Exhibit 12.1

 

VALERO L.P.

STATEMENT OF COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

(in thousands, except ratio)

 

    

Three

Months

Ended

March 31,

2004


    Years Ended December 31,

 
       2003

    2002

    2001

    2000

   1999

 

Earnings:

                                               

Income from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and income from equity investees

   $ 19,417     $ 67,177     $ 52,350     $ 42,694     $ 35,968    $ 65,445  

Add:

                                               

Fixed charges

     5,291       16,443       5,492       4,203       5,266      997  

Amortization of capitalized interest

     14       55       48       39       34      32  

Distributions from Skelly-Belvieu Pipeline Company

     688       2,803       3,590       2,874       4,658      4,238  

Less: Interest capitalized

     (17 )     (123 )     (255 )     (298 )     —        (115 )
    


 


 


 


 

  


Total earnings

   $ 25,393     $ 86,355     $ 61,225     $ 49,512     $ 45,926    $ 70,597  
    


 


 


 


 

  


Fixed charges:

                                               

Interest expense (1)

   $ 5,078     $ 15,291     $ 4,968     $ 3,721     $ 5,181    $ 777  

Amortization of debt issuance costs

     100       740       160       90       —        —    

Interest capitalized

     17       123       255       298       —        115  

Rental expense interest factor (2)

     96       289       109       94       85      105  
    


 


 


 


 

  


Total fixed charges

   $ 5,291     $ 16,443     $ 5,492     $ 4,203     $ 5,266    $ 997  
    


 


 


 


 

  


Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

     4.8x       5.3x       11.1x       11.8x       8.7x      70.8x  
    


 


 


 


 

  


 

(1) The interest expense, net reported in Valero L.P.’s consolidated statements of income for the three months ended March 31, 2004 and the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002 includes interest income of $52,000, $171,000 and $248,000, respectively.

 

(2) The interest portion of rental expense represents one-third of rents, which is deemed representative of the interest portion of rental expense.