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Summary of Principal Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies
Summary of Principal Accounting Policies

Revenue Recognition – As a result of the adoption of the new revenue recognition standard, as described further in Note 3, the Partnership has updated its policies as it relates to revenue recognition. Revenue is measured based on consideration specified in a contract with a customer. The Partnership recognizes revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control over a product or providing services to a customer.

The Partnership enters into a variety of contract types in order to generate “Product sales” and “Service revenue.” The Partnership provides services under the following different types of arrangements:
    
Fee-based arrangements – Under fee-based arrangements, the Partnership receives a fee or fees for one or more of the following services: gathering, processing and transportation of natural gas; gathering, transportation, fractionation, exchange and storage of NGLs; and transportation, storage and distribution of crude oil, refined products and other hydrocarbon-based products. The revenue the Partnership earns from these arrangements is generally directly related to the volume of natural gas, NGL refined products or crude oil that is handled by or flows through the Partnership’s systems and facilities and is not normally directly dependent on commodity prices. In certain cases, the Partnership’s arrangements provide for minimum annual payments or fixed demand charges.
Fee-based arrangements are reported as “Service revenue” on the Consolidated Statements of Income. Revenue is recognized over time as services are performed in a series. In certain instances when specifically stated in the contract terms, the Partnership purchases product after fee-based services have been provided. Revenue from the sale of products purchased after services are provided is reported as “Product sales” on the Consolidated Statements of Income and recognized on a gross basis as the Partnership takes control of the product and is the principal in the transaction.
Percent-of-proceeds arrangements – Under percent-of-proceeds arrangements, the Partnership: gathers and processes natural gas on behalf of producers; sells the resulting residue gas, condensate and NGLs at market prices; and remits to producers an agreed-upon percentage of the proceeds. In other cases, instead of remitting cash payments to the producer, the Partnership delivers an agreed-upon percentage of the residue gas and NGLs to the producer (take-in-kind arrangements) and sells the volumes the Partnership retains to third parties. Revenue is recognized on a net basis when the Partnership acts as an agent and does not have control of the gross amount of gas and/or NGLs prior to it being sold. Percent-of-proceeds revenue is reported as “Service revenue - product related” on the Consolidated Statements of Income.
Keep-whole arrangements – Under keep-whole arrangements, the Partnership gathers natural gas from the producer, processes the natural gas and sells the resulting condensate and NGLs to third parties at market prices. Because the extraction of the condensate and NGLs from the natural gas during processing reduces the Btu content of the natural gas, the Partnership must either purchase natural gas at market prices for return to producers or make cash payment to the producers equal to the value of the energy content of this natural gas. Certain keep-whole arrangements also have provisions that require the Partnership to share a percentage of the keep-whole profits with the producers based on the oil to gas ratio or the NGL to gas ratio. “Service revenue - product related” is recorded based on the value of the NGLs received on the date the services are performed. Natural gas purchased to return to the producer and shared NGL profits are recorded as a reduction of “Service revenue - product related” in the Consolidated Statements of Income on the date the services are performed. Sales of NGLs under these arrangements are reported as “Product sales” on the Consolidated Statements of Income and are reported on a gross basis as the Partnership is the principal in the arrangement and controls the product prior to sale. The sale of the NGLs may occur shortly after services are performed at the tailgate of the plant, or after a period of time as determined by the Partnership.    
Purchase arrangements – Under purchase arrangements, the Partnership purchases natural gas at either the wellhead or the tailgate of a plant. The Partnership then gathers and delivers the natural gas to pipelines where the Partnership may resell the natural gas. Wellhead purchase arrangements represent an arrangement with a supplier and are recorded in “Purchased product costs”. Often, the Partnership earns fees for services performed prior to taking control of the product in these arrangements and “Service revenue” is recorded for these fees. Revenue generated from the sale of product obtained in tailgate purchase arrangements are reported as “Product sales” on the Consolidated Statements of Income and are recognized on a gross basis as the Partnership purchases and takes control of the product prior to sale and is the principal in the transaction.

In many cases, the Partnership provides services under contracts that contain a combination of more than one of the arrangements described above. When fees are charged (in addition to product received) under percent-of-proceeds arrangements, keep-whole arrangements or purchase arrangements, the Partnership records such fees as “Service revenue” on the Consolidated Statements of Income. The terms of the Partnership’s contracts vary based on gas quality conditions, the competitive environment when the contracts are signed and customer requirements. Performance obligations are determined based on the specific terms of the arrangements, economics of the geographical regions and based on the services offered and whether they are deemed distinct. The Partnership allocates the consideration earned between the performance obligations based on the stand-alone selling price when multiple performance obligations are identified.

The Partnership’s service arrangements will generally be recognized over time when the performance obligation is satisfied as services are provided in a series. The Partnership has elected to use the output measure of progress to recognize revenue based on the units delivered, processed or transported. The transaction price has fixed components related to minimum volume commitments and variable components which are primarily dependent on volumes. Variable consideration will generally not be estimated at contract inception as the transaction price is specifically allocable to the services provided each period end. In instances in which tiered pricing structures do not reflect our efforts to perform, the Partnership will estimate variable consideration at contract inception. “Product sales” will be recognized at a point in time when control of the product transfers to the customer.

Minimum volume commitments may create contract liabilities or deferred credits if current period payments can be used for future services. Breakage is estimated and recognized into service revenue in instances where it is probable the customer will not use the credit in future periods. No breakage was recognized in the current period.

Amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling, electricity, and other costs to perform services are included in “Service revenue” on the Consolidated Statements of Income. Shipping and handling costs associated with product sales are included in “Purchased product costs” on the Consolidated Statements of Income. Facility expenses, costs of revenues and depreciation represent those expenses related to operating our various facilities and are necessary to provide both “Product sales” and “Service revenue.”

Customers usually pay monthly based on the products purchased or services performed that month. Taxes collected from customers and remitted to the appropriate taxing authority are excluded from revenue.

Based on the terms of certain natural gas gathering, transportation and processing agreements, the Partnership is considered to be the lessor under several implicit operating lease arrangements in accordance with GAAP. Revenue and costs related to the portion of the revenue earned under these contracts considered to be implicit leases are recorded as “Rental income” and “Rental cost of sales,” respectively, on the Consolidated Statements of Income. The allocation method used to allocate income between lease and non-lease components was updated as a result of ASC 606. Similarly, the Partnership is considered to be the lessor under implicit operating lease arrangements with MPC in accordance with GAAP. Revenue related to these agreements are recorded as “Rental income - related parties” on the Consolidated Statements of Income. “Rental income” and “Rental income - related parties” is not deemed to be revenue from contracts with customers.

The Partnership routinely makes accruals based on estimates for both revenue and expenses due to the timing of compiling billing information, receiving certain third-party information and reconciling the Partnership’s records with those of third parties. The delayed information from third parties includes among other things; actual volumes purchased, transported or sold; adjustments to inventory and invoices for purchases; actual natural gas and NGL deliveries and other operating expenses. The Partnership makes accruals to reflect estimates for these items based on its internal records and information from third parties. Estimated accruals are adjusted when actual information is received from third parties and the Partnership’s internal records have been reconciled.