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Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Notes)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract] 
Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]
ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

As used in this report, the terms "Tesoro Logistics LP," "we," "us," or "our" may refer to Tesoro Logistics LP, one or more of its consolidated subsidiaries or all of them taken as a whole. References in this report to "Tesoro" or our "Sponsor" refer collectively to Tesoro Corporation and any of its subsidiaries, other than Tesoro Logistics LP, its subsidiaries and its general partner. The information presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains the unaudited condensed combined financial results of Tesoro Logistics LP Predecessor ("Predecessor"), our predecessor for accounting purposes, for periods presented through April 25, 2011. The condensed consolidated financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, also include the results of operations for Tesoro Logistics LP ("TLLP" or the "Partnership") for the period beginning April 26, 2011, the date TLLP commenced operations. The balance sheet as of September 30, 2011, presents solely the condensed consolidated financial position of the Partnership.

Organization

TLLP is a Delaware limited partnership formed in December 2010 by Tesoro Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary, Tesoro Logistics GP, LLC, our general partner. On April 26, 2011, we completed our initial public offering (the "Offering") of 14,950,000 common units (amount includes 1,950,000 common units issued pursuant to the exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option on April 20, 2011), representing limited partner interests.

After completion of the Offering, the Partnership includes the assets, liabilities and results of operations of certain crude oil gathering and refined products terminalling, transportation and storage assets, previously operated and owned by Tesoro Alaska Company, Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company ("TRMC") and Tesoro High Plains Pipeline Company LLC.  Prior to completion of the Offering, the assets, liabilities and results of operations of the aforementioned assets related to our Predecessor.

Basis of Presentation

The interim condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto have been prepared by management without audit according to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and reflect all adjustments that, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair presentation of results for the periods presented. Such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature, unless otherwise disclosed. Certain information and notes normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") have been condensed or omitted pursuant to the SEC's rules and regulations. However, management believes that the disclosures presented herein are adequate to present the information fairly. The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements and notes should be read in conjunction with the condensed combined financial statements of our Predecessor and notes thereto included in our prospectus dated April 19, 2011, as filed with the SEC on April 21, 2011.
 
We prepare our condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP, which requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. We review our estimates on an ongoing basis using currently available information. Changes in facts and circumstances may result in revised estimates, and actual results could differ from those estimates. The results of operations of the Partnership or our Predecessor for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Revenue Recognition. The Partnership generates revenue by charging fees for gathering, transporting and storing crude oil and for terminalling, transporting and storing refined products. Revenues are recognized as crude oil and refined products are shipped through, delivered by or stored in our pipelines, terminals and storage facility assets and transported by trucking operations, as applicable. All revenues are based on regulated tariff rates or contractual rates. Effective April 26, 2011, we began recording fees for services rendered to affiliates with respect to trucking, terminalling, storage and short-haul pipeline transportation services.

Billings to affiliated customers for obligations under their quarterly minimum revenue commitments (shortfall payments) are recorded as deferred revenue if they have the right to receive future services for these billings. The balance of deferred revenue as of September 30, 2011, represents advanced billings as there were no shortfall payments recorded. The revenue is recognized at the earlier of:
the customer receiving the future services provided by these billings;
the expiration of the period in which the customer is contractually allowed to receive the services (typically 3 months); or
the determination that future services will not be required.

The only historic revenues reflected in the financial statements of our Predecessor are amounts received from third-party use of our pipelines and terminals, and amounts received from Tesoro with respect to transportation regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") and the North Dakota Public Service Commission ("NDPSC") on our High Plains system. Our High Plains system includes our truck-based crude oil gathering operation and our common carrier pipeline and related storage assets. Tesoro was not charged fees for services rendered with respect to any trucking, terminalling, storage or short-haul pipeline transportation services prior to April 26, 2011, as the respective assets were operated as a component of Tesoro's petroleum refining and marketing businesses.

Imbalances. We experience volume gains and losses, which we sometimes refer to as imbalances, within our pipelines, terminals and storage facilities due to pressure and temperature changes, evaporation and variances in meter readings and in other measurement methods. Under our High Plains Pipeline transportation services agreement, we retain 0.20% of the crude oil shipped on our High Plains Pipeline, and we bear any crude oil volume losses in excess of that amount. Under the provisions of our master terminalling services agreement, we retain 0.25% of the refined products we handle at our Anchorage, Boise, Burley, Stockton and Vancouver terminals for Tesoro, and we bear any refined product volume losses in excess of that amount. The value of any crude oil or refined product imbalance losses resulting from these contractual provisions is determined by reference to the monthly average market reference price for the applicable commodity, less a specified discount. Any imbalances under these provisions reduce our operating and maintenance expenses in the period in which they are realized to the extent they are within the loss allowance and increase our operating and maintenance expenses in such period to the extent they exceed the loss allowance. For all of our other terminals, and under our other commercial agreements with Tesoro, we have no obligation to measure volume losses and have no liability for physical losses.

Net Income per Limited Partner Unit. In addition to the common and subordinated units, we have identified the general partner interest and the incentive distribution rights ("IDRs") as participating securities and compute income per unit using the two-class method under which any excess of distributions declared over net income shall be allocated to the partners based on their respective sharing of income specified in the partnership agreement. Net income per unit applicable to limited partners (including common and subordinated unitholders) is computed by dividing limited partners' interest in net income, after deducting the general partner's 2% interest and incentive distributions, by the weighted-average number of outstanding common and subordinated units. As of September 30, 2011, the weighted-average number of units outstanding equals the total number of units outstanding.

Income Taxes. We are a limited partnership and generally are not subject to federal or state income taxes. Accordingly, our taxable income or loss, which may vary substantially from income or loss reported for financial reporting purposes, is generally included in the federal and state income tax returns of our partners. Distributions by a partnership to a partner are generally not taxable to the partnership.

Unit-based Compensation. Our general partner provides unit-based compensation to officers and non-employee directors for the Partnership, which includes service and performance phantom unit awards. The fair value of our service phantom unit awards on the date of grant is equal to the market price of our common units. We estimate the grant date fair value of performance phantom unit awards using a Monte Carlo simulation at the inception of the award. We amortize the fair value over the vesting period, generally three years for officers and one year for non-employee directors, using the straight-line method. The phantom unit awards are settled in TLLP common units. Expenses related to unit-based compensation are included in general and administrative expenses.

New Accounting Standards

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. The FASB issued an ASU in May 2011 related to fair value measurements and disclosures to achieve common fair value measurements and additional consistency of disclosures between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. This standard includes amendments that clarify the intent about the application of existing fair value measurements and disclosures, while other amendments change a principle or requirement for fair value measurements or disclosures. Some of the changes include (1) the application of the highest and best use and valuation premise concepts, (2) measuring the fair value of an instrument classified in a reporting entity's shareholders' equity, and (3) quantitative information required for fair value measurements categorized within level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. In addition, this standard requires additional disclosure for level 3 measurements regarding the sensitivity of fair value to changes in unobservable inputs and any interrelationships between those inputs. This standard is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. We do not believe the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.