Financial Report - Veresen Inc.
Financial Report - Veresen Inc.
Financial Report - Veresen Inc.
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Alliance Pipeline<br />
Alliance has firm-service transportation service contracts with primary terms extending to December 1, 2015 with a group of<br />
27 shippers. Alliance U.S. has one additional shipper with a firm-transportation contract that extends to February 2020. Under<br />
the transportation service contracts, each shipper is obligated to pay monthly demand charges based on their contracted firm<br />
volume, regardless of volumes actually transported. These transportation contracts provide toll revenues sufficient to recover the<br />
costs of providing transportation service to shippers, including depreciation, debt financing costs and an allowed return on equity.<br />
Operational Highlights<br />
Transportation deliveries for the three and 12 months ended December 31, 2012 averaged 1.561 bcf/d and 1.553 bcf/d, respectively,<br />
compared to 1.562 bcf/d and 1.564 bcf/d for the same periods last year. The Authorized Overrun Service volumes shipped on<br />
the Alliance pipeline were lower for the three and 12-month periods in 2012 due to routine maintenance work. AOS levels were<br />
further impacted by Alliance’s fall system outage, discussed below. The lower AOS volumes did not impact firm transportation<br />
service or earnings.<br />
Fall System Outage<br />
On October 1, 2012, the Alliance system had a planned shut down to accommodate the relocation of a short section of the mainline in<br />
northwestern Alberta. This action was taken in response to a safety-related National Energy Board order, driven by recent commercial<br />
development close to the pipeline.<br />
The duration of the outage was approximately four days while the new segment of pipeline was successfully connected, tested and put<br />
into operation. Firm service on the pipeline was impacted during this period and AOS was impacted in the days leading up to and after<br />
the outage. Alliance expects to recover through its 2013 tolls all costs associated with the NEB order. Total project costs included in the<br />
2013 tolls were forecasted at $7.5 million (100% – $15.0 million).<br />
Tioga Lateral Pipeline<br />
In 2011, Alliance filed project plans with the FERC to construct a new lateral pipeline, the Tioga Lateral, to transport liquids-rich natural<br />
gas. The 127-km (79-mile) lateral pipeline, underpinned with a long-term shipper contract, will connect new natural gas supply from<br />
the Bakken region of North Dakota to the Alliance system, for onward shipment to the Chicago market hub. The lateral has an initial<br />
design capacity of 126 mmcf/d and can be expanded based on shipper demand. This new infrastructure will enable producers to<br />
economically move natural gas and natural gas liquids produced in association with oil production to market.<br />
The FERC approved construction of the Tioga Lateral on September 20, 2012. Construction of the Tioga Lateral is progressing on plan<br />
and commercial in-service is expected in the third quarter of 2013.<br />
Appointment of President and Chief Executive Officer<br />
Mr. Terrance Kutryk was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Alliance effective October 1, 2012, replacing Mr. Murray<br />
Birch who retired on July 31, 2012.<br />
<strong>Financial</strong> Highlights<br />
Equity income for the three months ended December 31, 2012 was $20.4 million, down marginally from $21.7 million for the same<br />
period last year.<br />
Equity income for the year ended December 31, 2012 was $82.2 million compared to $87.0 million for the prior year. The decrease<br />
results from lower returns as a result of a declining investment base and lower income tax recoveries.<br />
Opportunities and Developments<br />
Alliance’s key business objective for the period post-2015 is to transition to a multi-service business model, providing shippers with<br />
competitively priced infrastructure and energy transportation services to deliver natural gas to major markets in North America.<br />
Alliance is in close proximity to significant natural gas production areas in northeastern British Columbia and northwestern Alberta.<br />
In this region, approximately 5.5 bcf/d of natural gas production is within a 40-km distance to the pipeline system. The Alliance<br />
system is also ideally positioned relative to unconventional liquids-rich shale developments in the Montney and Bakken regions.<br />
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