Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. - Quarter Report: 2021 March (Form 10-Q)

Table of Contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2021

OR

For the transition period from __________ to _________ 

Commission File Number 001-33503

BLUEKNIGHT ENERGY PARTNERS, L.P.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes    ☒    No   ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).  Yes   ☒   No   ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes  ☐  No ☒

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:

 As of April 28, 2021, there were 34,436,785 Series A Preferred Units and 41,468,125 common units outstanding.  
 

Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. and subsidiaries (collectively, the “Partnership”) is a publicly traded master limited partnership with operations in 26 states. The Partnership provides integrated terminalling services for companies engaged in the production, distribution, and marketing of liquid asphalt. The Partnership manages its operations through one operating segment, asphalt terminalling services. The Partnership’s common units and preferred units, which represent limited partnership interests in the Partnership, are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbols “BKEP” and “BKEPP,” respectively. The Partnership was formed in February 2007 as a Delaware master limited partnership.

The Partnership previously provided integrated terminalling, gathering, and transportation services for companies engaged in the production, distribution, and marketing of crude oil in three different operating segments: (i) crude oil terminalling services, (ii) crude oil pipeline services, and (iii) crude oil trucking services. On December 21, 2020, the Partnership announced it had entered into multiple definitive agreements to sell these segments. These transactions closed in February and March of 2021. These segments are presented as discontinued operations for all periods presented. Unless otherwise noted, information in these notes to the consolidated financial statements relates to continuing operations. As the Partnership is only operating through one operating segment, a segment footnote is no longer required.

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2021, the condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021, the condensed consolidated statements of changes in partners’ capital (deficit) for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021, and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021, are unaudited. In the opinion of management, the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited financial statements and include all adjustments necessary to state fairly the financial position and results of operations for the respective interim periods. All adjustments are of a recurring nature unless otherwise disclosed herein. The 2020 year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Partnership’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 10, 2021 (the “2020 Form 10-K”).  Interim financial results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for an annual period. The Partnership’s significant accounting policies are consistent with those disclosed in Note 3 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in its 2020 Form 10-K.

The Partnership recognizes revenue from contracts with customers as well as lease revenue.  The following table includes revenue associated with contractual commitments in place related to future performance obligations as of the end of the reporting period, which are expected to be recognized in revenue in the specified periods (in thousands):

___________________

Disaggregation of Revenue

Disaggregation of revenue from contracts with customers and lease revenue by revenue type is presented as follows (in thousands):

Contract Balances

Billed accounts receivable from contracts with customers were $2.1 million and $3.7 million at December 31, 2020, and March 31, 2021, respectively.

The Partnership records unearned revenues when cash payments are received in advance of performance. Unearned revenue related to contracts with customers was $3.2 million at both December 31, 2020, and March 31, 2021. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Partnership recognized $2.2 million of revenues that were previously included in the unearned revenue balance.

Practical Expedients and Exemptions

The Partnership does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with an original expected length of one year or less.

On December 21, 2020, the Partnership announced executed agreements to sell its crude oil trucking services, crude oil pipeline services, and crude oil terminalling services segments. These segments are reported as discontinued operations in the results of operations and financial position for all periods presented. The crude oil trucking services agreement closed in two phases, one on December 15, 2020, and one on February 2, 2021. The crude oil pipeline services agreement closed on February 1, 2021.  Loss recognized on the disposal and classification of held for sale of these assets was recorded in the year ended December 31, 2020. The transaction related to the crude oil terminalling services segment closed on March 1, 2021. The Partnership has allocated interest to discontinued operations on debt that was required to be repaid as a result of the sales of the crude oil pipeline and terminalling services segment for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021.

As part of the crude oil pipeline sale, $1.5 million of the gross sale proceeds are currently being held in escrow, subject to post-closing settlement terms and conditions. The Partnership expects to receive the majority of this in increments over the next two years.

Exit and disposal costs related to these sales, in the form of employee severance payments, are expected to total approximately $1.6 million. The Partnership is providing limited transition services to both of the buyers of the crude oil pipeline and terminalling services segments. These services are expected to last approximately six months beyond the final closing date. The contracts were designed to recover the costs of providing services, so a minimal income statement impact is expected for these services.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, an impairment of $4.9 million was recognized to write-down the value of the Partnership's crude oil linefill based on the market price of crude oil as of March 31, 2020.

On May 11, 2017, the Partnership entered into an amended and restated credit agreement. On June 28, 2018, the credit agreement was amended to, among other things, reduce the revolving loan facility from $450.0 million to $400.0 million and amend the maximum permitted consolidated total leverage ratio as discussed below.  On January 8, 2021, the credit facility was amended a second time to, among other things, reduce the revolving loan facility from $400.0 million to $350.0 million upon the sale of the crude oil terminalling segment, which became effective on March 1, 2021 (the “ January 2021 Amendment”).

As of April 28, 2021, approximately $106.6 million of revolver borrowings and $0.7 million of letters of credit were outstanding under the credit agreement, leaving the Partnership with approximately $242.7 million available capacity for additional revolver borrowings and letters of credit under the credit agreement, although the Partnership’s ability to borrow such funds is limited by the financial covenants in the credit agreement.  The proceeds of loans made under the credit agreement may be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes of the Partnership.

The credit agreement is guaranteed by all of the Partnership’s existing subsidiaries. Obligations under the credit agreement are secured by first priority liens on substantially all of the Partnership’s assets and those of the guarantors.

The credit agreement includes procedures for additional financial institutions to become revolving lenders, or for any existing lender to increase its revolving commitment thereunder, subject to an aggregate maximum of $600.0 million for all revolving loan commitments under the credit agreement.

Borrowings under the credit agreement bear interest, at the Partnership’s option, at either the reserve-adjusted eurodollar rate (as defined in the credit agreement) (“Eurodollar Rate”) plus an applicable margin that ranges from 2.0% to 3.25% 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 2.25%.  The Partnership pays a per annum fee on all letters of credit issued under the credit agreement, which fee equals the applicable margin for loans accruing interest based on the Eurodollar Rate, and the Partnership pays a commitment fee ranging from 0.375% to 0.5% on the unused commitments under the credit agreement.  The applicable margins for the Partnership’s interest rate, the letter of credit fee and the commitment fee vary quarterly based on the Partnership’s consolidated total leverage ratio (as defined in the credit agreement, being generally computed as the ratio of consolidated total debt to consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and certain other non-cash charges).

The credit agreement includes financial covenants that are tested on a quarterly basis, based on the rolling four-quarter period that ends on the last day of each fiscal quarter.

Prior to the date on which the Partnership issues qualified senior notes in an aggregate principal amount (when combined with all other qualified senior notes previously or concurrently issued) that equals or exceeds $200.0 million, the maximum permitted consolidated total leverage ratio will be 4.75 to 1.00; provided that the maximum permitted consolidated total leverage ratio may be increased to 5.25 to 1.00 for certain quarters, based on the occurrence of a specified acquisition (as defined in the credit agreement, but generally being an acquisition for which the aggregate consideration is $15.0 million or more).

From and after the date on which the Partnership issues qualified senior notes in an aggregate principal amount (when combined with all other qualified senior notes previously or concurrently issued) that equals or exceeds $200.0 million, the maximum permitted consolidated total leverage ratio is 5.00 to 1.00; provided that from and after the fiscal quarter ending immediately preceding the fiscal quarter in which a specified acquisition occurs to and including the last day of the second full fiscal quarter following the fiscal quarter in which such acquisition occurred, the maximum permitted consolidated total leverage ratio will be 5.50 to 1.00.

The maximum permitted consolidated senior secured leverage ratio (as defined in the credit agreement, but generally computed as the ratio of consolidated total secured debt to consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and certain other non-cash charges) is 3.50 to 1.00, but this covenant is only tested from and after the date on which the Partnership issues qualified senior notes in an aggregate principal amount (when combined with all other qualified senior notes previously or concurrently issued) that equals or exceeds $200.0 million.

The minimum permitted consolidated interest coverage ratio (as defined in the credit agreement, but generally computed as the ratio of consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and certain other non-cash charges to consolidated interest expense) is 2.50 to 1.00.

In addition, the credit agreement contains various covenants that, among other restrictions, limit the Partnership’s ability to:

The credit agreement permits the Partnership to make quarterly distributions of available cash (as defined in the Partnership’s partnership agreement) to unitholders so long as no default or event of default exists under the credit agreement on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such distribution. The Partnership is currently allowed to make distributions to its unitholders in accordance with this covenant; however, the Partnership will only make distributions to the extent it has sufficient cash from operations after establishment of cash reserves as determined by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Blueknight Energy Partners G.P., L.L.C. (the “general partner”) in accordance with the Partnership’s cash distribution policy, including the establishment of any reserves for the proper conduct of the Partnership’s business.  See Note 7 for additional information regarding distributions.

In addition to other customary events of default, the credit agreement includes an event of default if:

If an event of default relating to bankruptcy or other insolvency events occurs with respect to the general partner or the Partnership, all indebtedness under the credit agreement will immediately become due and payable.  If any other event of default exists under the credit agreement, the lenders may accelerate the maturity of the obligations outstanding under the credit agreement and exercise other rights and remedies.  In addition, if any event of default exists under the credit agreement, the lenders may commence foreclosure or other actions against the collateral.

If any default occurs under the credit agreement, or if the Partnership is unable to make any of the representations and warranties in the credit agreement, the Partnership will be unable to borrow funds or to have letters of credit issued under the credit agreement. 

Upon the March 1, 2021 effective date of the January 2021 Amendment, the Partnership expensed $0.1 million of debt issuance costs due to the reduction in available borrowing capacity. Debt issuance costs are being amortized over the term of the credit agreement. Interest expense related to debt issuance cost amortization for both the three months ended three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021, was $0.3 million and $0.2 million, respectively.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021, the weighted average interest rate under the Partnership’s credit agreement was 4.90% and 3.83%, respectively, resulting in interest expense of approximately $1.7 million and $1.2 million, respectively, excluding the $0.1 million of debt issuance costs that were expensed as described above. 

For purposes of calculating earnings per unit, preferred units, general partner units, and common units are first allocated net income to the extent they receive a distribution. Next, the excess of distributions over earnings or excess of earnings over distributions for each period are allocated to the Partnership’s general partner based on the general partner’s ownership interest at the time. For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the preferred units were also allocated income for the excess consideration paid over carrying value for the repurchase of 688,417 preferred units. The remainder is allocated to common units. The following sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net income per common unit (in thousands, except per unit data): 

On March 12, 2021, the Partnership repurchased 688,417 outstanding preferred units at $7.50 per unit or total cash consideration of $5.2 million. The consideration paid was based on the fair market value of the units at the time of purchase. The carrying value of the units was $7.23 per unit, or total carrying value of $5.0 million. The preferred units were allocated additional net income for the $0.2 million of consideration paid in excess of carrying value. The units were retired on March 24, 2021.

On April 21, 2021, the Board approved a cash distribution of $0.17875 per outstanding preferred unit for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The Partnership will pay this distribution on May 14, 2021, to unitholders of record as of May 7, 2021. The total distribution will be approximately $6.3 million, with approximately $6.2 million and $0.1 million paid to the Partnership’s preferred unitholders and general partner, respectively.

In addition, the Board approved a cash distribution of $0.04 per outstanding common unit for the three months ended March 31, 2021. The Partnership will pay this distribution on May 14, 2021, to unitholders of record on May 7, 2021. The total distribution will be approximately $1.7 million, with approximately $1.7 million and less than $0.1 million to be paid to the Partnership’s common unitholders and general partner, respectively, and approximately $0.1 million to be paid to holders of phantom and restricted units pursuant to awards granted under the Partnership’s Long-Term Incentive Plan.

The Partnership leases asphalt facilities and provides asphalt terminalling services to Ergon. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021, the Partnership recognized related-party revenues of $9.0 million and $11.9 million, respectively, for services provided to Ergon. As of December 31, 2020, and March 31, 2021, the Partnership had receivables from Ergon of $0.5 million and $0.7 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, and March 31, 2021, the Partnership had unearned revenues from Ergon of $8.8 million and $8.6 million, respectively.

As of December 31, 2019, the Partnership had a contingent liability to Ergon of $12.2 million related to the Cimarron Express project, a previously disclosed joint venture between Kingfisher Midstream and Ergon's development company (“DEVCO”) that was cancelled in December 2018. The contingent liability reflected Ergon's investment in the joint venture and accrued interest, for which the Partnership, in accordance with the membership interest purchase agreement with Ergon, was meant to bear the risk of loss related to DEVCO’s portion of the project. The Partnership paid this liability in full on January 3, 2020, and it is reflected as an acquisition of the DEVCO on the consolidated statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

In July 2007, the general partner adopted the Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “LTIP”), which is administered by the compensation committee of the Board. The Partnership’s unitholders have approved 8.1 million common units to be reserved for issuance under the incentive plan, subject to adjustments for certain events. Although other types of awards are contemplated under the LTIP, currently outstanding awards include “phantom” units, which convey the right to receive common units upon vesting, and “restricted” units, which are grants of common units restricted until the time of vesting. The phantom unit awards also include distribution equivalent rights (“DERs”).

Subject to applicable earning criteria, a DER entitles the grantee to a cash payment equal to the cash distribution paid on an outstanding common unit prior to the vesting date of the underlying award. Recipients of restricted and phantom units are entitled to receive cash distributions paid on common units during the vesting period which are reflected initially as a reduction of partners’ capital. Distributions paid on units which ultimately do not vest are reclassified as compensation expense. Awards granted to date are equity awards and, accordingly, the fair value of the awards as of the grant date is expensed over the vesting period.

Restricted common units are granted to the independent directors on each anniversary of joining the Board. The units vest in one-third increments over three years. The following table includes information on outstanding grants made to the directors under the LTIP:

The Partnership also grants phantom units to employees. These grants are equity awards under ASC 718 – Stock Compensation and, accordingly, the fair value of the awards as of the grant date is expensed over the three-year vesting period. The following table includes information on the outstanding grants:

The unrecognized estimated compensation cost of outstanding phantom and restricted units at March 31, 2021, was $1.7 million, which will be expensed over the remaining vesting period.

The Partnership’s equity-based incentive compensation expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2021, was $0.2 million and $0.1 million, respectively. 

Activity pertaining to phantom and restricted common unit awards granted under the LTIP is as follows:

The Partnership uses valuation techniques, such as the market approach (comparable market prices), the income approach (present value of future income or cash flow), and the cost approach (cost to replace the service capacity of an asset or replacement cost) to value assets and liabilities required to be measured at fair value, as appropriate. The Partnership uses an exit price when determining the fair value. The exit price represents amounts that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants.

The Partnership utilizes a three-tier fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels. The following is a brief description of those three levels:

This hierarchy requires the use of observable market data, when available, to minimize the use of unobservable inputs when determining fair value.

As of December 31, 2020, and March 31, 2021, the Partnership had no recurring financial assets or liabilities subject to fair value measurement.

Fair Value of Other Financial Instruments

The following disclosure of the estimated fair value of financial instruments is made in accordance with accounting guidance for financial instruments. The Partnership has determined the estimated fair values by using available market information and valuation methodologies. Considerable judgment is required in interpreting market data to develop the estimates of fair value. The use of different market assumptions or valuation methodologies may have a material effect on the estimated fair value amounts.

At March 31, 2021, the carrying values on the unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents (classified as Level 1), accounts receivable, and accounts payable approximate their fair value because of their short-term nature.

Based on the borrowing rates currently available to the Partnership for credit agreement debt with similar terms and maturities and consideration of the Partnership’s non-performance risk, long-term debt associated with the Partnership’s credit agreement at March 31, 2021, approximates its fair value. The fair value of the Partnership’s long-term debt was calculated using observable inputs (Eurodollar Rate for the risk-free component) and unobservable company-specific credit spread information. As such, the Partnership considers this debt to be Level 3.

The Partnership is from time to time subject to various legal actions and claims incidental to its business. Management believes that these legal proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of the Partnership. Once management determines that information pertaining to a legal proceeding indicates that it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of such liability can be reasonably estimated, an accrual is established equal to its estimate of the likely exposure.

The Partnership has contractual obligations to perform dismantlement and removal activities in the event that some of its asphalt product and residual fuel oil terminalling and storage assets are abandoned. These obligations include varying levels of activity including completely removing the assets and returning the land to its original state. The Partnership has determined that the settlement dates related to the retirement obligations are indeterminate. The assets with indeterminate settlement dates have been in existence for many years and with regular maintenance will continue to be in service for many years to come. Also, it is not possible to predict when demands for the Partnership’s terminalling and storage services will cease, and the Partnership does not believe that such demand will cease for the foreseeable future.  Accordingly, the Partnership believes the date when these assets will be abandoned is indeterminate. With no reasonably determinable abandonment date, the Partnership cannot reasonably estimate the fair value of the associated asset retirement obligations.  Management believes that if the Partnership’s asset retirement obligations were settled in the foreseeable future the present value of potential cash flows that would be required to settle the obligations based on current costs are not material.  The Partnership will record asset retirement obligations for these assets in the period in which sufficient information becomes available for it to reasonably determine the settlement dates.

Except as discussed in the 2020 Form 10-K, there have been no new accounting pronouncements that have become effective or have been issued during the three months ended March 31, 2021, that are of significance or potential significance to the Partnership.