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Commitments and Contingencies
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
11. Commitments and Contingencies

a) The Partnership consolidates certain variable interest entities (or VIEs) within its consolidated financial statements. In general, a VIE is a corporation, partnership, limited-liability company, trust or any other legal structure used to conduct activities or hold assets that either (1) has an insufficient amount of equity to carry out its principal activities without additional subordinated financial support, (2) has a group of equity owners that are unable to make significant decisions about its activities, or (3) has a group of equity owners that do not have the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive returns generated by its operations. A party that is a variable interest holder is required to consolidate a VIE if the holder has both (a) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and (b) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

In July 2008, subsidiaries of Teekay Corporation (or the Skaugen Multigas Subsidiaries) signed contracts for the purchase of two multigas carriers from I.M. Skaugen ASA (or Skaugen). The Partnership agreed to acquire the Skaugen Multigas Subsidiaries from Teekay Corporation upon delivery of the vessels. Each vessel commenced service under 15-year, fixed-rate charters to Skaugen upon delivery. Subsequent to July 2008 and prior to the delivery of the vessels in June and October 2011, the Partnership consolidated the Skaugen Multigas Subsidiaries as they were VIEs and the Partnership was the primary beneficiary during this period. The Partnership acquired 100% of the shares of the two Skaugen Multigas Subsidiaries on June 15, 2011 and October 17, 2011, respectively, for a purchase price of $55.3 million and $59.2 million, respectively.

b) As described in Note 5, the Teekay Nakilat Joint Venture is the lessee under 30-year capital lease arrangements with a third party for the three RasGas II LNG Carriers (or RasGas II Leases). The UK taxing authority (or HMRC) has been urging the lessor as well as other lessors under capital lease arrangements that have tax benefits similar to the ones provided by the RasGas II Leases, to terminate such finance lease arrangements and has in other circumstances challenged the use of similar structures. As a result, the lessor has requested that the Teekay Nakilat Joint Venture enter into negotiations to terminate the RasGas II Leases. The Teekay Nakilat Joint Venture has declined this request as it does not believe that HRMC would be able to successfully challenge the availability of the tax benefits of these leases to the lessor. This assessment is partially based on a January 2012 court decision, regarding a similar financial lease of an LNG carrier, that ruled in favor of the taxpayer. However, the HMRC is appealing that decision. If the HMRC were able to successfully challenge the RasGas II Leases, the Teekay Nakilat Joint Venture could be subject to significant costs associated with the termination of the lease or increased lease payments to compensate the lessor for the lost tax benefits. The Partnership estimates its 70% share of the potential exposure to be approximately $46 million.