v3.20.4
Commitments
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments
(8) Commitments

Supply Commitments

The minimum required payments for unconditional purchase obligations, including the natural gas purchases outlined below, are as follows:
(in thousands)
Unconditional
Purchase 
Obligations
Year Ending December 31,
2021$36,132 
202211,207 
20239,540 
20245,006 
20255,006 
Thereafter33,244 
$100,135 

Supply Commitments - The Partnership is a party to various supply agreements with both related and third parties which commit the Partnership to purchase minimum volumes of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, pet coke, and natural gas to run its plants’ operations.

The Partnership is also party to a natural gas supply agreement with various third-parties. Natural gas expense for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018 totaled approximately $32.4 million, $33.1 million, and $42.4 million, respectively, and is included in Cost of materials and other and Direct operating expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization).

The Partnership entered into the Coffeyville Master Service Agreement (“Coffeyville MSA”) with Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing, LLC, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of CVR Energy (“CRRM”), pursuant to which, it agrees to pay a monthly fee for pet coke purchases. The Partnership’s Coffeyville Facility obtains a significant amount (60% on average during last five years, 33% in 2020) of the pet coke it needs from the Coffeyville MSA. Any remaining pet coke needs are required to be purchased from various third parties. The price paid pursuant to the Coffeyville MSA is based on the lesser of a pet coke price derived from the price received for UAN (the “UAN-based Price”) or a pet coke price index. The UAN-based Price begins with a pet coke price of $25 per ton based on a price per ton for UAN that excludes transportation cost (“netback price”) of $205 per ton, and adjusts up or down $0.50 per ton for every $1.00 change in the netback price. The UAN-based price has a ceiling of $40 per ton and a floor of $5 per ton. See Note 9 (“Related Party Transactions”) for further discussion of the Coffeyville MSA.

Pursuant to the Coffeyville MSA, the Partnership agreed, with respect to the Coffeyville Facility, to pay CRRM for hydrogen purchases. The committed hydrogen volume pricing is based on a monthly fixed fee (based on the fixed and capital charges associated with producing the committed volume) and a monthly variable fee (based on the natural gas price associated with hydrogen actually received). In the event the Coffeyville Facility fails to take delivery of the full committed volume in a month, the Partnership remains obligated to pay CRRM for the monthly fixed fee and the monthly variable fee based upon the actual hydrogen volume received, if any. In the event CRRM fails to deliver any portion of the committed volume for the applicable month for any reason other than planned repairs and maintenance, the Partnership will be entitled to a pro-rata reduction of the monthly fixed fee. See Note 9 (“Related Party Transactions”) for further discussion.

The Partnership, with respect to the Coffeyville Facility, is also party to the Messer Agreement, pursuant to which, it is required to take as available and pay for the supply of oxygen and nitrogen to the plant. This agreement was renewed and commenced in July 2020 for an initial term of 15 years with annual renewals thereafter. Expenses associated with this agreement are included in Direct operating expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization), and, for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018, totaled approximately $4.2 million, $4.2 million, and $3.8 million, respectively.

In addition to the related party Coffeyville MSA, the Coffeyville Facility has pet coke supply agreements with multiple third-party refineries to purchase approximately 275,000 tons of pet coke at a fixed price for delivery at different dates through December 2021. The Coffeyville Facility has historically purchased third-party pet coke based on spot purchases and supply
agreements in place at the time. The delivered cost of third-party pet coke purchases is included in Cost of materials and other and totaled approximately $17.9 million, $10.3 million, and $4.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018, respectively.

During 2019, the Partnership, with respect to the East Dubuque Facility, entered into a utility service agreement with a new third-party energy cooperative. The new utility service agreement does not contain purchase commitments. The cost of utilities, including natural gas purchases, is included in Direct operating expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization). Prior to entering into the new utility service agreement, the East Dubuque Facility had a utility service agreement with a third-party energy cooperative which included certain charges on a take-or-pay basis and amounts associated with this agreement totaled approximately $3.7 million and $10.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.