e424b2
Table of Contents

 
Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration No. 333-163424
 
                         
      Amount to be
    Offering price
    Aggregate
    Amount of
Class of securities registered     registered     per unit     offering price     registration fee
Common units representing limited partner interests
    17,537,500     $23.80     $417,392,500     $29,760.09(1)
                         
 
(1)  The filing fee, calculated in accordance with Rule 457(r), has been transmitted to the SEC in connection with the securities offered from Registration Statement File No. 333-163424 by means of this prospectus supplement.
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To Prospectus dated December 1, 2009)
 
15,250,000 Common Units
 
REGENCY LOGO
 
Representing Limited Partner Interests
 
 
 
 
We are selling 15,250,000 common units representing limited partner interests in Regency Energy Partners LP. Our common units trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “RGNC.” The last reported sales price of our common units on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on August 10, 2010 was $24.76 per common unit.
 
 
 
 
Investing in our common units involves risk. Please read “Risk Factors” on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement and beginning on page 3 of the accompanying prospectus.
 
 
 
 
PRICE $23.80 PER COMMON UNIT
 
 
 
 
         
   
Per Common Unit
 
Total
 
Price to Public
  $23.80   $362,950,000
Underwriting Discounts and Commissions
  $0.98   $14,945,000
Proceeds to Us (Before Expenses)
  $22.82   $348,005,000
 
We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,287,500 common units from us at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions.
 
The underwriters expect to deliver the common units on or about August 16, 2010.
 
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus are truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
 
 
 
 
Joint Book-Running Managers
 
Morgan Stanley  
  BofA Merrill Lynch  
  Barclays Capital  
      Citi  
  Credit Suisse  
  J.P. Morgan  
  UBS Investment Bank  
  Wells Fargo Securities
 
 
 
 
Co-Managers
 
             
Deutsche Bank Securities
  Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.   RBC Capital Markets   Stifel Nicolaus Weisel
 
Baird
 
The date of this prospectus supplement is August 11, 2010.


Table of Contents

 
This document is in two parts. The first part is the prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering of common units. The second part is the accompanying base prospectus, some of which may not apply to this common unit offering. Generally, when we refer only to the “prospectus,” we are referring to both parts combined. If the information about the offering varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.
 
Any statement made in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus. Please read “Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference” on page S-17 of this prospectus supplement.
 
You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us relating to this offering of common units. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with additional, different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are offering to sell the common units, and seeking offers to buy the common units, only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus or any free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the dates shown in these documents or that any information we have incorporated by reference herein is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since such dates.


 

 
CONTENTS
 
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
 
     
    Page
 
  S-1
  S-4
  S-6
  S-8
  S-9
  S-10
  S-11
  S-12
  S-15
  S-15
  S-16
  S-16
  S-17
 
 
PROSPECTUS
 
     
    Page
 
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  18
  25
  39
  41
  41
  42


Table of Contents

 
SUMMARY
 
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus. It does not contain all of the information you should consider before making an investment decision. You should read the entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference and the other documents to which we refer for a more complete understanding of this offering. Please read “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement and on page 3 of the accompanying base prospectus for more information about important factors that you should consider before buying common units in this offering.
 
As used in this prospectus supplement, “Regency Energy Partners,” “the Partnership,” “we,” “our,” “us” or like terms mean Regency Energy Partners LP and its subsidiaries. References to “our general partner” refer to Regency GP LP, the general partner of the Partnership, and its general partner, Regency GP LLC (which is also sometimes referred to singly as the “Managing General Partner”), which effectively manages the business and affairs of the Partnership. Unless we indicate otherwise, the information presented in this prospectus supplement assumes that the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase additional common units.
 
Regency Energy Partners LP
 
We are a growth-oriented publicly traded Delaware limited partnership, engaged in the gathering, processing, contract compression and transportation of natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). We focus on providing midstream services in some of the most prolific natural gas producing regions in the United States, including the Haynesville, Eagle Ford, Barnett, Fayetteville and Marcellus Shales. Our systems are located in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and the mid-continent region of the United States, which includes Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Alabama.
 
We divide our operations into four business segments:
 
  •  Gathering and Processing. We provide “wellhead-to-market” services to producers of natural gas, which include transporting raw natural gas from the wellhead through gathering systems, processing raw natural gas to separate NGLs from the raw natural gas and selling or delivering pipeline-quality natural gas and NGLs to various markets and pipeline systems.
 
  •  Transportation. We own a 49.99 percent general partner interest in RIGS Haynesville Partnership Co., or the RIGS joint venture, which delivers natural gas from northwest Louisiana to downstream pipelines and markets through the 450-mile Regency Intrastate Gas pipeline system, or RIGS. We also recently acquired a 49.9 percent interest in Midcontinent Express Pipeline LLC, or Midcontinent Express, a natural gas pipeline with approximately 500 miles of pipeline stretching from southeast Oklahoma through northeast Texas, northern Louisiana and central Mississippi to an interconnect with the Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line system in Butler, Alabama.
 
  •  Contract Compression. We provide turn-key natural gas compression services whereby we guarantee our customers 98 percent mechanical availability of our compression units for land installation and 96 percent mechanical availability for over-water installations.
 
  •  Corporate and Others. Our corporate and others segment comprises regulated entities and our corporate offices. Revenues in this segment include the collection of the partial reimbursement of general and administrative costs from the RIGS joint venture.
 
All of our midstream assets are located in well-established areas of natural gas production that are characterized by long-lived, predictable reserves.
 
Recent Events
 
  •  RIGS Transaction.  On April 30, 2010, we purchased an additional 6.99 percent general partner interest in the RIGS joint venture from an affiliate of General Electric Company, or GE, for approximately $92 million. We also received the right to vote the 0.01 percent general partner interest in the RIGS joint venture retained


S-1


Table of Contents

  by the seller. We now own a 49.99 percent general partner interest in the RIGS joint venture and a 50 percent voting interest. We are the operator of the RIGS pipeline system.
 
  •  Sale of General Partner.  On May 26, 2010, Energy Transfer Equity, L.P., or ETE, acquired our general partner from Regency GP Acquirer L.P., an affiliate of GE, for 3 million ETE preferred units. Affiliates of GE retained their 24,679,577 million common units and continue to hold approximately 21 percent of our common units before giving effect to this offering. ETE also owns the general partner of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P., or ETP. We and ETP operate as separate entities, both with publicly traded common units.
 
  •  Midcontinent Express Pipeline Acquisition.  On May 26, 2010, we purchased a 49.9 percent interest in Midcontinent Express and acquired an option to purchase an additional 0.1 percent interest in Midcontinent Express from ETP. Midcontinent Express began operations in August 2009 and has fully subscribed capacity of approximately 1.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (bcf/d) and 1.0 bcf/d, respectively, through two designated zones. Midcontinent Express is a joint venture among an affiliate of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P., or Kinder Morgan, an affiliate of ETE, and us, and operated by an affiliate of Kinder Morgan, which owns a 50 percent interest. We funded the transaction through the issuance of approximately 26,266,791 of our common units to ETE. ETE holds approximately 22 percent of our common units after giving effect to this transaction and before giving effect to this offering.
 
  •  RIGS.  On June 24, 2010, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, approved a settlement establishing maximum rates for Natural Gas Policy Act Section 311 transportation services provided on RIGS for the period commencing February 1, 2010. Under the settlement, which applies to RIGS’ interstate shippers, RIGS is not required to make any shipper refunds and is authorized to implement maximum rates that are higher than RIGS’ previously effective maximum rates. In addition, RIGS was authorized to increase its maximum fuel retention rates upon the installation of additional compression on RIGS. Consistent with FERC policy, RIGS is required to justify its current rates or propose new rates on or before February 1, 2015.
 
  •  East Texas.  On July 15, 2010, we sold our gathering and processing assets located in east Texas for approximately $70 million. We plan to use the proceeds from the sale of the assets to fund future capital expenditures.
 
  •  Logansport Expansions.  We completed Phase I and Phase II expansions of our Logansport Gathering System located in the Haynesville Shale in north Louisiana in August 2010. The expansions add an incremental 485 MMcf/d of gathering capacity. The total gathering capacity of the Logansport Gathering System is now approximately 710 MMcf/d.
 
  •  Zephyr Gas Services Acquisition.  On August 6, 2010, we entered into an agreement to acquire Zephyr Gas Services, LP, or Zephyr, for $185 million in cash. Zephyr is engaged in the dehydrating, cooling, and sulfur treating of natural gas. The closing of this transaction is subject to approval under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and other customary closing conditions.


S-2


Table of Contents

Organizational Structure
 
The chart below depicts our organization and ownership structure as of the date of this prospectus supplement before giving effect to this offering.
 
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
 
 
(1)  Affiliates of GE own such ETE Preferred Units and Regency Energy Partners common units and also own a 0.01 percent interest in RIGS Haynesville Partnership Co.
 
Other Information
 
Our principal executive offices are located at 2001 Bryan Street, Suite 3700, Dallas, Texas 75201, and our telephone number is (214) 750-1771. Our internet address is www.regencyenergy.com. Our periodic reports and other information filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, are available, free of charge, through our website, www.regencyenergy.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports and other information are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and does not constitute a part of this prospectus supplement.


S-3


Table of Contents

 
THE OFFERING
 
Common Units Offered by Regency Energy Partners LP
15,250,000 common units
 
Underwriters’ Option to Purchase Additional Units
We have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,287,500 common units from us at the public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions.
 
Units Outstanding After this Offering 134,869,145 common units, or 137,156,645 common units if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional common units, and 4,371,586 Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units.
 
Use of Proceeds We expect to receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $355.0 million, including our general partner’s proportionate capital contribution, or approximately $408.4 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full, in each case after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. We will use the net proceeds of this offering, including our general partner’s proportionate capital contribution and any proceeds from the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units, to repay outstanding indebtedness under our revolving credit facility. Please read “Use of Proceeds” on page S-8 of this prospectus supplement.
 
Cash Distributions Under our partnership agreement, we must distribute all of our cash on hand at the end of each quarter, less reserves established by our general partner in its sole discretion. These reserve funds are meant to provide for the proper conduct of our business, including funds needed to provide for our operations as well as to comply with applicable debt instruments. As we cannot estimate the size of these reserves for any given quarter at this time, we cannot assure you that, after the establishment of reserves, we will have cash on hand for distribution to our unitholders. We refer to this cash available for distribution as “available cash,” and we define its meaning in our partnership agreement. Please see “How We Make Cash Distributions” in the accompanying base prospectus for a description of available cash. The amount of available cash may be greater than or less than our minimum quarterly distribution.
 
If cash distributions exceed $0.4025 per unit in a quarter, our general partner will receive increasing percentages, up to 50 percent, of the cash we distribute in excess of that amount. We refer to these distributions as “incentive distributions.” Please see “How We Make Cash Distributions — Incentive Distribution Rights” in the accompanying base prospectus.
 
On July 27, 2010, we declared a quarterly cash distribution for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 of $0.445 per unit to the holders of our common units and Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units, or $1.78 per unit on an annualized basis. We expect to pay this distribution on August 13, 2010 to unitholders of record at the close of business on August 6, 2010.


S-4


Table of Contents

 
Estimated Ratio of Taxable Income to Distributions
We estimate that if you own the common units you purchase in this offering through the record date for distributions for the period ending December 31, 2012, you will be allocated, on a cumulative basis, an amount of federal taxable income for that period that will be 20 percent or less of the cash distributed to you with respect to that period. For example, if you receive an annual distribution of $1.78 per unit, we estimate that your average allocable federal taxable income per year will be no more than $0.356 per unit. Please read “Tax Consequences” on page S-11 of this prospectus supplement.
 
Tax Consequences For a discussion of other material federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States, please read “Tax Consequences” on page S-11 of this prospectus supplement.
 
Exchange Listing Our common units are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “RGNC.”
 
Risk Factors You should read “Risk Factors” on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement, on page 3 of the accompanying base prospectus and as found in the documents incorporated herein by reference, as well as the other cautionary statements throughout this prospectus supplement, to ensure you understand the risks associated with an investment in our common units.


S-5


Table of Contents

 
RISK FACTORS
 
An investment in our common units involves risk. You should carefully consider the following risk factors, together with the risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, and in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2010, together with all of the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and the documents we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement in evaluating an investment in our common units. If any of the described risks actually were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be affected materially and adversely. In that case, we may be unable to make distributions to our unitholders, the trading price of our common units could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.
 
We own an equity interest in the RIGS joint venture and in Midcontinent Express, but we do not exercise control over either the RIGS joint venture or Midcontinent Express.
 
We own a 49.99 percent general partner interest in the RIGS joint venture. We also have the right to appoint two members to the management committee and the right to vote the 0.01 percent general partner interest retained by an affiliate of GE. Each member has a vote equal to the sharing ratio of the partner that appointed such member. Accordingly, we do not exercise control over the RIGS joint venture. In addition, the RIGS joint venture’s partnership agreement contains standard supermajority voting provisions and also requires that the following actions, among other things, be approved by at least 75 percent of the members of the management committee: a merger or consolidation of the joint venture, the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the joint venture, a determination to raise additional capital, determining the amount of available cash, causing the joint venture to terminate the master services agreement, approval of any budget and entry into material contracts.
 
We have a 49.9 percent non-operated ownership interest in Midcontinent Express, and we have the right to appoint one member to the board of directors. So long as Kinder Morgan owns a 50 percent interest in Midcontinent Express, it has the sole right to appoint the officers of Midcontinent Express and to make other operating decisions. Accordingly, we do not exercise control over Midcontinent Express. In addition, Midcontinent Express’ limited liability company agreement provides that 65 percent of the membership interest constitutes a quorum. Most matters require a majority vote, but the following actions, among other things, require the approval of at least 80 percent of the membership interest: the sale of any assets outside the ordinary course of business or with a fair market value in excess of $5 million, a merger, consolidation or liquidation, modifying or terminating any agreement with a member, issuing, selling or repurchasing membership interests, incurring or refinancing indebtedness in excess of $25 million and filing or settling any litigation or arbitration that involves claims or settlements in excess of $5 million.
 
Our general partner is owned by ETE, which also owns the general partner of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. This may result in conflicts of interest.
 
ETE owns our general partner and as a result controls us. ETE also owns the general partner of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P., or ETP, a publicly traded partnership with which we compete in the natural gas gathering, processing and transportation business. The directors and officers of our general partner and its affiliates have fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner that is beneficial to ETE, its sole owner. At the same time, our general partner has fiduciary duties to manage us in a manner that is beneficial to our unitholders. Therefore, our general partner’s duties to us may conflict with the duties of its officers and directors to its sole owner. As a result of these conflicts of interest, our general partner may favor its own interest or those of ETE, ETP or their owners or affiliates over the interest of our unitholders.
 
Such conflicts may arise from, among others, the following:
 
  •  Decisions by our general partner regarding the amount and timing of our cash expenditures, borrowings and issuances of additional limited partnership units or other securities can affect the amount of incentive compensation payments we make to the parent company of our general partner.
 
  •  ETE and ETP and their affiliates may engage in substantial competition with us.


S-6


Table of Contents

 
  •  Neither our partnership agreement nor any other agreement requires ETE or its affiliates, including ETP, to pursue a business strategy that favors us. The directors and officers of the general partners of ETE and ETP have a fiduciary duty to make decisions in the best interest of their members, limited partners and unitholders, which may be contrary to our best interests.
 
  •  Our general partner is allowed to take into account the interests of other parties, such as ETE and ETP and their affiliates, which has the effect of limiting its fiduciary duties to our unitholders.
 
  •  Some of the directors and officers of ETE who provide advice to us also may devote significant time to the business of ETE and ETP and their affiliates and will be compensated by them for their services.
 
  •  Our partnership agreement limits the liability and reduces the fiduciary duties of our general partner, while also restricting the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that, without these limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty.
 
  •  Our general partner determines the amount and timing of asset purchases and sales and other acquisitions, operating expenditures, capital expenditures, borrowings, repayments of debt, issuances of equity and debt securities and cash reserves, each of which can affect the amount of cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
 
  •  Our general partner determines which costs, including allocated overhead costs and costs under the services agreement we have entered into with an affiliate of ETE, incurred by it and its affiliates are reimbursable by us.
 
  •  Our partnership agreement does not restrict our general partner from causing us to pay it or its affiliates for any services rendered on terms that are fair and reasonable to us or entering into additional contractual arrangements, such as the services agreement we have with an affiliate of ETE, with any of these entities on our behalf.
 
Specifically, certain conflicts may arise as a result of our pursuing acquisitions or development opportunities that may also be advantageous to ETP. If we are limited in our ability to pursue such opportunities, we may not realize any or all of the commercial value of such opportunities. In addition, if ETP is allowed access to our information concerning any such opportunity and ETP uses this information to pursue the opportunity to our detriment, we may not realize any of the commercial value of this opportunity. In either of these situations, our business, results of operations and the amount of our distributions to our unitholders may be adversely affected. Although we, ETE and ETP have adopted a policy to address these conflicts and to limit the commercially sensitive information that we furnish to ETE, ETP and their affiliates, we cannot assure you that such conflicts will not occur.
 
ETE and an affiliate of GE may sell units in the public or private markets, and these sales could have an adverse impact on the price of our common units.
 
ETE owns 26,266,791 of our common units and an affiliate of GE owns 24,679,577 of our common units. We have agreed to provide to each of ETE and GE’s affiliate the right to register for resale their common units. GE’s affiliate has requested that we register for resale its common units by September 10, 2010. In addition, GE’s affiliate is not a party to the 60-day lock-up agreement and will not agree to refrain from selling its common units after this offering. Please read “Underwriting — Lock-Up Agreements” on page S-13 of this prospectus supplement. The sale of these common units in the public or private markets could have an adverse impact on the price of our common units or on the trading market for them.


S-7


Table of Contents

 
USE OF PROCEEDS
 
We expect to receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $355.0 million, including our general partner’s proportionate capital contribution, or approximately $408.4 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full, in each case after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.
 
We will use the net proceeds of this offering, including our general partner’s proportionate capital contribution and any exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional units, to repay outstanding indebtedness under our revolving credit facility.
 
As of August 9, 2010, an aggregate of approximately $575.65 million of borrowings were outstanding under our revolving credit facility. The weighted average interest rate on the total amount outstanding at August 9, 2010, was 3.43 percent. Our revolving credit facility matures in June 2014. We use revolving credit loans to fund growth capital expenditures and working capital requirements.
 
The underwriters may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of their business. Affiliates of certain underwriters are lenders under our revolving credit facility and, as such, will receive a substantial portion of the proceeds from this offering from the repayment of borrowings under such facility. Please read “Underwriting” on page S-12 of this prospectus supplement.


S-8


Table of Contents

 
CAPITALIZATION
 
The following table shows our capitalization as of June 30, 2010 on:
 
  •  a consolidated historical basis and
 
  •  a pro forma basis to give further effect to this offering of common units, including our general partner’s proportionate capital contribution of $7.4 million, and the application of the net proceeds as described under “Use of Proceeds.”
 
You should read this information in conjunction with “Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Item 1. Financial Statements” contained in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2010, which we incorporate by reference.
 
                 
    As of June 30, 2010  
    Historical     Pro Forma  
    (in millions)  
 
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 4.3     $ 4.3  
                 
Total long-term debt:
               
Revolving credit facility
  $ 655.6     $ 300.6  
Senior Notes
    621.0       621.0  
                 
Total debt
  $ 1,276.6     $ 921.6  
                 
Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units
  $ 70.9     $ 70.9  
Partners’ capital:
               
Common units
  $ 2,659.9     $ 3,007.5  
General partner interest
    335.2       342.6  
Noncontrolling interest
    31.5       31.5  
                 
Total partners’ capital
  $ 3,026.6     $ 3,381.6  
                 
Total capitalization
  $ 4,374.1     $ 4,374.1  
                 


S-9


Table of Contents

 
PRICE RANGE OF COMMON UNITS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
 
Our common units are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “RGNC.” As of June 30, 2010, the number of holders of record of common units was 48, including Cede & Co., as nominee for the Depository Trust Company, which held of record 69,971,780 common units. The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low quarterly sales prices per common unit, as reported on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, and the cash distributions declared per common unit.
 
                         
            Cash
    Price Ranges   Distributions
Period Ended:
  Low   High   Per Unit(1)
 
Year ended December 31, 2010
                       
September 30, 2010 (through August 10, 2010)(2)
  $ 23.10     $ 26.58     $  
June 30, 2010(3)
    19.60       24.65       0.4450  
March 31, 2010
    19.71       23.50       0.4450  
Year ended December 31, 2009
                       
December 31, 2009
    18.56       21.00       0.4450  
September 30, 2009
    14.07       19.65       0.4450  
June 30, 2009
    11.00       14.68       0.4450  
March 31, 2009(4)
    8.08       12.89       0.4450  
Year ended December 31, 2008
                       
December 31, 2008(4)
    4.92       19.00       0.4450  
September 30, 2008(4)
    15.75       26.88       0.4450  
June 30, 2008(4)
    23.93       28.73       0.4450  
March 31, 2008(5)
    25.78       34.84       0.4200  
Year ended December 31, 2007
                       
December 31, 2007
    28.09       33.37       0.4000  
September 30, 2007
    28.50       35.08       0.3900  
 
 
(1) Distributions are shown for the quarter with respect to which they were declared.
(2) We have not declared the distribution attributable to the quarter ending September 30, 2010. We expect to declare and pay a cash distribution within 45 days following the end of the quarter.
(3) On July 27, 2010, we declared a distribution attributable to the quarter ended June 30, 2010, of $0.445 per unit to the holders of our common units and Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units. We expect to pay the cash distribution on August 13, 2010, to the unitholders of record at the close of business on August 6, 2010.
(4) Represents the minimum quarterly distribution per common unit plus $0.095 per unit excluding the Class D Units, which were not entitled to any distributions until conversion into common units. The Class D Units converted into common units on a one-for-one basis on February 9, 2009.
(5) Represents the minimum quarterly distribution per common unit plus $0.07 per unit excluding the Class D and Class E Units, which were not entitled to any distributions until conversion into common units. The Class E Units converted into common units on a one-for-one basis on May 5, 2008.


S-10


Table of Contents

 
TAX CONSEQUENCES
 
The tax consequences to you of an investment in our common units will depend in part on your own tax circumstances. For a discussion of the principal federal income tax consequences associated with our operations and the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common units and the tax risks related thereto, please read “Material Income Tax Consequences” beginning on page 25 of the accompanying base prospectus, and the risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor about the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences peculiar to your circumstances.
 
The anticipated after-tax economic benefit of an investment in our common units depends largely on our being treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. We have not requested, and do not plan to request, a ruling from the IRS on this or any other tax matter affecting us.
 
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 a maximum of 35 percent, and would likely pay state income tax at varying rates. Distributions to you would generally be taxed again as corporate distributions, and no income, gains, losses or deductions would flow through to you. Because a tax would be imposed upon us as a corporation, our cash available for distribution to you would be substantially reduced. Therefore, treatment of us as a corporation would result in a material reduction in the anticipated cash flow and after-tax return to the unitholders, likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of our common units.
 
We estimate that if you purchase common units in this offering and own them through December 31, 2012, then you will be allocated, on a cumulative basis, an amount of federal taxable income for that period that will be 20 percent or less of the cash distributed with respect to that period. Thereafter, we anticipate that the ratio of allocable taxable income to cash distributions to the unitholders will increase. These estimates are based upon the assumption that gross income from operations (after taking into account accrued distributions to the holders of our Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units) will approximate the amount required to make the minimum quarterly distribution on all common units and other assumptions with respect to capital expenditures, cash flow, net working capital and anticipated cash distributions. These estimates and assumptions are subject to, among other things, numerous business, economic, regulatory, competitive and political uncertainties beyond our control. Further, the estimates are based on current tax law and tax reporting positions that we have adopted and with which the IRS could disagree. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that these estimates will prove to be correct. The actual percentage of distributions that will constitute taxable income could be higher or lower than expected, and any differences could be material and could materially affect the value of the common units. For example, the ratio of allocable taxable income to cash distributions to a purchaser of common units in this offering will be greater, and perhaps substantially greater, than our estimate with respect to the period described above if:
 
  •  gross income from operations (after taking into account accrued distributions to the holders of our Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units) exceeds the amount required to make minimum quarterly distributions on all common units, yet we only distribute the minimum quarterly distributions on all common units; or
 
  •  we make a future offering of common units and use the proceeds of the offering in a manner that does not produce substantial additional deductions during the period described above, such as to repay indebtedness outstanding at the time of this offering or to acquire property that is not eligible for depreciation or amortization for federal income tax purposes or that is depreciable or amortizable at a rate significantly slower than the rate applicable to our assets at the time of this offering.
 
Ownership of common units by tax-exempt entities and non-U.S. investors raises issues unique to such persons. Please read “Material Income Tax Consequences” in the accompanying base prospectus.
 
The recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 is scheduled to impose a 3.8 percent Medicare tax on certain investment income earned by individuals, estates and trusts for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012. For these purposes, investment income generally includes a unitholder’s allocable share of our income and gain realized by a unitholder from a sale of units. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) the unitholder’s net investment income or (ii) the amount by which the unitholder’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing separately) or $200,000 (in any other case). In the case of an estate or trust, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) undistributed net investment income, or (ii) the excess adjusted gross income over the dollar amount at which the highest income tax bracket applicable to an estate or trust begins.


S-11


Table of Contents

 
UNDERWRITING
 
Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus supplement, the underwriters named below, for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., UBS Securities, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as joint bookrunners and representatives of the underwriters named below, have severally agreed to purchase, and Regency Energy Partners LP has agreed to sell to them severally, the number of common units indicated below:
 
         
    Number of
 
Underwriters
  Common Units  
 
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
    1,884,831  
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
    1,884,831  
Barclays Capital Inc. 
    1,884,831  
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 
    1,884,831  
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC
    1,435,043  
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. 
    1,435,043  
UBS Securities LLC
    1,884,831  
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
    1,435,043  
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. 
    321,278  
Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. 
    321,278  
RBC Capital Markets Corporation
    321,278  
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
    321,278  
Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated
    235,604  
         
Total
    15,250,000  
         
 
The underwriters are offering the common units subject to their acceptance of the common units from us and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligation of the underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the common units offered by this prospectus supplement is subject to the approval of certain legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. The underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the common units offered by this prospectus supplement if any such common units are taken. However, the underwriters are not required to take or pay for the common units covered by the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units described below.
 
The underwriters initially propose to offer part of the common units directly to the public at the public offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and part to certain dealers at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $0.588 per common unit under the public offering price. After the initial offering of the common units in this offering, the offering price and other selling terms may from time to time be varied by the underwriters.
 
We have granted to the underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement, to purchase up to an aggregate of 2,287,500 additional common units at the public offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus supplement, less underwriting discounts and commissions. If the underwriters’ option is exercised in full, the total price to the public would be $417,392,500, the total underwriters’ discounts and commissions would be $17,186,750 and the total proceeds to us would be $400,205,750 (before offering expenses).
 
We estimate that our out-of-pocket expenses for this offering, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $370,000.


S-12


Table of Contents

In order to facilitate the offering of the common units, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the common units. Specifically, the underwriters may over-allot in connection with the offering, creating a short position in the common units for its own account. In addition, to cover over-allotments or to stabilize the price of the common units, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, common units in the open market. Finally, the underwriters may reclaim selling concessions allowed to the underwriters or a dealer for distributing the common units in the offering, if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed common units in transactions to cover syndicate short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the common units above independent market levels. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities, and may end any of these activities without notice at any time.
 
We and the underwriters have agreed to indemnify each other against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
 
Listing
 
Our common units are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “RGNC.”
 
FINRA Conduct Rules
 
Because the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, views the common units offered hereby as interests in a direct participation program, the offering is being made in compliance with Rule 2310 of the FINRA Rules. Investor suitability with respect to the common units should be judged similarly to the suitability with respect to other securities that are listed for trading on a national securities exchange.
 
Pursuant to a requirement by the FINRA, the maximum commission or discount to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker/dealer may not be greater than five percent of the gross proceeds received by us for the sale of any securities being registered pursuant to SEC Rule 415 under the Securities Act.
 
Affiliations
 
The underwriters and their affiliates may from time to time in the future engage in transactions with us and perform services for us in the ordinary course of business. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have performed and may from time to time in the future perform various financial advisory, investment banking and commercial banking services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of their business, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expense reimbursement. In particular, affiliates of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., UBS Securities LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are lenders under our revolving credit facility and, as such, will receive a portion of the proceeds from this offering pursuant to the repayment of borrowings under such facility. Additionally, an affiliate of UBS Securities LLC was an advisor to us on our acquisition of CDM Resource Management, Ltd. An affiliate of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC serves as the trustee under the indentures for our 83/8 percent Senior Notes due 2013 and our 93/8 percent Senior Notes due 2016. Affiliates of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are counterparties to some of our interest rate swaps and affiliates of UBS Securities LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. were counterparties to some of our prior interest rate swaps. Further, affiliates of J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are counterparties under several of our commodity price hedging contracts.
 
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus may be used by the underwriters in connection with offers and sales of the common units in certain agented brokers’ transactions; however, the underwriters are not obligated to engage in such agented brokers’ transactions and may discontinue such activities without notice at any time.
 
Lock-Up Agreements
 
We, our general partner and certain of its affiliates, including the non-independent directors and executive officers of our general partner and certain affiliates of ETE, have agreed not to, without the prior written consent of


S-13


Table of Contents

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any common units or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for any common units, other than certain permitted transfers, issuances and grants of options (including pursuant to an existing employee benefit plan), (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common units, or (3) file any registration statement relating to the offering of any common units or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common units for a period of 60 days from the date of this prospectus supplement, except with respect to (a) the issuance of common units in connection with this offering, (b) issuances of common units upon the exercise of options or warrants, or (c) issuances of common units or employee unit options not exercisable during the lock-up period pursuant to an employee benefit plan.
 
An affiliate of GE holding 24,679,577 of our common units has requested that we register for resale its common units by September 10, 2010, which we are obligated to do pursuant to a registration rights agreement that we entered into with such affiliate in May 2010. The lock-up described above does not preclude us from taking actions required by this registration rights agreement. In addition, GE’s affiliate is not a party to the 60-day lockup and will not agree to refrain from selling its common units after this offering.
 
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, in its discretion, may release the common units and the other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time with or without notice. When determining whether or not to release common units and the other securities from lock-up agreements, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated will consider, among other factors, the unitholder’s reasons for requesting the release, the number of common units and other securities for which the release is being requested and the market conditions at the time.


S-14


Table of Contents

 
LEGAL MATTERS
 
The validity of the common units will be passed upon for us by Mayer Brown LLP, Houston, Texas. Certain legal matters in connection with the common units offered hereby will be passed upon for the underwriters by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas.
 
EXPERTS
 
The consolidated financial statements of Regency Energy Partners LP as of December 31, 2009 and 2008, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2009, management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2009, and the consolidated balance sheet of Regency GP LP and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2009, have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, or KPMG, an independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
The audited historical financial statements of Midcontinent Express Pipeline LLC, including in Exhibit 99.2 of our Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated July 29, 2010, have been incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.


S-15


Table of Contents

 
INFORMATION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
 
Certain matters discussed in this report include “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements are identified as any statement that does not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Statements using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend,” “project,” “plan,” “expect,” “continue,” “estimate,” “goal,” “forecast,” “may” or similar expressions help identify forward-looking statements. Although we believe our forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and current expectations and projections about future events, we cannot give assurances that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Additional risks may include,
 
  •  volatility in the price of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids;
 
  •  declines in the credit markets and the availability of credit for us as well as for producers connected to our pipelines and our gathering and processing facilities, and for customers of our contract compression business;
 
  •  the level of creditworthiness of, and performance by, the Partnership’s counterparties and customers;
 
  •  our ability to access capital to fund organic growth projects and acquisitions, including our ability to obtain debt and equity financing on satisfactory terms;
 
  •  our use of derivative financial instruments to hedge commodity and interest rate risks;
 
  •  the amount of collateral required to be posted from time-to-time in our transactions;
 
  •  changes in commodity prices, interest rates, and demand for our services;
 
  •  changes in laws and regulations impacting the midstream sector of the natural gas industry, including those that relate to climate change and environmental protection;
 
  •  weather and other natural phenomena;
 
  •  industry changes including the impact of consolidations and changes in competition;
 
  •  regulation of transportation rates on our natural gas pipelines;
 
  •  our ability to obtain indemnification for environmental cleanup liabilities and to clean up any hazardous materials release on satisfactory terms;
 
  •  our ability to obtain required approvals for construction or modernization of our facilities and the timing of production from such facilities; and
 
  •  the effect of accounting pronouncements issued periodically by accounting standard setting boards.
 
If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or expected.
 
Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
 
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
 
We file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the principal offices of the SEC located at Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such materials can be obtained by mail at prescribed rates from the Public Reference Room of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the operation of the Public Reference Room. Materials also may be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov), which contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding companies that file electronically with the SEC.


S-16


Table of Contents

 
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
 
We “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus supplement, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus supplement, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus supplement and the information we file later with the SEC that will automatically supersede this information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus supplement.
 
Any information that we file prior to the termination of this offering under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and that is deemed “filed” with the SEC is incorporated by reference and will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below:
 
  •  Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, filed on March 1, 2010;
 
  •  Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, filed on May 7, 2010;
 
  •  Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Form 10-Q/A for the quarter ended June 30, 2010, each filed on August 9, 2010;
 
  •  Our Current Reports on Form 8-K and Form 8-K/A filed on March 4, 2010, April 27, 2010, April 30, 2010, May 11, 2010, May 28, 2010, June 7, 2010, June 11, 2010, July 1, 2010, July 15, 2010, July 29, 2010 (two reports) and August 10, 2010 (two reports), each to the extent “filed” and not “furnished” pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act; and
 
  •  The description of our common units contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed on January 24, 2006, and including any other amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
 
You may obtain the documents incorporated by reference to this prospectus supplement from the SEC through the SEC’s website at the address provided above. The documents are also available, free of charge, through our website, www.regencyenergy.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports and other information are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus. You may also request a copy of these filings at no cost, by making written or telephone requests for such copies to:
 
Regency Energy Partners LP
Investor Relations
2001 Bryan Street, Suite 3700
Dallas, Texas 75201
(214) 750-1771
 
You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus supplement. If information in incorporated documents conflicts with information in this prospectus supplement, you should rely on the most recent information. If information in an incorporated document conflicts with information in another incorporated document, you should rely on the most recent incorporated document. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of those documents. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with any information.


S-17


Table of Contents

Prospectus
 
REGENCY ENERGY PARTNERS LP
 
Common Units
 
We may offer and sell the common units representing limited partner interests of Regency Energy Partners LP from time to time in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions and other factors at the time of our offerings.
 
We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. This prospectus describes the general terms of these common units and the general manner in which we will offer the common units. The specific terms of any common units we offer will be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also describe the specific manner in which we will offer the common units.
 
Investing in our common units involves risks. Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. You should carefully consider the risk factors included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus before you make an investment in our securities.
 
Our common units are listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “RGNC.”
 
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
 
The date of this prospectus is December 1, 2009.


 

 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
     
    Page
 
  1
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  18
  25
  39
  41
  41
  42
 
In making your investment decision, you should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any other information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.
 
You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus. You should not assume that the information contained in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the respective dates of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.


i


Table of Contents

 
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
 
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, over time, offer and sell up to $      of our securities in one or more offerings. This prospectus generally describes Regency Energy Partners LP and the securities. Each time we sell securities with this prospectus, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add to, update or change information in this prospectus. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement and the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.” To the extent information in this prospectus is inconsistent with information contained in a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information,” and any additional information you may need to make your investment decision.
 
As used in this prospectus, “Regency Energy Partners,” “we,” “our,” “us” or like terms mean Regency Energy Partners LP, or the Partnership, and its subsidiaries. References to “our general partner” or the “General Partner” refer to Regency GP LP, the general partner of the Partnership, and its general partner, Regency GP LLC, which effectively manages the business and affairs of the Partnership.
 
REGENCY ENERGY PARTNERS LP
 
We are a growth-oriented publicly-traded Delaware limited partnership engaged in the gathering, processing, contract compression, marketing and transportation of natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). We provide these services through systems located in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and the mid-continent region of the United States, which includes Kansas and Oklahoma. We were formed in 2005.
 
We divide our operations into four business segments:
 
  •  Gathering and Processing:  We provide “wellhead-to-market” services to producers of natural gas, which include transporting raw natural gas from the wellhead through gathering systems, processing raw natural gas to separate NGLs from the raw natural gas and selling or delivering pipeline-quality natural gas and NGLs to various markets and pipeline systems.
 
  •  Transportation:  We own a 43 percent interest in RIGS Haynesville Partnership Co. (“HPC”), which delivers natural gas from northwest Louisiana to more favorable markets in northeast Louisiana through the 320-mile Regency Intrastate Gas (“RIGS”) pipeline system.
 
  •  Contract Compression:  We provide customers with turn-key natural gas compression services to maximize their natural gas and crude oil production, throughput and cash flow. Our integrated solutions include a comprehensive assessment of a customer’s natural gas contract compression needs and the design and installation of a compression system that addresses those particular needs. We are responsible for the installation and ongoing operation, service and repair of our compression units, which we modify as necessary to adapt to our customers’ changing operating conditions.
 
  •  Corporate:  The corporate and others segment comprises regulated entities and the Partnership’s corporate offices. Revenues in this segment include the collection of the partial reimbursement of general and administrative costs from HPC.
 
All of our midstream assets are located in well-established areas of natural gas production that are characterized by long-lived, predictable reserves.
 
Our principal executive offices are located at 2001 Bryan Street, Suite 3700, Dallas, Texas 75201 and our phone number is (214) 750-1771.
 
For additional information as to our business, properties and financial condition, please refer to the documents cited in “Where You Can Find More Information.”


1


Table of Contents

 
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
 
Some of the information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference contain forward-looking statements. These statements use forward-looking words such as “may,” “will,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “project” or other similar words. These statements discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future trends, plans, events, results of operations or financial condition or state other “forward-looking” information.
 
A forward-looking statement may include a statement of the assumptions or bases underlying the forward-looking statement. We believe we have chosen these assumptions or bases in good faith and that they are reasonable. However, we caution you that assumed facts or bases almost always vary from actual results, and the differences between assumed facts or bases and actual results can be material, depending on the circumstances. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we have incorporated by reference. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions.
 
Many of such factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Please read “Risk Factors” for a better understanding of the various risks and uncertainties that could affect our business and impact the forward-looking statements made in this prospectus. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
 
Forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.


2


Table of Contents

 
RISK FACTORS
 
An investment in our securities involves risks. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the following risk factor, together with the risk factors included in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and those that may be included in any applicable prospectus supplement, as well as risks described in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and cautionary notes regarding forward-looking statements included or incorporated by reference herein, together with all of the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference.
 
If any of these risks were to materialize, our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition could be materially adversely affected. In that case, our ability to make distributions to our unitholders may be reduced, the trading price of our securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.
 
Our ability to recover the costs of our Haynesville Expansion Project will depend upon our success in recovering these costs in a new rate proceeding with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and under the contracts with shippers.
 
We expect the expansion phase of the Regency Intrastate Gas System, or RIGS, in North Louisiana will be placed in service by December 31, 2009. At that time, RIGS will file and implement revised rates with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, the design of which will reflect the costs of and contracts for the use of this expansion capacity, and FERC may elect to review the rates under Section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act. The ability of RIGS to charge rates that allow it to recover these costs, including a return on its capital, will depend on the outcome of any rate proceeding. We cannot assure you that RIGS will be successful in such a proceeding. If FERC requires adjustments, including potential refunds, to the revised transportation rates, or if any contract rates to which RIGS has agreed are below the maximum rates we otherwise could charge, our cash flows and ability to make distributions to you may be adversely affected.


3


Table of Contents

 
USE OF PROCEEDS
 
Except as otherwise provided in any applicable prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds we receive from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general partnership purposes, which may include repayment of indebtedness, the acquisition of businesses, other capital expenditures and additions to working capital.
 
Any specific allocation of the net proceeds of an offering of securities to a specific purpose will be determined at the time of the offering and will be described in a prospectus supplement.


4


Table of Contents

 
DESCRIPTION OF OUR COMMON UNITS
 
The Common Units
 
The common units represent limited partner interests in Regency Energy Partners. The holders of common units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the relative rights and preferences of holders of common units and our general partner in and to partnership distributions, please read this section and “How We Make Cash Distributions.” For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read “The Partnership Agreement.”
 
Transfer Agent and Registrar
 
Duties.  American Stock Transfer & Trust Company serves as registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We will pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units except the following that must be paid by unitholders:
 
  •  surety bond premiums to replace lost or stolen certificates, taxes and other governmental charges;
 
  •  special charges for services requested by a common unitholder; and
 
  •  other similar fees or charges.
 
There will be no charge to unitholders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We will indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.
 
Resignation or Removal.  The transfer agent may resign by notice to us or be removed by us. The resignation or removal of the transfer agent will become effective upon our appointment of a successor transfer agent and registrar and its acceptance of the appointment. If no successor has been appointed and has accepted the appointment within 30 days after notice of the resignation or removal, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.
 
Transfer of Common Units
 
By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Each transferee:
 
  •  represents that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to become bound by our partnership agreement;
 
  •  automatically agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of, and is deemed to have executed, our partnership agreement; and
 
  •  gives the consents and approvals contained in our partnership agreement.
 
A transferee will become a substituted limited partner of our partnership for the transferred common units automatically upon the recording of the transfer on our books and records. Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.
 
We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holders’ rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.
 
Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfers of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units.


5


Table of Contents

Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the common unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.
 
THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
 
The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. We will provide prospective investors with a copy of this agreement upon request at no charge.
 
We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:
 
  •  with regard to distributions of available cash, please read “How We Make Cash Distributions”;
 
  •  with regard to the fiduciary duties of our general partner, you should read the risk factors included in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and those that may be included in the applicable prospectus supplement;
 
  •  with regard to the transfer of common units, please read “Description of the Common Units — Transfer of Common Units”; and
 
  •  with regard to allocations of taxable income and taxable loss, please read “Material Income Tax Consequences.”
 
Organization and Duration
 
Our partnership was organized in September 2005 and will have a perpetual existence.
 
Purpose
 
Our purpose under the partnership agreement is to engage in any business activities that are approved by our general partner. Our general partner, however, may not cause us to engage in any business activities that it determines would cause us to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. Our general partner is authorized in general to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.
 
Power of Attorney
 
Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a unit from a unitholder, by accepting the common unit, automatically grants to our general partner and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney, among other things, to execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance or dissolution. The power of attorney also grants our general partner the authority to amend, and to grant consents and waivers on behalf of the limited partners under, our partnership agreement.
 
Capital Contributions
 
Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under “— Limited Liability.”
 
Voting Rights
 
The following is a summary of the unitholder vote required for the matters specified below. Matters requiring the approval of a “unit majority” require the approval of a majority of the common units.
 
In voting their common units, our general partner and its affiliates have no fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners.


6


Table of Contents

Issuance of additional units No approval right.
 
Amendment of the partnership agreement Certain amendments may be made by the general partner without the approval of the unitholders, and certain other amendments that would adversely affect the holders of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units (as defined below) require the approval of 75% of such holders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a unit majority. Please read “— Amendment of the Partnership Agreement.”
 
Merger of our partnership or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets Unit majority in certain circumstances. Please read “— Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets.”
 
Dissolution of our partnership Unit majority. Please read “— Termination and Dissolution.”
 
Reconstitution of our partnership upon dissolution Unit majority. Please read “— Termination and Dissolution.”
 
Withdrawal of the general partner Under most circumstances, the approval of a majority of the common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, is required for the withdrawal of our general partner prior to December 31, 2015 in a manner that would cause a dissolution of our partnership. Please read “— Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner.”
 
Removal of the general partner Not less than 662/3% of the outstanding units, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates. Please read “— Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner.”
 
Transfer of the general partner interest Our general partner may transfer all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest in us without a vote of our unitholders to an affiliate or another person in connection with its merger or consolidation with or into, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets, to such person. The approval of a majority of the common units, excluding common units held by the general partner and its affiliates, is required in other circumstances for a transfer of the general partner interest to a third party prior to December 31, 2015. See “— Transfer of General Partner Interest.”
 
Transfer of incentive distribution rights Except for transfers to an affiliate or another person as part of our general partner’s merger or consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of its assets or the sale of all of the ownership interests in such holder, the approval of a majority of the common units, excluding common units held by the general partner and its affiliates, is required in most circumstances for a transfer of the incentive distribution rights to a third party prior to December 31, 2015. Please read “— Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights.”
 
Transfer of ownership interests in our general partner No approval required at any time. Please read “— Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner.”
 
Limited Liability
 
Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, or the Delaware Act, and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of the partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital he is obligated to contribute to us for his


7


Table of Contents

common units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:
 
  •  to remove or replace the general partner;
 
  •  to approve some amendments to the partnership agreement; or
 
  •  to take other action under the partnership agreement;
 
constituted “participation in the control” of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as the general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us who reasonably believe that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither the partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against the general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of the general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for this type of a claim in Delaware case law.
 
Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Act, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except that such person is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.
 
Our subsidiaries conduct business in a number of states. Maintenance of our limited liability as a member of the operating company may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the operating company conducts business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there.
 
Limitations on the liability of limited partners for the obligations of a limited partner have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our ownership of our operating partnership and its subsidiaries or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any state without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace the general partner, to approve some amendments to the partnership agreement, or to take other action under the partnership agreement constituted “participation in the control” of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as the general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that the general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.
 
Issuance of Additional Securities
 
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our general partner without the approval of the unitholders.
 
It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other partnership securities. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional common units or other partnership securities may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.


8


Table of Contents

In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership securities that, as determined by our general partner, may have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled. Our partnership agreement restricts our ability to issue any securities senior to or on parity with our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units (as defined below) with respect to distributions on such securities and distributions upon liquidation, except that we may issue parity securities up to an amount equal to 10% (at face value) of the lowest market capitalization of our common units as measured over the trailing 30-day period prior to issuance. However, our partnership agreement does not prohibit the issuance by us of equity securities that may effectively rank senior to the common units.
 
Upon issuance of additional partnership securities, our general partner will be entitled, but not required, to make additional capital contributions to the extent necessary to maintain its 2% general partner interest in us. Our general partner’s 2% interest in us will be reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 2% general partner interest. Moreover, our general partner will have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units or other partnership securities whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those securities to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the percentage interest of the general partner and its affiliates, including such interest represented by common units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. The holders of common units will not have preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership securities.
 
On September 2, 2009, we issued 4,371,586 Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Units (the “Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units”). For so long as the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units remain outstanding, the holders of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units will have a preemptive right to purchase any securities junior to or on parity with our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units with respect to distributions on such securities and distributions upon liquidation (other than common units) issued by us to the extent necessary to maintain their proportionate beneficial ownership of common units (on an as-converted basis) immediately before such issuance. For a more complete description of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, please see our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 4, 2009.
 
Amendment of the Partnership Agreement
 
General.  Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of our general partner. Our general partner, however, will have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, our general partner is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or to call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a unit majority.
 
Prohibited Amendments.  No amendment may be made that would:
 
  •  enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, unless approved by at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests so affected; or
 
  •  enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by us to our general partner or any of its affiliates without the consent of our general partner, which consent may be given or withheld at its option.
 
The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in any of the clauses above can only be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting together as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates).


9


Table of Contents

No Unitholder Approval.  Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner or assignee to reflect:
 
  •  a change in our name, the location of our principal place of our business, our registered agent or our registered office;
 
  •  the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with our partnership agreement;
 
  •  a change that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue our qualification as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that neither we nor the operating company nor any of its subsidiaries will be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes;
 
  •  an amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of our counsel, to prevent us or our general partner or its directors, officers, agents or trustees from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed;
 
  •  an amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the authorization of additional partnership securities or rights to acquire partnership securities;
 
  •  any amendment expressly permitted in our partnership agreement to be made by our general partner acting alone;
 
  •  an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a merger agreement that has been approved under the terms of our partnership agreement;
 
  •  any amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation by us of, or our investment in, any corporation, partnership or other entity, as otherwise permitted by our partnership agreement;
 
  •  a change in our fiscal year or taxable year and related changes;
 
  •  mergers with or conveyances to another limited liability entity that is newly formed and has no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of the merger or conveyance other than those it receives by way of the merger or conveyance; or
 
  •  any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in the clauses above.
 
In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner or transferee (subject to the voting rights of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units discussed below) in connection with a merger or consolidation approved in connection with our partnership agreement, or if our general partner determines that those amendments:
 
  •  do not adversely affect the limited partners (or any particular class of limited partners) in any material respect;
 
  •  are necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute;
 
  •  are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of limited partner interests or to comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any securities exchange on which the limited partner interests are or will be listed for trading;
 
  •  are necessary or appropriate for any action taken by our general partner relating to splits or combinations of units under the provisions of our partnership agreement; or


10


Table of Contents

 
  •  are required to effect the intent expressed in this prospectus or the intent of the provisions of our partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by our partnership agreement.
 
Opinion of Counsel and Unitholder Approval.  Our general partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners or result in our being treated as an entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments described under “— No Unitholder Approval.” No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units voting as a single class unless we first obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners.
 
In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action is required to be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced. The affirmative vote of seventy-five percent (75%) of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, voting separately as a class with one vote per Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit, is necessary on any matter (including a merger, consolidation or business combination) that would adversely affect any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units in any respect. Please read “— Meetings; Voting.”
 
Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets
 
A merger or consolidation of us requires the prior consent of our general partner. Our general partner, however, will have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger or consolidation and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interest of us or the limited partners.
 
In addition, the partnership agreement generally prohibits our general partner without the prior approval of the holders of a unit majority, from causing us, among other things, to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation or other combination, or approving on our behalf the sale, exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of our subsidiaries. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without that approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without that approval. Finally, our general partner may consummate any merger without the prior approval of our unitholders if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, the transaction would not result in a material amendment to the partnership agreement, and each of our units will be an identical unit of our partnership following the transaction.
 
If the conditions specified in the partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner may convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey all of our assets to, a newly formed entity if the sole purpose of that merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity. The unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under the partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets or any other transaction or event.
 
Termination and Dissolution
 
We will continue as a limited partnership until terminated under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:
 
  •  the election of our general partner to dissolve us, if approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority;


11


Table of Contents

 
  •  there being no limited partners, unless we are continued without dissolution in accordance with applicable Delaware law;
 
  •  the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of our partnership; or
 
  •  the withdrawal or removal of our general partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be our general partner other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with our partnership agreement or withdrawal or removal following approval and admission of a successor.
 
Upon a dissolution under the last clause above, the holders of a unit majority, may also elect, within specific time limitations, to reconstitute us and continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement by forming a new limited partnership on terms identical to those in our partnership agreement and having as general partner an entity approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that:
 
  •  the action would not result in the loss of limited liability of any limited partner; and
 
  •  neither our partnership, the reconstituted limited partnership, our operating company nor any of our other subsidiaries, would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of that right to continue.
 
Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
 
Upon our dissolution, unless we are reconstituted and continued as a new limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner that are necessary or appropriate to liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as provided in “How We Make Cash Distributions — Distributions of Cash upon Liquidation.” The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners.
 
Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner
 
Except as described below, our general partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as our general partner prior to December 31, 2015 without obtaining the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by the general partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. On or after December 31, 2015, our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days’ written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. Notwithstanding the information above, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days’ notice to the limited partners if at least 50% of the outstanding common units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates other than the general partner and its affiliates. In addition, the partnership agreement permits our general partner in some instances to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in us without the approval of the unitholders. Please read “— Transfer of General Partner Interest” and “— Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights.”
 
Upon withdrawal of our general partner under any circumstances, other than as a result of a transfer by our general partner of all or a part of its general partner interest in us, the holders of a unit majority may select a successor to that withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within a specified period after that withdrawal, the holders of a unit majority agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner. Please read “— Termination and Dissolution.”
 
Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 662/3% of the outstanding units, voting together as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the


12


Table of Contents

holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, voting as separate classes. The ownership of more than 331/3% of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates would give them the practical ability to prevent our general partner’s removal.
 
Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by the general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal:
 
  •  any existing arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units will be extinguished; and
 
  •  our general partner will have the right to convert its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights into common units or to receive cash in exchange for those interests based on the fair market value of those interests at that time.
 
In the event of removal of a general partner under circumstances where cause exists or withdrawal of a general partner where that withdrawal violates our partnership agreement, a successor general partner will have the option to purchase the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights of the departing general partner for a cash payment equal to the fair market value of those interests. Under all other circumstances where a general partner withdraws or is removed by the limited partners, the departing general partner will have the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner and its incentive distribution rights for fair market value. In each case, this fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing general partner and the successor general partner. If no agreement is reached, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the departing general partner and the successor general partner will determine the fair market value. Or, if the departing general partner and the successor general partner cannot agree upon an expert, then an expert chosen by agreement of the experts selected by each of them will determine the fair market value.
 
If the option described above is not exercised by either the departing general partner or the successor general partner, the departing general partner’s general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights will automatically convert into common units equal to the fair market value of those interests as determined by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected in the manner described in the preceding paragraph.
 
In addition, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred for the termination of any employees employed by the departing general partner or its affiliates for our benefit.
 
Transfer of General Partner Interest
 
Except for transfer by our general partner of all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest in our partnership to:
 
  •  an affiliate of our general partner (other than an individual); or
 
  •  another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of our general partner with or into another entity or the transfer by our general partner of all or substantially all of its assets to another entity,
 
our general partner may not transfer all or any part of its general partner interest in our partnership to another person prior to December 31, 2015 without the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates. As a condition of this transfer, the transferee must assume, among other things, the rights and duties of our general partner, agree to be bound by the provisions of our partnership agreement, and furnish an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters.


13


Table of Contents

Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner
 
At any time, the owner of our General Partner, may sell or transfer all or part of its their ownership interest in our General Partner to an affiliate or third party without the approval of our unitholders.
 
Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights
 
Our general partner or its affiliates or a subsequent holder may transfer its incentive distribution rights to an affiliate of the holder (other than an individual) or another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of such holder with or into another entity, the sale of all of the ownership interest of the holder or the sale of all or substantially all of its assets to, that entity without the prior approval of the unitholders. Prior to December 31, 2015, other transfers of incentive distribution rights will require the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates. On or after December 31, 2015, the incentive distribution rights will be freely transferable.
 
Change of Management Provisions
 
Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove our general partner or otherwise change our management. If any person or group other than our general partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group that acquires the units from our general partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by our general partner or to any person or group who acquires the units with the prior approval of our general partner.
 
Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by our general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal:
 
  •  any existing arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units will be extinguished; and
 
  •  our general partner will have the right to convert its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights into common units or to receive cash in exchange for those interests.
 
Limited Call Right
 
If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the then-issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the remaining partnership securities of the class held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by our general partner, on at least 10 but not more than 60 days notice. The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:
 
  •  the highest cash price paid by either of our general partner or any of its affiliates for any partnership securities of the class purchased within the 90 days preceding the date on which our general partner first mails notice of its election to purchase those limited partner interests; and
 
  •  the current market price as of the date three days before the date the notice is mailed.
 
As a result of our general partner’s right to purchase outstanding partnership securities, a holder of partnership securities may have his partnership securities purchased at an undesirable time or price. The tax consequences to a unitholder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unitholder of his common units in the market. Please read “Material Income Tax Consequences — Disposition of Common Units.”


14


Table of Contents

Meetings; Voting
 
Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, unitholders or transferees who are record holders of units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited. In the case of common units held by our general partner on behalf of non-citizen assignees, our general partner will distribute the votes on those common units in the same ratios as the votes of limited partners on other units are cast.
 
Our general partner does not anticipate that any meeting of unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the unitholders may be taken either at a meeting of the unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of the unitholders may be called by our general partner or by unitholders owning at least 20% of the outstanding units of the class for which a meeting is proposed. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called represented in person or by proxy will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.
 
Each record holder of a unit has a vote according to his percentage interest in us; however, the holders of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units have special voting rights, and additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Please read “— Issuance of Additional Securities.” The affirmative vote of seventy-five percent (75%) of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, voting separately as a class with one vote per Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, is necessary on any matter (including a merger, consolidation or business combination) that would adversely affect any of the rights, preferences and privileges of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units in any respect, including without limitation, the following matters:
 
  •  any reduction in the distribution rate on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, change in the form of payment of distributions on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, deferral of the date from which distributions on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units will accrue and accumulate, cancellation of accrued, accumulated and unpaid distributions on the on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, change in the relative seniority rights of the holders of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units as to the payment of distributions in relation to the holders of any other units, or amendment to Section 5.14 of our partnership agreement (which sets forth the terms of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units), except that the General Partner may amend Section 5.14 so long as the amendment does not adversely affect the holders of Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units;
 
  •  any reduction in the liquidation value or change in the form of payment upon liquidation of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, or any change in the relative seniority of the liquidation preferences of the holders of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units to the rights upon liquidation of the holders of any other units;
 
  •  any matter that would accelerate the terms of our options to redeem or convert the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units; and
 
  •  any authorization, creation or issuance of any securities that would be senior to or on parity with our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units with respect to distributions on such securities and distributions upon liquidation, except that we may issue parity securities up to an amount equal to 10% (at face value) of the lowest market capitalization of the common units as measured over the trailing 30-day period prior to issuance.
 
If at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, a direct or subsequently approved transferee of our general partner or its affiliates or a person who acquired the units with the prior approval of our general partner, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the


15


Table of Contents

units may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes. Common units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise.
 
Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.
 
Status as Limited Partner
 
By the transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Except as described under “— Limited Liability”, the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions.
 
Non-Citizen Assignees; Redemption
 
If we are or become subject to federal, state or local laws or regulations that, in the reasonable determination of our general partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property that we have an interest in because of the nationality, citizenship or other related status of any limited partner, we may redeem the units held by the limited partner at their current market price. In order to avoid any cancellation or forfeiture, our general partner may require each limited partner to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or related status. If a limited partner fails to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or other related status within 30 days after a request for the information or our general partner determines after receipt of the information that the limited partner is not an eligible citizen, the limited partner may be treated as a non-citizen assignee. A non-citizen assignee, is entitled to an interest equivalent to that of a limited partner for the right to share in allocations and distributions from us, including liquidating distributions. A non-citizen assignee does not have the right to direct the voting of his units and may not receive distributions in kind upon our liquidation.
 
Indemnification
 
Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:
 
  •  our general partner;
 
  •  any departing general partner;
 
  •  any person who is or was an affiliate of a general partner or any departing general partner;
 
  •  any person who is or was a director, officer, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of any entity set forth in the preceding three bullet points;
 
  •  any person who is or was serving as director, officer, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person at the request of our general partner or any departing general partner; and
 
  •  any person designated by our general partner.
 
Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our partnership agreement.


16


Table of Contents

Reimbursement of Expenses
 
Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner in connection with operating our business. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. The general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.
 
Books and Reports
 
Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and financial reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.
 
We will furnish or make available to record holders of common units, within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 90 days after the close of each quarter.
 
We will furnish each record holder of a unit with information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is expected to be furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to unitholders will depend on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his federal and state tax liability and filing his federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with information.
 
Right to Inspect Our Books and Records
 
Our partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:
 
  •  a current list of the name and last known address of each partner;
 
  •  a copy of our tax returns;
 
  •  information as to the amount of cash, and a description and statement of the agreed value of any other property or services, contributed or to be contributed by each partner and the date on which each partner became a partner;
 
  •  copies of our partnership agreement, our certificate of limited partnership, related amendments and powers of attorney under which they have been executed;
 
  •  information regarding the status of our business and financial condition; and
 
  •  any other information regarding our affairs as is just and reasonable.
 
Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes in good faith is not in our best interests or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.
 
Registration Rights
 
Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and applicable state securities laws any common units or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates or their assignees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available. These registration rights continue for two years following any withdrawal or removal of our general partner. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.


17


Table of Contents

 
HOW WE MAKE CASH DISTRIBUTIONS
 
Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus
 
Overview
 
All cash distributed to unitholders will be characterized as either “operating surplus” or “capital surplus.” We treat distributions of available cash from operating surplus differently than distributions of available cash from capital surplus.
 
Characterization of Cash Distributions
 
We will treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since we began operations equals the operating surplus as of the most recent date of determination of available cash. We will treat any amount distributed in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, as capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.
 
Definition of Available Cash
 
Available cash generally means, for each fiscal quarter all cash on hand at the end of the quarter:
 
  •  less the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner:
 
  •  to provide for the proper conduct of our business (including reserves for future capital expenditures and for our anticipated credit needs);
 
  •  to comply with applicable law, any of our debt instruments or other agreements; and
 
  •  to provide funds for distribution to our unitholders and to our general partner for any one or more of the next four quarters;
 
  •  plus all cash on hand on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter for which the determination is being made. Working capital borrowings are generally borrowings that will be made under our credit facilities and in all cases are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners.
 
Definition of Operating Surplus
 
Operating surplus for any period generally means:
 
  •  our cash balance on the closing date of our initial public offering; plus
 
  •  $20.0 million (as described below); plus
 
  •  all of our cash receipts since the closing of our initial public offering, excluding cash from (1) borrowings that are not working capital borrowings, (2) sales of equity and debt securities and (3) sales or other dispositions of assets outside the ordinary course of business; plus
 
  •  working capital borrowings made after the end of a quarter but before the date of determination of operating surplus for the quarter; less
 
  •  operating expenses; less
 
  •  the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner for future operating expenditures.
 
As described above, operating surplus does not reflect actual cash on hand at closing that is available for distribution to our unitholders. For example, it includes a provision that will enable us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus up to $20.0 million of cash we receive in the future from non-operating sources, such as asset sales, issuances of securities and long-term borrowings, that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus.


18


Table of Contents

Definition of Capital Surplus
 
Capital surplus will generally be generated only by:
 
  •  borrowings other than working capital borrowings;
 
  •  sales of debt and equity securities; and
 
  •  sales or other disposition of assets for cash, other than inventory, accounts receivable and other current assets sold in the ordinary course of business or non-current assets sold as part of normal retirements or replacements of assets.
 
Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus
 
We will make distributions of available cash from operating surplus in the following manner:
 
  •  First, to the holders of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units to the extent of the distribution preference on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, as described below;
 
  •  second, 98% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and
 
  •  thereafter, in the manner described in “— Incentive Distribution Rights” below.
 
The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 2% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.
 
The Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units will receive distributions at a rate of $0.445 per Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit, payable quarterly on the same date as the distribution payment date for the common units. The record date for the determination of holders entitled to receive distributions of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units will be the same as the record date for determination of common unit holders entitled to receive quarterly distributions.
 
Distributions on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units will be accrued for the first two quarters and will result in an increase in the number of common units issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units. If on any distribution payment date occurring with respect to a quarter ending after December 31, 2009, we (x) fail to pay distributions on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, (y) reduce the distributions on the common units to zero ($0.00) and (z) are prohibited by our material financing agreements from paying cash distributions, then until the distributions that were to be paid on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units on such distribution date are paid in cash, such distributions shall automatically accrue and accumulate. If we have failed to pay cash distributions in full for two quarters (whether or not consecutive) from and including the quarter ending on March 31, 2010, then if we fail to pay cash distributions on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, all future distributions on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units that are accrued rather than being paid in cash by us will consist of the following: (i) $0.35375 per Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit per quarter, (ii) $0.09125 per Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit per quarter (the “Common Unit Distribution Amount”), payable solely in common units, and (iii) $0.09125 per Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit per quarter (the “PIK Distribution Additional Amount”), payable solely in common units. The total number of common units payable in connection with the Common Unit Additional Amount or the PIK Distribution Additional Amount cannot exceed 1,600,000 in any period of twenty consecutive fiscal quarters.
 
Upon our breach of certain covenants, or a Covenant Default, contained in our Indenture, dated as of May 20, 2009, among us, Regency Energy Finance Corp., the Guarantors (as defined therein) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, or the Indenture, for as long as the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units are outstanding (or until we receive an investment grade rating from either Moody’s or S&P on our 93/8% Senior Notes due 2016), the holders of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units will be entitled to an increase of $0.1825 per quarterly distribution, payable solely in common units, or the Covenant Default Additional Amount.


19


Table of Contents

All accumulated and unpaid distributions will accrue interest (i) at a rate of 2.432% per quarter, or (ii) if we have failed to pay all PIK Distribution Additional Amounts or Covenant Default Additional Amounts or any Covenant Default has occurred and is continuing, at a rate of 3.429% per quarter while such failure to pay or such Covenant Default continues.
 
Additionally, the holders of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units are entitled to a “make-whole” distribution and allocation equal to 60% of the tax cost of the rate differential between ordinary income and long term capital gains with respect to any gross income allocation resulting from a forced conversion of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, “grossed up” for the additional tax due with respect to such “make-whole” allocation.
 
Incentive Distribution Rights
 
Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. Our general partner currently holds the incentive distribution rights, but may transfer these rights separately from its general partner interest, subject to restrictions in the partnership agreement.
 
If for any quarter:
 
  •  we have distributed available cash from operating surplus to the common unitholders in an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution;
 
  •  we have distributed available cash from operating surplus on outstanding common units in an amount necessary to eliminate any cumulative arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution; and
 
  •  we have distributed available cash from operating surplus to the holders of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units to the extent of the distribution preference on the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units;
 
then, we will distribute any additional available cash from operating surplus for that quarter among the unitholders and our general partner in the following manner:
 
  •  first, 98% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.4025 per unit for that quarter (the “first target distribution”);
 
  •  second, 85% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.4375 per unit for that quarter (the “second target distribution”);
 
  •  third, 75% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.5250 per unit for that quarter (the “third target distribution”); and
 
  •  thereafter, 50% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50% to our general partner.
 
In each case, the amount of the target distribution set forth above is exclusive of any distributions to common unitholders to eliminate any cumulative arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution. The percentage interests set forth above for our general partner assume that our general partner maintains its 2% general partner interest, that our general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.
 
Percentage Allocations of Available Cash from Operating Surplus
 
The following table illustrates the percentage allocations of the additional available cash from operating surplus among the unitholders and our general partner up to the various target distribution levels. The amounts set forth under “Marginal Percentage Interest in Distributions” are the percentage interests of the unitholders and our general partner in any available cash from operating surplus we distribute up to and including the corresponding amount in the column “Total Quarterly Distribution Target Amount,” until available cash from


20


Table of Contents

operating surplus we distribute reaches the next target distribution level, if any. The percentage interests shown for the unitholders and our general partner for the minimum quarterly distribution are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the minimum quarterly distribution. The percentage interests set forth below for our general partner include its 2% general partner interest and assume our general partner has contributed additional capital to maintain its 2% general partner interest, that our general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.
 
                         
        Marginal
        Percentage Interest
    Total Quarterly
  in Distributions
    Distribution
      General
    Target Amount   Unitholders   Partner
 
Minimum Quarterly Distribution
    $0.4425       98 %     2 %
First Target Distribution
    up to $0.4025       98 %     2 %
Second Target Distribution
    above $0.4025 up to $0.4375       85 %     15 %
Third Target Distribution
    above $0.4375 up to $0.5250       75 %     25 %
Thereafter
    above $0.5250       50 %     50 %
 
Distributions from Capital Surplus
 
How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made
 
We will make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:
 
  •  first, 98% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding common unit an amount of available cash from capital surplus equal to the initial public offering price;
 
  •  second, 98% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to our general partner, until we distribute for each common unit, an amount of available cash from capital surplus equal to any unpaid arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units; and
 
  •  thereafter, we will make all distributions of available cash from capital surplus as if they were from operating surplus.
 
The preceding discussion is based on the assumption that our general partner maintains its 2% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.
 
Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus
 
The partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price from the initial public offering, which is a return of capital. The initial public offering price less any distributions of capital surplus per unit is referred to as the unrecovered initial unit price. Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced in the same proportion as the corresponding reduction in the unrecovered initial unit price. Because distributions of capital surplus will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution, after any of these distributions are made, it may be easier for the general partner to receive incentive distributions. Any distribution of capital surplus before the unrecovered initial unit price is reduced to zero cannot be applied to the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution or any arrearages.
 
Once we distribute capital surplus on a unit in an amount equal to the initial unit price, we will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels to zero and we will make all future distributions from operating surplus, with 50% being paid to the holders of units, and 50% to the general partner.


21


Table of Contents

Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels
 
In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our units into fewer units or subdivide our units into a greater number of units, we will proportionately adjust:
 
  •  the minimum quarterly distribution;
 
  •  the target distribution levels; and
 
  •  the unrecovered initial unit price;
 
For example, if a two-for-one split of the common units should occur, the minimum quarterly distribution, the target distribution levels and the unrecovered initial unit price would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level. We will not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.
 
In addition, if legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by a governmental taxing authority so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, we will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels for each quarter by multiplying each distribution level by a fraction, the numerator of which is available cash for that quarter and the denominator of which is the sum of available cash for that quarter plus our general partner’s estimate of our aggregate liability for the quarter for such income taxes payable by reason of such legislation or interpretation. To the extent that the actual tax liability differs from the estimated tax liability for any quarter, the difference will be accounted for in subsequent quarters.
 
Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation
 
Overview
 
If we dissolve in accordance with the partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. Upon dissolution, subject to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Act, the holders of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units will be entitled to receive any accrued and unpaid distributions in respect of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, if any, and will have the status of, and will be entitled to all remedies available to, a creditor of the Partnership, and will have priority over any entitlement of any other unitholders with respect to any distributions by us. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to the unitholders and our general partner in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.
 
Manner of Adjustments for Gain
 
The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in the partnership agreement. Upon liquidation, we will allocate any gain to the partners in the following manner:
 
  •  First, to our general partner and the holders of units who have negative balances in their capital accounts to the extent of and in proportion to those negative balances;
 
  •  second, to the holders of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, pro rata, until the capital account for each Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit is equal to the sum of:
 
(1) the initial unit price for that Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit; and
 
(2) all accrued but unpaid distributions on that Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit;
 
  •  third, 98% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to our general partner, until the capital account for each common unit is equal to the sum of:
 
(1) the unrecovered initial unit price for that common unit; and
 
(2) the amount of the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which our liquidation occurs;


22


Table of Contents

  •  fourth, 98% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to our general partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to:
 
(1) the sum of the excess of the first target distribution per unit over the minimum quarterly distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less
 
(2) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the minimum quarterly distribution per unit that we distributed 98% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 2% to our general partner, for each quarter of our existence;
 
  •  fifth, 85% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to our general partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to:
 
(1) the sum of the excess of the second target distribution per unit over the first target distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less
 
(2) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the first target distribution per unit that we distributed 85% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to our general partner for each quarter of our existence;
 
  •  sixth, 75% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25% to our general partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to:
 
(1) the sum of the excess of the third target distribution per unit over the second target distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less
 
(2) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the second target distribution per unit that we distributed 75% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 25% to our general partner for each quarter of our existence; and
 
  •  thereafter, 50% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50% to our general partner.
 
The percentage interests set forth above for our general partner assume that our general partner maintains its 2% general partner interest, that our general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.
 
Manner of Adjustments for Losses
 
Upon liquidation, we will generally allocate any loss to our general partner and the unitholders in the following manner:
 
  •  first, 98% to the holders of common units, pro rata, and 2% to our general partner, until the capital accounts of the common unitholders have been reduced to zero;
 
  •  second, 100% to the holders of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, pro rata, until the capital accounts of the holders of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units have been reduced to zero; and
 
  •  thereafter, 100% to our general partner.
 
The percentage interests set forth above for our general partner assume that our general partner maintains its 2% general partner interest, that our general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.
 
Adjustments to Capital Accounts
 
We will make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units (including as a result of the conversion of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units into common units). In doing so, we will allocate any unrealized and, for tax purposes, unrecognized gain or loss resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and our general partner in the same manner as we allocate gain or loss upon liquidation; provided, that for purposes of determining the amount of such unrealized gain or loss, we will reduce the fair market value of our property (to the extent of any unrealized income or gain in our property that has not previously


23


Table of Contents

been reflected in the capital accounts) to reflect the incremental share of such fair market value that would be attributable to the holders of our outstanding Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units if all of such Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units were converted into common units as of such date. If we make positive adjustments to the capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units, we will allocate any later negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from the issuance of additional units or upon our liquidation in a manner which results, to the extent possible, in our general partner’s capital account balance equaling the amount that it would have been if no earlier positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made.
 
Additionally, if in the year of liquidation, any holder’s capital account in respect of any Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units is less than an aggregate amount equal to the sum of (i) $18.30 per Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit, plus (ii) all accrued and accumulated but unpaid distributions on such Redeemable Preferred Units, or together the Preferred Liquidation Value, then prior to any other allocation for that year and prior to any distribution to the holders of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit upon liquidation, items of gross income and gain will be allocated to all holders of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit, pro rata, until the capital account in respect of each Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit then outstanding is equal to the Preferred Liquidation Value (and no other allocation will reverse the effect of this allocation).
 
If in the year of liquidation, any holder’s capital account in respect of any Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units is less than the aggregate Preferred Liquidation Value of such Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units after the application of the allocation described in the paragraph immediately above, then to the extent permitted by law, items of gross income and gain for any preceding taxable period(s) with respect to which Schedule K-1s have not been filed by us will be reallocated to all holders of the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, pro rata, until the capital account in respect of each Convertible Redeemable Preferred Unit then outstanding is equal to the Preferred Liquidation Value (and no other allocation will reverse the effect of this allocation).


24


Table of Contents

 
MATERIAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
 
This section is a discussion of the material tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Mayer Brown LLP, counsel to our general partner and us, insofar as it relates to legal conclusions with respect to matters of United States federal income tax law. This section is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), existing and proposed Treasury regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code (the “Treasury Regulations”) and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Later changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to “us” or “we” are references to Regency Energy Partners LP and our operating company.
 
The following discussion does not comment on all federal income tax matters affecting us or the unitholders. Moreover, the discussion focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and has only limited application to corporations, estates, trusts, nonresident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, foreign persons, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), real estate investment trusts (REITs) or mutual funds. Accordingly, we urge each prospective unitholder to consult, and depend on, his own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of common units.
 
All statements as to matters of law and legal conclusions, but not as to factual matters, contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Mayer Brown LLP and are based on the accuracy of the representations made by us.
 
No ruling has been or will be requested from the IRS regarding any matter affecting us or prospective unitholders. Instead, we will rely on opinions of Mayer Brown LLP. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any contest of this sort with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for our common units and the prices at which common units trade. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, principally legal, accounting and related fees, will result in a reduction in cash available for distribution to our unitholders and our general partner and thus will be borne indirectly by our unitholders and our general partner. Furthermore, the tax treatment of us, or of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions. Any modifications may or may not be retroactively applied.
 
For the reasons described below, Mayer Brown LLP has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific federal income tax issues: (1) our method of allocating taxable income and losses to take into account the conversion feature of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units (please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction”); (2) the treatment of a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units (please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Treatment of Short Sales”); (3) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please see “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees”); and (4) whether our method for depreciating Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election”).
 
Partnership Status
 
A partnership is not a taxable entity and incurs no federal income tax liability. Instead, each partner of a partnership is required to take into account his share of items of income, gain, loss and deduction of the partnership in computing his federal income tax liability, regardless of whether cash distributions are made to him by the partnership. Distributions by a partnership to a partner are generally not taxable to the partnership or to the partner unless the amount of cash distributed to him is in excess of the partner’s adjusted basis in his partnership interest.


25


Table of Contents

Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that publicly traded partnerships will, as a general rule, be taxed as corporations. However, an exception, referred to as the “Qualifying Income Exception,” exists with respect to publicly traded partnerships of which 90% or more of the gross income for every taxable year consists of “qualifying income.” Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the transportation, storage, processing and marketing of natural gas and products thereof. Other types of qualifying income include interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 3% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based upon and subject to this estimate, the factual representations made by us and the general partner and a review of the applicable legal authorities, Mayer Brown LLP is of the opinion that at least 90% of our current gross income constitutes qualifying income. The portion of our income that is qualifying income may change from time to time.
 
No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS and the IRS has made no determination as to our status or the status of the operating company for federal income tax purposes or whether our operations generate “qualifying income” under Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Mayer Brown LLP on such matters. It is the opinion of Mayer Brown LLP that, based upon the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations, published revenue rulings and court decisions and the representations described below, we will be classified as a partnership and the operating company will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes.
 
In rendering its opinion, Mayer Brown LLP has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Mayer Brown LLP has relied include:
 
(a) Neither we nor the operating company has elected or will elect to be treated as a corporation; and
 
(b) For each taxable year, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income that Mayer Brown LLP has opined or will opine is “qualifying income” within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code.
 
If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as if we had transferred all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation, and then distributed that stock to the unitholders in liquidation of their interests in us. This deemed contribution and liquidation should be tax-free to unitholders and us so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.
 
If we were treated as an association taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on our tax return rather than being passed through to the unitholders, and our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. In addition, any distribution made to a unitholder would be treated as either taxable dividend income, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable return of capital, to the extent of the unitholder’s tax basis in his common units, or taxable capital gain, after the unitholder’s tax basis in his common units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, taxation as a corporation would result in a material reduction in a unitholder’s cash flow and after-tax return and thus would likely result in a substantial reduction of the value of the units.
 
The discussion below is based on Mayer Brown LLP’s opinion that we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.


26


Table of Contents

Limited Partner Status
 
Unitholders who have become limited partners of Regency Energy Partners LP will be treated as partners of Regency Energy Partners LP for federal income tax purposes. Also, unitholders whose common units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of their common units will be treated as partners of Regency Energy Partners LP for federal income tax purposes.
 
A beneficial owner of common units whose units have been transferred to a short seller to complete a short sale would appear to lose his status as a partner with respect to those units for federal income tax purposes. Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Treatment of Short Sales.” Income, gain, losses or deductions would not appear to be reportable by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes, and any cash distributions received by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes would therefore appear to be fully taxable as ordinary income. These holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to their tax consequences of holding common units in Regency Energy Partners LP. The references to “unitholders” in the discussion that follows are to persons who are treated as partners in Regency Energy Partners LP for federal income tax purposes.
 
Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership
 
Flow-Through of Taxable Income.  We will not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each unitholder will be required to report on his income tax return his share of our income, gains, losses and deductions without regard to whether corresponding cash distributions are received by him. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if he has not received a cash distribution. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his allocable share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year ending with or within his taxable year. Our taxable year ends on December 31.
 
Treatment of Distributions.  Distributions by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder for federal income tax purposes, except to the extent the amount of any such cash distribution exceeds his tax basis in his common units immediately before the distribution. Our cash distributions in excess of a unitholder’s tax basis generally will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of our common units, taxable in accordance with the rules described under “— Disposition of Common Units.” Any reduction in a unitholder’s share of our liabilities for which no partner, including the general partner, bears the economic risk of loss, known as “nonrecourse liabilities,” will be treated as a distribution of cash to that unitholder. To the extent our distributions cause a unitholder’s “at risk” amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year, he must recapture any losses deducted in previous years. Please see “— Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”
 
A decrease in a unitholder’s percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional common units will decrease his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash. This deemed distribution may constitute a non-pro rata distribution. A non-pro rata distribution of money or property may result in ordinary income to a unitholder, regardless of his tax basis in his common units, if the distribution reduces the unitholder’s share of our “unrealized receivables,” including depreciation recapture and/or substantially appreciated “inventory items,” both as defined in the Internal Revenue Code, and collectively, “Section 751 Assets.” To that extent, he will be treated as having been distributed his proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and then having exchanged those assets with us in return for the non-pro rata portion of the distribution made to him. This latter deemed exchange will generally result in the unitholder’s realization of ordinary income, which will equal the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the unitholder’s tax basis (generally zero) for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.
 
Basis of Common Units.  A unitholder’s initial tax basis for his common units will be the amount he paid for our common units plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be increased by his share of our income and by any increases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions from us, by the unitholder’s share of our losses, by any decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities and by his share of our expenditures that are not deductible


27


Table of Contents

in computing taxable income and are not required to be capitalized. A unitholder will have no share of our debt that is recourse to our general partner, but will have a share, generally based on his share of profits, of our nonrecourse liabilities. Please see “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
 
Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.  The deduction by a unitholder of his share of our losses will be limited to the tax basis in his units and, in the case of an individual unitholder, estate, trust, or corporate unitholder (if more than 50% of the value of the corporate unitholder’s stock is owned directly or indirectly by or for five or fewer individuals) or some tax-exempt organizations, to the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be “at risk” with respect to our activities, if that is less than his tax basis. A common unitholder subject to these limitations must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause his at-risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward as suspended losses and will be allowable as a deduction to the extent that his at-risk amount is subsequently increased provided such losses do not exceed such common unitholder’s tax basis in his common units. Upon the taxable disposition of a unit, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at-risk limitation but may not be offset by losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at-risk limitation in excess of that gain would no longer be utilizable.
 
In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of the tax basis of his units, excluding any portion of that basis attributable to his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, reduced by (i) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or other similar arrangement and (ii) any amount of money he borrows to acquire or hold his units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to the unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholder’s at-risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax basis of the unitholder’s units increases or decreases, other than tax basis increases or decreases attributable to increases or decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities.
 
In addition to the basis and at-risk limitations on the deductibility of losses, the passive loss limitations generally provide that individuals, estates, trusts and some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations can deduct losses from passive activities, which are generally trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate, only to the extent of the taxpayer’s income from those passive activities. The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will only be available to offset our passive income generated in the future and will not be available to offset income from other passive activities or investments, including our investments or investments in other publicly traded partnerships, or salary or active business income. Passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a unitholder’s share of income we generate may be deducted in full when he disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss limitations are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at-risk rules and the basis limitation.
 
A unitholder’s share of our net income may be offset by any of our suspended passive losses, but it may not be offset by any other current or carryover losses from other passive activities, including those attributable to other publicly traded partnerships.
 
Limitations on Interest Deductions.  The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer’s “investment interest expense” is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayer’s “net investment income.” Investment interest expense includes:
 
  •  interest on indebtedness properly allocable to property held for investment;
 
  •  our interest expense attributed to portfolio income; and
 
  •  the portion of interest expense incurred to purchase or carry an interest in a passive activity to the extent attributable to portfolio income.
 
The computation of a unitholder’s investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a unit. Net investment income includes


28


Table of Contents

gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income, but generally does not include gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment or qualified dividend income. The IRS has indicated that the net passive income earned by a publicly traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its unitholders. In addition, the unitholder’s share of our portfolio income will be treated as investment income.
 
Entity-Level Collections.  If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, local or foreign income tax on behalf of any unitholder or our general partner or any former unitholder, we are authorized to pay those taxes from our funds. That payment, if made, will be treated as a distribution of cash to the partner on whose behalf the payment was made. If the payment is made on behalf of a person whose identity cannot be determined, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. We are authorized to amend our partnership agreement in the manner necessary to maintain uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics of units and to adjust later distributions, so that after giving effect to these distributions, the priority and characterization of distributions otherwise applicable under our partnership agreement is maintained as nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of an individual partner in which event the partner would be required to file a claim in order to obtain a credit or refund.
 
Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.  In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that incentive distributions are made to our general partner, gross income will be allocated to the general partner to the extent of these distributions. If we have a net loss, that loss will be allocated first to the general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts, second, to the holders of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, pro rata, to the extent of their positive capital accounts, and, finally, to the general partner.
 
Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated to account for the difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time of an offering, referred to in this discussion as “Contributed Property.” The effect of these allocations, referred to as Section 704(c) Allocations, to a unitholder purchasing common units from us in an offering will be essentially the same as if the tax basis of our assets were equal to their fair market value at the time of such offering. In the event we issue additional common units (including as a result of the conversion of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units into common units) or engage in certain other transactions in the future, “reverse Section 704(c) Allocations,” similar to the Section 704(c) Allocations described above, will be made to all holders of partnership interests immediately prior to such other transactions to account for the difference between the “book” basis for purposes of maintaining capital accounts and the fair market value of all property held by us at the time of such issuance or future transaction. In addition, items of recapture income will be allocated to the extent possible to the partner who was allocated the deduction giving rise to the treatment of that item as recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by some unitholders. Finally, although we do not expect that our operations will result in the creation of negative capital accounts, if negative capital accounts nevertheless result, items of our income and gain will be allocated in an amount and manner as is needed to eliminate the negative balance as quickly as possible.
 
In connection with the issuance of additional common units (including as a result of the conversion of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units into common units), we will adjust capital accounts to reflect the fair market value of our property. In doing so, we will allocate any unrealized and, for tax purposes, unrecognized gain or loss resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and our general partner in the same manner as we allocate gain or loss upon liquidation; provided, that for purposes of determining the amount of such unrealized gain or loss, we will reduce the fair market value of our property (to the extent of any unrealized income or gain in our property that has not previously been reflected in the capital accounts) to reflect the incremental share of such fair market value that would be attributable to the holders of our outstanding Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units if all of such Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units were converted into common units as of such date. Consequently, a holder of common units may be allocated


29


Table of Contents

less unrealized gain (or more unrealized loss) in connection with an adjustment of the capital accounts than such holder would have been allocated if there were no outstanding Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units. Following the conversion of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units into common units, items of gross income and gain (or gross loss and deduction) will be specially allocated to the holders of such common units to reflect differences between the capital accounts maintained with respect to such Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units and the capital accounts maintained with respect to common units. This method of maintaining capital accounts and allocating income, gain, loss and deduction with respect to the Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units is intended to comply with proposed Treasury Regulations under Section 704 of the Internal Revenue Code. However, the proposed Treasury Regulations are not legally binding until they are finalized. There can be no assurance that the proposed Treasury Regulations will ever be finalized, or that they will not be finalized in a substantially different form. Consequently, Mayer Brown LLP is unable to opine as to whether our method of allocating income and loss among our unitholders to take into account the conversion feature of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred will be given effect for federal income tax purposes. If our allocations are not respected, a unitholder could be allocated more taxable income (or less taxable loss).
 
An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required by the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the difference between a partner’s “book” capital account, credited with the fair market value of Contributed Property, and “tax” capital account, credited with the tax basis of Contributed Property, referred to in this discussion as the “Book-Tax Disparity,” will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has substantial economic effect. In any other case, a partner’s share of an item will be determined on the basis of his interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:
 
  •  his relative contributions to us;
 
  •  the interests of all the partners in profits and losses;
 
  •  the interest of all the partners in cash flow; and
 
  •  the rights of all the partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation.
 
Mayer Brown LLP is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described above with respect to allocations to take into account the conversion feature of our Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units, in “— Section 754 Election” and in “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees,” allocations under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction.
 
Treatment of Short Sales.  A unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of those units. If so, he would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period:
 
  •  any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those units would not be reportable by the unitholder;
 
  •  any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units would be fully taxable; and
 
  •  all of these distributions would appear to be ordinary income.
 
Mayer Brown LLP has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units; therefore, unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition from a loan to a short seller are urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing and loaning their units. The IRS has announced that it is actively studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please also read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”


30


Table of Contents

Alternative Minimum Tax.  Each unitholder will be required to take into account his distributive share of any items of our income, gain, loss or deduction for purposes of the alternative minimum tax. The current minimum tax rate for noncorporate taxpayers is 26% on the first $175,000 of alternative minimum taxable income in excess of the exemption amount and 28% on any additional alternative minimum taxable income. Prospective unitholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors as to the impact of an investment in units on their liability for the alternative minimum tax.
 
Tax Rates.  Under current law, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 35% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than 12 months) of individuals is 15%. However, absent new legislation extending the current rates beginning January 1, 2011, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains of individuals will increase to 39.6% and 20%, respectively. Moreover, these rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.
 
Section 754 Election.  We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. The election will generally permit us to adjust a common unit purchaser’s tax basis in our assets (“inside basis”) under Section 743(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to reflect his purchase price. This election does not apply to a person who purchases common units directly from us. The Section 743(b) adjustment belongs to the purchaser and not to other unitholders. For purposes of this discussion, a unitholder’s inside basis in our assets will be considered to have two components: (1) his share of our tax basis in our assets (“common basis”) and (2) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis.
 
Where the remedial allocation method is adopted (which we have generally adopted as to all of our properties), the Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code require a portion of the Section 743(b) adjustment that is attributable to recovery property subject to depreciation under Section 168 of the Internal Revenue Code whose book basis is in excess of its tax basis to be depreciated over the remaining cost recovery period for the property’s unamortized Book-Tax Disparity. Under Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to property subject to depreciation under Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code, rather than cost recovery deductions under Section 168, is generally required to be depreciated using either the straight-line method or the 150% declining balance method. If we elect a method other than the remedial method, the depreciation and amortization methods and useful lives associated with the Section 743(b) adjustment, therefore, may differ from the methods and useful lives generally used to depreciate the inside basis in such properties. Under our partnership agreement, the general partner is authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of units even if that position is not consistent with these and any other Treasury Regulations. If we elect a method other than the remedial method with respect to a goodwill property, the common basis of such property is not amortizable. Please see “— Uniformity of Units.”
 
Although Mayer Brown LLP is unable to opine as to the validity of this approach because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on this issue, we intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property’s unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as non-amortizable to the extent attributable to property which is not amortizable. This method is consistent with the methods employed by other publicly traded partnerships but is arguably inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets. To the extent this Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may take a depreciation or amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring units in the same month would receive depreciation or amortization, whether attributable to common basis or a Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in our assets. This kind of aggregate approach may result in lower annual depreciation or amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some


31


Table of Contents

unitholders. Please see “— Uniformity of Units.” A unitholder’s tax basis for his common units is reduced by his share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individual’s income tax return) so that any position we take that understates deductions will overstate the common unitholder’s basis in his common units, which may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please see “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.” The IRS may challenge our position with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we take to preserve the uniformity of the units. If such a challenge were sustained, the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
 
A Section 754 election is advantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is higher than the units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. In that case, as a result of the election, the transferee would have, among other items, a greater amount of depreciation and depletion deductions and his share of any gain or loss on a sale of our assets would be less. Conversely, a Section 754 election is disadvantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is lower than those units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. Thus, the fair market value of the units may be affected either favorably or unfavorably by the election. A basis adjustment is required regardless of whether a Section 754 election is made in the case of a transfer of an interest in us if we have a substantial built-in loss immediately after the transfer, or if we distribute property and have a substantial basis reduction. Generally a built-in loss or a basis reduction is substantial if it exceeds $250,000.
 
The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and will be made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. For example, the allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment among our assets must be made in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment allocated by us to our tangible assets to goodwill instead. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally nonamortizable or amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure you that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS and that the deductions resulting from them will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of units may be allocated more income than he would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.
 
Tax Treatment of Operations
 
Accounting Method and Taxable Year.  We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our taxable year ending within or with his taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of his units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of his taxable year must include his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for his taxable year, with the result that he will be required to include in income for his taxable year his share of more than one year of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please see “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”
 
Initial Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization.  The tax basis of our assets will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of these assets. The federal income tax burden associated with the difference between the fair market value of our assets and their tax basis immediately prior to an offering will be borne by our unitholders holding interests in us prior to any such offering. Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.”
 
To the extent allowable, we may elect to use the depreciation and cost recovery methods that will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets subject to these allowances are placed in service. Because our general partner may determine not to adopt the remedial method of allocation with respect to any difference between the tax basis and the fair market value of goodwill immediately prior to any


32


Table of Contents

future offering, we may not be entitled to any amortization deductions with respect to any goodwill conveyed to us on formation or held by us at the time of any future offering. Please see “— Uniformity of Units.” Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated using accelerated methods permitted by the Internal Revenue Code.
 
If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation previously deducted and the nature of the property, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of his interest in us. Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction” and “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
 
The costs we incur in selling our units (called “syndication expenses”) must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon our termination. There are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us. The underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses.
 
Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties.  The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values, and the initial tax bases, of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deductions previously reported by unitholders might change, and unitholders might be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.
 
Disposition of Common Units
 
Recognition of Gain or Loss.  Gain or loss will be recognized on a sale of units equal to the difference between the amount realized and the unitholder’s tax basis for the units sold. A unitholder’s amount realized will be measured by the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property received by him plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.
 
Prior distributions from us in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a common unit that decreased a unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit will, in effect, become taxable income if the common unit is sold at a price greater than the unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit, even if the price received is less than his original cost.
 
Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder, other than a “dealer” in units, on the sale or exchange of a unit will generally be taxable as capital gain or loss. Capital gain recognized by an individual on the sale of units held for more than twelve months will generally be taxed at a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 15% through December 31, 2010 and 20% thereafter (absent new legislation extending or adjusting the current rate). However, a portion of this gain or loss, which will likely be substantial, will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code to the extent attributable to assets giving rise to depreciation recapture or other “unrealized receivables” or to “inventory items” we own. The term “unrealized receivables” includes potential recapture items, including depreciation recapture. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables, inventory items and depreciation recapture may exceed net taxable gain realized upon the sale of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and a capital loss upon a sale of units. Net capital losses may offset capital gains and no more than


33


Table of Contents

$3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gains in the case of corporations.
 
The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an “equitable apportionment” method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner’s tax basis in his entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner’s entire interest in the partnership. Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Internal Revenue Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify common units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the common units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling discussed above, a common unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis common units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, he may designate specific common units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of common units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of common units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional units or a sale of common units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult his tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.
 
Specific provisions of the Internal Revenue Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an “appreciated” partnership interest, one in which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, if the taxpayer or related persons enter(s) into:
 
  •  a short sale;
 
  •  an offsetting notional principal contract; or
 
  •  a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest or substantially identical property.
 
Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is also authorized to issue regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.
 
Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.  In general, our taxable income and losses will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month, which we refer to in this prospectus as the “Allocation Date.” However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets other than in the ordinary course of business will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which that gain or loss is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.
 
Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Internal Revenue Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, however, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders, although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. Existing publicly traded partnerships are entitled to rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations; however, they are not binding on the IRS and are subject to change until final Treasury Regulations are issued. Accordingly, Mayer Brown LLP is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferor and transferee unitholders. If this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the


34


Table of Contents

unitholder’s interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferor and transferee unitholders, as well as unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under future Treasury Regulations.
 
A unitholder who owns units at any time during a quarter and who disposes of them prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deductions attributable to that quarter but will not be entitled to receive that cash distribution.
 
Notification Requirements.  A unitholder who sells any of his units is generally required to notify us in writing of that sale within 30 days after the sale (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the sale). A purchaser of units who purchases units from another unitholder is also generally required to notify us in writing of that purchase within 30 days after the purchase. Upon receiving such notifications, we are required to notify the IRS of that transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a purchase may, in some cases, lead to the imposition of penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale or exchange through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.
 
Constructive Termination.  We will be considered to have been terminated for tax purposes if there are sales or exchanges which, in the aggregate, constitute 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of measuring whether the 50% threshold is reached, multiple sales of the same interest are counted only once. A constructive termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 will result in us filing two tax returns (and common unitholders receiving two Schedules K-1) for one fiscal year and the cost of the preparation of these returns will be borne by all common unitholders. We would be required to make new tax elections after a termination, including a new election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code, and a termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination might either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination. The IRS has announced recently that it plans to issue guidance regarding the treatment of constructive terminations of publicly traded partnerships such as us. Any such guidance may change the application of the rules discussed above and may affect the tax treatment of a unitholder.
 
Uniformity of Units
 
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the units to a purchaser of these units. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements, both statutory and regulatory. A lack of uniformity can result from a literal application of Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6). Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the units. Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election.”
 
We intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property’s unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as nonamortizable, to the extent attributable to property the common basis of which is not amortizable, consistent with the regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code, even though that position may be inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets, and Treasury Regulation Section 1.197-2(g)(3). Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election.” To the extent that the Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury


35


Table of Contents

Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may adopt a depreciation and amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring units in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, whether attributable to a common basis or Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable methods and lives as if they had purchased a direct interest in our property. If this position is adopted, it may result in lower annual depreciation and amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders and risk the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions not taken in the year that these deductions are otherwise allowable. This position will not be adopted if we determine that the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions will have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. If we choose not to utilize this aggregate method, we may use any other reasonable depreciation and amortization method to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any units that would not have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. The IRS may challenge any method of depreciating the Section 743(b) adjustment described in this paragraph. If this challenge were sustained, the uniformity of units might be affected, and the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions. Please see “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
 
Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
 
Ownership of units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, non-resident aliens, foreign corporations and other non-U.S. persons raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a non-U.S. person, you should consult your tax advisor before investing in our common units.
 
Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income allocated to a unitholder that is a tax-exempt organization will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to it.
 
Non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts or estates that own units will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of the ownership of units. As a consequence, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax at regular rates on their share of our net income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, we will withhold at the highest applicable effective tax rate from cash distributions made quarterly to non-U.S. unitholders. Each non-U.S. unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes. A change in applicable law may require us to change these procedures.
 
In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns units will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the United States branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation’s “U.S. net equity,” which are effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is a “qualified resident.” In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Internal Revenue Code.
 
A foreign unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a common unit will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the foreign unitholder. Under a ruling published by the IRS, interpreting the scope of “effectively connected income,” a foreign unitholder would be considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the U.S. by virtue of the U.S. activities of the partnership, and part or all of that unitholder’s gain would be effectively connected with that unitholder’s indirect U.S. trade or business. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a foreign common unitholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a common unit if (i) he owned (directly


36


Table of Contents

or constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our common units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of all of our assets consisted of U.S. real property interests at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the common units or the 5-year period ending on the date of disposition. Currently, more than 50% of our assets consist of U.S. real property interests and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future. Therefore, foreign unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their units.
 
Administrative Matters
 
Information Returns and Audit Procedures.  We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each calendar year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each unitholder’s share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure you that those positions will in all cases yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS. Neither we nor Mayer Brown LLP can assure prospective unitholders that the IRS will not successfully contend in court that those positions are impermissible. Any challenge by the IRS could negatively affect the value of the units.
 
The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year’s tax liability, and possibly may result in an audit of his return. Any audit of a unitholder’s return could result in adjustments not related to our returns as well as those related to our returns.
 
Partnerships generally are treated as separate entities for purposes of federal tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings with the partners. The Internal Revenue Code requires that one partner be designated as the “Tax Matters Partner” for these purposes. Our partnership agreement names our general partner as our Tax Matters Partner.
 
The Tax Matters Partner has made and will make some elections on our behalf and on behalf of unitholders. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review will go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate.
 
A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on his federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.
 
Nominee Reporting.  Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:
 
  •  the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;
 
  •  whether the beneficial owner is:
 
  •  a person that is not a United States person;


37


Table of Contents

 
  •  a foreign government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or
 
  •  a tax-exempt entity;
 
  •  the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and
 
  •  specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales.
 
Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are United States persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $50 per failure, up to a maximum of $100,000 per calendar year, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the units with the information furnished to us.
 
Accuracy-Related Penalties.  An additional tax equal to 20% of the amount of any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding that portion.
 
For individuals, a substantial understatement of income tax in any taxable year exists if the amount of the understatement exceeds the greater of 10% of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year or $5,000 ($10,000 for most corporations). The amount of any understatement subject to penalty generally is reduced if any portion is attributable to a position adopted on the return:
 
  •  for which there is, or was, “substantial authority”; or
 
  •  as to which there is a reasonable basis and the pertinent facts of that position are disclosed on the return.
 
If any item of income, gain, loss or deduction included in the distributive shares of unitholders might result in that kind of an “understatement” of income for which no “substantial authority” exists, we must disclose the pertinent facts on our return. In addition, we will make a reasonable effort to furnish sufficient information for unitholders to make adequate disclosure on their returns and to take other actions as may be appropriate to permit unitholders to avoid liability for this penalty. More stringent rules apply to “tax shelters,” which we do not believe includes us or any of our investments, plans or arrangements.
 
A substantial valuation misstatement exists if (a) the value of any property, or the adjusted basis of any property, claimed on a tax return is 150% or more of the amount determined to be the correct amount of the valuation or adjusted basis. (b) the price for any property or services (or for the use of property) claimed on any such return with respect to any transaction between persons described in Internal Revenue Code Section 482 is 200% or more (or 50% or less) of the amount determined under Section 482 to be the correct amount of such price, or (c) the net Internal Revenue Code Section 482 transfer price adjustment for the taxable year exceeds the lesser of $5 million or 10% of the taxpayer’s gross receipts. No penalty is imposed unless the portion of the underpayment attributable to a substantial valuation misstatement exceeds $5,000 ($10,000 for most corporations). If the valuation claimed on a return is 200% or more than the correct valuation, the penalty imposed increases to 40%. We do not anticipate making any valuation misstatements.
 
Reportable Transactions.  If we were to engage in a “reportable transaction,” we (and possibly you and others) would be required to make a detailed disclosure of the transaction to the IRS. A transaction may be a reportable transaction based upon any of several factors, including the fact that it is a type of tax avoidance transaction publicly identified by the IRS as a “listed transaction” or that it produces certain kinds of losses for partnerships, individuals, S corporations, and trusts in excess of $2 million in any single year, or $4 million in any combination of 6 successive tax years. Our participation in a reportable transaction could increase the


38


Table of Contents

likelihood that our federal income tax information return (and possibly your tax return) would be audited by the IRS. Please see “— Information Returns and Audit Procedures.”
 
Moreover, if we were to participate in a reportable transaction with a significant purpose to avoid or evade tax, or in any listed transaction, you may be subject to the following:
 
  •  accuracy-related penalties with a broader scope, significantly narrower exceptions, and potentially greater amounts than described above at “— Accuracy-Related Penalties”;
 
  •  for those persons otherwise entitled to deduct interest on federal tax deficiencies, nondeductibility of interest on any resulting tax liability; and
 
  •  in the case of a listed transaction, an extended statute of limitations.
 
We do not expect to engage in any “reportable transactions.”
 
State, Local, Foreign and Other Tax Consequences
 
In addition to federal income taxes, you likely will be subject to other taxes, such as state, local and foreign income taxes, unincorporated business taxes and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property or in which you are a resident. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on his investment in us. We currently own property or do business in Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, West Virginia and Colorado, and, except for Texas, each imposes a personal income tax on individuals as well as an income tax on corporations and other entities. Texas imposes a margin tax (which is based in part on net income) on corporations, limited partnerships and limited liability companies. We may also own property or do business in other jurisdictions in the future. Although you may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some jurisdictions because your income from that jurisdiction falls below the filing and payment requirement, you will be required to file income tax returns and to pay income taxes in many of these jurisdictions in which we do business or own property and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. In some jurisdictions, tax losses may not produce a tax benefit in the year incurred and may not be available to offset income in subsequent taxable years. Some of the jurisdictions may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the jurisdiction. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder’s income tax liability to the jurisdiction, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Amounts withheld will be treated as if distributed to unitholders for purposes of determining the amounts distributed by us. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Entity-Level Collections.” Based on current law and our estimate of our future operations, the general partner anticipates that any amounts required to be withheld will not be material.
 
It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of his investment in us. Accordingly, each prospective unitholder is urged to consult, and depend upon, his tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local and foreign, as well as United States federal tax returns, that may be required of him. Mayer Brown LLP has not rendered an opinion on the state, local or foreign tax consequences of an investment in us.
 
INVESTMENT IN REGENCY ENERGY PARTNERS LP BY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 
An investment in us by an employee benefit plan is subject to additional considerations because the investments of these plans are subject to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA and the prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. For these purposes the term “employee benefit plan” includes, but is not limited to, qualified pension, profit-sharing, and stock bonus plans, certain Keogh plans, certain simplified employee pension plans, and tax deferred annuities or IRAs established or maintained by an employer or employee organization. Among other things, consideration should be given to:
 
  •  whether the investment is prudent under Section 404(a)(1)(B) of ERISA;


39


Table of Contents

 
  •  whether in making the investment, that plan will satisfy the diversification requirements of Section 404(a)(1)(C) of ERISA;
 
  •  whether the investment is permitted under the terms of the applicable documents governing the plan;
 
  •  whether the investment will constitute a “prohibited transaction” under Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code (see below);
 
  •  whether in making the investment, that plan will be considered to hold as plan assets (1) only the investment in our partnership units or (2) an undivided interest in our underlying assets (see below); and
 
  •  whether the investment will result in recognition of unrelated business taxable income by the plan and, if so, the potential after-tax investment return. Please see “Material Income Tax Consequences — Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors.”
 
The person with investment discretion with respect to the assets of an employee benefit plan, often called a fiduciary, should determine whether an investment in us is authorized by the appropriate governing instrument and is a proper investment for the plan.
 
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code prohibit employee benefit plans, and also IRAs and certain other types of accounts that are not considered part of an ERISA employee benefit plan, from engaging in specified “prohibited transactions” involving “plan assets” with parties that are “parties in interest” under ERISA or “disqualified persons” under the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the plan.
 
In addition to considering whether the purchase of common units is a prohibited transaction, a fiduciary of an employee benefit plan should consider whether the plan will, by investing in us, be deemed to own an undivided interest in our assets, with the result that our general partner would become an ERISA fiduciary of the investing plan and that our operations would be subject to the regulatory restrictions of ERISA, including its prohibited transaction rules, as well as the prohibited transaction rules of the Internal Revenue Code.
 
The Department of Labor regulations provide guidance with respect to whether the assets of an entity in which employee benefit plans acquire equity interests would be deemed “plan assets” under some circumstances. Under these regulations, an entity’s assets generally would not be considered to be “plan assets” if, among other things:
 
(a) the equity interests acquired by employee benefit plans are publicly offered securities — i.e., the equity interests are part of a class of securities that is widely held by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and each other, are “freely transferable” (as defined in the Department of Labor regulations), and are either registered under certain provisions of the federal securities laws or sold to the plan as part of a public offering under certain conditions;
 
(b) the entity is an “operating company,” — i.e., it is primarily engaged in the production or sale of a product or service other than the investment of capital either directly or through a majority-owned subsidiary or subsidiaries; or
 
(c) there is no significant investment by benefit plan investors, which is defined to mean that immediately after the most recent acquisition by a plan of any equity interest in the entity, less than 25% of the value of each class of equity interest (disregarding interests held by our general partner, its affiliates, and some other persons) is held by the employee benefit plans referred to above, IRAs and certain other plans and accounts not subject to ERISA (including governmental plans), and entities whose underlying assets include plan assets by reason of a plan’s investment in the entity.
 
Our assets should not be considered “plan assets” under these regulations because it is expected that any investment in us by an employee benefit plan will satisfy the requirements in (a) above.
 
Plan fiduciaries contemplating a purchase of our common units should consult with their own counsel regarding the consequences under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code in light of the serious penalties imposed on persons who engage in prohibited transactions or other ERISA violations.


40


Table of Contents

 
LEGAL MATTERS
 
The validity of the securities offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Mayer Brown LLP, Houston, Texas. Mayer Brown LLP will also render an opinion on the material federal income tax consequences regarding the securities. If certain legal matters in connection with an offering of the securities made by this prospectus and a related prospectus supplement are passed on by counsel for the underwriters of such offering, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement related to that offering.
 
EXPERTS
 
The consolidated financial statements of Regency Energy Partners LP as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and for each of the years then ended, management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, and the consolidated balance sheet of Regency GP LP and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2008 have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. KPMG’s reports covering the December 31, 2008 consolidated financial statements of Regency Energy Partners LP refer to the effects of the adjustments to retrospectively apply the changes in accounting discussed in Note 2 and to retrospectively restate the disclosures for a change in the composition of reportable segments discussed in Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements. KPMG also audited the adjustments to the 2006 consolidated financial statements to retrospectively apply the changes in accounting discussed in Note 2 and to retrospectively restate the disclosures for a change in the composition of reportable segments discussed in Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements. KPMG was not engaged to audit, review, or apply any procedures to the 2006 consolidated financial statements of Regency Energy Partners LP other than with respect to such adjustments.
 
The audit report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, contains an explanatory paragraph that states Regency Energy Partners LP acquired CDM Resource Management, Ltd. (CDM) during 2008, and management excluded from its assessment of the effectiveness of Regency Energy Partners LP’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, CDM’s internal control over financial reporting associated with total assets of $881,552,000 and total revenues of $132,549,000 included in the consolidated financial statements of Regency Energy Partners LP and subsidiaries as of and for the year ended December 31, 2008. KPMG’s audit of internal control over financial reporting of Regency Energy Partners LP also excluded an evaluation of the internal control over financial reporting of CDM.
 
The consolidated financial statements of operations, member interest and partners’ capital, comprehensive income and cash flows of Regency Energy Partners LP for the year ended December 31, 2006 before (1) the effects of the adjustments to retrospectively apply the changes in accounting discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements and (2) the effects of the retrospective adjustments to the disclosures for a change in the composition of reportable segments discussed in Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements are not included in Regency Energy Partners LP’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 14, 2009, which is incorporated in this Prospectus by reference, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes explanatory paragraphs (a) regarding Regency Energy Partners LP’s accounting for its acquisition of TexStar as an acquisition of entities under common control in a manner similar to a pooling of interests and (b) regarding that Deloitte & Touche LLP was not engaged to audit, review or apply any procedures to (1) the adjustments to retrospectively apply the changes in accounting discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements or (2) the retrospective adjustments to the disclosures for a change in the composition of reportable segments discussed in Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements and, accordingly, Deloitte & Touche LLP does not express an opinion or any other form of assurance about whether such retrospective adjustments are appropriate and have been properly applied as those retrospective adjustments were audited by other auditors), which is incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.


41


Table of Contents

 
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
 
We have filed a registration statement with the SEC under the Securities Act that registers the securities offered by this prospectus. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us. The rules and regulations of the SEC allow us to omit some information included in the registration statement from this prospectus.
 
In addition, we file annual, quarterly and other reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-732-0330 for further information on the operation of the SEC’s public reference room. Our SEC filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. We also make available free of charge on our website, at http://www.regencyenergy.com, all materials that we file electronically with the SEC, including our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, Section 16 reports and any amendments to these reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such materials are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.
 
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we have filed with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to other documents filed separately with the SEC. These other documents contain important information about us, our financial condition and results of operations. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and may replace information in this prospectus and information previously filed with the SEC.
 
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), excluding any information in those documents that is deemed by the rules of the SEC to be furnished not filed, until the termination of the registration statement:
 
  •  Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, filed on March 2, 2009 (excluding Items 6, 7 and 8, which have been superseded by the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed on May 14, 2009);
 
  •  Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2009, June 30, 2009 and September 30, 2009, filed on May 11, 2009, August 10, 2009 and November 9, 2009, respectively;
 
  •  Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q/A for the quarter ended March 31, 2009, filed on May 11, 2009 and May 14, 2009, respectively;
 
  •  Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 28, 2009, February 2, 2009, February 10, 2009, February 27, 2009, March 2, 2009, March 3, 2009, March 18, 2009, March 25, 2009, March 31, 2009, April 1, 2009, April 28, 2009, May 11, 2009, May 12, 2009, May 14, 2009 (four reports), May 18, 2009, June 3, 2009, July 28, 2009 (two reports), August 10, 2009, September 4, 2009, September 8, 2009, September 11, 2009, September 14, 2009, September 16, 2009, September 24, 2009, September 30, 2009, October 28, 2009, November 9, 2009, November 19, 2009 and December 1, 2009; and
 
  •  the description of our common units contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A filed on January 24, 2006, and including any other amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.
 
You may obtain any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the SEC through the SEC’s website at the address provided above. You also may request a copy of any document incorporated


42


Table of Contents

by reference in this prospectus (including exhibits to those documents specifically incorporated by reference in this document), at no cost, by writing or calling us at the following address:
 
Regency Energy Partners LP
Investor Relations
2001 Bryan Street, Suite 3700
Dallas, Texas 75201
(214) 750-1771


43


Table of Contents

REGENCY LOGO
 
 
Joint Book-Running Managers
 
Morgan Stanley  
  BofA Merrill Lynch  
  Barclays Capital  
      Citi  
  Credit Suisse  
  J.P. Morgan  
  UBS Investment Bank  
  Wells Fargo Securities
 
 
 
 
Co-Managers
 
             
Deutsche Bank Securities
  Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.   RBC Capital Markets   Stifel Nicolaus Weisel
 
Baird