partner interests purchased at a price that may be lower than market prices at various times prior to such purchase or lower than a unitholder may anticipate the market price to be in the future. The tax consequences to a unitholder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unitholder of his common units in the market. Please see “Material Federal Income Tax Consequences—Disposition of Units.”

Meetings; Voting

Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, record holders of units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited.

Our general partner does not anticipate that any meeting of unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the unitholders may be taken either at a meeting of the unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of the unitholders may be called by our general partner or by unitholders owning at least 20% of the outstanding units of the class for which a meeting is proposed. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.

Each record holder of a unit has a vote according to his percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Please see “—Issuance of Additional Securities.” However, if at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of our general partner or its affiliates, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the units may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum, or for other similar purposes. Common units or Series A Preferred Units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise.

Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.

Status as Limited Partner

By transfer of any common units or Series A Preferred Units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units or Series A Preferred Units, as the case may be, shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Except as described above under “—Limited Liability,” the common units and Series A Preferred Units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions.

Non-Taxpaying Assignees; Redemption

The Longview system is, and any additional interstate pipelines that we acquire or construct may be, subject to rate regulation by FERC. Our general partner has the right under our partnership agreement to institute procedures, by giving notice to each of our unitholders, that would require transferees of common units and Series A Preferred Units and, upon the request of our general partner, existing holders of our common units and

 

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Series A Preferred Units to certify that they are Eligible Holders. The purpose of these certification procedures would be to enable us to utilize a federal income tax expense as a component of the pipeline’s cost of service upon which tariffs may be established under FERC rate making policies applicable to entities that pass-through their taxable income to their owners. Eligible Holders are individuals or entities subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us or entities not subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us, so long as all of the entity’s owners are subject to such taxation. If these tax certification procedures are implemented, transferees of common units and Series A Preferred Units will be required to certify and our general partner, acting on our behalf, may at any time require each unitholder to re-certify:

 

•

that the transferee or unitholder is an individual or an entity subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us; or

 

•

that, if the transferee unitholder is an entity not subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us, as in the case, for example, of a mutual fund taxed as a regulated investment company or a partnership, all the entity’s owners are subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us.

If, following institution of the certification procedures by our general partner, unitholders:

 

•

fail to furnish a transfer application containing the required certification;

 

•

fail to furnish a re-certification containing the required certification within 30 days after request; or

 

•

are unable to provide a certification to the effect set forth in one of the two bullet points in the second preceding paragraph; then

we will have the right, which we may assign to any of our affiliates, to acquire all but not less than all of the units held by any such unitholder by giving written notice of redemption to such unitholder.

The purchase price in the event of such an acquisition for each unit held by such unitholder will be equal to the lesser of the price paid by such unitholder for the relevant unit and the current market price as of the date of redemption.

The purchase price will be paid in cash or by delivery of a promissory note, as determined by our general partner. Any such promissory note will bear interest at the rate of 5% annually and be payable in three equal annual installments of principal and accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption date.

Non-Citizen Assignees; Redemption

If we are or become subject to federal, state, or local laws or regulations that, in the reasonable determination of our general partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property that we have an interest in because of the nationality, citizenship, or other related status of any limited partner, we may redeem the units held by the limited partner at their current market price. In order to avoid any cancellation or forfeiture, our general partner may require each limited partner to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship, or related status. If a limited partner fails to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship, or other related status within 30 days after a request for the information or our general partner determines after receipt of the information that the limited partner is not an eligible citizen, the limited partner may be treated as a non-citizen assignee. A non-citizen assignee is entitled to an interest equivalent to that of a limited partner for the right to share in allocations and distributions from us, including liquidating distributions. A non-citizen assignee does not have the right to direct the voting of his units and may not receive distributions in-kind upon our liquidation.

 

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Indemnification

Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages, or similar events:

 

•

our general partner;

 

•

any departing general partner;

 

•

any person who is or was an affiliate of a general partner or any departing general partner;

 

•

any person who is or was an officer, director, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of any entity set forth in the preceding three bullet points;

 

•

any person who is or was serving as a director, officer, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person at the request of our general partner or any departing general partner; and

 

•

any person designated by our general partner.

Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may 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.

Reimbursement of Expenses

Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner in connection with operating our business. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf on-site at our terminals and pipeline, and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. The general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.

Books and Reports

Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and financial reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.

We will furnish or make available to record holders of common units, within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 90 days after the close of each quarter.

We will furnish each record holder of a unit with information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is expected to be furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to unitholders will depend on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his federal and state tax liability and filing his federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with information.

Right to Inspect Our Books and Records

Our partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:

 

•

a current list of the name and last known address of each partner;

 

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•

a copy of our tax returns;

 

•

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 partner became a partner;

 

•

copies of our partnership agreement, our certificate of limited partnership, related amendments, and powers of attorney under which they have been executed;

 

•

information regarding the status of our business and financial condition; and

 

•

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 or other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes in good faith is not in our best interests or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.

Registration Rights

Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under 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. These registration rights continue for two years following any withdrawal or removal of our general partner. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts.

 

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CASH DISTRIBUTION POLICY

Distributions of Available Cash

General. Our partnership agreement requires that, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute all of our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.

Definition of Available Cash. Available cash, for any quarter, consists of all cash on hand at the end of that quarter:

 

•

less the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner to:

 

•

provide for the proper conduct of our business;

 

•

comply with applicable law, any of our debt instruments or other agreements; or

 

•

provide funds for distributions to our unitholders for any one or more of the next four quarters;

 

•

plus all additional cash and cash equivalents 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 a credit facility, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement, and in all cases are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners and with the intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within 12 months.

Minimum Quarterly Distribution. We will distribute to the holders of common units on a quarterly basis at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.11 per unit, or $0.44 per unit annually, to the extent we have sufficient cash from our operations after establishment of cash reserves and payment of fees and expenses, including payments to our general partner.

There is no guarantee that we will pay the minimum quarterly distribution on the units in any quarter in the future. Even if our cash distribution policy is not modified or revoked, the amount of distributions paid under our policy and the decision to make any distribution is determined by our general partner, taking into consideration the terms of our partnership agreement. The board of directors of our general partner will have broad discretion to establish cash reserves for the proper conduct of our business and for future distributions to our unitholders, and the establishment of those reserves could result in a reduction in cash distributions to you from levels we currently anticipate pursuant to our stated distribution policy. In addition, our cash distribution policy is subject to restrictions on distributions under our amended credit facility. Specifically, the agreement related to our amended credit facility contains material financial tests and covenants that we must satisfy.

General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights. As of July 30, 2014, our general partner is entitled to approximately 2.1% of all quarterly distributions that we make prior to our liquidation. Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its current general partner interest. Our general partner’s interest in these distributions may be reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its general partner interest.

Our general partner also currently holds incentive distribution rights that entitle it to receive increasing percentages, up to a maximum of approximately 50%, of the cash we distribute from operating surplus (as defined below) in excess of $0.1265 per common unit per quarter. The maximum distribution of approximately 50% includes distributions paid to our general partner in respect of its general partner interest and assumes that our general partner maintains its general partner interest at approximately 2.1%. The maximum distribution of approximately 50% does not include any distributions that our general partner may receive on Series A Preferred Units or common units that it may own. Please see “—General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights” for additional information.

 

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Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus

General. All cash distributed to unitholders will be characterized as either “operating surplus” or “capital surplus.” Our partnership agreement requires that we distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available cash from capital surplus.

Operating Surplus. For any period operating surplus generally means:

 

•

an amount equal to two times the amount needed for any one quarter for us to pay a distribution on all of our units (including the general partner units) and the incentive distribution rights at the same per-unit amount as was distributed in the immediately preceding quarter; plus

 

•

all of our cash receipts, excluding cash from (1) borrowings that are not working capital borrowings, (2) sales of equity and debt securities, (3) sales or other dispositions of assets outside the ordinary course of business, (4) capital contributions received or (5) corporate reorganizations or restructurings (provided that cash receipts from the termination of a commodity hedge or interest rate swap prior to its specified termination date shall be included in operating surplus in equal quarterly installments over the scheduled life of such commodity hedge or interest rate swap); plus

 

•

working capital borrowings made after the end of a quarter but on or before the date of determination of operating surplus for the quarter; plus

 

•

interest paid on debt incurred by us, and cash distributions paid on the equity securities issued by us, to finance all or any portion of the construction, expansion or improvement of our facilities during the period from such financing until the earlier to occur of the date the capital asset is put into service or the date that it is abandoned or disposed of; plus

 

•

interest paid on debt incurred by us, and cash distributions paid on the equity securities issued by us, in each case, to pay the construction period interest on debt incurred, or to pay construction period distributions on equity issued, to finance the construction projects referred to above; less

 

•

all of our operating expenditures (as defined below); less

 

•

the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner to provide funds for future operating expenditures; less

 

•

all working capital borrowings not repaid within twelve months after having been incurred or repaid within such twelve-month period with the proceeds of additional working capital borrowings.

If a working capital borrowing, which increases operating surplus, is not repaid during the twelve-month period following the borrowing, it will be deemed repaid at the end of such period, thus decreasing operating surplus at such time. When such working capital is in fact repaid, it will not be treated as a reduction in operating surplus because operating surplus will have been previously reduced by the deemed repayment.

Operating expenditures generally means all of our expenditures, including, but not limited to, taxes, reimbursements of expenses to our general partner, repayment of working capital borrowings, debt service payments and capital expenditures, provided that operating expenditures will not include:

 

•

payments (including prepayments) of principal of and premium on indebtedness, other than working capital borrowings;

 

•

capital improvement expenditures;

 

•

payment of transaction expenses relating to interim capital transactions; or

 

•

distributions to partners.

Where capital expenditures are made in part for acquisitions or for capital improvements and in part for other purposes, our general partner, with the concurrence of the conflicts committee, shall determine the allocation between the amounts paid for each.

 

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Maintenance capital expenditures reduce operating surplus, from which we pay the minimum quarterly distribution, but expansion capital expenditures do not. Maintenance capital expenditures represent capital expenditures made to replace partially or fully depreciated assets, to maintain the existing operating capacity of our assets and to extend their useful lives, or other capital expenditures that are incurred in maintaining existing system volumes and related cash flows. Maintenance capital expenditures include expenditures required to maintain equipment reliability, storage and pipeline integrity and safety and to address environmental regulations. Expansion capital expenditures represent capital expenditures made to expand or to increase the efficiency of the existing operating capacity of our assets or to expand the operating capacity or revenues of existing or new assets, whether through construction or acquisition. Costs for repairs and minor renewals to maintain facilities in operating condition and that do not extend the useful life of existing assets will be treated as operational and maintenance expenses as we incur them. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner determines how to allocate a capital expenditure for the acquisition or expansion of our assets between maintenance capital expenditures and expansion capital expenditures.

Capital Surplus. Capital surplus will typically be generated only by:

 

•

borrowings other than working capital borrowings;

 

•

sales of our equity and debt securities;

 

•

sales or other dispositions of assets for cash, other than inventory, accounts receivable and other current assets sold in the ordinary course of business or as part of normal retirement or replacement of assets;

 

•

capital contributions received; and

 

•

corporate reorganizations or restructurings.

Characterization of Cash Distributions. Our partnership agreement requires that we treat all available cash as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since the closing of our initial public offering equals the operating surplus as of the most recent date of determination of available cash. We will treat any amount distributed in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, as capital surplus. As reflected above, operating surplus includes an amount equal to two times the amount needed for any one quarter for us to pay a distribution on all of our units (including the general partner units) and the incentive distribution rights at the same per-unit amount as was distributed in the immediately preceding quarter. The basket amount does not reflect actual cash on hand that is available for distribution to our unitholders. Rather, it is a provision that will enable us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus up to this amount of cash we receive in the future from non-operating sources, such as asset sales, issuances of securities, and borrowings, that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. If we were to increase our quarterly distribution amount during a period when our operating surplus actually generated from our operations had not increased by a corresponding amount, or if we were to maintain our quarterly distribution amount when our operating surplus generated from our operations had declined, by using these provisions we could use cash from non-operating sources, such as asset sales, issuances of securities and borrowings, to make distributions substantially in excess of actual cash generated by our business. These types of distributions could deteriorate our capital base, which could have a material adverse effect on our ability to make future distributions to our unitholders. In addition, these provisions could enable our general partner, if it so chooses, to receive distributions on its incentive distribution rights that would normally be treated as distributions from capital surplus and to which our general partner would not otherwise be entitled if we did not have sufficient available cash from operating surplus to make such distributions. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.

Adjusted Operating Surplus. Adjusted operating surplus is intended to reflect the cash generated from operations during a particular period and therefore excludes net increases in working capital borrowings and net drawdowns of reserves of cash generated in prior periods. Adjusted operating surplus consists of:

 

•

operating surplus generated with respect to that period; less

 

•

any net increase in working capital borrowings with respect to that period; less

 

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•

any net decrease in cash reserves for operating expenditures with respect to that period not relating to an operating expenditure made with respect to that period; plus

 

•

any net decrease in working capital borrowings with respect to that period; plus

 

•

any net increase in cash reserves for operating expenditures with respect to that period required by any debt instrument for the repayment of principal, interest or premium.

Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus

Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from operating surplus in the following manner:

 

•

first, 97.9% to the holders of Series A Preferred Units, pro rata, and 2.1% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding Series A Preferred Unit an amount equal to $0.17875 per unit (the “Series A Quarterly Distribution Amount”) for that quarter;

 

•

second, 97.9% to the holders of Series A Preferred Units, pro rata, and 2.1% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding Series A Preferred Unit an amount equal to any arrearages in the payment of the Series A Quarterly Distribution Amount for any prior quarters;

 

•

third, 97.9% to all common unitholders and Class B unitholders, pro rata, and 2.1% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding common unit and Class B unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and

 

•

thereafter, in the manner described in “—General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights” below.

The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 2.1% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights

Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will be entitled to an approximate 2.1% of all distributions that we make prior to our liquidation. Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its approximate 2.1% general partner interest if we issue additional units. Our general partner’s approximate 2.1% interest, and the percentage of our cash distributions to which it is entitled, will be proportionately reduced if we issue additional units in the future (other than the issuance of partnership securities issued in connection with a reset of the incentive distribution target levels relating to our general partner’s incentive distribution rights or the issuance of partnership securities upon conversion of outstanding partnership securities) and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us in order to maintain its then current general partner interest. Our general partner will be entitled to make a capital contribution in order to maintain its then current general partner interest in the form of the contribution to us of common units based on the current market value of the contributed common units.

Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage (13%, 23% and 48%) of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. Our general partner currently holds the incentive distribution rights, but may transfer these rights separately from its general partner interest, subject to restrictions in the partnership agreement.

The following discussion assumes that our general partner maintains its approximate 2.1% general partner’s interest and continues to own the incentive distribution rights.

If for any quarter:

 

•

we have distributed available cash from operating surplus to the Series A Preferred Unitholders in an amount equal to the Series A Quarterly Distribution Amount;

 

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•

we have distributed available cash from operating surplus to the Series A Preferred Unitholders in an amount necessary to eliminate any cumulative arrearages in the payment of the Series A Quarterly Distribution Amount; and

 

•

we have distributed available cash from operating surplus to the common units and Class B units in an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution;

then, our partnership agreement requires that we distribute any additional available cash from operating surplus for that quarter among the unitholders and our general partner in the following manner:

 

•

first, 97.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 2.1% to the general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.1265 per unit for that quarter (the “first target distribution”);

 

•

second, 84.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 15.1% to the general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.1375 per unit for that quarter (the “second target distribution”);

 

•

third, 74.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 25.1% to the general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.1825 per unit for that quarter (the “third target distribution”); and

 

•

thereafter, 49.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 50.1% to the general partner.

General Partner’s Right to Reset Incentive Distribution Levels

Our general partner, as the holder of our incentive distribution rights, has the right under our partnership agreement to elect to relinquish the right to receive incentive distribution payments based on the initial cash target distribution levels and to reset, at higher levels, the minimum quarterly distribution amount and cash target distribution levels upon which the incentive distribution payments to our general partner would be set. Our general partner’s right to reset the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels upon which the incentive distributions payable to our general partner are based may be exercised without approval of our unitholders or the conflicts committee of our general partner, at any time when we have made cash distributions to the holders of the incentive distribution rights at the highest level of incentive distribution for each of the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters and the amount of each such distribution did not exceed adjusted operating surplus for such quarter. The reset minimum quarterly distribution amount and target distribution levels will be higher than the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels prior to the reset such that our general partner will not receive any incentive distributions under the reset target distribution levels until cash distributions per unit following this event increase as described below. We anticipate that our general partner would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate acquisitions or internal growth projects that would otherwise not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per common unit, taking into account the existing levels of incentive distribution payments being made to our general partner.

In connection with the resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels and the corresponding relinquishment by our general partner of incentive distribution payments based on the target cash distributions prior to the reset, our general partner will be entitled to receive a number of newly issued Class B units based on a predetermined formula described below that takes into account the “cash parity” value of the average cash distributions related to the incentive distribution rights received by our general partner for the two quarters prior to the reset event as compared to the average cash distributions per common unit during this period.

The number of Class B units that our general partner would be entitled to receive from us in connection with a resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels then in effect would be equal to (x) the average amount of cash distributions received by our general partner in respect of its incentive

 

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distribution rights during the two consecutive fiscal quarters ended immediately prior to the date of such reset election divided by (y) the average of the amount of cash distributed per common unit during each of these two quarters. Each Class B unit will be convertible into one common unit at the election of the holder of the Class B unit at any time following the first anniversary of the issuance of these Class B units. We will also issue an additional amount of general partner units in order to maintain the general partner’s ownership interest in us relative to the issuance of the Class B units.

Following a reset election by our general partner, the minimum quarterly distribution amount will be reset to an amount equal to the average cash distribution amount per common unit for the two fiscal quarters immediately preceding the reset election (such amount is referred to as the “reset minimum quarterly distribution”) and the target distribution levels will be reset to be correspondingly higher such that we would distribute all of our available cash from operating surplus for each quarter thereafter as follows:

 

•

first, 97.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 2.1% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives an amount equal to 115% of the reset minimum quarter distribution for that quarter;

 

•

second, 84.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 15.1% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 125% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter;

 

•

third, 74.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 25.1% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 166% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and

 

•

thereafter, 49.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 50.1% to our general partner.

Distributions from Capital Surplus

How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made. Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:

 

•

first, 97.9% to the Series A Preferred Unitholders, pro rata, and 2.1% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding Series A Preferred Unit an amount equal to any unpaid arrearages in the payment of the Series A Quarterly Distribution Amount;

 

•

second, 97.9% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.1% to our general partner, until a hypothetical holder of a common unit acquired on the original offering date has received with respect to such common unit, an amount of available cash from capital surplus equal to the initial public offering price per common unit; and

 

•

thereafter, we will make all distributions of available cash from capital surplus as if they were from operating surplus.

Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus. Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price from the initial public offering, which is a return of capital. The initial public offering price less any distributions of capital surplus per unit is referred to as the “unrecovered initial unit price.” Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced in the same proportion as the corresponding reduction in the unrecovered initial 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.

Once we distribute capital surplus on a unit in an amount equal to the initial unit price, our partnership agreement specifies that the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced to

 

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zero. Our partnership agreement specifies that we then make all future distributions from operating surplus, with 49.9% being paid to the holders of units and 50.1% to our general partner. The percentage interests shown for our general partner include its approximate 2.1% general partner interest and assume our general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.

Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels

In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our units into fewer units or subdivide our units into a greater number of units, our partnership agreement specifies that the following items will be proportionately adjusted:

 

•

the minimum quarterly distribution;

 

•

target distribution levels; and

 

•

the unrecovered initial unit price.

For example, if a two-for-one split of the common units should occur, the minimum quarterly distribution, the target distribution levels and the unrecovered initial unit price would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level. Our partnership agreement provides that we not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.

In addition, if legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by a governmental taxing authority, so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, our partnership agreement specifies that the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels for each quarter will be reduced by multiplying each distribution level by a fraction, the numerator of which is available cash for that quarter and the denominator of which is the sum of available cash for that quarter plus our general partner’s estimate of our aggregate liability for the quarter for such income taxes payable by reason of such legislation or interpretation. To the extent that the actual tax liability differs from the estimated tax liability for any quarter, the difference will be accounted for in subsequent quarters.

Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation

General. If we dissolve in accordance with the partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to our unitholders and our general partner, in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.

The allocations of gain and loss upon liquidation are intended, to the extent possible, to entitle the holders of outstanding Series A Preferred Units to a preference over the holders of outstanding common units upon our liquidation, to the extent required to permit Series A Preferred Unitholders to receive an amount equal to the Series A Liquidation Value (which generally equals the unrecovered Series A Issue Price, plus the Series A Distribution Amount for the current quarter, plus any arrearages in the payment of the Series A Quarterly Distribution Amount for any prior quarters). Any further net gain recognized upon liquidation will be allocated in a manner that takes into account the incentive distribution rights of our general partner.

Manner of Adjustments for Gain. The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in our partnership agreement. We will allocate any gain to the partners in the following manner:

 

•

first, to the general partner and the holders of units who have negative balances in their capital accounts to the extent of and in proportion to those negative balances;

 

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•

second, 97.9% to the holders of Series A Preferred Units, pro rata, and 2.1% to the general partner, until the capital account for each Series A Preferred Unit is equal to the Series A Liquidation Value;

 

•

third, 97.9% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 2.1% to the general partner, until the capital account for each common unit is equal to the sum of: (1) the unrecovered initial unit price; and (2) the amount of the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which our liquidation occurs (the “unpaid MQD”);

 

•

fourth, 97.9% to the Class B unitholders, pro rata, and 2.1% to our general partner until the capital account for each Class B unit is equal to the sum of: (1) the unrecovered initial unit price; and (2) the unpaid MQD for the quarter during which our liquidation occurs;

 

•

fifth, 97.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 2.1% to the general partner, until the capital account in respect of each common unit then outstanding is equal to the sum of: (1) the unrecovered initial unit price; (2) the unpaid MQD for the quarter during which our liquidation occurs; and (3) the excess of (a) the first target distribution less the minimum quarterly distribution for each quarter of our existence over (b) the cumulative per unit amount of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the minimum quarterly distribution per unit that we distributed 97.9% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 2.1% to the general partner, for each quarter of our existence (the sum of (1), (2) and (3) is hereinafter referred to as the “first liquidation target amount”);

 

•

sixth, 84.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 15.1% to the general partner, until the capital account in respect of each common unit then outstanding is equal to the sum of: (1) the first liquidation target amount; and (2) the excess of (a) the second target distribution less the first target distribution for each quarter of our existence over (b) the cumulative per unit amount of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the first target distribution per unit that we distributed 84.9% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 15.1% to the general partner for each quarter of our existence (the sum of (1) and (2) is hereinafter referred to as the “second liquidation target amount”);

 

•

seventh, 74.9% to all unitholders holding common units or Class B units, pro rata, and 25.1% to the general partner, until the capital account in respect of each common unit then outstanding is equal to the sum of: (1) the second liquidation target amount; and (2) the excess of (a) the third target distribution less the second target distribution for each quarter of our existence over (b) the cumulative per unit amount of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the second target distribution per unit that we distributed 74.9% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 25.1% to the general partner for each quarter of our existence; and

 

•

thereafter, 49.9% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50.1% to the general partner.

The percentage interests set forth above for our general partner include its approximate 2.1% general partner interest and assume the general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.

Manner of Adjustments for Losses. We will generally allocate any loss to our general partner and the unitholders in the following manner:

 

•

first, 97.9% to the holders of Class B units, pro rata, and 2.1% to the general partner, until the capital accounts of the Class B unitholders have been reduced to zero;

 

•

second, 97.9% to the holders of common units in proportion to the positive balances in their capital accounts and 2.1% to the general partner, until the capital accounts of the common unitholders have been reduced to zero;

 

•

third, 97.9% to the holders of Series A Preferred Units, pro rata, and 2.1% to the general partner, until the capital account for each Series A Preferred Unit has been reduced to zero; and

 

•

thereafter, 100% to the general partner.

 

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Adjustments to Capital Accounts. Our partnership agreement requires that we make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units. In this regard, our partnership agreement specifies that we allocate any unrealized and, for tax purposes, unrecognized gain or loss resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and our general partner in the same manner as we allocate gain or loss upon liquidation. In the event that we make positive adjustments to the capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units, our partnership agreement requires that we allocate any later negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from the issuance of additional units or upon our liquidation in a manner which results, to the extent possible, in our general partners’ capital account balances equaling the amount which they would have been if no earlier positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made.

 

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MATERIAL FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

This Section is a summary of the material income 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, is the opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel to our general partner and us, insofar as it relates to legal conclusions with respect to matters of U.S. federal income tax law. This Section is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), existing and proposed Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code (the “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 Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. and our operating subsidiaries.

The following discussion does not comment on 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, entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, trusts, nonresident aliens, U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions, tax-exempt institutions, foreign persons (including, without limitation, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies and non-U.S. persons eligible for the benefits of an applicable income tax treaty with the U.S.), individual retirement accounts (IRAs), employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts (REITs), or mutual funds, dealers in securities or currencies, traders in securities, U.S. persons whose “functional currency” is not the U.S. dollar, persons holding their units as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction” or other risk reduction transaction, and persons deemed to sell their units under the constructive sale provisions of the Code. In addition, the discussion only comments to a limited extent on state, local and foreign tax consequences. Accordingly, we encourage each prospective unitholder to consult his own tax advisor in analyzing the state, local, and foreign tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of common units and potential changes in applicable tax laws.

Except as described in “Partnership Status” below, no ruling has been requested from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) regarding any matter affecting us or prospective unitholders. Instead, we will rely on opinions of Baker Botts L.L.P. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein 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 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.

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 Baker Botts L.L.P. and are based on the accuracy of the representations made by us.

For the reasons described below, Baker Botts L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific federal income tax issues:

(a) 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 Ownership—Treatment of Short Sales”);

(b) 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

 

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(c) whether the deduction related to U.S. production activities will be available to a unitholder or the extent of such deduction to any unitholder (please read “—Tax Treatment of Operations—Oil and Natural Gas Taxation—Deduction for U.S. Production Activities”); and

(d) whether our method for taking into account 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 partnership or the partner unless the amount of cash distributed to him is in excess of the partner’s adjusted basis in his partnership interest.

Section 7704 of the 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, transportation, refining, and marketing of natural resources, including oil, gas, and products thereof. 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 disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 3% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based upon and subject to this estimate, the factual representations made by us and our general partner and a review of the applicable legal authorities, Baker Botts L.L.P. 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 our operating subsidiaries for federal income tax purposes. Similarly, while we have obtained a ruling from the IRS that the rental income we receive from leasing our Asphalt terminals constitutes “qualifying income” under Section 7704 of the Code, we have not sought any other rulings from the IRS, and the IRS has made no determination, as to whether our other operations generate “qualifying income” under Section 7704 of the Code. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P. on such matters. It is the opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P. that, based upon the Code, its regulations, published revenue rulings, and court decisions and the representations described below, we will be classified as a partnership, and each of our operating subsidiaries, other than BKEP Asphalt, L.L.C., will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes.

In rendering its opinion, Baker Botts L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Baker Botts L.L.P. has relied include:

(a) Except for BKEP Asphalt, L.L.C., neither we nor any of our other operating subsidiaries has elected or will elect to be treated as a corporation;

(b) For each taxable year, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income of the type that Baker Botts L.L.P. has opined or will opine is “qualifying income” within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code; and

(c) Each hedging transaction that we treat as resulting in qualifying income has been and will be appropriately identified as a hedging transaction pursuant to applicable Treasury Regulations, and has been and

 

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will be associated with oil, gas, or products thereof that are held or to be held by us in activities that Baker Botts L.L.P. has opined or will opine result in qualifying income.

We believe these representations are true and expect that these representations will continue to be true in the future.

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 so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.

If we were treated as an association 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 our unitholders, and our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. In addition, any distribution made to a unitholder would be treated as taxable dividend income, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable return of capital, to the extent of the unitholder’s tax basis in his common units, or taxable capital gain, after the unitholder’s tax basis in his common units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, taxation as a corporation would result in a material reduction in a unitholder’s 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 Baker Botts L.L.P.’s opinion that we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

Limited Partner Status

Unitholders who have become limited partners of Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. will be treated as partners of Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. for federal income tax purposes. Also 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 Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. for federal income tax purposes.

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.”

Income, gains, deductions or losses 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 holders are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences to them of holding common units in Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P.

The references to “unitholders” in the discussion that follows are to persons who are treated as partners in Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership

Flow-Through of Taxable Income. Subject to the discussion below under “—Entity-Level Collections” we will not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each unitholder will be required to report on his income tax return

 

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his share of our income, gains, losses and deductions without regard to whether we make cash distributions to him. Consequently, we may allocate income to a common unitholder even if he has not received a cash distribution. The income we allocate to unitholders will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his allocable share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year 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 unitholder’s tax basis 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 unitholder’s share of our liabilities for which no partner, including the general partner, bears the economic risk of loss, known as “nonrecourse liabilities,” will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that unitholder. To the extent our distributions cause a unitholder’s “at-risk” amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year, he must recapture any losses deducted in previous years. Please read “—Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”

A decrease in a unitholder’s percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional units will decrease his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash. This deemed distribution 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 unitholder’s share of our “unrealized receivables,” including depreciation recapture and/or substantially appreciated “inventory items,” each as defined in Section 751 of the Code, and collectively, “Section 751 Assets.” To that extent, the unitholder will be treated as having been distributed his proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and then having 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 unitholder’s realization of ordinary income, which will equal the excess of (a) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (b) the unitholder’s tax basis (generally zero) for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.

Basis of Common Units. A unitholder’s 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 will be increased by his share of our income and by any increases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions from us, by the unitholder’s 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 to the extent of the general partner’s “net value” as defined in Treasury Regulations under Section 752 of the Code, 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.”

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, estate, trust, or corporate unitholder (if more than 50% of the value of the corporate unitholder’s 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 is less than his tax basis. A common 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 to the extent that his at-risk amount is subsequently increased, provided such losses do not exceed such common unitholders’ tax basis in his common units. 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 loss previously suspended by the at-risk limitation in excess of that gain would no longer be utilizable.

 

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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 (a) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or other similar arrangement and (b) 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 the unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholder’s at-risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax basis of the unitholder’s 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 can 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 taxpayer’s income from those passive activities. The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly traded partnership. Consequently, 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 a unitholder’s investments in other publicly traded partnerships, or the unitholder’s salary, active business or other income. Passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a unitholder’s share of income we generate may be deducted in full when he disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss limitations are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at-risk rules and the basis limitation.

A unitholder’s 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 taxpayer’s “investment interest expense” is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayer’s “net investment income.” Investment interest expense includes:

 

•

interest on indebtedness properly allocable to property held for investment;

 

•

our interest expense attributed to portfolio income; and

 

•

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 unitholder’s 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 or (if applicable) qualified dividend income. The IRS has indicated that the net passive income earned by a publicly traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its unitholders. In addition, the unitholder’s 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. Subject to the terms of our partnership agreement, 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

 

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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. We will treat any distribution of the Series A Quarterly Distribution Amount that is made in respect of a Series A Preferred Unit (and a corresponding amount of any distribution made to the general partner) as a guaranteed payment that is treated as ordinary income to the Series A Preferred Unitholder (and the general partner) and is deductible by us. In general, if we have any remaining 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 distributions are made in respect of any class of units (other than Series A Preferred Units) in excess of distributions to any other class of units (other than Series A Preferred Units), or incentive distributions are made to our general partner, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of these distributions. If we have a net loss, 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, as adjusted for certain items in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations and, second, to the preferred unitholders and, lastly, to our general partner.

Specified items of our income, gain, loss, and deduction will be allocated under Section 704(c) of the Code to account for (a) any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time of an offering and (b) any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of any property contributed to us that exists at the time of such contribution, together, referred to in this discussion as the “Contributed Property.” The effect of these allocations, referred to as “Section 704(c) Allocations,” to a unitholder purchasing common units from us in an offering will be essentially the same as if the tax bases of our assets were equal to their fair market value at the time of such offering. In the event we issue additional common units or engage in certain other transactions in the future, we will make “Reverse Section 704(c) Allocations,” similar to the Section 704(c) Allocations described above, to our general partner and the unitholders immediately prior to such issuance or other transactions to account for the difference 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 such issuance or 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 some 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 the Code to eliminate the difference between a partner’s “book” capital account, credited with the fair market value of Contributed Property, and “tax” capital account, credited with the tax basis of Contributed Property, referred to in this discussion as the “Book-Tax Disparity,” will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has substantial economic effect. In any other case, a partner’s 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:

 

•

his relative contributions to us;

 

•

the interests of all the partners in profits and losses;

 

•

the interest of all the partners in cash flow; and

 

•

the rights of all the partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation.

Baker Botts L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in “—Section 754 Election,” “—Disposition of Common Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees,” and “—Uniformity of Units,” allocations under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss, or deduction.

 

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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:

 

•

any of our income, gain, loss, or deduction with respect to those units would not be reportable by the unitholder;

 

•

any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units would be fully taxable; and

 

•

while not entirely free from doubt, all of these distributions would appear to be ordinary income.

Because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on the issue relating to partnership interests, Baker Botts L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder whose 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 consult a tax advisor to discuss whether it is advisable 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 $182,500 (subject to annual inflation adjustments) 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. The highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 39.6% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than twelve months) of individuals is 20%. Such rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.

In addition, a 3.8% Medicare tax, or NIIT, applies to certain net investment income earned by individuals, estates, and trusts. For these purposes, net investment income generally includes a unitholder’s allocable share of our income and gain realized by a unitholder from a sale of units. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) the unitholder’s net investment income, and (ii) the amount by which the unitholder’s adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse) or $200,000 (if the unitholder is unmarried). In the case of an estate or trust, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) undistributed net investment income, or (ii) the excess adjusted gross income over the dollar amount at which the highest income tax bracket applicable to an estate or trust begins. Recently, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued Treasury Regulations that provide guidance regarding the NIIT. Prospective unitholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors as to the impact of the NIIT on an investment in our common units.

Section 754 Election. We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS unless there is a constructive termination of the partnership. Please read “—Disposition of Common Units—Constructive Termination.” The election will generally permit us to adjust a common unit purchaser’s tax basis in our assets (“inside basis”) under Section 743(b) of the Code to reflect his purchase price. This election does not apply to a person who purchases units directly from us. The Section 743 adjustment belongs to the purchaser and not to other unitholders. For purposes of this discussion, the inside basis in our assets with respect to a unitholder will be considered to have two components: (a) his share of our tax basis in our assets (“common basis”) and (b) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis.

 

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The timing of deductions attributable to a Section 743(b) adjustment to our common basis will depend upon a number of factors, including the nature of the assets to which the adjustment is allocable, the extent to which the adjustment offsets any Section 704(c) type gain or loss with respect to an asset and certain elections we make as to the manner in which we apply Section 704(c) principles with respect to an asset with respect to which the adjustment is allocable. Please read “—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.” The timing of these deductions may affect the uniformity of our units. Please read “—Uniformity of Units.”

A Section 754 election is advantageous if the transferee’s 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 transferee’s 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 built–in loss or a basis reduction 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 Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment allocated by us to our tangible assets to goodwill instead. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally nonamortizable 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 ending within or with his taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 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 for his taxable year his share of more than twelve months of our income, gain, loss, and deduction. Please read “—Disposition of Common Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”

Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization. The tax basis of our assets will be used 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 an offering will be borne by our partners holding interests in us prior to such 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, including bonus depreciation to the extent available, that will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets subject to these allowances are placed in service. We may not be entitled to any amortization deductions

 

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with respect to certain goodwill properties held by us at the time of any future offering. Please read “—Uniformity of Units.” Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated using accelerated methods permitted by the 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 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 we incur 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 may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us. 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 initial 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.

Tax Treatment of Income Earned Through C Corporation Subsidiaries. We hold certain of our assets through BKEP Asphalt, L.L.C., an entity that is taxed as a C corporation for U.S. federal and state income tax purposes (i.e., is a “C corporation subsidiary”). As a result, a portion of our taxable income will be earned through a C corporation subsidiary. Such C corporation subsidiary is subject to federal income tax on its taxable income at the corporate tax rate, which is currently a maximum of 35%, and will likely pay state (and possibly local) income tax at varying rates, on its taxable income. Any such entity level taxes will reduce the cash available for distribution to our unitholders. Distributions from such C corporation subsidiary will generally be taxed again to unitholders as dividend income to the extent of current and accumulated earnings and profits of such subsidiary. Currently, the maximum federal income tax rate applicable to such dividend income which is allocable to individuals is 20% and such dividend income is also considered investment income subject to the 3.8% Medicare tax under the circumstances described in “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Tax Rates.” An individual unitholder’s share of dividend and interest income from our C corporation subsidiary would constitute portfolio income that could not be offset by the unitholder’s share of our other losses or deductions.

None of the income, gains, losses, deductions or credits of our C corporation subsidiary will flow through to our unitholders.

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 amount realized and the unitholder’s tax basis for the units sold. A unitholder’s 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. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder’s 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.

 

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Prior distributions from us that in the aggregate were in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a common unit and, therefore decreased a unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit will, in effect, become taxable income if the common unit is sold at a price greater than the unitholder’s 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 for more than twelve months will generally be taxed at the U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains. However, a portion of this gain or loss, which will likely be substantial, will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the 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 realized upon 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. Capital losses may offset capital gains and no more than $3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gains in the case of corporations. Both ordinary income and capital gain recognized on a sale of units may be subject to the NIIT in certain circumstances. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Tax Rates.”

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 partner’s tax basis in his entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner’s entire interest in the partnership. Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the 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, he 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 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:

 

•

a short sale;

 

•

an offsetting notional principal contract; or

 

•

a futures or forward contract;

in each case, 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

 

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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 and losses 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 Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations as there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on this issue. Recently, the U.S. 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. Nonetheless, the proposed regulations do not specifically authorize the use of the proration method we have adopted. 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, Baker Botts L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferor and transferee unitholders because the issue has not been finally resolved by the IRS or the courts. If this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder’s interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferor 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 through the month of disposition but will not be entitled to receive that cash distribution.

Notification Requirements. A unitholder who sells any of his units is generally 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 notifications, 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 purchase 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 technically terminated our partnership for federal income tax purposes if there is a sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of determining whether the 50% threshold has been met, multiple sales of the same interest will be counted only once. Our technical termination would, among other things, result in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders, which would result in us filing two tax returns (and our unitholders could receive two schedules K-1 if relief was not available, as described below) for one fiscal year and could result in a deferral of depreciation deductions allowable in computing our taxable income. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may also result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. Our termination currently would not affect our classification as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, but instead we would be treated as a new partnership for federal income tax purposes. If treated as a new partnership, we must make new tax elections, including a new election under

 

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Section 754 of the Code, and could be subject to penalties if we are unable to determine that a termination occurred. The IRS has recently announced a relief procedure whereby if a publicly traded partnership that has technically terminated requests, and the IRS grants, special relief, among other things, the partnership will be required to provide only a single Schedule K-1 to unitholders for the tax years in which the termination occurs.

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. Any non-uniformity could have an impact upon the value of our units. The timing of deductions attributable to Section 743(b) adjustments to the common basis of our assets with respect to persons purchasing units from another unitholder may affect the uniformity of our units. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election.”

For example, some types of depreciable assets are not subject to the typical rules governing depreciation (under Section 168 of the Code) or amortization (under Section 197 of the Code). If we were to acquire any assets of that type, the timing of a unit purchaser’s deductions with respect to Section 743(b) adjustments to the common basis of those assets might differ depending upon when and to whom the unit he purchased was originally issued. We do not currently expect to acquire any assets of that type. However, if we were to acquire a material amount of assets of that type, we intend to adopt tax positions as to those assets that will not result in any such lack of uniformity. Any such tax positions taken by us might result in allocations to some unitholders of smaller depreciation deductions than they would otherwise be entitled to receive. Baker Botts L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to those types of tax positions. Moreover, the IRS might challenge those tax positions. If we took such a tax position and the IRS successfully challenged the position, the uniformity of units might be affected, and the gain from the sale of our units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions. Please read “—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors

Ownership of units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, 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. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a non-U.S. person, you should consult your tax advisor before investing in our common units. Moreover, under our partnership agreement, non-U.S. persons are not Eligible Holders of our units and units held by non-U.S. persons may be subject to redemption. Please read “The Partnership Agreement—Non-Taxpaying Assignees; Redemption.” 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 less certain allowable deductions allocated to a unitholder that is a tax-exempt organization will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to it.

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, our quarterly distribution to foreign unitholders will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Each foreign unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN 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

 

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regular federal income tax, on its share of our earnings and profits, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation’s “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 Code.

A foreign unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a common unit will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the foreign unitholder. Under a ruling published by the IRS, interpreting the scope of “effectively connected income,” a foreign unitholder would be considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the U.S. by virtue of the U.S. activities of the partnership, and part or all of that unitholder’s gain would be effectively connected with that unitholder’s indirect U.S. trade or business. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a foreign common unitholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a common unit if (a) he owned (directly or constructively, applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our common units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (b) 50% or more of the fair market value of all of our assets consisted of U.S. real property interests at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the common units or the five-year period ending on the date of disposition. Currently, more than 50% of our assets consist of U.S. real property interests and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future. Therefore, foreign unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their units.

Administrative Matters

Information Returns and Audit Procedures. We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each calendar year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes his 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 unitholder’s share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure you that those positions will yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS. Neither we nor Baker Botts L.L.P. 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 year’s tax liability, and possibly may result in an audit of his return. Any audit of a unitholder’s 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 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 Code requires that one partner be designated as the “Tax Matters Partner” for these purposes. Our 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.

 

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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.

Additional Withholding Requirements. Withholding taxes may apply to certain types of payments made to “foreign financial institutions” (as specially defined in the Code) and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on interest, dividends and other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits and income from sources within the U.S. (“FDAP Income”), or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any property of a type which can produce interest or dividends from sources within the U.S. (“Gross Proceeds”) paid to a foreign financial institution or to a “non-financial foreign entity” (as specially defined in the Code), unless (i) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting, (ii) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in clause (i) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on payments to noncompliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders.

These rules generally will apply to payments of FDAP Income made on or after July 1, 2014 and to payments of relevant Gross Proceeds made on or after January 1, 2017. Thus, to the extent we have FDAP Income or Gross Proceeds after these dates that are not treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business (please read “—Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors”), unitholders who are foreign financial institutions or certain other non-U.S. entities may be subject to withholding on distributions they receive from us, or their distributive share of our income, pursuant to the rules described above.

Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application of these withholding provisions to their investment in our common units.

Nominee Reporting. Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:

 

(a)

the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;

 

(b)

whether the beneficial owner is:

 

1.

a person that is not a United States person;

 

2.

a foreign government, an international organization, or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or

 

3.

a tax-exempt entity;

 

(c)

the amount and description of units held, acquired, or transferred for the beneficial owner; and

 

(d)

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 $100 per failure, up to a maximum of $1.5 million per calendar year, is imposed by the 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.

 

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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 Code. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding 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 ($10,000 for most corporations). The amount of any understatement subject to penalty generally is reduced if any portion is attributable to a position adopted on the return:

(a) for which there is, or was, “substantial authority”; or

(b) as to which there is a reasonable basis and the pertinent facts of that position are 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, or any of our investments, plans or arrangements.

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 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 Code Section 482 transfer price adjustment for the taxable year exceeds the lesser of $5 million or 10% of the taxpayer’s 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 or certain other thresholds are met, the penalty imposed increases to 40%. We do not anticipate making any valuation misstatements.

In addition, the 20% accuracy-related penalty also applies to any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to transactions lacking economic substance. To the extent that such transactions are not disclosed, the penalty imposed is increased to 40%. Additionally, there is no reasonable cause defense to the imposition of this penalty to such transactions.

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 that it produces certain kinds of losses for partnerships, individuals, S corporations, and trusts in excess of $2 million in any single year, or $4 million in any combination of six successive tax 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.”

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 additional consequences:

 

•

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

 

•

in the case of a listed transaction, an extended statute of limitations.

We do not expect to engage in any “reportable transactions.”

Recent Legislative Developments

The present federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our common units may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial interpretation at any time. For example, from time to time, members of Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded limited partnerships. Any modification to the federal income tax laws and interpretations thereof may or may not be retroactively applied and could make it more difficult or impossible to meet the exception for us to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. Please read “—Partnership Status.” We are unable to predict whether any such changes will ultimately be enacted. However, it is possible that a change in law could affect us, and any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our common units.

State, Local and Other Tax Considerations

In addition to federal income taxes, you will likely be subject to other taxes, such as state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business or own property or in which you are a resident. We currently conduct business and own property in multiple states. Substantially all of these states currently impose a personal income tax on individuals. All of these states impose an income tax on corporations and other entities. Moreover, in addition to state income or similar taxes imposed on residents of certain states, we may also own property or do business in other states in the future that impose income or similar taxes on nonresident individuals. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on his investment in us. You may be required to file state income tax returns and to pay state income taxes in certain states in which we do business or own property, and you may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. In some states, 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 states 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 state. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder’s income tax liability to the state, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Amounts withheld may 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, we anticipate 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 his 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. Baker Botts L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state, local or foreign tax consequences of an investment in us.

Tax Consequences of Ownership of Partnership Securities

A description of any additional material federal income tax consequences (other than as discussed above) of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of partnership securities will be set forth on the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of partnership securities.

 

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Tax Consequences of Ownership of Warrants

A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of warrants will be set forth on the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of warrants.

Tax Consequences of Ownership of Rights

A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of rights will be set forth on the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of rights.

Tax Consequences of Ownership of Debt Securities

A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of debt securities will be set forth on the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of debt securities.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell securities described in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement directly to purchasers, through agents, through underwriters or underwriting syndicates led by one or managing underwriters, to or through broker-dealers or through a combination of any of these methods.

We will prepare a prospectus supplement for each offering that will set forth the terms of the offering and the method of distribution and will include the following information:

 

•

the name or names of any underwriters or agents;

 

•

the purchase price of the securities from us;

 

•

the net proceeds to us from the sale of the securities;

 

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any over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;

 

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any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting compensation to underwriters, dealers or agents;

 

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any public offering price;

 

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any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

 

•

any securities exchange or market on which the securities offered in the prospectus supplement may be listed.

Sales Through Agents

We may sell the securities through agents we designate from time to time. Any such agent may be deemed to be an underwriter as that term is defined in the Securities Act. In the prospectus supplement, we will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities, and we will describe any commissions payable by us to the agent. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, these agents will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of their appointment.

Sales Through Underwriters or Dealers

If we utilize any underwriters in the sale of securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will enter into an underwriting agreement with those underwriters at the time of sale to them. We will set forth the names of those underwriters and the terms of the transaction in the prospectus supplement, which will be used by the underwriters to make resales of securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered to the public. The underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account, and they may resell these securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless otherwise disclosed in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and any underwritten offering may be on a best efforts or a firm commitment basis. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

If we utilize a dealer in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will sell those securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealer at the time of resale. The dealers participating in any sale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, with respect to any sale of those securities. We will include in the prospectus supplement the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.

 

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Direct Sales

Securities may also be sold directly by us. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may use electronic media, including the internet, to sell offered securities directly.

General Information

In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters, dealers or agents may be deemed to have received compensation from us in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive commissions from securities purchasers for whom they may act as agent. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and the dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent. We will provide in the applicable prospectus supplement information regarding any underwriting discounts or other compensation that we pay to underwriters or agents in connection with the securities offering, and any discounts, concessions or commissions which underwriters allow to dealers.

We may agree to indemnify underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in the distribution of securities against certain liabilities to which they may become subject in connection with the sale of the securities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, or to contribute with respect to payments that the agents, dealers or underwriters may be required to make because of those liabilities. Agents, dealers and underwriters, or their affiliates or associates, may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their businesses.

Other than the common units, which are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, each series of offered securities will have no established trading market. We may elect to list any series of offered securities on an exchange, but we are not obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in a series of offered securities. However, they will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue market making at any time without notice. We cannot assure you as to the liquidity of, or the trading market for, any of our offered securities.

In connection with offerings of securities under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and in compliance with applicable law, certain persons participating in the offering make a market in the securities or engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the offered securities. This may include, among other transactions, over-allotments or short sales of the securities, which involves the sale by persons participating in the offering of more securities than we sold to them. In these circumstances, these persons would cover such over-allotments or short positions by making purchases in the open market or by exercising their over-allotment option. For the purpose of covering a syndicate short position or stabilizing the price of the securities, the underwriters, brokers or dealers may place bids for the securities or effect purchases of the securities in the open market. Finally, the underwriters may impose a penalty whereby selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other brokers or dealers for distribution of the securities in offerings may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market, and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

Because FINRA views our common units as interests in a direct participation program, any offering of common units under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part will be made in compliance with Rule 2310 of the FINRA Conduct Rules (or any applicable successor to such rule).

To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. The place and time of delivery for the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered are set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We are required to file annual, quarterly, and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any documents filed by us at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy, and information statements, and other information regarding us. The SEC’s web site is at http://www.sec.gov.

We also make available free of charge on our internet website at http://www.bkep.com all of the documents that we file with the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.

We “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus, and the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede this information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference in this prospectus the documents listed below:

 

•

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 as filed with the SEC on March 12, 2014;

 

•

Our Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014 as filed with the SEC on May 7, 2014 and August 6, 2014, respectively;

 

•

Our Current Reports on Forms 8-K filed with the SEC on April 4, 2014, June 24, 2014 and June 27, 2014; and

 

•

The description of our common units contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A/A filed on September 14, 2011, and including any other amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

In addition, we incorporate by reference in this prospectus any future filings made by Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Exchange Act, (excluding any information furnished and not filed with the SEC) after the date on which the registration statement that includes this prospectus was initially filed with the SEC and until all offerings under this shelf registration statement are terminated.

You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:

Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P.

201 NW 10th, Suite 200

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73103

Attention: Investor Relations

Telephone: (405) 278-6400

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

Baker Botts L.L.P. will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this registration statement. If certain legal matters in connection with an offering of the securities made by this prospectus and a related prospectus supplement are passed upon by counsel for the underwriters of such offering, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement related to that offering.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) of Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P.

3,000,000 Common Units

Representing Limited Partner Interests

 

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

                , 2016

 

 

Wells Fargo Securities