Summit Midstream Partners, LP - Annual Report: 2019 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019

or

For the transition period from        to        

Commission file number: 001-35666

Summit Midstream Partners, LP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(832) 413-4770

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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

 Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. ☐    Yes      ☒    No

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Act. ☐    Yes      ☒    No

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, a 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.

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 Act). ☐    Yes      ☒    No

The aggregate market value of the common units held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 28, 2019, was $309,575,112.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date:

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

None

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

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COMMONLY USED OR DEFINED TERMS

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PART I

Item 1. Business.

SMLP is a Delaware limited partnership formed in May 2012. References to "we" or "our" refer collectively to SMLP and its subsidiaries. For additional information, see Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements.

Item 1. Business is divided into the following sections:

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Overview

We are a value-driven limited partnership focused on developing, owning and operating midstream energy infrastructure assets that are strategically located in unconventional resource basins, primarily shale formations, in the continental United States. Our systems gather natural gas from pad sites, wells and central receipt points connected to our systems. Gathered natural gas volumes are then compressed, dehydrated, treated and/or processed for delivery to downstream pipelines serving processing plants and/or end users. We also contract with producers to gather crude oil and produced water from wells connected to our systems for delivery to downstream pipelines and third-party rail terminals in the case of crude oil and to third-party disposal wells in the case of produced water. We generally refer to all of the services our systems provide as gathering services.

We classify our midstream energy infrastructure assets into two categories:

We are the owner-operator of, or have significant ownership interests in, the following gathering and transportation systems, which comprise our Core Focus Areas:

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We are the owner-operator of the following gathering systems, which comprise our Legacy Areas:

The systems that we operate and/or have significant ownership interests in have a diverse group of customers and counterparties comprising affiliates and/or subsidiaries of some of the largest natural gas and crude oil producers in North America.

Key customers in our Core Focus Areas are as follows:

We believe that our gathering systems in the Core Focus Areas are positioned for long-term growth through further development by our customers and increased utilization of our gathering systems. We intend to continue expanding our operations and creating additional scale in our Core Focus Areas through the execution of new, and the expansion of existing, strategic partnerships with our existing and prospective customers.

Key customers in our Legacy Areas are as follows:

We believe that our customers in our Legacy Areas will pursue a slower pace of drilling and completion activity than customers in our Core Focus Areas. As a result, volume throughput in our Legacy Areas could decline or experience a lower rate of growth than our gathering systems in our Core Focus Areas. In general, our gathering systems in our Legacy Areas have a more mature base of connected wells, have larger and longer-lived MVCs and experience lower volume throughput decline rates as compared to our gathering systems in our Core Focus Areas. We will continue to evaluate divestitures or joint ventures of certain of our gathering systems included in our Core Focus Areas or our Legacy Areas, which could result in a reallocation of capital or other resources to repay outstanding debt and other liabilities or re-invest in our Core Focus Areas.

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Our financial results are primarily driven by volume throughput across our gathering systems and by expense management. During 2019, aggregate natural gas volume throughput averaged 1,397 MMcf/d and crude oil and produced water volume throughput averaged 105.3 Mbbl/d. A majority of the volumes that we gather, compress, treat and/or process have a fixed-fee rate structure, which enhances the stability of our cash flows by providing a revenue stream that is not subject to direct commodity price risk. We also earn revenues from the following activities that directly expose us to fluctuations in commodity prices: (i) the sale of physical natural gas and/or NGLs purchased under percentage-of-proceeds or other processing arrangements with certain of our customers on the Bison Midstream, Grand River and Summit Permian systems, (ii) the sale of natural gas we retain from certain DFW Midstream customers and (iii) the sale of condensate we retain from our gathering services at Grand River. During the year ended December 31, 2019, these additional activities accounted for approximately 20% of total revenues including marketing transactions, and approximately 14% of total revenues excluding marketing transactions.

In addition, the vast majority of our gathering and/or processing agreements in both our Core Focus Areas and our Legacy Areas include AMIs. Our AMIs cover approximately 3.2 million surface acres in the aggregate, which includes more than 0.8 million surface acres associated with Ohio Gathering. Certain of our gathering and processing agreements also include MVCs. To the extent the customer does not meet its MVC, it is contractually obligated to make an MVC shortfall payment to cover the shortfall of required volume throughput not shipped or processed, either on a monthly or annual basis. We have designed our MVC provisions to ensure that we will generate a minimum amount of revenue from each customer over the life of the associated gathering and/or processing agreement, whether by collecting gathering or processing fees on actual throughput or from cash payments to cover any MVC shortfall. As of December 31, 2019, we had remaining MVCs totaling 1.8 Tcfe. Our MVCs have a weighted-average remaining life of 5.6 years (assuming contracted minimum volume commitments for the remainder of the term) and average approximately 0.9 Bcfe/d through 2023.

We use a variety of financial and operational metrics to analyze our performance, including among others, throughput volume, revenues, operation and maintenance expenses and segment adjusted EBITDA. We view each of these operational and/or GAAP metrics as important factors in evaluating our profitability and determining the amount of cash distributions we pay to our unitholders.

For additional information on our results of operations, see Item 6. Selected Financial Data and the "Results of Operations" section included in the Item 7. MD&A.

Our Sponsor and Summit Investments.  Energy Capital Partners, together with its affiliated funds, is a private equity firm with over $19.0 billion in capital commitments that is focused on investing in North America's energy infrastructure. Energy Capital Partners has significant energy and financial expertise to complement its investment in us, including investments in the power generation, midstream oil and gas, electric transmission, energy equipment and services, environmental infrastructure and other energy-related sectors.

Summit Investments, which was formed in 2009 by current and former members of our management team and our Sponsor, is the ultimate owner of our General Partner. We are managed and operated by the Board of Directors and executive officers of our General Partner, which is managed and operated by Summit Investments. As a result, due to its ownership interest in Summit Investments and its representation on Summit Investments' board of managers, Energy Capital Partners controls our General Partner and its activities, thereby controlling SMLP.

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Business Strategies

Our key business strategies are as follows:

Our Midstream Assets

Our midstream assets, including assets in which we have a significant ownership interest, currently operate in the following unconventional resource plays:

Core Focus Areas

Legacy Areas

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We compete with other midstream companies, producers and intrastate and interstate pipelines. Competition for volumes is primarily based on reputation, commercial terms, service levels, access to end-use markets, geographic proximity of existing assets to a producer's acreage and available capacity. We may also face competition to gather production outside of our AMIs and attract producer volumes to our gathering systems. Additionally, we could face incremental competition to the extent we make acquisitions.

We earn revenue by providing gathering, compression, treating and/or processing services pursuant to primarily long-term and fee-based gathering and processing agreements with some of the largest and most active producers in North America. The fee-based nature of these agreements enhances the stability of our cash flows by limiting our direct commodity price exposure.

The significant features of our gathering and processing agreements and the gathering systems to which they relate are discussed in more detail below. For additional operating and financial performance information, on a consolidated basis and by reportable segment, see the "Results of Operations" section in Item 7. MD&A.

Areas of Mutual Interest.  The vast majority of our gathering and processing agreements contain AMIs, some of which extend through 2036. The AMIs generally require that any production by our customers within the AMIs will be shipped on and/or processed by our assets. In general, our customers have not leased acreage that cover our entire AMIs but, to the extent that they lease additional acreage within our AMIs in the future, any production from wells drilled by them within that AMI will be dedicated to our systems.

Under certain of our gathering agreements, we have agreed to construct pipeline laterals to connect our gathering systems to producer pad sites located within the AMI. However, in certain circumstances we may choose not to fund a pad connection opportunity presented by a customer or we may choose not to fund capital calls in Ohio Gathering if we believe that the investment would not meet our internal return expectations. Under this scenario, the customer may, in certain circumstances, construct the infrastructure itself and sell it to us at a price equal to their cost plus an applicable profit margin, or, in some cases, we may release the relevant acreage dedication from the AMI. For Ohio Gathering, our joint venture partner may elect to fund 100% of the capital calls, which could reduce our ownership interests in OGC and/or OCC. For example, in 2019, we chose not to fund capital calls at OGC and OCC, and as a result, our ownership interest in those ventures was reduced from 40% to 38.5% and 40% to 38.9%, respectively, as of December 31, 2019.

Minimum Volume Commitments.  Certain of our gathering and/or processing agreements contain MVCs, which, like AMIs, benefit the development and ongoing operation of a gathering system because they provide a contracted monthly or annual minimum revenue stream. As of December 31, 2019, we had remaining MVCs totaling 1.8 Tcfe. Our MVCs had a weighted-average remaining life of 5.6 years (assuming contracted minimum volume commitments for the remainder of the term) and average approximately 0.9 Bcfe/d through 2023. In addition, certain of our customers have an aggregate MVC, which is a total amount of volume throughput that the customer has agreed to ship and/or process on our systems (or an equivalent monetary amount) over the MVC term. In these cases, once a customer achieves its aggregate MVC, any remaining future MVCs will terminate and the customer will then simply pay the applicable gathering or processing rate multiplied by the actual throughput volumes shipped or processed, pursuant to the contract. As a result of this mechanism, in many cases, the weighted-average remaining period for which our MVCs apply is less than the weighted-average of the remaining contract life.

For additional information on our MVCs, see Notes 2 and 9 to the consolidated financial statements.

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Utica Shale

The following table provides operating information regarding our Utica Shale reportable segment as of December 31, 2019.

The Summit Utica system is a natural gas gathering system located in Belmont and Monroe counties in southeastern Ohio and serves producers targeting the dry gas window of the Utica and Point Pleasant shale formations. The Summit Utica system gathers and delivers natural gas, primarily under long-term, fee-based gathering agreements, which include acreage dedications. XTO and Ascent are the key customers of Summit Utica.

We have connected a substantial number of our customers’ pad sites to our gathering system and we expect to benefit in the near-term from incremental volumes arising from drilling and completion activity that is occurring and will continue to occur on previously connected pad sites. Over time, we intend to expand our midstream service offering for the Summit Utica system to connect additional customer pad sites and install centralized compression facilities. Centralized compression services have been dedicated to us in our gathering agreements and will eventually constitute a new revenue stream from our customers; however, to date, this service has not been required given the relatively high downhole pressures exhibited by dry gas wells in the Utica Shale compared to other unconventional shale plays.

The Summit Utica system interconnects with the Ohio River System pipeline, which provides access to the Clarington Hub and Rover Pipeline.

The Summit Utica system currently provides natural gas midstream services for the Utica Shale reportable segment.

Ohio Gathering

Ohio Gathering comprises a natural gas gathering system and condensate stabilization facility located in the core of the Utica Shale in southeastern Ohio. The gathering system spans the condensate, liquids-rich and dry gas windows of the Utica Shale for multiple producers that are targeting production from the Utica and Point Pleasant shale formations across Belmont, Monroe, Guernsey, Harrison and Noble counties in southeastern Ohio and is operated by our partner, MPLX LP (“MPLX”). Substantially all gathering services on the Ohio Gathering system are provided pursuant to long-term, fee-based gathering agreements. Ascent and Gulfport are Ohio Gathering's key customers. AMIs for Ohio Gathering total approximately 825,000 surface acres in the aggregate.

Condensate and liquids-rich natural gas production is gathered, compressed, dehydrated and delivered to the Cadiz and Seneca processing complexes, which total approximately 1.3 Bcf/d of processing capacity and are owned by a joint venture between MPLX and The Energy and Minerals Group. Dry gas production is gathered, dehydrated, compressed, and delivered to third-party pipelines serving the northeast and midwest markets.

As of December 31, 2019, we owned a 38.5% ownership interest in Ohio Gathering. For additional information, see Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements.

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Williston Basin

The following table provides operating information regarding our Williston Basin reportable segment as of December 31, 2019.

(1) Contract terms related to MVCs are presented for liquids and natural gas on a combined basis.

(2) Weighted average based on total remaining MVC (total remaining MVCs multiplied by average rate).

AMIs for the Williston Basin reportable segment total approximately 1.2 million surface acres in the aggregate.

Polar and Divide.  The Polar and Divide system, which is located primarily in Williams and Divide counties in northwestern North Dakota, owns, operates and is currently developing crude oil and produced water gathering systems and transmission pipelines serving multiple customers that are targeting crude oil production from the Bakken and Three Forks shale formations. The Polar and Divide system is underpinned by long-term, fee-based gathering agreements, which include acreage dedications. Whiting, Zavanna and Bruin are the key customers of the Polar and Divide system.

Crude oil that is gathered by the Polar and Divide system is delivered to interconnects with (i) the Dakota Access Pipeline, (ii) the COLT Hub rail facility, (iii) Enbridge Inc’s North Dakota Pipeline System and (iv) Global Partners LP's Basin Transload rail terminal. Produced water is delivered to third-party disposal facilities.

The Polar and Divide system currently provides crude oil and produced water midstream services for the Williston Basin reportable segment.

Bison Midstream.  The Bison Midstream system is located in Mountrail and Burke counties in northwestern North Dakota. Bison Midstream gathers, compresses and treats associated natural gas that exists in the crude oil stream produced from the Bakken and Three Forks shale formations. Our gathering agreements for the Bison Midstream system include long-term, fee-based or percent-of-proceeds contracts. Volume throughput on the Bison Midstream system is underpinned by acreage dedications and MVCs from its key customers. A large U.S. independent crude oil and natural gas company and Oasis are the key customers of Bison Midstream.

Natural gas gathered on the Bison Midstream system is delivered to Aux Sable Midstream LLC's (“Aux Sable”) Palermo Conditioning Plant in Palermo, North Dakota and then delivered to downstream pipelines serving Aux Sable’s 2.1 Bcf/d natural gas processing plant in Channahon, Illinois.

The Bison Midstream system currently provides associated natural gas midstream services for the Williston Basin reportable segment.

DJ Basin

The following table provides operating information regarding our DJ Basin reportable segment as of December 31, 2019.

(1) Weighted average based on total remaining MVC (total remaining MVCs multiplied by average rate).

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AMIs for the DJ Basin reportable segment total approximately 185,000 surface acres in the aggregate.

The Niobrara G&P system is located near Hereford, Colorado, in Weld County, the largest crude oil and natural gas producing county in the state. Gathering and processing services on the Niobrara G&P system are provided pursuant to long-term, fee-based gathering agreements with producers that are primarily targeting crude oil production from the Niobrara and Codell shale formations. HighPoint and a large U.S. independent crude oil and natural gas company are the key customers of the Niobrara G&P system and have underpinned our volume throughput with acreage dedications and MVCs.

The Niobrara G&P system operates a low-pressure associated natural gas gathering system, and a cryogenic natural gas processing plant with processing capacity of 60 MMcf/d. The Niobrara G&P system also processes liquids-rich natural gas that is produced by a customer in Laramie County, Wyoming and is delivered to the inlet of our processing plant by a third-party gathering system.

Residue gas is delivered to the Colorado Interstate Gas and Trailblazer Pipeline and processed NGLs are delivered to the Overland Pass Pipeline.

The Niobrara G&P system currently provides midstream services for the DJ Basin reportable segment.

Permian Basin

The following table provides operating information regarding our Permian Basin reportable segment as of December 31, 2019.

(1) Contract terms related to MVCs are excluded for confidentiality purposes.

AMIs for the Permian Basin reportable segment total approximately 89,000 surface acres in the aggregate.

The Summit Permian system is an associated natural gas gathering and processing system operating in the northern Delaware Basin in Eddy and Lea counties in New Mexico. Gathering and processing services on the Summit Permian system are provided pursuant to long-term, fee-based gathering agreements with producers that are primarily targeting crude oil production from the Bone Spring and Wolfcamp shale formations. XTO is the key customer of the Summit Permian system.

The Summit Permian system operates a low-pressure natural gas gathering system and a 60 MMcf/d cryogenic processing plant.

Residue natural gas is delivered to the Transwestern Pipeline and processed NGLs are delivered to the Lone Star NGL Pipeline.

Piceance Basin

The following table provides operating information regarding our Piceance Basin reportable segment as of December 31, 2019.

(1) Weighted average based on total remaining MVC (total remaining MVCs multiplied by average rate).

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AMIs for the Piceance Basin reportable segment total approximately 654,000 surface acres in the aggregate.

Grand River is primarily located in Garfield County, one of the largest natural gas producing counties in Colorado. The Grand River system provides gathering services pursuant to primarily long-term and fee-based agreements with multiple producers, including its key customers, Caerus and Terra. Volume throughput on the Grand River system is underpinned with acreage dedications and MVCs.

The Grand River system is primarily a low-pressure gathering system that gathers natural gas produced from directional wells targeting the liquids-rich Mesaverde formation.

Natural gas gathered and/or processed on the Grand River system is compressed, dehydrated, processed and/or discharged to downstream pipelines serving (i) the Meeker Processing Complex, (ii) the Northwest Pipeline system and (iii) the TransColorado Pipeline system. Processed NGLs from Grand River are injected into the Mid-America Pipeline system or delivered to local markets. In addition, certain of our gathering agreements with our customers on the Grand River system permit us to retain condensate volumes that naturally discharge from the liquids-rich natural gas as it moves across our system.

The Grand River system currently provides midstream services for the Piceance Basin reportable segment.

Barnett Shale

The following table provides operating information regarding our Barnett Shale reportable segment as of December 31, 2019.

(1) Weighted average based on total remaining MVC (total remaining MVCs multiplied by average rate).

AMIs for the Barnett Shale reportable segment total approximately 124,000 surface acres.

The DFW Midstream system is primarily located in southeastern Tarrant County, in north-central Texas. We consider this area to be the core of the core of the Barnett Shale because of the quality of the geology and the high production profile of the wells drilled to date. The DFW Midstream system is underpinned by a long-term, fee-based gathering agreement with Total and additional customers.

The DFW Midstream system includes natural gas gathering pipelines located under both private and public property and is partially located along existing electric transmission corridors. Compression on the system is powered by electricity. To offset the costs we incur to operate the system's electric-drive compressors, we either retain a fixed percentage of the natural gas that we gather or pass through a portion of the power expense to our customers.

The DFW Midstream system currently has six primary interconnections with third-party, primarily intrastate pipelines. These interconnections enable us to connect our customers, directly or indirectly, with the major natural gas market hubs in Texas and Louisiana.

The DFW Midstream system currently provides midstream services for the Barnett Shale reportable segment.

Marcellus Shale

The following table provides operating information regarding our Marcellus Shale reportable segment as of December 31, 2019.

(1) Contract terms related to MVCs are excluded for confidentiality purposes.

The Mountaineer Midstream system is located in Doddridge and Harrison counties in West Virginia where it gathers natural gas under a long-term, fee-based contract with Antero, which is targeting liquids-rich natural gas production from the Marcellus Shale formation. Volume throughput on the Mountaineer Midstream system is underpinned by MVCs from Antero.

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The Mountaineer Midstream system, which is underpinned by a minimum revenue commitment from Antero, consists of a high-pressure natural gas gathering system and two compressor stations. This system gathers high-pressure natural gas received from upstream pipeline interconnections with Antero Midstream Corporation and Crestwood Equity Partners LP. Mountaineer Midstream serves as a critical inlet to the Sherwood Processing Complex, a primary destination for liquids-rich natural gas in northern West Virginia and one of the largest natural gas processing facilities in the United States.

The Mountaineer Midstream system currently provides midstream services for the Marcellus Shale reportable segment.

For additional information relating to our business and gathering systems, see the "Trends and Outlook" and "Results of Operations" sections in Item 7. MD&A.

Regulation of the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Industries

General.  Sales by producers of natural gas, crude oil, condensate and NGLs are currently made at market prices. However, gathering and transportation services are subject to various types of regulation, which may affect certain aspects of our business and the market for our services. FERC regulates the transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce and the interstate transportation of crude oil, petroleum products and NGLs. FERC regulation includes reviewing and accepting or approving rates and other terms and conditions for such transportation services, and authorizing and regulating the construction and operation of interstate natural gas pipelines. FERC is also authorized to prevent and sanction market manipulation in natural gas markets while the FTC is authorized to prevent and sanction market manipulation in petroleum markets and the CFTC is authorized to prevent and sanction fraud and price manipulations in the commodity and futures markets, including the energy futures markets. State and municipal regulations may apply to the production and gathering of certain natural gas, the construction and operation of natural gas and crude oil facilities and the rates and practices of gathering systems and intrastate pipelines.

Regulation of Crude Oil and Natural Gas Exploration, Production and Sales.  Sales of crude oil and NGLs are not currently regulated and are transacted at market prices. In 1989, the U.S. Congress enacted the Natural Gas Wellhead Decontrol Act, which removed all remaining price and non-price controls affecting wellhead sales of natural gas. FERC, which has the authority under the NGA to regulate the prices and other terms and conditions of the sale of natural gas for resale in interstate commerce, has issued blanket authorizations for all gas resellers subject to its regulation, except interstate pipelines, to resell natural gas at market prices. Either Congress or FERC (with respect to the resale of gas in interstate commerce), however, could re-impose price controls in the future.

Exploration and production operations are subject to various types of federal, state and local regulation, including, but not limited to, permitting, well location, methods of drilling, well operations and conservation of resources. While these regulations do not directly apply to our business, they may affect our customers' ability to produce natural gas.

Regulation of the Gathering and Transportation of Natural Gas and Crude Oil.  We believe that the majority of our natural gas pipeline facilities qualify as gathering facilities that are exempt from the jurisdiction of FERC. Our Epping Pipeline interstate crude oil pipeline in North Dakota, which is owned and operated by Epping, is subject to FERC’s jurisdiction and oversight pursuant to FERC's authority under the ICA, and Epping has on file with FERC a tariff for interstate movements of crude oil on the pipeline. Additionally, our Double E Project, which is currently under consideration by FERC in Docket No. CP19-495-000 under Section 7(c) of the NGA for a certificate of public convenience and necessity, and is anticipated to provide interstate natural gas transmission service from the Delaware Basin in southeastern New Mexico to the Waha Hub in Texas, will be subject to FERC jurisdiction if approved. In 2018, FERC solicited public comment on its current policy on the certification of construction of new pipeline facilities, although it has not made any determinations yet on whether to make any changes to that policy. In addition to approving and regulating the construction and operation of interstate natural gas pipelines, FERC also regulates such pipelines’ rates and terms and conditions of service, including transportation service agreements and negotiated rate agreements.

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Under FERC’s ICA jurisdiction, rates for interstate movements of liquids by pipeline are currently regulated primarily through an annual indexing methodology, under which pipelines increase or decrease their existing rates in accordance with a FERC-specified adjustment that sets a rate ceiling. This adjustment, which may be positive or negative in a given year, is subject to review every five years. For the five-year period beginning on July 1, 2016, FERC established an annual index adjustment equal to the change in the producer price index for finished goods plus 1.23%. In 2016, FERC proposed a policy change that would deny proposed index increases for pipelines under certain circumstances where revenues exceed cost-of-service by a certain percentage or where the proposed index increases exceed certain annual cost changes reported to FERC. FERC terminated this rulemaking on February 20, 2020 without adopting any part of the proposal. FERC will commence its five-year review of its index adjustment in 2020 with the new adjustment to become effective starting July 1, 2021.

Under current FERC regulations, liquids pipelines can request a rate increase that exceeds the rate obtained through the indexing methodology by using a cost-of-service approach, but a pipeline must establish that a substantial divergence exists between its actual costs and the rates resulting from the indexing methodology. The rates charged by Epping may also be affected by FERC’s March 15, 2018 announcement of a revised policy eliminating the recovery of an income tax allowance in cost-of-service-based rates by FERC-jurisdictional crude oil and natural gas pipelines owned by master limited partnerships. FERC has not required oil pipelines on an industry-wide basis to decrease their rates to implement the new policy, but FERC has stated that the effects of the revised policy statement must be incorporated in annual FERC financial reports made by oil pipelines. The effect of the elimination of the income tax allowance for MLP pipelines, as well as the reduction in the corporate income tax rate resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, will be taken into account in FERC’s next five-year review of index rate adjustments in 2020.

The ICA permits interested persons to challenge proposed new or changed rates and authorizes FERC to suspend the effectiveness of such rates for up to seven months and investigate such rates. If, upon completion of an investigation, FERC finds that the new or changed rate is unlawful, it is authorized to require the pipeline to refund revenues collected in excess of the just and reasonable rate during the term of the investigation. FERC may also investigate, upon complaint or on its own motion, rates that are already in effect and may order a carrier to change its rates prospectively. Under certain circumstances, FERC could limit Epping’s ability to set rates based on costs or could order reduced rates and reparations to complaining shippers for up to two years prior to the date of a complaint. FERC also has the authority to change terms and conditions of service if it determines that they are unjust and unreasonable or unduly discriminatory or preferential. The ICA also imposes potential criminal liability for certain violations of the statute.

Intrastate pipelines, which may include some pipelines that perform gathering functions, may be subject to safety regulation by the DOT, although typically state regulatory authorities (operating under a federal certification) perform this function. State regulatory authorities also have jurisdiction over the rates and practices of intrastate pipelines and gathering systems, including requirements for ratable takes or non-discriminatory access to pipeline services. The basis for state regulation and the degree of regulatory oversight of gathering systems and intrastate pipelines varies from state to state. In Texas, we are regulated as a gas utility and have filed tariffs with the Railroad Commission of Texas to establish rates and terms of service for our DFW Midstream system assets. We have not been required to file tariffs in the other states in which we operate, although we are required to submit shape files and other information regarding the location and construction of underground gathering pipelines in North Dakota. The states in which we operate have adopted complaint-based regulation that allows natural gas producers and shippers to file complaints with state regulators in an effort to resolve access issues and rate grievances, among other matters. State authorities in the states in which we operate generally have not initiated investigations of the rates or practices of gathering systems or intrastate pipelines in the absence of a complaint. State regulation of intrastate pipelines continues to evolve and may become more stringent in the future. For example, the North Dakota Industrial Commission recently adopted rule changes that resulted in additional construction and monitoring requirements for all pipelines, including, but not limited to, those that transport produced water, and has recently adopted reclamation bonding requirements for certain underground gathering pipelines in North Dakota.

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Natural gas, crude oil and produced water production, gathering and transportation, including the construction of new gathering facilities and expansion of existing gathering facilities may also be subject to local regulation, such as approval and permit requirements.

Anti-Market Manipulation Rules.  We are subject to the anti-market manipulation provisions in the NGA and the NGPA, as amended by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which authorize FERC to impose fines of up to $1,291,894 per day per violation of the NGA, the NGPA, or their implementing regulations, subject to future adjustments for inflation. In addition, the FTC holds statutory authority under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to prevent market manipulation in petroleum markets, including the authority to request that a court impose fines of up to $1,231,690 per violation, subject to future adjustment for inflation. These agencies have promulgated broad rules and regulations prohibiting fraud and manipulation in oil and gas markets. The CFTC is directed under the CEA to prevent price manipulations in the commodity and futures markets, including the energy futures markets. Pursuant to statutory authority, the CFTC has adopted anti-market manipulation regulations that prohibit fraud and price manipulation in the commodity and futures markets. The CFTC also has statutory authority to seek civil penalties of up to the greater of $1,212,866 per day per violation, subject to future adjustment for inflation, or triple the monetary gain to the violator for violations of the anti-market manipulation sections of the CEA. We are also subject to various reporting requirements that are designed to facilitate transparency and prevent market manipulation.

Safety and Maintenance.  We are subject to regulation by the DOT, which establishes federal safety standards for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of natural gas and crude oil pipeline facilities. In the Pipeline Safety Act of 1992, Congress expanded the DOT's regulatory authority to include regulated gathering lines that had previously been exempt from federal jurisdiction. The Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 and the Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement and Safety Act of 2006 established mandatory inspections for certain U.S. oil and natural gas transmission pipelines in high consequence areas. The Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty and Job Creation Act of 2011 (“2011 Act”) reauthorized funding for federal pipeline safety programs through 2015, increased penalties for safety violations, established additional safety requirements for newly constructed pipelines and required studies of certain safety issues that could result in the adoption of new regulatory requirements for existing pipelines. In 2016, the Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act reauthorized pipeline safety programs through 2019 and provided limited new authority, including the ability to issue emergency orders, while increasing transparency into the status of remaining actions required by the 2011 Act. As of the end of 2019, the PHMSA had not yet been reauthorized for funding through 2023, but the PHMSA indicates that its pipeline safety functions can continue to function, subject to restrictions in an appropriations act.

The DOT has delegated the implementation of pipeline safety requirements to PHMSA, which has adopted and enforces safety standards and procedures applicable to a limited number of our pipelines. In addition, many states, including the states in which we operate, have adopted regulations that are identical to or more restrictive than existing PHMSA regulations for intrastate pipelines. Among the regulations applicable to us, PHMSA requires pipeline operators to develop integrity management programs for certain pipelines located in high consequence areas, which include high-population areas such as the Dallas-Fort Worth greater metropolitan area where our DFW Midstream system is located. While the majority of our pipelines meet the DOT definition of gathering lines and are thus currently exempt from the integrity management requirements of PHMSA, we also operate a limited number of pipelines that are subject to the integrity management requirements. Those regulations require operators, including us, to:

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In October 2019, the PHMSA issued three new final rules. One rule establishes procedures to implement the expanded emergency order enforcement authority set forth in an October 2016 interim final rule. Among other things, this rule allows the PHMSA to issue an emergency order without advance notice or opportunity for a hearing. The other two rules impose several new requirements on operators of onshore gas transmission systems and hazardous liquids pipelines. The rule concerning gas transmission extends the requirement to conduct integrity assessments beyond “high consequence areas” (HCAs) to pipelines in “moderate consequence areas” (MCAs). It also includes requirements to reconfirm Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure (MAOP), report MAOP exceedances, consider seismicity as a risk factor in integrity management, and use certain safety features on in-line inspection equipment. The rule concerning hazardous liquids extends the required use of leak detection systems beyond HCAs to all regulated non-gathering hazardous liquid pipelines, requires reporting for gravity fed lines and unregulated gathering lines, requires periodic inspection of all lines not in HCAs, calls for inspections of lines after extreme weather events, and adds a requirement to make all lines in or affecting HCAs capable of accommodating in-line inspection tools over the next 20 years. Gathering systems like ours are also subject to a number of federal and state laws and regulations, including the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act and comparable state statutes, the purposes of which are to protect the health and safety of workers, both generally and within the pipeline industry. In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration hazard communication standard, EPA community right-to-know regulations under Title III of the federal Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act and comparable state statutes require that information be maintained concerning hazardous materials used or produced in our operations and that such information be provided to employees, state and local government authorities and the public.

Gathering systems like ours are also subject to a number of federal and state laws and regulations, including the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act and comparable state statutes, the purposes of which are to protect the health and safety of workers, both generally and within the pipeline industry. In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration hazard communication standard, EPA community right-to-know regulations under Title III of the federal Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act and comparable state statutes require that information be maintained concerning hazardous materials used or produced in our operations and that such information be provided to employees, state and local government authorities and the public.

Environmental Matters

General.  Our operation of pipelines and other assets for the gathering, treating and/or processing of natural gas and the gathering of crude oil and produced water is subject to stringent and complex federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment. As an owner or operator of these assets, we must comply with these laws and regulations at the federal, state and local levels. These laws and regulations can restrict or impact our business activities in many ways, such as:

Failure to comply with these laws and regulations may trigger administrative, civil and criminal enforcement measures, including the assessment of monetary penalties. Certain environmental statutes impose strict joint and several liability for costs required to clean up and restore sites where substances, hydrocarbons or wastes have been disposed or otherwise released. Moreover, it is not uncommon for neighboring landowners and other third parties to file claims for personal injury and property damage allegedly caused by the release of hazardous substances, hydrocarbons or other waste products into the environment.

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The trend in environmental regulation is to place more stringent requirements, resulting in more restrictions and limitations, on activities that may affect the environment. Thus, there can be no assurance as to the amount or timing of future expenditures for environmental compliance or remediation and actual future expenditures may be different from the amounts we currently anticipate. We try to anticipate future regulatory requirements that might be imposed and plan accordingly to remain in compliance with changing environmental laws and regulations and to minimize the costs of such compliance. We also actively participate in industry groups that help formulate recommendations for addressing existing and future regulations.

The following is a discussion of the material environmental laws and regulations that relate to our business.

Hazardous Substances and Waste.  Our operations are subject to environmental laws and regulations relating to the management and release of solid and hazardous wastes and other substances, including hydrocarbons. These laws generally regulate the generation, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of solid and hazardous waste and may impose strict joint and several liability for the investigation and remediation of affected areas where hazardous substances may have been released or disposed. Furthermore, the Toxic Substances Control Act and analogous state laws, impose requirements on the use, storage and disposal of various chemicals and chemical substances at our facilities. CERCLA and comparable state laws impose liability, without regard to fault or the legality of the original conduct, on certain classes of persons that contributed to the release of a hazardous substance into the environment. We may handle hazardous substances within the meaning of CERCLA, or similar state statutes, in the course of our ordinary operations and, as a result, may be jointly and severally liable under CERCLA for all or part of the costs required to clean up sites at which these hazardous substances have been released into the environment.

We also generate industrial wastes that are subject to the requirements of the RCRA and comparable state statutes. While the RCRA regulates both solid and hazardous wastes, it imposes strict requirements on the generation, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes. Although we generate minimal hazardous waste, it is possible that non-hazardous wastes, which could include wastes currently generated during our operations, will in the future be designated as hazardous wastes and, therefore, be subject to more rigorous and costly disposal requirements. Moreover, from time to time, the EPA and state regulatory agencies have considered the adoption of stricter disposal standards for non-hazardous wastes, including natural gas wastes.

We currently own or lease properties where hydrocarbons are being or have been handled for many years. Although we believe that the previous operators utilized operating and disposal practices that were standard in the industry at the time, hydrocarbons or other wastes may have been disposed of or released on or under the properties owned or leased by us or on or under the other locations where these hydrocarbons and wastes have been transported for treatment or disposal, without our knowledge. These properties and the wastes disposed thereon may be subject to CERCLA, the RCRA and analogous state laws. Under these laws, we could be required to remove or remediate previously disposed wastes (including wastes disposed of or released by prior owners or operators), to clean up contaminated property (including contaminated groundwater) or to perform remedial operations to prevent future contamination. We are not currently aware of any facts, events or conditions relating to such requirements that could materially impact our operations or financial condition.

Air Emissions.  Our operations are subject to the federal CAA and comparable state and local laws and regulations. These laws and regulations regulate emissions of air pollutants from various industrial sources, including our facilities, and also impose various monitoring, control and reporting requirements. Such laws and regulations may require that we obtain pre-approval for the construction or modification of certain projects or facilities expected to produce or significantly increase air emissions, obtain and strictly comply with air permits containing various emissions and operational limitations and utilize specific emission control technologies to limit emissions. Our failure to comply with these requirements could subject us to monetary penalties, injunctions, conditions or restrictions on operations and criminal enforcement actions. Furthermore, we may be required to incur certain capital expenditures in the future to obtain and maintain operating permits and approvals for air pollutant emitting sources.

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In October 2015, the EPA issued a new lower NAAQS for ozone. The previous ozone standard was set at 75 parts per billion ("ppb"). The revised standard has been lowered to 70 ppb. The lowered ozone NAAQS could result in a significant expansion of ozone nonattainment areas across the United States, including areas in which we operate, which could subject us to increased regulatory burdens in the form of more stringent emission controls, emission offset requirements and increased permitting delays and costs. Impacts from the new standard have not yet been determined, as states are still in the process of incorporating the new standard into their respective state implementation plans. We will continue to monitor developments to determine if any adverse effects on our operations can be expected.

On June 3, 2016, the EPA finalized revisions to its 2012 New Source Performance Standard ("NSPS") OOOO for the oil and gas industry, to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases - most notably methane - along with smog-forming VOCs. The revisions, which are published in the Federal Register under Subpart OOOOa, included the addition of methane to the pollutants covered by the rule, along with requirements for detecting and repairing leaks at gathering and boosting stations. The revised rule applies to sources that have been modified, constructed, or reconstructed after September 18, 2015. In September 2019, the EPA published a rule proposing to reconsider certain aspects of both the 2012 and 2016 rules. This proposed rule would remove sources in the transmission and storage segments from the regulated source category and would rescind the application of the NSPS and methane-specific requirements to these sources. The 2012 and 2016 rules remain in effect pending reconsideration. While we do not expect this rule to significantly impact our existing operations, future modifications or new construction may be adversely affected by the revised rule.

On November 16, 2016 the Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") issued a final rule to reduce venting and flaring of natural gas on public and Indian lands. The final rule mirrors many of the requirements found in NSPS OOOOa, with additional natural gas royalty requirements for flared volumes at sites already connected to gas capture infrastructure. In September 2018, the BLM published a final rule that rescinded several requirements of this rule. The September 2018 rule was challenged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California almost immediately after issuance. The challenge is still pending. While the rule is expected to have little or no direct impact on our operations, our customers that are primarily upstream wellhead operators may be impacted by the requirements in this rule.

Water Discharges.  The CWA and analogous state laws impose restrictions and strict controls regarding the discharge of pollutants into regulated waters, which impacts our ability to conduct construction activities in waters and wetlands. Certain state regulations and the general permits issued under the Federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program prohibit the discharge of pollutants and chemicals. In addition, the CWA and analogous state laws require individual permits or coverage under general permits for discharges of storm water runoff from certain types of facilities. These permits require us to control storm water runoff from some of our facilities. Some states also maintain groundwater protection programs that require permits for discharges or operations that may impact groundwater conditions. Federal and state regulatory agencies can impose administrative, civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance with discharge permits or other requirements of the CWA and analogous state laws and regulations. Except as otherwise disclosed in this annual report, we believe that we are in substantial compliance with all applicable requirements of the CWA and analogous state laws and regulations relating to water discharges.

Oil Pollution Act.  The OPA requires the preparation of an SPCC plan for facilities engaged in drilling, producing, gathering, storing, processing, refining, transferring, distributing, using, or consuming oil and oil products, and which due to their location, could reasonably be expected to discharge oil in harmful quantities into or upon the navigable waters of the United States. The owner or operator of an SPCC-regulated facility is required to prepare a written, site-specific spill prevention plan, which details how a facility's operations comply with the requirements. To be in compliance, the facility's SPCC plan must satisfy all of the applicable requirements for drainage, bulk storage tanks, tank car and truck loading and unloading, transfer operations (intrafacility piping), inspections and records, security and training. Certain of our facilities are classified as SPCC-regulated facilities. We believe that they are in substantial compliance with all applicable requirements of OPA.

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Hydraulic Fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing is an important and increasingly common practice that is used to stimulate production of natural gas and/or crude oil from dense subsurface rock formations and is primarily presently regulated by state agencies. However, Congress has in the past and may in the future consider legislation to regulate hydraulic fracturing by federal agencies or limit the ability of companies to engage in hydraulic fracturing. Many states have already adopted laws and/or regulations that require disclosure of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. A number of states have adopted, and other states are considering adopting, legal requirements that could impose more stringent permitting, disclosure and well construction requirements on oil and/or natural gas drilling activities. For example, a Colorado ballot initiative, Proposition 112, would have substantially increased setback distances for various upstream activities, thereby substantially restricting new oil and gas development in the state. Although Proposition 112 was defeated in the November 2018 elections, similar ballot initiatives have recently been circulated by interested groups for potential consideration in upcoming elections, although none have yet obtained the requisite number of signatures. Further, Colorado Senate Bill 19-181, signed into law in April 2019, changed the mandate of the state’s oil and gas regulator from fostering oil and gas development to regulating oil and gas development in a reasonable manner to protect public health and the environment. The new law also allows local governments to impose more restrictive requirements on oil and gas operations than those issued by the state and reduced the oil and gas representation on the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry in Colorado. Similar efforts in Colorado and elsewhere could restrict oil and gas development in the future. States also could elect to prohibit hydraulic fracturing altogether, as New York, Maryland, and Vermont have done. In addition, certain local governments have adopted, and additional local governments may adopt, ordinances within their jurisdictions regulating the time, place and manner of drilling activities in general or hydraulic fracturing activities in particular.

The EPA has also moved forward with various regulatory actions, including approving new regulations requiring green completions of hydraulically-fractured wells and corresponding reporting requirements that went into effect in 2015. Revisions to the green completion regulations were finalized in June 2016 and include additional requirements to reduce methane and VOCs. The EPA announced in April 2017 that it would review these regulations and in September 2019, the EPA published a rule proposing to reconsider certain aspects of the regulations. However, the regulations currently remain in effect. The BLM has also asserted regulatory authority over aspects of the hydraulic fracturing process, and issued a final rule in March 2015 that established more stringent standards for performing hydraulic fracturing on federal and Indian lands. However, in December 2017, the BLM published a final rule rescinding the 2015 rule. The rescission rule is currently subject to a legal challenge. Further, several federal governmental agencies have conducted reviews and studies on the environmental aspects of hydraulic fracturing, including the EPA. The results of such reviews or studies could spur initiatives to further regulate hydraulic fracturing.

State and federal regulatory agencies recently have focused on a possible connection between the hydraulic fracturing related activities and the increased occurrence of seismic activity. When caused by human activity, such events are called induced seismicity. Some state regulatory agencies, including those in Colorado, Ohio, and Texas, have modified their regulations or guidance to account for induced seismicity. These developments could result in additional regulation and restrictions on the use of injection disposal wells and hydraulic fracturing. Such regulations and restrictions could cause delays and impose additional costs and restrictions on our customers.

If new or more stringent federal, state or local legal restrictions relating to drilling activities or to the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted, this could result in a reduction in the supply of natural gas and/or crude oil that our customers produce, and could thereby adversely affect our revenues and results of operations. Compliance with such rules could also generally result in additional costs, including increased capital expenditures and operating costs, for our customers, which could ultimately decrease end-user demand for our services and could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Endangered Species Act.  The Endangered Species Act restricts activities that may affect endangered or threatened species or their habitats. Some of our pipelines may be located in areas that are designated as habitats for endangered or threatened species.

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National Environmental Policy Act.  The NEPA establishes a national environmental policy and goals for the protection, maintenance and enhancement of the environment and provides a process for implementing these goals within federal agencies. Major projects having the potential to significantly impact the environment require review under NEPA. Many of our activities are covered under categorical exclusions which results in an expedited NEPA review process. Large upstream and downstream projects with significant cumulative impacts may be subject to longer NEPA review processes, which could impact the timing of those projects and our services associated with them.

Climate Change.  The EPA has adopted regulations under the CAA that, among other things, establish GHG emission limits from motor vehicles as well as establish PSD construction and Title V operating permit reviews for certain large stationary sources that are potential major sources of GHG emissions. Facilities required to obtain PSD permits for their GHG emissions also will be required to meet “best available control technology” standards that will be established by the states or, in some cases, by the EPA on a case-by-case basis.

EPA rules also require the reporting of GHG emissions from specified large GHG-emitting sources in the United States, including onshore and offshore oil and natural gas systems. We are required to report under these rules for our assets that have GHG emissions above the reporting thresholds. In October 2015, the EPA issued revisions to Subpart W of the GHG reporting rule to include reporting requirements for gathering and booster stations, onshore natural gas transmission pipelines, and completions and workovers of oil wells with hydraulic fracturing. This development resulted in increased monitoring and reporting for our operations and for upstream producers for whom we provide midstream services.

In addition, almost half of the states, either individually or through multi-state regional initiatives, have begun to address GHG emissions, primarily through the planned development of emission inventories or regional GHG cap and trade programs. Most of these cap and trade programs work by requiring either major sources of emissions, such as electric power plants, or major producers of fuels, such as refineries and gas processing plants, to acquire and surrender emission allowances. In general, the number of allowances available for purchase is reduced each year until the overall GHG emission reduction goal is achieved. Depending on the scope of a particular program, we could be required to purchase and surrender allowances for GHG emissions resulting from our operations (e.g., at compressor stations). Although most of the state-level initiatives have to date been focused on large sources of GHG emissions, such as electric power plants, it is possible that certain components of our operations, such as our gas-fired compressors, could become subject to state-level GHG-related regulation.

Further, in December 2015, over 190 countries, including the United States, reached an agreement to reduce global GHG emissions. The agreement entered into force in November 2016, after over 70 countries, including the United States, ratified or otherwise consented to be bound by the agreement. In November 2019, the United States submitted formal notification to the United Nations that it intends to withdraw from the agreement. The earliest possible effective withdrawal date from the agreement is November 2020. However, there are no guarantees that the agreement will not be re-implemented in the United States, or re-implemented in part by certain state or local governments.

Legislation or regulations that may be adopted to address climate change could also affect the markets for our products by making our products more or less desirable than competing sources of energy. To the extent that our products are competing with higher GHG-emitting energy sources, our products would become more desirable in the market with more stringent limitations on GHG emissions. Conversely, to the extent that our products are competing with lower GHG-emitting energy sources such as solar and wind, our products would become less desirable in the market with more stringent limitations on GHG emissions.

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Other Information

Employees.  SMLP does not have any employees. All of the employees required to conduct and support its operations are employed by Summit Investments, but these individuals are sometimes referred to as our employees. The officers of our General Partner manage our operations and activities. As of December 31, 2019, Summit Investments employed 261 people who provide direct, full-time support to our operations. None of our employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements, and we have never experienced any business interruption as a result of any labor disputes.

Availability of Reports.  We make certain filings with the SEC, including, among other filings, our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and all amendments and exhibits to those reports, available free of charge through our website, www.summitmidstream.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after the date they are filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC through the SEC’s website, http://www.sec.gov. Our press releases and recent investor presentations are also available on our website.

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Item 1A. Risk Factors is divided into the following sections:

• Risks Related to our Business

• Risks Inherent in an Investment in Us

• Tax Risks

Risks Related to Our Business

We may not have sufficient cash from operations following the establishment of cash reserves and payment of fees and expenses, including cost reimbursements of expenses incurred on our behalf by our General Partner, to enable us to sustain the distributions to holders of our common units.

We may not have sufficient available cash from operating surplus each quarter to sustain the distributions to holders of our common units. The amount of cash we can distribute on our units principally depends upon the amount of cash we generate from our operations, which will fluctuate from quarter to quarter based on, among other things:

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In addition, the actual amount of cash we will have available for distribution to our common unitholders will depend on other factors, some of which are beyond our control, including:

We depend on a relatively small number of customers for a significant portion of our revenues. For example, Caerus, a customer on our Piceance Basin gathering system, and Whiting, a customer on our Williston Basin gathering system, each account for over 10% of our aggregated revenue. The loss of, or material nonpayment or nonperformance by, or the curtailment of production by, any one or more of our customers could materially adversely affect our revenues, cash flows and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

Certain of our customers may have material financial and liquidity issues or may, as a result of operational incidents or other events, be disproportionately affected as compared to larger, better-capitalized companies. Any material nonpayment or nonperformance by any of our customers could have a material adverse effect on our revenues and cash flows and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders. We expect our exposure to concentrated risk of nonpayment or nonperformance to continue as long as we remain substantially dependent on a relatively small number of customers for a significant portion of our revenues.

If any of our customers curtail or reduce production in our areas of operation, it could reduce throughput on our system and, therefore, materially adversely affect our revenues, cash flows and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

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Further, we are subject to the risk of non-payment or non-performance by our larger customers. We cannot predict the extent to which our customers’ business would be impacted if conditions in the energy industry deteriorate, nor can we estimate the impact such conditions would have on any of our customers’ ability to execute their drilling and development programs or perform under our gathering and processing agreements. The low commodity price environment has negatively impacted natural gas producers causing some producers in the industry significant economic stress, including, in certain cases, to file for bankruptcy protection or to renegotiate contracts. To the extent that any customer is in financial distress or commences bankruptcy proceedings, contracts with these customers may be subject to renegotiation or rejection under applicable provisions of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Any material non-payment or non-performance by our customers could adversely affect our business and operating results.

We are exposed to the creditworthiness and performance of our customers, suppliers and contract counterparties and any material nonpayment or nonperformance by one or more of these parties could materially adversely affect our financial and operating results.

Although we attempt to assess the creditworthiness and associated liquidity of our customers, suppliers and contract counterparties, there can be no assurance that our assessments will be accurate or that there will not be a rapid or unanticipated deterioration in their creditworthiness, which may have an adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders. In addition, there can be no assurance that our contract counterparties will perform or adhere to existing or future contractual arrangements, including making any required shortfall payments or other payments due under their respective contracts.

The policies and procedures we use to manage our exposure to credit risk, such as credit analysis, credit monitoring and, if necessary, requiring credit support, cannot fully eliminate counterparty credit risks. To the extent our policies and procedures prove to be inadequate, our financial and operational results may be negatively impacted.

Some of our counterparties may be highly leveraged, have limited financial resources and/or have recently experienced a rating agency downgrade and will be subject to their own operating and regulatory risks. Even if our credit review and analysis mechanisms work properly, we may experience financial losses in our dealings with such parties. In addition, volatility in commodity prices could have a negative impact on our counterparties, which, in turn, could have a negative impact on their ability to meet their obligations to us.

Any material nonpayment or nonperformance by any of our counterparties or suppliers could require us to pursue substitute counterparties or suppliers for the affected operations or reduce our operations. There can be no assurance that any such efforts would be successful or would provide similar financial and operational results.

Adverse developments in our areas of operation could materially adversely impact our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and reduce our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

Our operations are focused on gathering, treating and processing services in the following unconventional resource basins, primarily shale formations: the Utica Shale, the Williston Basin, the DJ Basin, the Permian Basin, the Piceance Basin, the Barnett Shale and the Marcellus Shale. Due to our limited industry diversity, adverse developments in the natural gas and crude oil industries or in our existing areas of operation could have a significantly greater impact than if we did not have such limited diversity on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

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Significant prolonged weakness in natural gas, NGL and crude oil prices could reduce throughput on our systems and materially adversely affect our revenues and cash available to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

Lower natural gas, NGL and crude oil prices could negatively impact exploration, development and production of natural gas and crude oil, thereby resulting in reduced throughput on our gathering systems. Additionally, certain of our customers in each of our areas of operations have reduced, and others could reduce, drilling activity and capital expenditure budgets. If natural gas, NGL and/or crude oil prices remain at current levels or decrease, it could cause sustained reductions in exploration or production activity in our areas of operation and result in a further reduction in throughput on our systems, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

Because of the natural decline in production from our customers' existing wells, our success depends in part on our customers replacing declining production and also on our ability to maintain levels of throughput on our systems. Any decrease in the volumes that we gather and process could materially adversely affect our business and operating results.

The customer volumes that support our business depend on the level of production from natural gas and crude oil wells connected to our systems, the production from which may be less than expected and will naturally decline over time. As a result, our cash flows associated with these wells will also decline over time. To maintain or increase throughput levels on our systems, we must obtain new sources of volume throughput. The primary factors affecting our ability to obtain new sources of volume throughput include (i) the level of successful drilling activity in our areas of operation and (ii) our ability to compete for new volumes on our systems.

We have no control over the level of drilling activity in our areas of operation, the amount of reserves associated with wells connected to our systems or the rate at which production from a well declines. In addition, we have no control over producers or their drilling and production decisions, which are affected by, among other things:

Fluctuations in energy prices can also greatly affect the development of new crude oil and natural gas reserves. Drilling and production activity generally decreases as commodity prices decrease. In general terms, the prices of crude oil, natural gas and other hydrocarbon products fluctuate in response to changes in supply and demand, market uncertainty and a variety of additional factors that are beyond our control. These factors include:

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Because of these factors, even if new crude oil or natural gas reserves are known to exist in areas served by our assets, producers may choose not to develop those reserves. If reductions in drilling activity result in our inability to maintain the current levels of throughput on our systems, those reductions could reduce our revenues and cash flows and materially adversely affect our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

In addition, it may be more difficult to maintain or increase the current volumes on our gathering systems, as several of the formations in the unconventional resource plays in which we operate generally have higher initial production rates and steeper production decline curves than wells in more conventional basins and may have steeper production decline curves than initially anticipated. Should we determine that the economics of our gathering, treating and processing assets do not justify the capital expenditures needed to grow or maintain volumes associated therewith, revenues associated with these assets will decline over time. In addition to capital expenditures to support growth, the steeper production decline curves associated with unconventional resource plays may require us to incur higher maintenance capital expenditures over time, which will reduce our cash available for distribution.

Many of our costs are fixed and do not vary with our throughput. These costs will not decline ratably or at all should we experience a reduction in throughput, which could result in a decline in our revenues and cash flows and materially adversely affect our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

Any significant decrease in the demand for natural gas and crude oil could reduce the volumes of natural gas and crude oil that we gather and process, which could adversely affect our business and operating results.

The volumes of natural gas and crude oil that we gather and process depend on the supply and demand for natural gas and crude oil and other hydrocarbon products in the areas served by our assets. Natural gas and crude oil compete with other forms of energy available to users, including electricity, coal, other fuels and alternative energy. Increased demand for such forms of energy at the expense of natural gas and crude oil could lead to a reduction in demand for our services. Any such reduction could result in a decline in our revenues and cash flows and materially adversely affect our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

If our customers do not increase the volumes they provide to our gathering systems, our ability to sustain cash distributions to our unitholders may be materially adversely affected.

If we are unsuccessful in attracting new customers and/or new gathering opportunities with existing customers, our ability to sustain cash distributions to our unitholders will be impaired. Our customers are not obligated to provide additional volumes to our gathering systems, and they may determine in the future that drilling activities in areas outside of our current areas of operation are strategically more attractive to them. Reductions by our customers in our areas of mutual interest could result in reductions in throughput on our systems and materially adversely impact our ability to sustain cash distributions to our unitholders.

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Certain of our gathering and processing agreements contain provisions that can reduce the cash flow stability that the agreements were designed to achieve.

We designed those gathering and processing agreements that contain MVC provisions to generate stable cash flows for us over the life of the MVC contract term while also minimizing our direct commodity price risk. Under certain of these MVCs, our customers agree to ship a minimum volume on our gathering systems or send a minimum volume to our processing plants or, in some cases, to pay a minimum monetary amount, over certain periods during the term of the MVC. In addition, our gathering and processing agreements may also include an aggregate MVC, which represents the total amount that the customer must flow on our gathering system or send to our processing plants (or an equivalent monetary amount) over the MVC term. If such customer's actual throughput volumes are less than its MVC for the contracted measurement period, it must make a shortfall payment to us at the end of the applicable measurement period. The amount of the shortfall payment is based on the difference between the actual throughput volume shipped or processed for the applicable period and the MVC for the applicable period, multiplied by the applicable fee. To the extent that a customer's actual throughput volumes are above or below its MVC for the applicable contracted measurement period, certain of our gathering agreements contain provisions that allow the customer to use the excess volumes or the shortfall payment to credit against future excess volumes or future shortfall payments, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

We have not obtained independent evaluations of all of the reserves connected to our gathering systems; therefore, in the future, customer volumes on our systems could be less than we anticipate.

We do not routinely obtain or update independent evaluations of the reserves connected to our systems. Moreover, even if we did obtain independent evaluations of all of the reserves connected to our systems, such evaluations may prove to be incorrect. Crude oil and natural gas reserve engineering requires subjective estimates of underground accumulations of crude oil and natural gas and assumptions concerning future crude oil and natural gas prices, future production levels and operating and development costs.

Accordingly, we may not have accurate estimates of total reserves dedicated to our systems or the anticipated life of such reserves. If the total reserves or estimated life of the reserves connected to our gathering systems are less than we anticipate and we are unable to secure additional volumes, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

Our industry is highly competitive, and increased competitive pressure could materially adversely affect our business and operating results.

We compete with other midstream companies in our areas of operations, some of which are large companies that have greater financial, managerial and other resources than we do. In addition, some of our competitors may have assets in closer proximity to natural gas and crude oil supplies and may have available idle capacity in existing assets that would not require new capital investments for use. Our competitors may expand or construct gathering systems that would create additional competition for the services we provide to our customers. Because our customers do not have leases that cover the entirety of our areas of mutual interest, non-customer producers that lease acreage within any of our areas of mutual interest may choose to use one of our competitors for their gathering and/or processing service needs.

In addition, our customers may develop their own gathering systems outside of our areas of mutual interest. Our ability to renew or replace existing contracts with our customers at rates sufficient to maintain current revenues and cash flows could be materially adversely affected by the activities of our competitors and our customers. All of these competitive pressures could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

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We may not be able to renew or replace expiring contracts at favorable rates or on a long-term basis.

Our gathering, treating and processing contracts have terms of various durations. As these contracts expire, we may have to negotiate extensions or renewals with existing customers or enter into new contracts with other customers. We may be unable to obtain new contracts on favorable commercial terms, if at all. We also may be unable to maintain the economic structure of a particular contract with an existing customer or the overall mix of our contract portfolio. Moreover, we may be unable to obtain areas of mutual interest from new customers in the future, and we may be unable to renew existing areas of mutual interest with current customers as and when they expire. The extension or replacement of existing contracts depends on a number of factors beyond our control, including:

To the extent we are unable to renew our existing contracts on terms that are favorable to us or successfully manage our overall contract mix over time, our revenues and cash flows could decline and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders could be materially adversely affected.

If third-party pipelines or other midstream facilities interconnected to our gathering systems become partially or fully unavailable, our revenues and cash flows and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders could be materially adversely affected.

Our gathering systems connect to third-party pipelines and other midstream facilities, such as processing plants, rail terminals and produced water disposal facilities. The continuing operation of such third-party pipelines and other midstream facilities is not within our control. These pipelines and other midstream facilities may become unavailable due to issues including, but not limited to, testing, turnarounds, line repair, reduced operating pressure, lack of operating capacity, regulatory requirements, curtailments of receipt or deliveries due to insufficient capacity or because of damage from other hazards. In addition, we do not have interconnect agreements with all of these pipelines and other facilities and the agreements we do have may be terminated in certain circumstances and/or on short notice. If any of these pipelines or other midstream facilities become unavailable for any reason, or, if these third parties are otherwise unwilling to receive or transport the natural gas, crude oil and produced water that we gather and/or process, our revenues, cash flows and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders could be materially adversely affected.

We have a relatively limited ownership history with respect to certain of our assets. There could be unknown events or conditions or increased maintenance or repair expenses and downtime associated with our pipelines and/or processing facilities that could have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results.

We have a relatively limited history of operating certain of our assets. There may be historical occurrences or latent issues regarding certain of our pipeline systems of which we may be unaware and that may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Any significant increase in maintenance and repair expenditures or loss of revenue due to the condition of our pipeline systems could materially adversely affect our business and results of operations and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

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Crude oil and natural gas production and gathering may be adversely affected by weather conditions and terrain, which in turn could negatively impact the operations of our gathering, treating and processing facilities and our construction of additional facilities.

Extended periods of below freezing weather and unseasonably wet weather conditions, especially in North Dakota, Ohio and West Virginia, can be severe and can adversely affect crude oil and natural gas operations due to the potential shut-in of producing wells or decreased drilling activities. These types of interruptions could result in a decrease in the volumes supplied to our gathering systems. Further, delays and shutdowns caused by severe weather may have a material negative impact on the continuous operations of our gathering, treating and processing systems, including interruptions in service. These types of interruptions could negatively impact our ability to meet our contractual obligations to our customers and thereby give rise to certain termination rights and/or the release of dedicated acreage. Any resulting terminations or releases could materially adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We also may be required to incur additional costs and expenses in connection with the design and installation of our facilities due to their location and surrounding terrain. We may be required to install additional facilities, incur additional capital and operating expenditures, or experience interruptions in or impairments of our operations to the extent that the facilities are not designed or installed correctly. For example, certain of our pipeline facilities are located in mountainous areas such as our Utica Shale and Marcellus Shale operations, which may require specially designed facilities and special installation considerations. If such facilities are not designed or installed correctly, do not perform as intended, or fail, we may be required to incur significant expenditures to correct or repair the deficiencies, or may incur significant damages to or loss of facilities, and our operations may be interrupted as a result of deficiencies or failures. In addition, such deficiencies may cause damage to the surrounding environment, including slope failures, stream impacts and other natural resource damages, and we may as a result also be subject to increased operating expenses or environmental penalties and fines.

Interruptions in operations at any of our facilities may adversely affect our operations and cash flows available for distribution to our unitholders.

Our operations depend upon the infrastructure that we have developed and constructed. Any significant interruption at any of our gathering, treating or processing facilities, or in our ability to provide gathering, treating or processing services, could adversely affect our operations and cash flows available for distribution to our unitholders.  Operations at our facilities could be partially or completely shut down, temporarily or permanently, as the result of circumstances not within our control, such as:

Any significant interruption at any of our gathering, treating or processing facilities, or in our ability to provide gathering, treating or processing services, could adversely affect our operations and cash flows available for distribution to our unitholders.

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Our business involves many hazards and operational risks, some of which may not be fully covered by insurance. If a significant incident or event occurs for which we are not adequately insured or if we fail to recover all anticipated insurance proceeds for significant incidents or events for which we are insured, our operations and financial results could be materially adversely affected.

Our operations are subject to all of the risks and hazards inherent in the operation of gathering, treating and processing systems, including:

These risks could result in substantial losses due to personal injury and/or loss of life, severe damage to and destruction of property and equipment and pollution or other environmental damage. The location of certain of our systems in or near populated areas, including residential areas, commercial business centers and industrial sites, could increase the damages resulting from these risks.

These risks may also result in curtailment or suspension of our operations. A natural disaster or any event such as those described above affecting the areas in which we and our customers operate could have a material adverse effect on our operations. Accidents or other operating risks could further result in loss of service available to our customers. Such circumstances, including those arising from maintenance and repair activities, could result in service interruptions on portions or all of our gathering systems. Potential customer impacts arising from service interruptions on segments of our gathering systems could include limitations on our ability to satisfy customer requirements, obligations to temporarily waive minimum volume commitments during times of constrained capacity, temporary or permanent release of production dedications, and solicitation of existing customers by others for potential new projects that would compete directly with our existing services. Such circumstances could materially adversely impact our ability to meet contractual obligations and retain customers, with a resulting negative impact on our business and results of operations and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

Our insurance coverage is provided by policies that cover us and Summit Investments. Therefore, it is possible that a claim by Summit Investments could exhaust insurance coverage and leave SMLP and its subsidiaries exposed to risk of loss should they experience a loss during the same policy cycle. In addition, although we have a range of insurance programs providing varying levels of protection for public liability, damage to property, loss of income and certain environmental hazards, we may not be insured against all causes of loss, claims or damage that may occur. If a significant incident or event occurs for which we are not fully insured, it could materially adversely affect our operations and financial condition. Furthermore, we may not be able to maintain or obtain insurance of the type and amount we desire at reasonable rates and/or claims by Summit Investments may increase rates on all of the insured-asset group, including those owned by SMLP and its subsidiaries. As a result of industry or market conditions, some of which are beyond our control, premiums and deductibles for certain of our insurance policies may substantially increase. In some instances, certain insurance could become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage. Additionally, with regard to the assets we have acquired, we have limited indemnification rights to recover from the seller of the assets in the event of any potential environmental liabilities.

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We may fail to successfully integrate gathering system acquisitions into our existing business in a timely manner, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders, or fail to realize all of the expected benefits of the acquisitions, which could negatively impact our future results of operations.

Integration of future gathering system acquisitions could be a complex, time-consuming and costly process, particularly if the acquired assets significantly increase our size and/or (i) diversify the geographic areas in which we operate or (ii) the service offerings that we provide.

The failure to successfully integrate the acquired assets with our existing business in a timely manner may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders. If any of the risks described above or in the immediately preceding risk factor or unanticipated liabilities or costs were to materialize with respect to future acquisitions or if the acquired assets were to perform at levels below the forecasts we used to evaluate them, then the anticipated benefits from the acquisition may not be fully realized, if at all, and our future results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to unitholders could be negatively impacted.

Our construction of new assets may not result in revenue increases and will be subject to regulatory, environmental, political, legal and economic risks, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

The construction of new assets, including for example Double E, involve numerous regulatory, environmental, political, legal and economic uncertainties that are beyond our control.

Such construction projects may also require the expenditure of significant amounts of capital, and financing, traditional or otherwise, may not be available on economically acceptable terms or at all. If we undertake these projects, our revenue may not increase immediately upon the expenditure of funds for a particular project and they may not be completed on schedule, at the budgeted cost, or at all.

Moreover, we could construct facilities to capture anticipated future production growth in a region where such growth does not materialize or only materializes over a period materially longer than expected. To the extent we rely on estimates of future production in our decision to construct additions to our systems, such estimates may prove to be inaccurate due to the numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of future production. As a result, new facilities may not attract enough throughput to achieve our expected investment return, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, the construction of additions or modifications to our existing gathering, treating and processing assets and the construction of new midstream assets may require us to obtain federal, state and local regulatory environmental or other authorizations. The approval process for gathering, treating and processing activities has become increasingly challenging, due in part to state and local concerns related to unregulated exploration and production and gathering, treating and processing activities in new production areas. Such authorization may not be granted or, if granted, such authorization may include burdensome or expensive conditions. As a result, we may be unable to obtain such authorizations and may, therefore, be unable to connect new volumes to our systems or capitalize on other attractive expansion opportunities. A future government shutdown could delay the receipt of any federal regulatory approvals. Additionally, it may become more expensive for us to obtain authorizations or to renew existing authorizations. If the cost of renewing or obtaining new authorizations increases materially, our cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

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Limited access and/or availability of the debt and equity capital markets could impair our ability to grow or cause us to be unable to meet future capital requirements.

To expand our asset base, whether through acquisitions or organic growth, we will need to make expansion capital expenditures. We also frequently consider and enter into discussions with third parties regarding potential acquisitions. In addition, the terms of certain of our gathering and processing agreements also require us to spend significant amounts of capital, over a short period of time, to construct and develop additional midstream assets to support our customers' development projects. Depending on our customers' future development plans, it is possible that the capital required to construct and develop such assets could exceed our ability to finance those expenditures using our cash reserves or available capacity under our Revolving Credit Facility.

We plan to use cash from operations, incur borrowings and/or sell additional common units or other securities to fund our future expansion capital expenditures. Using cash from operations to fund expansion capital expenditures will directly reduce our cash available for distribution to unitholders. Our ability to obtain financing or to access the capital markets for future debt or equity offerings may be limited by (i) our financial condition at the time of any such financing or offering, (ii) covenants in our debt agreements, (iii) restrictions imposed by our Series A Preferred Units, (iv) general economic conditions and contingencies, (v) the impact of any secondary offering of common units by Summit Investments or the Sponsor, (vi) increasing disfavor among many investors towards investments in fossil fuel companies and (vii) general weakness in the debt and equity capital markets and other uncertainties that are beyond our control. In addition, lenders are facing increasing pressure to curtail their lending activities to companies in the oil and natural gas industry. Furthermore, we do not have a contractual commitment from our Sponsor or Summit Investments to provide any direct or indirect financial assistance to us. Furthermore, market demand for equity issued by master limited partnerships has been significantly lower in recent years than it has been historically, which may make it more challenging for us to finance our expansion capital expenditures and acquisition capital expenditures with the issuance of additional equity. We recently announced our second large reduction in our common unit distribution in a year, and this reduction may further reduce demand for our common units. As such, if we are unable to raise expansion capital, we may lose the opportunity to make acquisitions, pursue new organic development projects, or to gather, treat and process new production volumes from our customers with whom we have agreed to construct and develop midstream assets in the future. Even if we are successful in obtaining external funds for expansion capital expenditures through the capital markets, the terms thereof could limit our ability to pay distributions to our common unitholders. In addition, incurring additional debt may significantly increase our interest expense and financial leverage, and issuing additional units representing limited partner interests may result in significant common unitholder dilution and increase the aggregate amount of cash required to maintain the then-current distribution rate, which could materially decrease our ability to pay distributions at the then-current distribution rate.

Because our common units are yield-oriented securities, increases in interest rates could materially adversely impact our unit price, our ability to issue equity or incur debt for acquisitions or other purposes and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

Interest rates are generally near historic lows and may increase in the future. As with other yield-oriented securities, our unit price is impacted by the level of our cash distributions and implied distribution yield. The distribution yield is often used by investors to compare and rank yield-oriented securities for investment decision-making purposes. Therefore, changes in interest rates, either positive or negative, may affect the yield requirements of investors who invest in our common units, and a rising interest rate environment could have a material adverse impact on our unit price, our ability to issue equity or incur debt for acquisitions or other purposes and our ability to make cash distributions at our intended levels.

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We have a significant amount of indebtedness. Our leverage and debt service obligations may adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and business prospects, and may limit our flexibility to obtain financing and to pursue other business opportunities.

At December 31, 2019, we had $1.48 billion of indebtedness outstanding and the unused portion of our $1.25 billion Revolving Credit Facility totaled $563.9 million. Based on covenant limits, our available borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit Facility as of December 31, 2019 was approximately $100 million. See Note 10 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this report for further discussion of our debt obligations, including debt maturities for the next five years and thereafter. Our existing and future debt services obligations could have significant consequences, including among other things:

Our ability to service our debt will depend upon, among other things, our future financial and operating performance, which will be affected by prevailing economic conditions and financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, such as commodity prices and governmental regulation.

Restrictions in our Revolving Credit Facility and Senior Notes indentures could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, ability to make cash distributions to unitholders and value of our common units.

We are dependent upon the earnings and cash flows generated by our operations to meet our debt service obligations and to make cash distributions to our unitholders. The operating and financial restrictions and covenants in our Revolving Credit Facility, our Senior Notes indentures and any future financing agreements could restrict our ability to finance future operations or capital needs or to expand or pursue our business activities, which may, in turn, limit our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders. For example, our Revolving Credit Facility and Senior Notes indentures, taken together, restrict our ability to, among other things:

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Our Revolving Credit Facility and Senior Notes indentures also contain covenants requiring us to maintain certain financial ratios and meet certain tests. Our ability to meet those financial ratios and tests can be affected by events beyond our control, and we cannot guarantee that we will meet those ratios and tests. Based upon the terms of SMLP’s revolving credit facility and total outstanding debt of $1.48 billion (inclusive of $800.0 million of senior unsecured notes), SMLP’s total leverage ratio and senior secured leverage ratio (as defined in the credit agreement) as of December 31, 2019, were 5.1 to 1.0 and 2.3 to 1.0, respectively, relative to maximum threshold limits of 5.5x and 3.75x.

The provisions of our Revolving Credit Facility and Senior Notes indentures may affect our ability to obtain future financing and pursue attractive business opportunities as well as affect our flexibility in planning for, and reacting to, changes in business conditions. In addition, a failure to comply with the provisions of our Revolving Credit Facility or Senior Notes indentures could result in a default or an event of default that could enable our lenders and/or senior noteholders to declare the outstanding principal of that debt, together with accrued and unpaid interest, to be immediately due and payable. If we were unable to repay the accelerated amounts, the lenders under our Revolving Credit Facility could proceed against the collateral granted to them to secure such debt. If the payment of our debt is accelerated, our assets may be insufficient to repay such debt in full, and our unitholders could experience a partial or total loss of their investment. The Revolving Credit Facility also has cross default provisions that apply to any other indebtedness we may have and the Senior Notes indentures have cross default provisions that apply to certain other indebtedness. Any of these restrictions in our Revolving Credit Facility and Senior Notes indentures could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness or to refinance, which may not be successful.

Our ability to make scheduled payments on, or to refinance, our indebtedness obligations, including our Revolving Credit Facility and our Senior Notes, depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and certain financial, business and other factors beyond our control. We may not be able to maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness.

If our operating cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to adopt alternative financing strategies, such as reducing or delaying investments and capital expenditures, selling assets, seeking additional capital or restructuring or refinancing our indebtedness, some or all of which may not be available to us on terms acceptable to us, if at all, or such alternative strategies may yield insufficient funds to make required payments on our indebtedness.

Our ability to restructure or refinance our indebtedness will depend on the condition of the capital markets, including the market for senior unsecured notes, and our financial condition at the time. Any refinancing of our indebtedness could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more onerous covenants, which could further restrict our business operations. The terms of existing or future debt instruments may restrict us from adopting some of these alternatives. In addition, any failure to make payments of interest and principal on our outstanding indebtedness on a timely basis would likely result in a reduction of our credit rating, which could harm our ability to incur additional indebtedness on acceptable terms. In the absence of sufficient cash flows and capital resources, we could face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to dispose of material assets or operations to meet our debt service and other obligations. Our Revolving Credit Facility and the indentures governing our Senior Notes place certain restrictions on our ability to dispose of assets and our use of the proceeds from such dispositions. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions on terms acceptable to us, if at all, and the proceeds of any such dispositions may not be adequate to meet any debt service obligations then due.

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Further, if for any reason we are unable to meet our debt service and repayment obligations, we would be in default under the terms of the agreements governing our debt, which would allow our creditors under those agreements to declare all outstanding indebtedness thereunder to be due and payable (which would in turn trigger cross-acceleration or cross-default rights between the relevant agreements), the lenders under our Revolving Credit Facility could terminate their commitments to extend credit, and the lenders could foreclose against our assets securing their borrowings and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation. If the amounts outstanding under our Revolving Credit Facility or our Senior Notes were to be accelerated, we cannot assure you that our assets would be sufficient to repay in full the amounts owed to our creditors.

A downgrade of our credit rating could impact our liquidity, access to capital and our costs of doing business, and independent third parties determine our credit ratings outside of our control.

A downgrade of our credit rating could increase our cost of borrowing under our Revolving Credit Facility and could require us to post collateral with third parties, including our hedging arrangements, which could negatively impact our available liquidity and increase our cost of debt. If a credit rating downgrade and the resultant cash collateral requirement were to occur at a time when we are experiencing significant working capital requirements or otherwise lacking liquidity, our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely affected.

We have in the past and may in the future incur losses due to impairment in the carrying value of our long-lived assets or equity method investments.

We recorded long-lived asset impairments of $188.7 million, $7.2 million and $60.5 million in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. In 2019, we also recorded an impairment of our equity method investment in Ohio Gathering of $329.7 million and a loss of $6.3 million related to a long-lived asset impairment on OCC. When evidence exists that we will not be able to recover a long-lived asset's carrying value through future cash flows, we write down the carrying value of the asset to its estimated fair value. We test long-lived assets for impairment when events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable. With respect to property, plant and equipment and our amortizing intangible assets, the carrying value of a long-lived asset is not recoverable if the carrying value exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the asset's use and eventual disposal. In this situation, we recognize an impairment loss equal to the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the asset's fair value. We determine fair value using either a market-based approach, an income-based approach in which we discount the asset's expected future cash flows to reflect the risk associated with achieving the underlying cash flows, or a mixture of both market- and income-based approaches. We evaluate our equity method investment for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that a decline in fair value is other than temporary. Any impairment determinations involve significant assumptions and judgments. If actual results are not consistent with our assumptions and estimates, or our assumptions and estimates change due to new information, we may be exposed to impairment charges. Adverse changes in our business or the overall operating environment, such as lower commodity prices, may affect our estimate of future operating results, which could result in future impairment due to the potential impact on our operations and cash flows.

Changes in the method of determining the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), or the replacement of LIBOR with an alternative reference rate, may adversely affect interest expense related to outstanding debt.

Amounts drawn under our current debt agreements, including the Revolving Credit Facility, may bear interest at rates based on LIBOR. On July 27, 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom announced that it would phase out LIBOR as a benchmark by the end of 2021. It is unclear whether new methods of calculating LIBOR will be established such that it continues to exist after 2021. The Revolving Credit Facility does not provide for a mechanism to reflect the establishment of an alternative rate of interest upon the phase-out of LIBOR. Under the Revolving Credit Facility, if the agent is unable to determine LIBOR, all existing LIBOR loans will convert to base rate loans at the end of their respective interest periods, and we will only have access to these base rate loans. We have not yet pursued any technical amendment or other contractual alternative to address this matter and are currently evaluating the impact of the potential replacement of the LIBOR interest rate. In addition, the overall financial markets may be disrupted as a result of the phase-out or replacement of LIBOR. Uncertainty as to the nature of such potential phase-out and alternative reference rates or disruption in the financial market could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

A portion of our revenues are directly exposed to changes in crude oil, natural gas and NGL prices, and our exposure may increase in the future.

During the year ended December 31, 2019, we derived 20% of our revenues from (i) the sale of physical natural gas and/or NGLs purchased under percentage-of-proceeds arrangements with certain of our customers on the Bison Midstream, Grand River and Summit Permian systems, (ii) natural gas and crude oil marketing services in and around our gathering systems, (iii) the sale of natural gas we retain from certain DFW Midstream customers and (iv) the sale of condensate we retain from our gathering services at Grand River. Consequently, our existing operations and cash flows have direct exposure to commodity price risk. Although we will seek to limit our commodity price exposure with new customers in the future, our efforts to obtain fee-based contractual terms may not be successful or the local market for our services may not support fee-based gathering and processing agreements. For example, we have

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percent-of-proceeds contracts with certain natural gas producer customers and we may, in the future, enter into additional percent-of-proceeds contracts with these customers or other customers or enter into keep-whole arrangements, which would increase our exposure to commodity price risk, as the revenues generated from those contracts directly correlate with the fluctuating price of the underlying commodities.

Furthermore, we may acquire or develop additional midstream assets in the future that have a greater exposure to fluctuations in commodity price risk than our current operations. Future exposure to the volatility of natural gas and crude oil prices could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.  For example, for a small portion of the natural gas gathered on our systems, we purchase natural gas from producers prior to delivering the natural gas to pipelines where we typically resell the natural gas under arrangements including sales at index prices. Generally, the gross margins we realize under these arrangements decrease in periods of low natural gas prices. If we expand the implementation of such natural gas purchase and sale arrangements within our business, such fluctuations could materially affect our business.

A change in laws and regulations applicable to our assets or services, or the interpretation or implementation of existing laws and regulations may cause our revenues to decline or our operation and maintenance expenses to increase.

Various aspects of our operations are subject to regulation by the various federal, state and local departments and agencies that have jurisdiction over participants in the energy industry. The regulation of our activities and the natural gas and crude oil industries frequently change as they are reviewed by legislators and regulators. In 2016, the North Dakota Industrial Commission adopted rule changes that resulted in additional construction and monitoring requirements for certain underground gathering pipelines, including, but not limited to, those that transport produced water. The NDIC also adopted reclamation bonding requirements for certain underground gathering pipelines. In July 2018, PHMSA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking comment on the class location requirements for natural gas transmission pipelines, and particularly the actions operators must take when class locations change due to population growth or building construction near the pipeline. In November 2018, PHMSA also increased the maximum penalties for violating federal safety standards, which are subject to future increases to account for inflation. In October 2019, PHMSA issued three new final rules. One rule establishes procedures to implement the expanded emergency order enforcement authority set forth in an October 2016 interim final rule. Among other things, this rule allows PHMSA to issue an emergency order without advance notice or opportunity for a hearing. The other two rules impose several new requirements on operators of onshore gas transmission systems and hazardous liquids pipelines. The rule concerning gas transmission extends the requirement to conduct integrity assessments beyond “high consequence areas” (HCAs) to pipelines in “moderate consequence areas” (MCAs). It also includes requirements to reconfirm Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure (MAOP), report MAOP exceedances, consider seismicity as a risk factor in integrity management, and use certain safety features on in-line inspection equipment. The rule concerning hazardous liquids extends the required use of leak detection systems beyond HCAs to all regulated non-gathering hazardous liquid pipelines, requires reporting for gravity fed lines and unregulated gathering lines, requires periodic inspection of all lines not in HCAs, calls for inspections of lines after extreme weather events, and adds a requirement to make all lines in or affecting HCAs capable of accommodating in-line inspection tools over the next 20 years. In addition, the adoption of proposals for more stringent legislation, regulation or taxation of drilling activity could directly curtail such activity or increase the cost of drilling, resulting in reduced levels of drilling activity and therefore reduced demand for our services. For example, in 2018 the Colorado state ballot included a proposed 2,500 foot setback for oil and gas development from occupied structures and certain other areas. While the proposal did not pass, Colorado Senate Bill 19-181, signed into law in April 2019, changed the mandate of the state’s oil and gas regulator from fostering oil and gas development to regulating oil and gas development in a reasonable manner to protect public health and the environment. The new law also allows local governments to impose more restrictive requirements on oil and gas operations than those issued by the state. Similar efforts in Colorado and elsewhere could restrict oil and gas development in the future. Regulatory agencies establish and, from time to time, change priorities, which may result in additional burdens on us, such as additional reporting requirements and more frequent audits of operations. Our operations and the markets in which we participate are affected by these laws, regulations and interpretations and may be affected by changes to them or their implementation, which may cause us to realize materially lower revenues or incur materially increased operation and maintenance costs or both.

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Increased regulation of hydraulic fracturing could result in reductions or delays in customer production, which could materially adversely impact our revenues.

Hydraulic fracturing is an important and increasingly common practice that is used to stimulate production of natural gas and/or crude oil from dense subsurface rock formations, and is primarily regulated by state agencies. However, Congress has in the past, and may in the future consider legislation to regulate hydraulic fracturing by federal agencies. Many states have already adopted laws and/or regulations that require disclosure of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing. A number of states have adopted, and other states are considering adopting, legal requirements that could impose more stringent permitting, disclosure and well construction requirements on crude oil and/or natural gas drilling activities. For example, a Colorado ballot initiative, Proposition 112, would have substantially increased setback distances for various upstream activities, thereby substantially restricting new oil and gas development in the state. Although Proposition 112 was defeated in the November 2018 elections, similar ballot initiatives have recently been circulated by interested groups for potential consideration in upcoming elections, although none have yet obtained the requisite number of signatures. Further, Colorado Senate Bill 19-181, signed into law in April 2019, changed the mandate of the state’s oil and gas regulator from fostering oil and gas development to regulating oil and gas development in a reasonable manner to protect public health and the environment. The new law also allows local governments to impose more restrictive requirements on oil and gas operations than those issued by the state. Similar efforts in Colorado and elsewhere could restrict oil and gas development in the future. States also could elect to prohibit hydraulic fracturing altogether, as New York, Maryland, and Vermont have done. In addition, certain local governments have adopted, and additional local governments may adopt, ordinances within their jurisdictions regulating the time, place and manner of drilling activities in general or hydraulic fracturing activities in particular.

The EPA has also moved forward with various regulatory actions, including approving new regulations requiring green completions of hydraulically-fractured wells and corresponding reporting requirements (NSPS OOOO) that went into effect in 2015. Revisions to the green completion regulations (NSPS OOOOa) were finalized in June 2016 and include additional requirements to reduce methane and VOCs. In October 2018, the EPA published a proposed rule that would amend certain requirements of NSPS OOOOa. Among other things, the proposed rule would reduce monitoring frequencies for fugitive emissions and clarify and streamline certain other requirements. In September 2019, the EPA published another rule proposing amendments to the June 2016 rule that would remove sources in the transmission and storage segments from the regulated source category and would rescind the application of the NSPS and methane-specific requirements to these sources. However, the 2016 regulations currently remain in effect. The BLM has also asserted regulatory authority over aspects of the hydraulic fracturing process, and issued a final rule in March 2015 that established more stringent standards for performing hydraulic fracturing on federal and Indian lands. However, in December 2017, the BLM published a final rule rescinding the 2015 rule. The rescission rule is currently subject to a legal challenge. Further, several federal governmental agencies have conducted reviews and studies on the environmental aspects of hydraulic fracturing, including the EPA. The results of such reviews or studies could spur initiatives to further regulate hydraulic fracturing.

State and federal regulatory agencies recently have focused on a possible connection between the hydraulic fracturing related activities and the increased occurrence of seismic activity. When caused by human activity, such events are called induced seismicity. Some state regulatory agencies, including those in Colorado, Ohio, and Texas, have modified their regulations or guidance to account for induced seismicity. These developments could result in additional regulation and restrictions on the use of injection disposal wells and hydraulic fracturing. Such regulations and restrictions could cause delays and impose additional costs and restrictions on our customers.

If new or more stringent federal, state or local legal restrictions relating to drilling activities or to the hydraulic fracturing process are adopted, this could result in a reduction in the supply of natural gas and/or crude oil that our customers produce, and could thereby adversely affect our revenues and results of operations. Compliance with such rules could also generally result in additional costs, including increased capital expenditures and operating costs, for our customers, which could ultimately decrease end-user demand for our services and could have a material adverse effect on our business.

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We are subject to FERC jurisdiction, federal anti-market manipulation laws and regulations, potentially other federal regulatory requirements and state and local regulation, and could be materially affected by changes in such laws and regulations, or in the way they are interpreted and enforced.

We believe that our natural gas pipeline facilities qualify as gathering facilities that are exempt from the jurisdiction of FERC under the NGA and the NGPA. Interstate movements of crude oil on the Epping Pipeline in North Dakota are subject to FERC jurisdiction under the ICA, and the rates, terms and conditions of service, and practices on the pipeline are subject to review and challenge before FERC. Additionally, our proposed Double E Project, which is currently under consideration by FERC in Docket No. CP19-495-000, and is anticipated to provide natural gas transmission service from southeastern New Mexico to the Waha Hub in Texas, will be subject to FERC jurisdiction once approved. FERC may include conditions on its issuance of the certificate that make a project impracticable or too costly, or may ultimately determine not to issue the certificate required for us to pursue the project. Typically, a pipeline project requires review by a number of governmental agencies, including FERC, and other federal, state and local agencies, whose cooperation is important in completing the regulatory process on schedule. Any delay or refusal by an agency to issue authorizations or permits as requested for the project may mean that they will be constructed in a manner or with capital requirements that we did not anticipate or that we will not be able to pursue the project. Such delay, modification or refusal could materially and negatively impact the additional revenues expected from the project. In addition to approving and regulating the construction and operation of interstate natural gas pipelines, FERC also regulates such pipelines’ rates and terms and conditions of service, including transportation service agreements and negotiated rate agreements.

We are also generally subject to the anti-market manipulation provisions in the NGA, as amended by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and to FERC's regulations thereunder, which authorize FERC to impose fines of up to $1,291,894 per day per violation of the NGA or its implementing regulations, subject to future adjustment for inflation. In addition, the FTC holds statutory authority under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to prevent market manipulation in oil markets, and has adopted broad rules and regulations prohibiting fraud and market manipulation. The FTC is also authorized to seek fines of up to $1,231,690 per violation, subject to future adjustment for inflation. The CFTC is directed under the CEA to prevent price manipulation in the commodity, futures and swaps markets, including the energy markets. Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, and other authority, the CFTC has adopted additional anti-market manipulation regulations that prohibit fraud and price manipulation in the commodity, futures and swaps markets. The CFTC also has statutory authority to seek civil penalties of up to the greater of $1,212,866 per violation, subject to future adjustment for inflation, or triple the monetary gain to the violator for each violation of the anti-market manipulation provisions of the CEA.

The distinction between federally unregulated natural gas and crude oil pipelines and FERC-regulated natural gas and crude oil pipelines has been the subject of extensive litigation and is determined by FERC on a case-by-case basis. FERC has made no determinations as to the status of our facilities. Consequently, the classification and regulation of some of our pipelines could change based on future determinations by FERC, Congress or the courts. If our natural gas gathering operations or crude oil operations beyond the Epping Pipeline become subject to FERC jurisdiction under the NGA, the NGPA or the ICA, the result may materially adversely affect the rates we are able to charge and the services we currently provide, and may include the potential for a termination of our gathering agreements with our customers. In addition, if any of our facilities were found to have provided services or otherwise operated in violation of the NGA, the NGPA or the ICA, this could result in the imposition of civil penalties, as well as a requirement to disgorge charges collected for such services in excess of the rate established by FERC.

We are subject to state and local regulation regarding the construction and operation of our gathering, treating and processing systems, as well as state ratable take statutes and regulations. Regulation of the construction and operation of our facilities may affect our ability to expand our facilities or build new facilities and such regulation may cause us to incur additional operating costs or limit the quantities of natural gas and crude oil we may gather, treat and process. Ratable take statutes and regulations generally require gatherers to take natural gas and crude oil production that may be tendered for gathering without undue discrimination. These requirements restrict our right to decide whose production we gather, treat and process. Many states have adopted complaint-based regulation of gathering, treating and processing activities, which allows producers and shippers to file complaints with state regulators in an effort to resolve access issues, rate grievances and other matters. Other state and municipal

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regulations do not directly apply to our business, but may nonetheless affect the availability of natural gas and crude oil for gathering, treating and processing, including state regulation of production rates, maximum daily production allowable from wells, and other activities related to drilling and operating wells. While our facilities currently are subject to limited state and local regulation, there is a risk that state or local laws will be changed or reinterpreted, which may materially affect our operations, operating costs and revenues.

Recent actions by the FERC may affect rates on Epping Pipeline and other future FERC-regulated pipelines.

On March 15, 2018, FERC announced a revised policy prohibiting FERC-jurisdictional natural gas and liquids pipelines owned by master limited partnerships from including an allowance for income taxes in the cost of service used to calculate tariff rates. Most of our pipelines are not subject to FERC regulation and so will not be affected by the revised policy statement. However, rates for interstate movements of crude oil on our Epping Pipeline in North Dakota and any future FERC-regulated pipelines may be affected by the application of the revised policy statement in subsequent FERC proceedings.

FERC has not required regulated interstate oil pipelines to decrease their rates on an industry-wide basis to implement the new policy. However, FERC stated that the effects of the revised policy statement must be incorporated in annual FERC financial reports made by regulated interstate oil pipelines. These reports, which will also reflect the impact of the corporate income tax reduction enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, will be used in FERC’s next five-year review and determination of the index rate adjustment, which will occur in 2020 and will become effective on July 1, 2021. The impact of these future proceedings on Epping Pipeline and any future FERC-regulated pipelines is uncertain at this time.

Until FERC sets the next index rate adjustment, Epping Pipeline and any future FERC-regulated pipelines may face an increased risk of shipper complaints seeking FERC review of its rates. FERC can also initiate review of rates on its own initiative. We could also propose new cost-of-service rates or changes to our existing rates that would be subject to review by FERC under its new policy. No such proceedings have occurred at this time, however, and the potential outcome of any such proceedings, should any materialize, is uncertain. As a result of any such proceedings, Epping Pipeline and any future FERC-regulated pipelines may be required to modify their rates, which could affect the revenues we generate with our Epping Pipeline and any future FERC-regulated pipelines. At this time, we do not expect any such proceedings would have a material adverse effect, but we intend to monitor FERC developments and provide updated disclosure, as necessary.

We are subject to stringent environmental laws and regulations that may expose us to significant costs and liabilities.

Our gathering, treating and processing operations are subject to stringent and complex federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, including laws and regulations regarding the discharge of materials into the environment or otherwise relating to environmental protection, including, for example, the CAA, CERCLA, the CWA, the OPA, the RCRA, the Endangered Species Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act.

These laws and regulations may impose numerous obligations that are applicable to our operations, including the acquisition of permits to conduct regulated activities, the incurrence of capital or operating expenditures to limit or prevent releases of materials from our pipelines and facilities, and the imposition of substantial liabilities and remedial obligations for pollution resulting from our operations or at locations currently or previously owned or operated by us. For additional information on specific laws and regulations, see the "Environmental Matters—Air Emissions" section of Item 1. Business. Numerous governmental authorities, such as the EPA and analogous state agencies, have the power to enforce compliance with these laws and regulations and the permits issued under them, oftentimes requiring difficult and costly corrective actions or costly pollution control measures. Failure to comply with these laws, regulations and requisite permits may result in the assessment of significant administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the imposition of remedial obligations and the issuance of injunctions limiting or preventing some or all of our operations. In addition, we may experience a delay in obtaining or be unable to obtain required permits or regulatory authorizations, which may cause us to lose potential and current customers, interrupt our operations and limit our growth and revenue.

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There is a risk that we may incur significant environmental costs and liabilities in connection with our operations due to historical industry operations and waste disposal practices, our handling of hydrocarbons and other wastes and potential emissions and discharges related to our operations. Joint and several, strict liability may be incurred, without regard to fault, under certain of these environmental laws and regulations in connection with discharges or releases of hydrocarbon wastes on, under or from our properties and facilities, many of which have been used for midstream activities for a number of years, oftentimes by third parties not under our control. Private parties, including the owners of the properties through which our gathering systems pass, and on which certain of our facilities are located, may also have the right to pursue legal actions to enforce compliance as well as to seek damages for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations or for personal injury or property damage. For example, an accidental release from one of our pipelines could subject us to substantial liabilities arising from environmental cleanup and restoration costs, claims made by neighboring landowners and other third parties for personal injury and property damage and fines or penalties for related violations of environmental laws or regulations. In addition, changes in environmental laws occur frequently, and any such changes that result in additional permitting obligations or more stringent and costly waste handling, storage, transport, disposal or remediation requirements could have a material adverse effect on our operations or financial position. We may not be able to recover all or any of these costs from insurance.

The 2020 presidential and congressional elections may result in a change in administration and control of Congress with the potential consequence of increased restrictions on oil and gas production activities, which could materially adversely affect our industry and our financial condition and results of operations.

We may incur greater than anticipated costs and liabilities as a result of pipeline safety requirements.

The DOT, through PHMSA, has adopted and enforces safety standards and procedures applicable to our pipelines. In addition, many states, including the states in which we operate, have adopted regulations that are identical to or more restrictive than existing DOT regulations for intrastate pipelines. Among the regulations applicable to us, PHMSA requires pipeline operators to develop integrity management programs for certain pipelines located in high consequence areas, which include high population areas such as the Dallas-Fort Worth greater metropolitan area where our DFW Midstream system is located. While the majority of our pipelines meet the DOT definition of gathering lines and are thus currently exempt from PHMSA's integrity management requirements, we also operate a limited number of pipelines that are subject to the integrity management requirements. The regulations require operators, including us, to:

For additional information on PHMSA regulations relating to pipeline safety, see the "Regulation of the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Industries—Safety and Maintenance" section of Item 1. Business.

In July 2018, the PHMSA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking comment on the class location requirements for natural gas transmission pipelines, and particularly the actions operators must take when class locations change due to population growth or building construction near the pipeline. In October 2019, the PHMSA issued three new final rules. One rule establishes procedures to implement the expanded emergency order enforcement authority set forth in an October 2016 interim final rule. Among other things, this rule allows the PHMSA to issue an emergency order without advance notice or opportunity for a hearing. The other two rules impose several new requirements on operators of onshore gas transmission systems and hazardous liquids pipelines. The rule concerning gas transmission extends the requirement to conduct integrity assessments beyond “high consequence areas” (HCAs) to pipelines in “moderate consequence areas” (MCAs). It also includes requirements to reconfirm Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure (MAOP), report MAOP exceedances, consider seismicity as a risk factor in

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integrity management, and use certain safety features on in-line inspection equipment. The rule concerning hazardous liquids extends the required use of leak detection systems beyond HCAs to all regulated non-gathering hazardous liquid pipelines, requires reporting for gravity fed lines and unregulated gathering lines, requires periodic inspection of all lines not in HCAs, calls for inspections of lines after extreme weather events, and adds a requirement to make all lines in or affecting HCAs capable of accommodating in-line inspection tools over the next 20 years. While we believe that we are in compliance with existing safety laws and regulations, increased penalties for safety violations and potential regulatory changes could have a material adverse effect on our operations, operating and maintenance expenses and revenues.

Climate change legislation, regulatory initiatives and litigation could result in increased operating costs and reduced demand for the services we provide.

In recent years, the U.S. Congress has considered legislation to restrict or regulate emissions of GHGs, such as carbon dioxide and methane that may be contributing to global warming. It presently appears unlikely that comprehensive climate legislation will be passed by either house of Congress in the near future, although energy legislation and other initiatives are expected to be proposed that may be relevant to GHG emissions issues. For example, the revisions to the NSPS found in 40 CFR 60 subpart OOOO (and OOOOa) include GHG emission reduction requirements. However, in October 2018, the EPA published a proposed rule that would amend certain requirements of NSPS OOOOa. Among other things, the proposed rule would reduce monitoring frequencies for fugitive emissions and clarify and streamline certain other requirements. In September 2019, the EPA published proposed amendments to the rule that would remove sources in the transmission and storage segments from the regulated source category and would rescind the application of the NSPS and methane-specific requirements to these sources. The 2016 regulation currently remains in effect.

In addition, almost half of the states, either individually or through multi-state regional initiatives, have begun to address GHG emissions, primarily through the planned development of emission inventories or regional GHG cap and trade programs. Most of these cap and trade programs work by requiring either major sources of emissions, such as electric power plants, or major producers of fuels, such as refineries and gas processing plants, to acquire and surrender emission allowances. In general, the number of allowances available for purchase is reduced each year until the overall GHG emission reduction goal is achieved. Depending on the scope of a particular program, we could be required to purchase and surrender allowances for GHG emissions resulting from our operations (e.g., at compressor stations). Although most of the state-level initiatives have to date been focused on large sources of GHG emissions, such as electric power plants, it is possible that certain components of our operations, such as our gas-fired compressors, could become subject to state-level GHG-related regulation. For example, in January 2019, the governor of New Mexico signed an executive order that includes a goal of reducing statewide GHG emissions by at least 45% by 2030. The executive order directs the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (“EMNRD”) and the New Mexico Environment Department (“NMED”) to jointly develop a statewide, enforceable regulatory framework to secure reductions in oil and gas sector methane emissions. The executive order also creates a Climate Change Task Force to evaluate and develop regulatory strategies to reach the 45% reduction goal. Although we cannot currently determine the effect of a potential regulatory framework developed by the ENMRD and the NMED or potential regulatory strategies that may be suggested by the Climate Change Task Force, if implemented they could be material to the business, reputation, financial condition or results of operations of our Summit Permian system.

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Independent of Congress, the EPA has adopted regulations under its existing CAA authority. In 2009, the EPA published its findings that emissions of GHGs present an endangerment to public health and the environment because emissions of such gases are contributing to warming of the earth's atmosphere and other climatic changes. Based on these findings, the EPA adopted regulations that, among other things, establish PSD construction and Title V operating permit reviews for certain large stationary sources of GHG emissions. For additional information on EPA regulations adopted under the CAA, see the "Environmental Matters—Climate Change" section of Item 1. Business.  Further, in December 2015, over 190 countries, including the United States, reached an agreement to reduce global GHG emissions. The agreement entered into force in November 2016 after over 70 countries, including the United States, ratified or otherwise consented to be bound by the agreement. In November 2019, the United States submitted formal notification to the United Nations that it intends to withdraw from the agreement. The earliest possible effective withdrawal date from the agreement is November 2020. However, if and to the extent the United States implements this agreement, it could have a material adverse effect on our business and that of our customers.

Although it is not possible at this time to accurately estimate how potential future laws or regulations addressing GHG emissions would impact our business, either directly or indirectly, any future federal or state laws or implementing regulations that may be adopted to address GHG emissions could require us to incur increased operating costs and could materially adversely affect demand for our services. The potential increase in the costs of our operations resulting from any legislation or regulation to restrict emissions of GHG could include new or increased costs to operate and maintain our facilities, install new emission controls on our facilities, acquire allowances to authorize our GHG emissions, pay any taxes related to our GHG emissions, adhere to alternative energy requirements and administer and manage a GHG emissions program. While we may be able to include some or all of such increased costs in the rates we charge, such recovery of costs is uncertain. Moreover, incentives to conserve energy or use alternative energy sources could reduce demand for our services. We cannot predict with any certainty at this time how these possibilities may affect our operations.

The implementation of statutory and regulatory requirements for swap transactions could have an adverse impact on our ability to hedge risks associated with our business and increase the working capital requirements to conduct these activities.

Congress adopted comprehensive financial reform legislation under the Dodd-Frank Act that establishes federal oversight and regulation of the over-the-counter derivatives market and entities, such as us, that participate in that market. This legislation requires the CFTC and the SEC and other regulatory authorities to promulgate certain rules and regulations, including rules and regulations relating to the regulation of certain swaps market participants, such as swap dealers, the clearing of certain swaps through central counterparties, the execution of certain swaps on designated contract markets or swap execution facilities, mandatory margin requirements for uncleared swaps, and the reporting and recordkeeping of swaps. While most of the regulations have been promulgated and are already in effect, the rulemaking and implementation process is still ongoing. Moreover, CFTC continues to refine its initial rulemakings under the Dodd-Frank Act. As a result, we cannot yet predict the ultimate effect of the rules and regulations on our business and while most of the regulations have been adopted, any new regulations or modifications to existing regulations could increase the cost of derivative contracts, limit the availability of derivatives to protect against risks that we encounter, reduce our ability to monetize or restructure our existing derivative contracts and increase our exposure to less creditworthy counterparties.

The CFTC has proposed federal position limits on certain core futures and equivalent swaps contracts in the major energy and other markets, with exceptions for certain bona fide hedging transactions provided that various conditions are satisfied. If finalized, the position limits rule and its companion rule on aggregation among entities under common ownership or control may have an impact on our ability to hedge our exposure to certain enumerated commodities.

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In 2013, the CFTC implemented final rules regarding mandatory clearing of certain classes of interest rate swaps and certain classes of index credit default swaps. Mandatory trading on designated contract markets or swap execution facilities of certain interest rate swaps and index credit default swaps also began in 2014. At this time, the CFTC has not proposed any rules designating other classes of swaps, including physical commodity swaps, for mandatory clearing. The CFTC and prudential banking regulators also recently adopted mandatory margin requirements on uncleared swaps between swap dealers and certain other counterparties. Although we may qualify for a commercial end-user exception from the mandatory clearing, trade execution and uncleared swaps margin requirements, mandatory clearing and trade execution requirements and uncleared swaps margin requirements applicable to other market participants, such as swap dealers, may affect the cost and availability of the swaps that we use for hedging.

Under the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFTC is also directed generally to prevent price manipulation and fraud in the following two markets: (a) physical commodities traded in interstate commerce, including physical energy and other commodities, as well as (b) financial instruments, such as futures, options and swaps. Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFTC has adopted additional anti-market manipulation, anti-fraud and disruptive trading practices regulations that prohibit, among other things, fraud and price manipulation in the physical commodities, futures, options and swaps markets. Should we violate these laws and regulations, we could be subject to CFTC enforcement action and material penalties, and sanctions.

We currently enter into forward contracts with third parties to buy power and sell natural gas in an attempt to mitigate our exposure to fluctuations in the price of natural gas with respect to those volumes. The CFTC has finalized an interpretation clarifying whether certain forwards with volumetric optionality are regulated as forwards or qualify as options on commodities and therefore swaps. This interpretation may have an impact on our ability to enter into certain forwards or may impose additional requirements with respect to certain transactions.

In addition to the Dodd-Frank Act, the European Union and other foreign regulators have adopted and are implementing local reforms generally comparable with the reforms under the Dodd-Frank Act. Implementation and enforcement of these regulatory provisions may reduce our ability to hedge our market risks with non-U.S. counterparties and may make any transactions involving cross-border swaps more expensive and burdensome.  Additionally, the lack of regulatory equivalency across jurisdictions may increase compliance costs and make it more costly to satisfy regulatory obligations.

We do not own all of the land on which our pipelines and facilities are located, which could result in disruptions to our operations.

We do not own all of the land on which our pipelines and facilities have been constructed, and we are, therefore, subject to the possibility of more onerous terms and/or increased costs to retain necessary land use if we do not have valid rights-of-way or if such rights-of-way lapse or terminate or if our pipelines are not properly located within the boundaries of such rights-of-way. We obtain the rights to construct and operate our pipelines on land owned by third parties and governmental agencies either perpetually or for a specific period of time. If we were to be unsuccessful in renegotiating rights-of-way, we might have to relocate our facilities. Our loss of these rights, through our inability to renew right-of-way contracts or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

Terrorist attacks and threats, escalation of military activity in response to these attacks or acts of war could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Terrorist attacks and threats, escalation of military activity or acts of war may have significant effects on general economic conditions, fluctuations in consumer confidence and spending and market liquidity, each of which could materially and adversely affect our business. Future terrorist attacks, rumors or threats of war, actual conflicts involving the United States or its allies, or military or trade disruptions may significantly affect our operations and those of our customers. Strategic targets, such as energy-related assets, may be at greater risk of future attacks than other targets in the United States. Disruption or significant increases in energy prices could result in government-imposed price controls. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our insurance may not protect us against such occurrences.

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We may face opposition to the development, permitting, construction or operation of our pipelines and facilities from various groups.

We may face opposition to the development, permitting, construction or operation of our pipelines and facilities from environmental groups, landowners, local groups and other advocates. Such opposition could take many forms, including organized protests, attempts to block or sabotage our operations, intervention in regulatory or administrative proceedings involving our assets, or lawsuits or other actions designed to prevent, disrupt or delay the development or operation of our assets and business. For example, repairing our pipelines often involves securing consent from individual landowners to access their property; one or more landowners may resist our efforts to make needed repairs, which could lead to an interruption in the operation of the affected pipeline or other facility for a period of time that is significantly longer than would have otherwise been the case. In addition, acts of sabotage or eco-terrorism could cause significant damage or injury to people, property or the environment or lead to extended interruptions of our operations. Any such event that interrupts the revenues generated by our operations, or which causes us to make significant expenditures not covered by insurance, could reduce our cash available for paying distributions to our unitholders and, accordingly, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, governmental authorities exercise considerable discretion in the timing and scope of permit issuance and the public may engage in the permitting process, including through intervention in the courts. Negative public perception could cause the permits we require to conduct our operations to be withheld, delayed or burdened by requirements that restrict our ability to profitably conduct our business.

Recently, activists concerned about the potential effects of climate change have directed their attention towards sources of funding for fossil-fuel energy companies, which has resulted in certain an increasing number of financial institutions, funds, individual investors and other sources of capital restricting or eliminating their investment in fossil fuel-related activities. Ultimately, this could make it more difficult to secure funding for exploration and production activities or energy infrastructure related projects, and consequently could both indirectly affect demand for our services and directly affect our ability to fund construction or other capital projects.

Our operations depend on the use of information technology ("IT") systems that could be the target of a cyberattack.

The oil and gas industry has become increasingly dependent on digital technologies to conduct day-to-day operations, including certain midstream activities. For example, software programs are used to manage gathering and transportation systems and for compliance reporting. The use of mobile communication devices has increased rapidly. Industrial control systems now control large scale processes that can include multiple sites and long distances, such as oil and gas pipelines.

Our operations depend on the use of sophisticated IT systems. Our IT systems and networks, as well as those of our customers, vendors and counterparties, may become the target of cyber-attacks or information security breaches, which in turn could result in the unauthorized release and misuse of sensitive or proprietary information as well as disrupt our operations, damage our reputation or damage our facilities or those of third parties, which could have a material adverse effect on our revenues and increase our operating and capital costs, which could reduce the amount of cash otherwise available for distribution. In addition, certain cyber-incidents, such as surveillance, may remain undetected for an extended period. We may be required to incur additional costs to modify or enhance our IT systems or to prevent or remediate any such attacks.

A cyber-incident involving our IT systems and related infrastructure, or that of our customers, venders and counterparties, could disrupt our business plans and negatively impact our operations in the following ways, among others:

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Our business is subject to complex and evolving U.S. and International laws and regulations regarding privacy and data protection (“data protection laws”). Many of these laws and regulations are subject to change and uncertain interpretation, and could result in claims, increased cost of operations or otherwise harm our business.

Along with our own data and information in the normal course of our business, we and our partners collect and retain significant volumes of certain types of data, some of which are subject to specific laws and regulations. The transfer and use of this data both domestically and across international borders is becoming increasingly complex. The regulatory environment surrounding and the transfer and protection of such data is constantly evolving and can be subject to significant change. New data protection laws at the federal, state, international, national, provincial and local levels, including recent Colorado legislation, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), pose increasingly complex compliance challenges and potentially elevate our costs.

Complying with these jurisdictional requirements could increase the costs and complexity of compliance, and violations of applicable data protection laws can result in significant penalties. For example, the GDPR applies to activities regarding personal data that may be conducted by us, directly or indirectly through vendors and subcontractors, from an establishment in the European Union. Failure to comply could result in significant penalties of up to a maximum of 4% of our global turnover that may materially adversely affect our business, reputation, results of operations, and cash flows. Similarly, the CCPA, which came into effect on January 1, 2020, gives California residents specific rights in relation to their personal information, requires that companies take certain actions, including notifications for security incidents and may apply to activities regarding personal information that is collected by us, directly or indirectly, from California residents. As interpretation and enforcement of the CCPA evolves, it creates a range of new compliance obligations, which could cause us to change our business practices, with the possibility for significant financial penalties for noncompliance that may materially adversely affect our business, reputation, results of operations, and cash flows.

As noted above, we are also subject to the possibility of information security breaches, which themselves may result in a violation of these laws. Additionally, if we acquire a company that has violated or is not in compliance with applicable data protection laws, we may incur significant liabilities and penalties as a result.

Our ability to operate our business effectively could be impaired if we fail to attract and retain key personnel.

Our ability to operate our business and implement our strategies depends on our continued ability to attract and retain highly skilled personnel with midstream energy industry experience and competition for these persons in the midstream energy industry is intense. Given our size, we may be at a disadvantage, relative to our larger competitors, in the competition for these personnel. We may not be able to continue to employ our senior executives and key personnel or attract and retain qualified personnel in the future, and our failure to retain or attract our senior executives and key personnel could have a material adverse effect on our ability to effectively operate our business.

A shortage of skilled labor in the midstream energy industry could reduce employee productivity and increase costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

The operation of gathering, treating and processing systems requires skilled laborers in multiple disciplines such as equipment operators, mechanics and engineers, among others. We have from time to time encountered shortages for these types of skilled labor. If we experience shortages of skilled labor in the future, our labor and overall productivity or costs could be materially adversely affected. If our labor prices increase or if we experience materially increased health and benefit costs with respect to our General Partner's employees, our business and results of operations and our ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders could be materially adversely affected.

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Risks Inherent in an Investment in Us

Summit Investments indirectly owns and controls our General Partner, which has sole responsibility for conducting our business and managing our operations and limited duties to us and our unitholders. Our General Partner and its affiliates have conflicts of interest with us and they may favor their own interests to the detriment of us and our unitholders.

Summit Investments controls our General Partner and has authority to appoint all of the officers and directors of our General Partner, some of whom are officers, directors or principals of Energy Capital Partners, the entity that controls Summit Investments. Although our General Partner has a duty to manage us in a manner that is in our best interests, the directors and officers of our General Partner also have a duty to manage our General Partner in a manner that is in the best interests of its owner. Conflicts of interest will arise between Summit Investments and its owners and our General Partner, on the one hand, and us and our unitholders, on the other hand. In resolving these conflicts of interest, our General Partner may favor its own interests and the interests of Summit Investments and its owners over our interests and the interests of our unitholders. These conflicts include the following situations, among others:

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Our general partner interest or the control of our General Partner may be transferred to a third party without unitholder consent.

If Energy Capital Partners, the private equity firm that controls Summit Investments, consummates a transaction involving a sale or other disposition of its interests in Summit Investments, the transaction would result in a change of control of SMLP because Summit Investments indirectly owns and controls our General Partner. In addition, our General Partner may transfer its general partner interest to a third party in a merger or in a sale of all or substantially all of its assets without the consent of the unitholders. Furthermore, our Partnership Agreement does not restrict the ability of Summit Investments to transfer all or a portion of its ownership interest in our General Partner to a third party. The owner of Summit Investments, or new members of our General Partner, as applicable, would then be in a position to replace the Board of Directors and officers of our General Partner with their own designees and thereby exert significant control over the decisions made by the Board of Directors and officers. This effectively permits a change of control without the vote or consent of the unitholders.

The equity interests in our General Partner are pledged as collateral for SMP Holdings’ senior secured term loan facility; in the event SMP Holdings is unable to meet its obligations under that term loan facility, including as a result of a reduction in the amount, or elimination, of the distributions we pay to our unitholders, or is subject to certain bankruptcy or insolvency related events, SMP Holdings’ lenders may gain control of our general partner.

On March 21, 2017, SMP Holdings entered into a term loan agreement, which we refer to as the SMP Holdings Term Loan Facility. SMP Holdings’ ownership interest in our general partner is subject to a lien under the SMP Holdings Term Loan Facility. In the event SMP Holdings is unable to satisfy its obligations under the SMP Holdings Term Loan Facility, including as a result of a reduction in the amount, or elimination, of the distributions we pay to our unitholders, including SMP Holdings, and the lenders foreclose on the collateral securing such obligations, the lenders will own our general partner, and effectively all of its assets, which include the general partner interest in us.  In such event, SMP Holdings’ lenders would own the entity that controls our management and operation. Moreover, in the event SMP Holdings becomes insolvent or is declared bankrupt, our general partner also may be deemed insolvent or declared bankrupt. Under the terms of our partnership agreement, certain bankruptcy or insolvency related events of our general partner may cause a dissolution of our partnership.

Our Sponsor is not limited in its ability to compete with us and is not obligated to offer us the opportunity to acquire additional assets or businesses, which could limit our ability to grow and could materially adversely affect our results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.

Although it controls Summit Investments, our Sponsor may compete with us for investment opportunities and may own interests in entities that compete with us. Our Sponsor is not prohibited from owning assets or engaging in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us. In addition, our Sponsor and Summit Investments may acquire, construct or dispose of additional midstream or other assets and may be presented with new business opportunities, without any obligation to offer us the opportunity to purchase or construct such assets or to engage in such business opportunities.

Pursuant to the terms of our Partnership Agreement, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, does not apply to our General Partner, its officers and directors or any of its affiliates, including Summit Investments and our Sponsor and its respective executive officers, directors and principals. Any such person or entity that becomes aware of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for us will not have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to us. Any such person or entity will not be liable to us or to any limited partner for breach of any fiduciary duty or other duty by reason of the fact that such person or entity pursues or acquires such opportunity for itself, directs such opportunity to another person or entity or does not communicate such opportunity or information to us. This may create actual and potential conflicts of interest between us and affiliates of our General Partner and result in less than favorable treatment of us and our unitholders.

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The amount of cash we have available for distribution to holders of our units depends primarily on our cash flows rather than on our profitability, which may prevent us from making distributions, even during periods in which we record net income.

The amount of cash we have available for distribution depends primarily upon our cash flows and not solely on profitability, which will be affected by non-cash items. As a result, we may make cash distributions during periods when we report net losses for GAAP purposes and may not make cash distributions during periods when we report net income for GAAP purposes.

The market price of our common units may fluctuate significantly and, due to limited daily trading volumes, an investor could lose all or part of its investment in us.

An investor may not be able to resell its common units at or above its acquisition price. Additionally, limited liquidity may result in wide bid-ask spreads, contribute to significant fluctuations in the market price of the common units and limit the number of investors who are able to buy the common units.

The market price of our common units may decline and be influenced by many factors, some of which are beyond our control, including among others:

Our Sponsor may sell units in the public markets, which could reduce the market price of our outstanding common units.

Of the 93,493,473 common units outstanding at December 31, 2019, Summit Investments beneficially owned 45,318,866 common units and a subsidiary of Energy Capital Partners directly owned 5,915,827 common units. If these entities were to dispose of a substantial portion of these units in the public market, whether in a single transaction or a series of transactions, it could reduce the market price of our common units. In addition, these sales, or the possibility that these sales may occur, could make it more difficult for us to sell our common units in the future.

Our Sponsor has rights to require underwritten offerings that could limit our ability to raise capital in the public equity market.

Our Sponsor and any other unitholders that have registration rights may require us to conduct underwritten offerings of our common units. If we want to access the capital markets (debt and equity), those unitholders’ ability to sell a portion of their common units could satisfy investors’ demand for our common units, reduce the market price for our common units, or interfere with our financing plans, and thereby could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

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If we fail to develop or maintain an effective system of internal controls, we may not be able to report our financial results timely and accurately or prevent fraud, which would likely have a negative impact on the market price of our common units.

As a publicly traded partnership, we are subject to the public reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, including the rules thereunder that will require our management to certify financial and other information in our quarterly and annual reports and provide an annual management report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable and timely financial reports, prevent fraud and to operate successfully as a publicly traded partnership. We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. Our efforts to develop and maintain our internal controls may not be successful and we may be unable to maintain effective controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future or to comply with our obligations under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Given the difficulties inherent in the design and operation of internal controls over financial reporting, in addition to our limited accounting personnel and management resources, we can provide no assurance as to our or our independent registered public accounting firm's future conclusions about the effectiveness of our internal controls, and we may incur significant costs in our efforts to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Any failure to implement and maintain effective internal controls over financial reporting could subject us to regulatory scrutiny and a loss of confidence in our reported financial information, which could have an adverse effect on our business and would likely have a negative effect on the trading price of our common units.

Our Partnership Agreement replaces our General Partner's fiduciary duties to unitholders with contractual standards governing its duties.

Our Partnership Agreement contains provisions that eliminate fiduciary duties to which our General Partner would otherwise be held by state fiduciary duty law and replaces those duties with several different contractual standards. For example, our Partnership Agreement permits our General Partner to make a number of decisions in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our General Partner or otherwise, free of any duties to us and our unitholders, other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing. This entitles our General Partner to consider only the interests and factors that it desires and relieves it of any duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of, or factors affecting, us, our affiliates or our limited partners. Examples of decisions that our General Partner may make in its individual capacity include, among others:

By purchasing a common unit, a common unitholder agrees to become bound by the provisions in the Partnership Agreement, including the provisions discussed above.

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Our Partnership Agreement limits the liabilities of our General Partner and the rights of our unitholders with respect to actions taken by our General Partner that might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duty.

Our Partnership Agreement contains provisions that limit the liability of our General Partner and the rights of our unitholders with respect to actions taken by our General Partner that might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duty under state fiduciary duty law. For example, our Partnership Agreement provides that:

In connection with a situation involving a transaction with an affiliate or a conflict of interest, any determination by our General Partner or the Conflicts Committee must be made in good faith. If an affiliate transaction or the resolution of a conflict of interest is not approved by our common unitholders or the Conflicts Committee and the Board of Directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the affiliate transaction or conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the final two subclauses above, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the Board of Directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption.

Our General Partner intends to limit its liability regarding our obligations.

Our General Partner intends to limit its liability under contractual arrangements so that the counterparties to such arrangements have recourse only against our assets, and not against our General Partner or its assets. Our General Partner may therefore cause us to incur indebtedness or other obligations that are nonrecourse to our General Partner. Our Partnership Agreement provides that any action taken by our General Partner to limit its liability is not a breach of our General Partner's fiduciary duties, even if we could have obtained more favorable terms without the limitation on liability. In addition, we are obligated to reimburse or indemnify our General Partner to the extent that it incurs obligations on our behalf. Any such reimbursement or indemnification payments would reduce the amount of cash otherwise available for distribution to our unitholders.

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Reimbursements due to our General Partner and its affiliates for expenses incurred on our behalf will reduce cash available for distribution to our common unitholders. The amount and timing of such reimbursements will be determined by our General Partner.

Prior to making any distribution on our common units, we will reimburse our General Partner and its affiliates, including Summit Investments, for expenses they incur and payments they make on our behalf. Under our Partnership Agreement, we will reimburse our General Partner and its affiliates for certain expenses incurred on our behalf, including, without limitation, salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to our General Partner's employees and executive officers who provide services necessary to run our business. Our Partnership Agreement provides that our General Partner will determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us. The reimbursement of expenses to our General Partner and its affiliates will reduce the amount of available cash to pay cash distributions to our unitholders.

The New York Stock Exchange does not require a publicly traded partnership like us to comply with certain of its corporate governance requirements.

We have listed our common units on the New York Stock Exchange. Because we are a publicly traded partnership, the New York Stock Exchange does not require us to have, and we do not have, a majority of independent directors on our General Partner's Board of Directors or a nominating and corporate governance committee. Additionally, any future issuance of additional common units or other securities, including to affiliates, will not be subject to the New York Stock Exchange's shareholder approval rules. Accordingly, unitholders do not have the same protections afforded to certain corporations that are subject to all of the New York Stock Exchange corporate governance requirements.

Holders of our common units have limited voting rights and are not entitled to elect our General Partner or its directors.

Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, holders of our common units have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business and, therefore, limited ability to influence management's decisions regarding our business. Unitholders have no right on an annual or ongoing basis to elect our General Partner or its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors has been chosen by Summit Investments. Furthermore, if our unitholders are dissatisfied with the performance of our General Partner, they have little ability to remove our General Partner. As a result of these limitations, the price at which the common units trade could be diminished because of the absence or reduction of a takeover premium in the trading price. Our Partnership Agreement also contains provisions limiting the ability of our unitholders to call meetings or to acquire information about our operations, as well as other provisions limiting the unitholders' ability to influence the manner or direction of management.

Even if holders of our common units are dissatisfied, they may not be able to remove our General Partner without its consent.

The vote of the holders of at least 66 2/3% of all outstanding limited partner units voting together as a single class is required to remove our General Partner. As of December 31, 2019, Summit Investments beneficially owned 45,318,866 common units out of 93,493,473 outstanding common units, representing a voting block sufficient to prevent the other limited partners from removing our General Partner.

Our Partnership Agreement restricts the voting rights of unitholders owning 20% or more of our common units.

Unitholders' voting rights are further restricted by a provision of our Partnership Agreement providing that any person or group that owns 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding cannot vote on any matter, other than our General Partner, its affiliates, their transferees and persons who acquired such units with the prior approval of the Board of Directors.

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We may issue additional units without unitholder approval, which would dilute existing ownership interests.

Except in the case of the issuance of units that rank equal to or senior to the Series A Preferred Units, our Partnership Agreement does not limit the number of additional limited partner interests, including limited partner interests that rank senior to the common units that we may issue at any time without the approval of our unitholders.

We may issue additional Series A Preferred Units and any securities in parity with the Series A Preferred Units without any vote of the holders of the Series A Preferred Units (except where the cumulative distributions on the Series A Preferred Units or any parity securities are in arrears and in certain other circumstances) and without the approval of our common unitholders.

The issuance by us of additional common units or other equity securities of equal or senior rank will decrease our existing unitholders' proportionate ownership interest in us. In addition, the issuance by us of additional common units or other equity securities of equal or senior rank may have the following effects:

Future issuances and sales of parity securities, or the perception that such issuances and sales could occur, may cause prevailing market prices for our common units and the Series A Preferred Units to decline and may adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital in the financial markets at times and prices favorable to us.

Furthermore, the payment of distributions on any additional units may increase the risk that we will not be able to make distributions at our prior per unit distribution levels. To the extent new units are senior to our common units, including units issued to third parties at a subsidiary level, their issuance will increase the uncertainty of the payment of distributions on our common units.

Holders of Series A Preferred Units have limited voting rights, which may be diluted.

Although holders of the Series A Preferred Units are entitled to limited voting rights with respect to certain matters, the Series A Preferred Units generally vote separately as a class along with any other series of our parity securities that we may issue upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable. As a result, the voting rights of holders of Series A Preferred Units may be significantly diluted, and the holders of such other series of parity securities that we may issue may be able to control or significantly influence the outcome of any vote.

Summit Investments or our Sponsor may sell units in the public or private markets, and such sales could have an adverse impact on the trading price of the common units.

As of December 31, 2019, Summit Investments beneficially owned 45,318,866 common units out of 93,493,473 outstanding common units and a subsidiary of Energy Capital Partners directly owned 5,915,827 common units. The sale of any of these units in the public or private markets could have an adverse impact on the price of the common units or on any trading market that may develop.

Our General Partner has a limited call right that may require an investor to sell its units at an undesirable time or price.

If at any time our General Partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of our outstanding common units, our General Partner will have the right, which it may assign to any of its affiliates or to us, but not the obligation, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the common units held by unaffiliated persons at a price that is not less than their then-current market price, as calculated pursuant to the terms of our Partnership Agreement. As a result, an investor may be required to sell its common units at an undesirable time or price and may not receive any return on its investment. An investor may also incur a tax liability upon a sale of its units.

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As of December 31, 2019, Summit Investments beneficially owned 45,318,866 common units out of 93,493,473 outstanding common units and a subsidiary of Energy Capital Partners directly owned 5,915,827 common units. As such, our General Partner and its affiliates controlled a total of 51,234,693 common units, or 54.8% of our common units outstanding as of December 31, 2019.

An investor's liability may not be limited if a court finds that unitholder action constitutes control of our business.

A General Partner of a partnership generally has unlimited liability for the obligations of the partnership, except for those contractual obligations of the partnership that are expressly made without recourse to the General Partner. Our partnership is organized under Delaware law, and we conduct business in a number of other states. The limitations on the liability of holders of limited partner interests for the obligations of a limited partnership have not been clearly established in some of the other states in which we do business. An investor could be liable for any and all of our obligations as if it was a General Partner if a court or government agency were to determine that:

Our Partnership Agreement designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our unitholders, which limits our unitholders’ ability to choose the judicial forum for disputes with us or our General Partner’s directors, officers or other employees.

Our Partnership Agreement provides that, with certain limited exceptions, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the exclusive forum for any claims, suits, actions or proceedings (1) arising out of or relating in any way to our Partnership Agreement (including any claims, suits or actions to interpret, apply or enforce the provisions of our Partnership Agreement or the duties, obligations or liabilities among our partners, or obligations or liabilities of our partners to us, or the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, our partners or us), (2) brought in a derivative manner on our behalf, (3) asserting a claim of breach of a duty (including a fiduciary duty) owed by any of our, or our General Partner’s, directors, officers, or other employees, or owed by our General Partner, to us or our partners, (4) asserting a claim against us arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act or (5) asserting a claim against us governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in our common units is deemed to have received notice of and consented to the foregoing provisions. This exclusive forum provision does not apply to a cause of action brought under federal or state securities laws. Although management believes this choice of forum provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against us and our General Partner’s directors and officers. The enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation or similar governing documents has been challenged in legal proceedings and it is possible that in connection with any action a court could find the choice of forum provisions contained in our Partnership Agreement to be inapplicable or unenforceable in such action. If a court were to find this choice of forum provision inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and ability to make cash distributions to our unitholders.

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Unitholders may have liability to repay distributions that were wrongfully distributed to them.

Under certain circumstances, unitholders may have to repay amounts wrongfully returned or distributed to them. Under Delaware law, we may not make a distribution if the distribution would cause our liabilities to exceed the fair value of our assets. Delaware law provides that for a period of three years from the date of an impermissible distribution, limited partners who received the distribution and who knew at the time of the distribution that it violated Delaware law will be liable to the limited partnership for the distribution amount. Substituted limited partners are liable both for the obligations of the assignor to make contributions to the partnership that were known to the substituted limited partner at the time it became a limited partner and for those obligations that were unknown if the liabilities could have been determined from the Partnership Agreement. Neither liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interest nor liabilities that are non-recourse to the partnership are counted for purposes of determining whether a distribution is permitted.

If an investor is not an eligible holder, it may not receive distributions or allocations of income or loss on those common units and those common units will be subject to redemption.

We have adopted certain requirements regarding those investors who may own our common units and Series A Preferred Units. Eligible holders are U.S. individuals or entities subject to U.S. federal income taxation on the income generated by us or entities not subject to U.S. federal income taxation on the income generated by us, so long as all of the entity's owners are U.S. individuals or entities subject to such taxation. If an investor is not an eligible holder, our General Partner may elect not to make distributions or allocate income or loss on that investor's units, and it runs the risk of having its units redeemed by us at the lower of purchase price cost or the then-current market price. The redemption price may be paid in cash or by delivery of a promissory note, as determined by our General Partner.

Our Series A Preferred Units have rights, preferences and privileges that are not held by, and are preferential to the rights of, holders of our common units.

Our Series A Preferred Units rank senior to our common units with respect to distribution rights and rights upon liquidation. These preferences could adversely affect the market price for our common units, or could make it more difficult for us to sell our common units in the future. In addition, our Subsidiary Series A Preferred Units have priority over the common unitholders with respect to the cash flow from Permian Holdco.

In addition, (i) prior to December 15, 2022, distributions on the Series A Preferred Units accrue and are cumulative at the rate of 9.50% per annum of $1,000, the liquidation preference of the Series A Preferred Units and (ii) on and after December 15, 2022, distributions on the Series A Preferred Units will accumulate for each distribution period at a percentage of $1,000 equal to the three-month LIBOR plus a spread of 7.43%.

The distribution rate of the Subsidiary Series A Preferred Units is 7.00% per annum of the $1,000 issue amount per outstanding Permian Holdco Series A Preferred Unit. Permian Holdco has the option to pay this distribution in-kind until the earlier of June 30, 2022 or the first full quarter following the date the Double E pipeline is placed in service.

Our obligation to pay distributions on our Series A Preferred Units and Permian Holdco’s obligation to pay the distributions on the Subsidiary Series A Preferred Units could impact our liquidity and reduce the amount of cash flow available for working capital, capital expenditures, growth opportunities, acquisitions, and other general partnership purposes. Our obligations to the holders of the Series A Preferred Units and Permian Holdco’s obligations to the holders of the Subsidiary Series A Preferred Units could also limit our ability to obtain additional financing or increase our borrowing costs, which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition.

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Our Series A Preferred Units contain covenants that may limit our business flexibility.

Our Series A Preferred Units contain covenants preventing us from taking certain actions without the approval of the holders of 66 2⁄3% of the Series A Preferred Units. The need to obtain the approval of holders of the Series A Preferred Units before taking these actions could impede our ability to take certain actions that management or the Board of Directors may consider to be in the best interests of our unitholders. The affirmative vote of 66 2⁄3% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Units, voting as a single class, is necessary to amend the Partnership Agreement in any manner that would have a material adverse effect on the existing preferences, rights, powers, duties or obligations of the Series A Preferred Units. The affirmative vote of 66 2⁄3% of the outstanding Series A Preferred Units and any outstanding series of other preferred units, voting as a single class, is necessary to (A) under certain circumstances, create or issue certain equity securities that are senior to our common units or (B) declare or pay any distribution to common unitholders out of capital surplus.

Tax Risks

Our tax treatment depends on our status as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. If the IRS were to treat us as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, which would subject us to entity-level taxation, then our cash available for distribution to our unitholders would be substantially reduced.

The anticipated after-tax economic benefit of an investment in our units depends largely on our being treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

Despite the fact that we are a limited partnership under Delaware law, it is possible in certain circumstances for a partnership such as ours to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. A change in our business or a change in current law could cause us to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes or otherwise subject us to taxation as an entity.

If we were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, we would pay federal income tax on our taxable income at the corporate tax rate, which is currently 21%, and would likely pay state and local income tax at varying rates. Distributions to our unitholders would generally be taxed again as corporate dividends (to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits), and no income, gains, losses, deductions, or credits would flow through to our unitholders. Because a tax would be imposed upon us as a corporation, our cash available for distribution would be substantially reduced. Therefore, if we were treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes, there would be material reductions in the anticipated cash flow and after-tax return to our unitholders, likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of our units. This could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations and ability to make distributions to our unitholders.

If we were subjected to a material amount of additional entity-level taxation by individual states, it would reduce our cash available for distribution to our unitholders.

Changes in current state law may subject us to additional entity-level taxation by individual states. Because of widespread state budget deficits and other reasons, several states are evaluating ways to subject partnerships to entity-level taxation through the imposition of state income, franchise and other forms of taxation. Imposition of any such taxes may substantially reduce the cash available for distribution.

The tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships or an investment in our units could be subject to potential legislative, judicial or administrative changes and differing interpretations of applicable law, possibly on a retroactive basis.

The present U.S. federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our units may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial changes or differing interpretations at any time. From time to time, members of the U.S. Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships.

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Any modification to the U.S. federal income tax laws and interpretations could make it more difficult or impossible to meet the exception for us to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We are unable to predict whether any such changes will ultimately be enacted, but it is possible that a change in law could affect us and may, if enacted, be applied retroactively. Any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our units.

Our unitholders are required to pay income taxes on their share of our taxable income even if they do not receive any cash distributions from us. A unitholder’s share of our taxable income, and its relationship to any distributions we make, may be affected by a variety of factors, including our economic performance, transactions in which we engage or changes in law and may be substantially different from any estimate we make in connection with a unit offering.

A unitholder’s allocable share of our taxable income will be taxable to it, which may require the unitholder to pay federal income taxes and, in some cases, state and local income taxes, even if the unitholder receives cash distributions from us that are less than the actual tax liability that results from that income or no cash distributions at all.

A unitholder’s share of our taxable income, and its relationship to any distributions we make, may be affected by a variety of factors, including our economic performance, which may be affected by numerous business, economic, regulatory, legislative, competitive and political uncertainties beyond our control, and certain transactions in which we might engage. For example, we may engage in transactions that produce substantial taxable income allocations to some or all of our unitholders without a corresponding increase in cash distributions to our unitholders, such as a sale or exchange of assets, the proceeds of which are reinvested in our business or used to reduce our debt, or an actual or deemed satisfaction of our indebtedness for an amount less than the adjusted issue price of the debt. A unitholder’s ratio of its share of taxable income to the cash received by it may also be affected by changes in law. For instance, under the tax reform law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Reform Legislation”), the net interest expense deductions of certain business entities, including us, are limited to 30% of such entity’s “adjusted taxable income,” which is generally taxable income with certain modifications. If the limit applies, a unitholder’s taxable income allocations will be more (or its net loss allocations will be less) than would have been the case absent the limitation.

From time to time, in connection with an offering of our common units, we may state an estimate of the ratio of federal taxable income to cash distributions that a purchaser of common units in that offering may receive in a given period. These estimates depend in part on factors that are unique to the offering with respect to which the estimate is stated, so the expected ratio applicable to other common units will be different, and in many cases less favorable, than these estimates. Moreover, even in the case of common units purchased in the offering to which the estimate relates, the estimate may be incorrect, due to the uncertainties described above, challenges by the IRS to tax reporting positions which we adopt, or other factors. The actual ratio of taxable income to cash distributions could be higher or lower than expected, and any differences could be material and could materially affect the value of the common units.

If the IRS contests the federal income tax positions we take, the market for our units may be adversely impacted and the cost of any IRS contest would likely reduce our cash available for distribution to our unitholders.

The IRS may adopt positions that differ from the conclusions of our counsel expressed in a prospectus or from the positions we take, and the IRS's positions may ultimately be sustained. It may be necessary to resort to administrative or court proceedings to sustain some or all of our counsel’s conclusions or the positions we take and such positions may not ultimately be sustained. A court may not agree with some or all of our counsel’s conclusions or the positions we take. Any contest with the IRS, and the outcome of any IRS contest, may have a materially adverse effect on the market for our units and the price at which they trade. In addition, our costs of any contest with the IRS would be borne indirectly by our unitholders because the costs would likely reduce our cash available for distribution.

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Unitholders may be subject to limitation on their ability to deduct interest expense incurred by us.

In general, we are entitled to a deduction for interest paid or accrued on indebtedness properly allocable to our trade or business during our taxable year. However, under the Tax Reform Legislation, our deduction for “business interest,” (including, under proposed Treasury Regulations, our deduction for distributions on our Series A Preferred Units) is limited to the sum of our business interest income and 30% of our “adjusted taxable income.” For purposes of this limitation, our adjusted taxable income is computed without regard to any business interest expense or business interest income, and in the case of taxable years, beginning before January 1, 2022, any deduction allowable for depreciation, amortization, or depletion.

Tax gain or loss on the disposition of our units could be more or less than expected.

If a unitholder sells its units, a gain or loss will be recognized for federal income tax purposes equal to the difference between the amount realized and the unitholder's tax basis in those units. Because distributions in excess of a unitholder's allocable share of its net taxable income decrease its tax basis in its units, the amount, if any, of such prior excess distributions with respect to the units it sells will, in effect, become taxable income to the unitholder if it sells such units at a price greater than its tax basis in those units, even if the price it receives is less than its original cost. Furthermore, a substantial portion of the amount realized on any sale or other disposition of a unitholder's units, whether or not representing gain, may be taxed as ordinary income due to potential recapture items, including depreciation recapture. In addition, because the amount realized includes a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities, if a unitholder sells its units, it may incur a tax liability in excess of the amount of cash it receives from the sale.

Tax-exempt entities and non-U.S. persons face unique tax issues from owning our units that may result in adverse tax consequences to them.

Investment in our units by tax-exempt entities, such as employee benefit plans and individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), and non-U.S. persons raises issues unique to them. For example, virtually all of our income allocated to an organization that is exempt from federal income tax, including IRAs and other retirement plans, will be unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) and will be taxable to the exempt organization as UBTI on the exempt organization’s tax return in the year the exempt organization is allocated the income. Under the Tax Reform Legislation, an exempt organization is required to independently compute its UBTI from each separate unrelated trade or business which may prevent an exempt organization from utilizing losses we allocate to the organization against the organization’s UBTI from other sources and vice versa. Distributions to non-U.S. persons will be reduced by withholding taxes at the highest applicable effective tax rate, and non-U.S. persons will be required to file U.S. federal income tax returns and pay tax on their share of our taxable income.

Under the Tax Reform Legislation, if a unitholder sells or otherwise disposes of a unit, the transferee is required to withhold 10.0% of the amount realized by the transferor unless the transferor certifies that it is not a foreign person, and we are required to deduct and withhold from the transferee amounts that should have been withheld by the transferee but were not withheld. However, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS suspended these rules for transfers of certain publicly traded partnership interests, including transfers of our common units, until regulations or other guidance has been issued. In May 2019, the IRS issued proposed Treasury Regulations that would require withholding on open market transactions, effective 60 days after the issuance of final Treasury Regulations, but in the case of a transfer made through a broker, would exclude a partner’s share of liabilities from the amount realized. In addition, the obligation to withhold would be imposed on the broker instead of the transferee. It is not clear if or when the proposed Treasury Regulations will be finalized and in what form, or if other guidance will be issued.

Tax-exempt entities and non-U.S. persons should consult a tax advisor before investing in our units.

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We treat each holder of our common units as having the same tax benefits without regard to the actual common units held. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could adversely affect the value of the common units.

Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of common units and because of other reasons, we will adopt depreciation and amortization positions that may not conform to all aspects of existing Treasury Regulations. A successful IRS challenge to those positions could adversely affect the amount of tax benefits available to our unitholders. A successful IRS challenge also could affect the timing of these tax benefits or the amount of gain from a unitholder’s sale of common units and could have a negative impact on the value of our common units or result in audit adjustments to the unitholder’s tax returns.

Treatment of distributions on our Series A Preferred Units as guaranteed payments for the use of capital creates a different tax treatment for the holders of our Series A Preferred Units than the holders of our common units and such distributions are not eligible for the 20% deduction for qualified publicly traded partnership income.

The tax treatment of distributions on our Series A Preferred Units is uncertain. We will treat the holders of Series A Preferred Units as partners for tax purposes and will treat distributions on the Series A Preferred Units as guaranteed payments for the use of capital that will generally be taxable to the holders of Series A Preferred Units as ordinary income. Although a holder of Series A Preferred Units could recognize taxable income from the accrual of such a guaranteed payment even in the absence of a contemporaneous distribution, we anticipate accruing and making the guaranteed payment distributions semi-annually on the 15th day of June and December through December 15, 2022, and quarterly on the 15th day of March, June, September and December thereafter. Because the guaranteed payment for each unit must accrue as income to a holder during the taxable year of the accrual, the guaranteed payment attributable to the period beginning December 15th and ending December 31st will accrue to the holder of record of a Series A Preferred Unit on December 31st for such period. Otherwise, except in the case of our liquidation, the holders of Series A Preferred Units are generally not anticipated to share in our items of income, gain, loss or deduction. We will not allocate any share of its nonrecourse liabilities to the holders of Series A Preferred Units.

Treasury Regulations, provide that a guaranteed payment for the use of capital generally is not taken into account for purposes of computing qualified business income for purposes of the 20% deduction for qualified publicly traded partnership will not constitute an allocable or distributive share of such income. As a result, the guaranteed payment for use of capital received by holders of our Series A Preferred Units may not be eligible for the 20% deduction for qualified publicly traded partnership income.

A holder of Series A Preferred Units will be required to recognize gain or loss on a sale of units equal to the difference between the holder’s amount realized and tax basis in the units sold. The amount realized generally will equal the sum of the cash and the fair market value of other property such holder receives in exchange for such Series A Preferred Units. Subject to general rules requiring a blended basis among multiple partnership interests, the tax basis of a Series A Preferred Unit will generally be equal to the sum of the cash and the fair market value of other property paid by the holder to acquire such Series A Preferred Unit. Gain or loss recognized by a holder on the sale or exchange of a Series A Preferred Unit held for more than one year generally will be taxable as long-term capital gain or loss. Because holders of Series A Preferred Units will not generally be allocated a share of our items of depreciation, depletion or amortization, it is not anticipated that such holders would be required to recharacterize any portion of their gain as ordinary income as a result of the recapture rules.

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Investment in the Series A Preferred Units by tax-exempt investors, such as employee benefit plans and individual retirement accounts, and non-U.S. persons raises issues unique to them. Although the issue is not free from doubt, we will treat distributions to non-U.S. holders of the Series A Preferred Units as “effectively connected income” (which will subject holders to U.S. net income taxation and possibly the branch profits tax) that are subject to withholding taxes imposed at the highest effective tax rate applicable to such non-U.S. holders. If the amount of withholding exceeds the amount of U.S. federal income tax actually due, non-U.S. holders may be required to file U.S. federal income tax returns in order to seek a refund of such excess. The treatment of guaranteed payments for the use of capital to tax-exempt investors is not certain and such payments may be treated as unrelated business taxable income for federal income tax purposes.  

All holders of our Series A Preferred Units are urged to consult a tax advisor with respect to the consequences of owning our Series A Preferred Units.

We prorate our items of income, gain, loss and deduction for U.S, federal income tax purposes between transferors and transferees of our units each month based upon the ownership of our units on the first day of each month, instead of on the basis of the date a particular unit is transferred. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could change the allocation of items of income, gain, loss and deduction among our unitholders.

We prorate our items of income, gain, loss and deduction for U.S. federal income tax purposes between transferors and transferees of our units each month based upon the ownership of our units on the first day of each month, instead of on the basis of the date a particular unit is transferred. Treasury Regulations allow a similar monthly simplifying convention, but do not specifically authorize the use of the proration method we have adopted. If the IRS were to challenge our proration method, or if new Treasury Regulations were issued, we may be required to change the allocation of items of income, gain, loss and deduction among our unitholders.

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, the unitholder would no longer be treated for federal income 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.

Because a unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of the loaned units, the unitholder may no longer be treated for federal income tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan to the short seller and the unitholder may recognize gain or loss from such disposition. Moreover, during the period of the loan to the short seller, any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those units may not be reportable by the unitholder and any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units could be fully taxable as ordinary income. 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 loaning their units.

We have adopted certain valuation methodologies and monthly conventions for U.S. federal income tax purposes that may result in a shift of income, gain, loss and deduction among our unitholders. The IRS may challenge this treatment, which could adversely affect the value of our units.

When we issue additional units or engage in certain other transactions, we will determine the fair market value of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we make many fair market value estimates using a methodology based on the market value of our units as a means to measure the fair market value of our assets. The IRS may challenge these valuation methods and the resulting allocations of income, gain, loss and deduction.

A successful IRS challenge to these methods or allocations could adversely affect the amount, character and timing of taxable income or loss being allocated to our unitholders. It also could affect the amount of taxable gain from our unitholders' sale of units and could have a negative impact on the value of the units or result in audit adjustments to our unitholders' tax returns without the benefit of additional deductions.

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If the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns for tax years beginning after 2017, the IRS (and some states) may collect any resulting taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment directly from us, in which case we may require our unitholders and former unitholders to reimburse us for such taxes (including any applicable penalties or interest) or, if we are required to bear such payment, our cash available for distribution to our unitholders could be substantially reduced.

If the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns for tax years beginning after 2017, it 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 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 (and 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, we may require our unitholders and former unitholders to reimburse us for such taxes (including any applicable penalties or interest) or, if we are required to bear such payment, our cash available for distribution to our unitholders could be substantially reduced. Additionally, we may be required to allocate an adjustment disproportionately among our unitholders, causing the publicly traded units to have different capital accounts, unless the IRS issues further guidance.  

In the event the IRS makes an audit adjustment to our income tax returns and we do not or cannot shift the liability to our unitholders in accordance with their interests in us during the year under audit, we will generally have the ability to request that the IRS reduce the determined underpayment by reducing the suspended passive loss carryovers of our unitholders (without any compensation from us to such unitholders), to the extent such underpayment is attributable to a net decrease in passive activity losses allocable to certain partners. Such reduction, if approved by the IRS, will be binding on any affected unitholders.

As a result of investing in our units, our unitholders will likely be subject to state and local taxes and return filing requirements in jurisdictions where we operate or own or acquire properties.

In addition to federal income taxes, our unitholders will likely be subject to other taxes, including state and local taxes, unincorporated business taxes and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that are imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business or control property now or in the future, even if the unitholders do not live in any of those jurisdictions. Our unitholders will likely be required to file state and local income tax returns and pay state and local income taxes in some or all of these various jurisdictions. Further, our unitholders may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. Some of the states in which we conduct business currently impose a personal income tax on individuals. As we make acquisitions or expand our business, we may control assets or conduct business in additional states that impose a personal income tax. It is the unitholder's responsibility to file all federal, state and local tax returns.

Compliance with and changes in tax laws could adversely affect our performance.

We are subject to extensive tax laws and regulations, including federal and state income taxes and transactional taxes such as excise, sales/use, payroll, franchise and ad valorem taxes. New tax laws and regulations and changes in existing tax laws and regulations are continuously being enacted that could result in increased tax expenditures in the future. Many of these tax liabilities are subject to audits by the respective taxing authority. These audits may result in additional taxes as well as interest and penalties.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.

Not applicable.

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Item 2. Properties.

Our gathering systems, the unconventional resource basins in which they operate, and the reportable segments in which they are reported are as follows:  

For additional information on our midstream assets and their capacities, see Item 1. Business.

Our real property falls into two categories: (i) parcels that we own in fee and (ii) parcels in which our interest derives from leases, easements, rights-of-way, permits or licenses from landowners or governmental authorities, permitting the use of such land for our operations. Portions of the land on which our gathering systems and other major facilities are located are owned by us in fee title, and we believe that we have valid title to these lands. The remainder of the land on which our major facilities are located are held by us pursuant to long-term leases or easements between us and the underlying fee owner, or permits with governmental authorities. We believe that we have valid leasehold estates or fee ownership in such lands or valid permits with governmental authorities. We have no knowledge of any material challenge to the underlying fee title of any material lease, easement, right-of-way, permit or license held by us or to our title to any material lease, easement, right-of-way, permit or license. We believe that we have satisfactory title to all of our material leases, easements, rights-of-way, permits and licenses with the exception of certain ordinary course encumbrances and permits with governmental entities that have been applied for, but not yet issued.

In addition, we lease various office space under leases to support our operations. On March 2, 2020, we relocated our corporate headquarters to Houston, Texas from the Woodlands, Texas.

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Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

Although we may, from time to time, be involved in litigation and claims arising out of our operations in the normal course of business, we are not currently a party to any significant legal or governmental proceedings, except as noted below. In addition, we are not aware of any significant legal or governmental proceeding contemplated to be brought against us, under the various environmental protection statutes to which we are subject, except as noted below.

The U.S. Department of Justice has issued grand jury subpoenas to Summit Investments, the Partnership, our General Partner and Meadowlark Midstream requesting certain materials related to an incident involving a produced water disposal pipeline owned by Meadowlark Midstream that resulted in a discharge of materials into the environment. On June 19, 2015, Meadowlark Midstream and Summit Investments received a complaint from the North Dakota Industrial Commission seeking approximately $2.5 million in fines and other fees related to the rupture. On March 3, 2016, the Partnership agreed to acquire, among other things, substantially all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of Meadowlark Midstream from an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Summit Investments in connection with the 2016 Drop Down. The Contribution Agreement executed in connection with the 2016 Drop Down contains customary representations and warranties, and Summit Investments has agreed to indemnify the Partnership with respect to certain losses, including losses associated with the above described incident. While we cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this matter with certainty, we believe at this time that it is not likely that the Partnership or our General Partner will be subject to any material liability as a result of any governmental proceeding related to the incident.

On October 18, 2019, a petition was filed in the District Court of Tarrant County, Texas by Sage Natural Resources, LLC (the “plaintiff”) against us and certain of our affiliates. The plaintiff is a party to a gathering agreement and a gas marketing agreement with DFW Midstream. In its petition, the plaintiff alleges various claims relating to fees owed pursuant to the terms of these agreements, including breach of contract, fraud, fraudulent inducement, tortious interference, and negligent misrepresentation, as well as certain discriminatory rate claims under Texas law. The plaintiff is disputing its multi-year MVC shortfall payment in the amount of approximately $7.3 million that came due in the fourth quarter of 2019 and seeks a rescission of the gas marketing agreement and the gas gathering agreement, as well as actual and exemplary damages and attorney’s fees. While we cannot predict the ultimate outcome of this matter with certainty, we do not believe that it is likely that we or our affiliates will be subject to any material liability as a result of this matter and are defending ourselves vigorously against the plaintiff’s claims. In addition, we are actively pursuing collection of the multi-year MVC shortfall payment from both the plaintiff and its parent, which guaranteed Sage's performance.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

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PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

Our limited partner common units, ticker symbol "SMLP," trade on the NYSE. As of February 14, 2020, there were approximately 10,744 common unitholders, including beneficial owners of common units held in street name.

On January 29, 2020, the Board of Directors declared a distribution of $0.125 per unit for the quarterly period ended December 31, 2019. The distribution, which totaled $11.7 million, was paid on February 14, 2020, to unitholders of record at the close of business on February 7, 2020.

Our Cash Distribution Policy and Restrictions on Distributions

General

Our Cash Distribution Policy.  Our Partnership Agreement requires us to distribute all of our available cash quarterly, subject to reserves established by our General Partner. Generally, our available cash is our (i) cash on hand at the end of a quarter after the payment of our expenses and the establishment of cash reserves and (ii) cash on hand resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter. Because we are not subject to an entity-level federal income tax, we have more cash to distribute to our unitholders than would be the case were we subject to federal income tax.

We pay our distributions on or about the 15th of each of February, May, August and November to holders of record on or about seven days prior to such distribution date. We make the distribution on the business day immediately preceding the indicated distribution date if the distribution date falls on a holiday or non-business day.

Pursuant to the Equity Restructuring Agreement, our general partner interest was converted into a non-economic general partner interest. For additional information, see Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements.

Limitations on Cash Distributions and Our Ability to Change Our Cash Distribution Policy.  There is no guarantee that our unitholders will receive quarterly distributions from us. We do not have a legal obligation to pay any distribution except to the extent we have available cash as defined in our Partnership Agreement. Our cash distribution policy may be changed at any time and is subject to certain restrictions, including the following:

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Preferred Unit Distributions

Series A Preferred Units

In November 2017, we issued 300,000 Series A Preferred Units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership at a price to the public of $1,000 per unit. We used the net proceeds of $293.2 million (after deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses) to repay outstanding borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility.

Distributions on the Series A Preferred Units are cumulative and compounding and are payable semi-annually in arrears on the 15th day of each June and December through and including December 15, 2022, and, thereafter, quarterly in arrears on the 15th day of March, June, September and December of each year (each, a “Distribution Payment Date”) to holders of record as of the close of business on the first business day of the month of the applicable Distribution Payment Date, in each case, when, as, and if declared by the General Partner out of legally available funds for such purpose.

The initial distribution rate for the Series A Preferred Units is 9.50% per annum of the $1,000 liquidation preference per Series A Preferred Unit. On and after December 15, 2022, distributions on the Series A Preferred Units will accumulate for each distribution period at a percentage of the liquidation preference equal to the three-month LIBOR plus a spread of 7.43%. See Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements for additional details.

Subsidiary Series A Preferred Units

In December 2019, Permian Holdco issued 30,000 Subsidiary Series A Preferred Units representing limited partner interests in Permian Holdco at a price of $1,000 per unit. Permian Holdco used the net proceeds of $27.4 million (after deducting offering expenses) to fund capital calls associated with the Double E Project.

Distributions on the Subsidiary Series A Preferred Units are cumulative and compounding and are payable quarterly in arrears 21 days after the quarter ending March, June, September and December of each year (each, a “Subsidiary Series A Preferred Distribution Payment Date”) to holders of record as of the close of business on the first business day of the month of the applicable Subsidiary Series A Preferred Distribution Payment Date, in each case, when, as, and if declared by the board of directors of Permian Holdco out of legally available funds for such purpose.

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The distribution rate is 7.00% per annum of the $1,000 issue amount per outstanding Permian Holdco Subsidiary Series A Preferred Unit. Permian Holdco has the option to pay this distribution in-kind until the earlier of June 30, 2022 or the first full quarter following the date the Double E pipeline is placed in service. See Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements for additional details.

Stock Performance Table

The following graph compares the cumulative total unitholder return on our common units to the cumulative total return of the S&P 500 Stock Index and the Alerian MLP Index for the five years ended December 31, 2019 by assuming $100 was invested in each investment option as of December 31, 2014. The Alerian MLP Index is the leading gauge of energy master limited partnerships, or MLPs, and is calculated using a float-adjusted, capitalization-weighted methodology.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

We made no repurchases of our common units during the quarter or year ended December 31, 2019.

Sponsor Purchases of Equity Securities

Our Sponsor made no repurchases of our common units during the quarter or year ended December 31, 2019.

Equity Compensation Plans

The information relating to SMLP’s equity compensation plans required by Item 5 is included in Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.

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Item 6. Selected Financial Data.

The selected consolidated financial data presented as of and for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 have been derived from the consolidated financial statements of SMLP.

The following table presents selected balance sheet and other data as of the date indicated.

The following table presents selected statements of operations and cash flows as well as other financial data for the annual periods indicated.

(1) Includes (i) long-lived asset impairments of $60.5 million in 2019, (ii) a goodwill impairment of $16.2 million in 2019, (iii) long-lived asset impairments of $3.9 million in 2018, (iv) long-lived asset impairments of $101.9 million and contract intangible asset impairments of $85.2 million in 2017, and (v) goodwill impairments of $248.9 million and environmental remediation expenses of $21.8 million in 2015. See Notes 5, 6, 7 and 16 to the consolidated financial statements.

(2) Includes (i) an impairment of our equity method investment in OGC of $329.7 million and an impairment in OCC of $6.3 million in 2019 and (ii) our 40% share, or $5.7 million and $1.4 million in asset impairments recognized by Ohio Gathering in December 2018 and 2017. In addition, 2018 includes our 40% share, or $2.0 million, of an estimated legal contingency. See Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements.

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(3) The subordination period ended on February 16, 2016 and all 24,409,850 subordinated units converted to common units on a one-for-one basis.

(4) Reflects cash and noncash consideration, including working capital and capital expenditure adjustments paid (received), for acquisitions and/or drop downs (see Notes 12 and 17 to the consolidated financial statements).

(5) Represents distributions declared in a given period. For example, for the year ended December 31, 2019, represents the distributions paid in February 2019, in May 2019, in August 2019 and in November 2019.

The preceding tables should be read in conjunction with MD&A and the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto.

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

MD&A is intended to inform the reader about matters affecting the financial condition and results of operations of SMLP and its subsidiaries. As a result, the following discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in this report. Among other things, the consolidated financial statements and the related notes include more detailed information regarding the basis of presentation for the following information. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that constitute our plans, estimates and beliefs. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those discussed in Forward-Looking Statements. Actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The discussion of our financial condition and results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2017 included in Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 is incorporated by reference into this MD&A.

This MD&A comprises the following sections:

Overview

We are a value-driven limited partnership focused on developing, owning and operating midstream energy infrastructure assets that are strategically located in unconventional resource basins, primarily shale formations, in the continental United States.

We classify our midstream energy infrastructure assets into two categories:

We are the owner-operator of or have significant ownership interests in the following gathering and transportation systems, which comprise our Core Focus Areas:

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We are the owner-operator of the following gathering systems, which comprise our Legacy Areas:

For additional information on our organization and systems, see Notes 1 and 4 to the consolidated financial statements.

Our financial results are driven primarily by volume throughput across our gathering systems and by expense management. We generate the majority of our revenues from the gathering, compression, treating and processing services that we provide to our customers. A majority of the volumes that we gather, compress, treat and/or process have a fixed-fee rate structure which enhances the stability of our cash flows by providing a revenue stream that is not subject to direct commodity price risk. We also earn revenues from the following activities that directly expose us to fluctuations in commodity prices: (i) the sale of physical natural gas and/or NGLs purchased under percentage-of-proceeds or other processing arrangements with certain of our customers on the Bison Midstream, Grand River and Summit Permian systems, (ii) the sale of natural gas we retain from certain DFW Midstream customers and (iii) the sale of condensate we retain from our gathering services at Grand River. During the year ended December 31, 2019, these additional activities accounted for approximately 20% of total revenues including marketing transactions, and approximately 14% of total revenues excluding marketing transactions.

We also have indirect exposure to changes in commodity prices in that persistently low commodity prices may cause our customers to delay and/or cancel drilling and/or completion activities or temporarily shut-in production, which would reduce the volumes of natural gas and crude oil (and associated volumes of produced water) that we gather. If certain of our customers cancel or delay drilling and/or completion activities or temporarily shut-in production, the associated MVCs, if any, ensure that we will earn a minimum amount of revenue.

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The following table presents certain consolidated and reportable segment financial data. For additional information on our reportable segments, see the "Segment Overview for the Years Ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017" section herein.

(1) See "Liquidity and Capital Resources" herein and Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information on capital expenditures.

(2) Reflects proceeds from the issuance of Series A preferred units.

Year ended December 31, 2019.  The following items are reflected in our financial results:

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Previously, in February 2019, we and SMP Holdings signed a first amendment to the Contribution Agreement related to the 2016 Drop Down pursuant to which, in April 2019, the Partnership made a cash payment of $100 million to SMP Holdings in partial settlement of the Deferred Purchase Price Obligation. Following the payment, the Remaining Consideration was fixed at $303.5 million, with such amount being payable by the Partnership in one or more payments over the period from March 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020, in (i) cash, (ii) the Partnership’s common units or (iii) a combination of cash and the Partnership’s common units, at the discretion of the Partnership. At least 50% of the Remaining Consideration was required to be paid on or before June 30, 2020 and interest would accrue at a rate of 8% per annum on any portion of the Remaining Consideration that remains unpaid after March 31, 2020. The first amendment was superseded by the second amendment.

In connection with the Double E Project, Summit Permian Transmission contributed total assets of approximately $23.6 million for a 70% ownership interest in Double E. Concurrent with this contribution, Double E distributed $7.3 million to the Partnership. We expect to own at least a 50% interest in the Double E Project, will lead the development, permitting and construction of the Double E Project and will operate the pipeline upon commissioning. At our current 70% interest, we estimate that our share of the capital expenditures required to develop the Double E Project will total approximately $350.0 million, and that more than 90% of those capital expenditures will be incurred in 2020 and 2021. Assuming timely receipt of the required regulatory approvals (including the FERC certificate) and no material delays in construction, we expect that the Double E Project will be placed into service in the third quarter of 2021.

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Year ended December 31, 2018. The following items are reflected in our financial results:

Year ended December 31, 2017.  The following items are reflected in our financial results:

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Trends and Outlook

Our business has been, and we expect our future business to continue to be, affected by the following key trends:

Our expectations are based on assumptions made by us and information currently available to us. To the extent our underlying assumptions about, or interpretations of, available information prove to be incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from our expected results.

Natural gas, NGL and crude oil supply and demand dynamics.  Natural gas continues to be a critical component of energy supply and demand in the United States. The average spot price of natural gas decreased by approximately 19% from 2018 to 2019, primarily due to natural gas supply exceeding demand. The average daily Henry Hub Natural Gas Spot Price was $2.56 per MMBtu during 2019, compared with $3.15 per MMBtu during 2018. Henry Hub closed at $2.09 per MMBtu on December 31, 2019 and as of February 10, 2020, closed at $1.85 per MMBtu. Natural gas prices continue to trade at lower-than-average historical prices due in part to increased natural gas production and an elevated level of natural gas in storage in the continental United States. The average amount of working natural gas in underground storage in the continental U.S. was 2.47 Tcf in 2019, which was 9.5% higher than in 2018. In the near term, we believe that until the supply of natural gas in storage has been reduced, natural gas prices are likely to remain constrained. Over the long term, we believe that the prospects for continued natural gas demand are favorable and will be driven primarily by global population and economic growth, as well as the continued displacement of coal-fired electricity generation by natural gas-fired electricity generation. However, we note that over the last several years there has been an increasing societal opposition to the production of hydrocarbons generally, which may be reflected in legislation, executive orders or regulations that may significantly restrict the domestic production of fossil fuels, including natural gas.

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In addition, certain of our gathering systems are directly affected by crude oil supply and demand dynamics. Crude oil prices decreased in 2019, with the average daily Cushing, Oklahoma West Texas Intermediate ("WTI") crude oil spot price decreasing from an average $65.23 per barrel during 2018 to an average of $56.98 per barrel during 2019, representing a 12.6% decrease, reflecting broader market concerns for global oil supply and demand dynamics. In response to the general decrease in crude oil prices, the number of active crude oil drilling rigs in the continental United States decreased from 885 in December 2018 to 677 in December 2019, according to Baker Hughes. Over the next several years, we expect that crude oil prices will support continued drilling activity and increasing production in the Williston Basin, Permian Basin and, given the current regulatory environment in Colorado, in rural parts of the DJ Basin.

Growth in production from U.S. shale plays. Over the past several years, natural gas production from unconventional shale resources has increased significantly due to advances in technology that allow producers to extract significant volumes of natural gas from unconventional shale plays on favorable economic terms relative to most conventional plays. In recent years, a number of producers and their joint venture partners, including large international operators, industrial manufacturers and private equity sponsors, have committed significant capital to the development of these unconventional resources, including the Piceance, Barnett, Bakken, Marcellus, Utica and Permian Basin shale plays in which we operate, and we believe that these long-term capital investments will support drilling activity in unconventional shale plays over the long term.

Rate of growth in production from U.S. shale plays.  Some of our producer customers have adjusted their drilling and completion activities and schedules to manage drilling and completion costs at levels that are achievable using internally generated cash flow from their underlying operations. Historically, as part of a strategy to accelerate production growth, these producers would raise external capital to fund drilling and completion costs in excess of the cash flows generated from their underlying assets. In general, we expect our producer customers to reduce completion and production activities across many of our systems relative to our previous expectations as a result of a weakening commodity price environment and a continuation of the general trend of producers constraining drilling and completion activity to levels that can be satisfied with internally generated cash flow.

Capital markets availability and cost of capital.  Credit markets were volatile throughout 2019, as borrowing costs increased and investors assessed the impact of rising rates on broader economic activity. Capital markets conditions, including but not limited to availability and higher borrowing costs, could affect our ability to access the debt capital markets to the extent necessary, to fund our future growth. Furthermore, market demand for equity issued by master limited partnerships has been significantly lower in recent years than it has been historically, which may make it more challenging for us to finance our capital expenditures with the issuance of additional equity. We recently announced a reduction in our common unit distribution to $0.125 per quarter, beginning with the distribution paid in respect of the fourth quarter of 2019, and this reduction may further reduce demand for our common units. In addition, interest rates on future credit facilities and debt offerings could be higher than current levels, causing our financing costs to increase accordingly.

Shifts in operating costs and inflation.  Throughout most of the last five years, high levels of crude oil and natural gas exploration, development and production activities across the United States resulted in increased competition for personnel and equipment as well as higher prices for labor, supplies, equipment and other services. Beginning in 2015, this dynamic began to shift as prices for crude oil and natural gas-related services decreased in line with overall decline in demand for these goods and services. While we expect lower service-related costs in the near term, we expect that over the longer term, these costs will continue to have a high correlation to changes in the prevailing price of crude oil and natural gas.

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How We Evaluate Our Operations

We conduct and report our operations in the midstream energy industry through eight reportable segments:

Additionally, until March 22, 2019, we owned Tioga Midstream, a crude oil, produced water and associated natural gas gathering system operating in the Williston Basin. Refer to Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements for details on the sale of Tioga Midstream.

Each of our reportable segments provides midstream services in a specific geographic area. Our reportable segments reflect the way in which we internally report the financial information used to make decisions and allocate resources in connection with our operations (see Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements).

Our management uses a variety of financial and operational metrics to analyze our consolidated and segment performance. We view these metrics as important factors in evaluating our profitability and determining the amounts of cash distributions to pay to our unitholders. These metrics include:

Throughput Volume

The volume of (i) natural gas that we gather, compress, treat and/or process and (ii) crude oil and produced water that we gather depends on the level of production from natural gas or crude oil wells connected to our gathering systems. Aggregate production volumes are impacted by the overall amount of drilling and completion activity. Furthermore, because the production rate of natural gas and crude oil wells decline over time, production can only be maintained or increased by new drilling or other activity.

As a result, we must continually obtain new supplies of production to maintain or increase the throughput volume on our systems. Our ability to maintain or increase throughput volumes from existing customers and obtain new supplies of throughput is impacted by:

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We report volumes gathered for natural gas in cubic feet per day. We aggregate crude oil and produced water gathering and report volumes gathered in barrels per day.

Revenues

Our revenues are primarily attributable to the volumes that we gather, compress, treat and/or process and the rates we charge for those services. A majority of our gathering and processing agreements are fee-based, which limits our direct exposure to fluctuations in commodity prices. We also have percent-of-proceeds arrangements with certain customers under which the gathering and processing revenues that we earn correlate directly with the fluctuating price of natural gas, condensate and NGLs.

Certain of our gathering and processing agreements contain MVCs pursuant to which our customers agree to ship or process a minimum volume of production on our gathering systems, or, in some cases, to pay a minimum monetary amount, over certain periods during the term of the MVC. These MVCs help us generate stable revenues and serve to mitigate the financial impact associated with declining volumes.

Operation and Maintenance Expenses

We seek to maximize the profitability of our operations in part by minimizing, to the extent appropriate, expenses directly tied to operating our assets. Direct labor costs, compression costs, ad valorem taxes, repair and non-capitalized maintenance costs, integrity management costs, utilities and contract services comprise the most significant portion of our operation and maintenance expense. Other than utilities expense, these expenses are largely independent of volumes delivered through our gathering systems but may fluctuate depending on the activities performed during a specific period.

Segment Adjusted EBITDA

Segment adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental financial measure used by management and by external users of our financial statements such as investors, commercial banks, research analysts and others.

Segment adjusted EBITDA is used to assess: