v2.4.0.6
DEBT
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
DEBT [Abstract]  
DEBT
11. DEBT
Long-term debt consisted of the following:
 
 
 
 
 
December 31,
 
Maturity
 
2011
 
2010
 
 
 
 
 
(Thousands of Dollars)
$1.2 billion revolving credit agreement
 
2012
 
 
$
229,295

 
$
188,282

4.80% senior notes
 
2020
 
 
450,000

 
450,000

7.65% senior notes
 
2018
 
 
350,000

 
350,000

6.05% senior notes
 
2013
 
 
229,932

 
229,932

6.875% senior notes
 
2012
 
 
100,000

 
100,000

7.75% senior notes
 
2012
 
 
250,000

 
250,000

5.875% senior notes
 
2013
 
 
250,000

 
250,000

Gulf Opportunity Zone revenue bonds
2038
thru
2041
 
365,440

 
290,440

UK term loan
 
2012
 
 
32,582

 
32,789

Port Authority of Corpus Christi note payable
 
2015
 
 
874

 
1,784

Net fair value adjustments and unamortized discounts
 
N/A
 
 
34,907

 
(6,147
)
Total debt
 
 
 
 
2,293,030

 
2,137,080

Less current portion
 
 
 
 
364,959

 
832

Long-term debt, less current portion
 
 
 
 
$
1,928,071

 
$
2,136,248


The long-term debt repayments are due as follows (in thousands):
2012
$
612,751

2013
479,932

2014

2015

2016

Thereafter
1,165,440

Total repayments
2,258,123

Net fair value adjustments and unamortized discounts
34,907

Total debt
$
2,293,030


On February 2, 2012, NuStar Logistics issued $250.0 million of 4.75% senior notes due February 1, 2022, and the net proceeds were used to repay the outstanding principal amount of the 7.75% senior notes due February 15, 2012. As such, the 7.75% senior notes are included in "Long-term debt, less current portion" on the consolidated balance sheets. See Note 26. Subsequent Events for additional information.
Interest payments totaled $115.1 million, $91.4 million and $95.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.
2007 Revolving Credit Agreement
NuStar Logistics is party to a $1.2 billion five-year revolving credit agreement (the 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement), which includes the ability to borrow up to the equivalent of $250.0 million in Euros. The 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement matures on December 10, 2012. Obligations under the 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement are guaranteed by NuStar Energy and NuPOP. NuPOP will be released from its guarantee of the 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement when it no longer guarantees NuStar Logistics’ public debt instruments.
The 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement bears interest, at our option, based on either an alternative base rate or a LIBOR based rate, which was 1.0% as of December 31, 2011. The weighted-average interest rate related to borrowings under the 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement during the year ended December 31, 2011 was 0.9%. We had $534.1 million available for borrowing under the 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2011.
The 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement includes restrictive covenants, including a prohibition on distributions if any defaults, as defined in the agreement, exist or would result from the distribution. The 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement also requires us to maintain, as of the end of each rolling period, consisting of any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, a consolidated debt coverage ratio (consolidated indebtedness to consolidated EBITDA, as defined in the 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement) not to exceed 5.00-to-1.00; provided, that if at any time NuStar Energy or any of its restricted subsidiaries consummates an acquisition for an aggregate net consideration of at least $100.0 million, then for two rolling periods, the last day of which immediately follows the day on which such acquisition is consummated, the maximum consolidated debt coverage ratio will increase to 5.50-to-1.00. This consolidated debt coverage ratio may restrict the amount we can borrow without exceeding the maximum allowed limit to an amount less than the total amount available for borrowing. On March 7, 2011, we amended the 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement to exclude unused proceeds from the Gulf Opportunity Zone bond issuances from total indebtedness in the calculation of the consolidated debt coverage ratio. As of December 31, 2011, the consolidated debt coverage ratio was 4.1x.
Letters of credit issued under our 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement totaled $444.1 million as of December 31, 2011. Letters of credit are limited to $500.0 million and also may restrict the amount we can borrow under the 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement.
Senior Notes
NuStar Logistics’ Senior Notes. Interest is payable semi-annually in arrears for the $450.0 million of 4.80% senior notes, $350.0 million of 7.65% senior notes, $229.9 million of 6.05% senior notes and $100.0 million of 6.875% senior notes (collectively, the NuStar Logistics Senior Notes). The interest rate payable on the 7.65% senior notes is subject to adjustment if our debt rating is downgraded (or subsequently upgraded) by certain credit rating agencies.
The NuStar Logistics Senior Notes do not have sinking fund requirements. These notes rank equally with existing senior unsecured indebtedness of NuStar Logistics and contain restrictions on NuStar Logistics’ ability to incur secured indebtedness unless the same security is also provided for the benefit of holders of the NuStar Logistics Senior Notes. In addition, the NuStar Logistics Senior Notes limit NuStar Logistics’ ability to incur indebtedness secured by certain liens and to engage in certain sale-leaseback transactions.
At the option of NuStar Logistics, the NuStar Logistics Senior Notes may be redeemed in whole or in part at any time at a redemption price, which includes a make-whole premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. The 6.05% and the 6.875% senior notes also include a change-in-control provision, which requires that (1) an investment-grade entity own, directly or indirectly, 51% of our general partner interests; and (2) we (or an investment-grade entity) own, directly or indirectly, all of the general partner and limited partner interests in NuStar Logistics.
NuPOP’s Senior Notes. As a result of the Kaneb Acquisition, we assumed the outstanding senior notes issued by NuPOP, having an aggregate face value of $500.0 million, and an aggregate fair value of $555.0 million at the acquisition date (the NuPOP Senior Notes). We use the effective interest method to amortize the difference between the fair value and the face value of the senior notes as a reduction of interest expense over the remaining lives of the senior notes. The senior notes were issued in two series, the first of which bears interest at 7.75% annually and matures in 2012, and the second series bears interest at 5.875% annually and matures in 2013.
The NuPOP Senior Notes do not contain sinking fund requirements. These notes contain restrictions on our ability to incur indebtedness secured by liens, to engage in certain sale-leaseback transactions, to engage in certain transactions with affiliates, as defined, and to utilize proceeds from the disposition of certain assets. At the option of NuPOP, the NuPOP Senior Notes may be redeemed in whole or in part at any time at a redemption price, which includes a make-whole premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.
The NuStar Logistics Senior Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by NuStar Energy. In connection with the Kaneb Acquisition, NuStar Energy fully and unconditionally guaranteed the outstanding senior notes issued by NuPOP. Additionally, effective July 1, 2005, both NuStar Logistics and NuPOP fully and unconditionally guaranteed the outstanding senior notes of the other. NuPOP will be released from its guarantee of senior notes issued by NuStar Logistics when it no longer guarantees any obligations of NuStar Energy, or any of its subsidiaries, including NuStar Logistics, under any bank facility or public debt instrument.
Gulf Opportunity Zone Revenue Bonds
In 2008, 2010 and 2011, the Parish of St. James, where our St. James, Louisiana, terminal is located, issued Revenue Bonds (NuStar Logistics, L.P. Project) Series 2008, Series 2010, Series 2010A, Series 2010B and Series 2011 associated with our St. James terminal expansion pursuant to the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005. The interest rate on these bonds is based on a weekly tax-exempt bond market interest rate, and interest is paid monthly. Following the issuance, the proceeds were deposited with a trustee and will be disbursed to us upon our request for reimbursement of expenditures related to our St. James terminal expansion. We include the amount remaining in trust in “Other long-term assets, net,” and we include the amount of bonds issued in “Long-term debt, less current portion” in our consolidated balance sheets.
NuStar Logistics is solely obligated to service the principal and interest payments associated with the bonds. Certain lenders under our 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement issued letters of credit on our behalf to guarantee the payment of interest and principal on the bonds. These letters of credit rank equally with existing senior unsecured indebtedness of NuStar Logistics.
The following table summarizes Gulf Opportunity Zone Revenue Bonds outstanding as of December 31, 2011:
Date Issued
 
Maturity Date
 
Amount
Outstanding
 
Amount of
Letter of
Credit
 
Amount Received from
Trustee
 
Amount Remaining in
Trust
 
Average Annual
Interest Rate
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Thousands of Dollars)
 
 
June 26, 2008
 
June 1, 2038
 
$
55,440

 
$
56,169

 
$
55,440

 
$

 
0.18
%
July 15, 2010
 
July 1, 2040
 
100,000

 
101,315

 
100,000

 

 
0.18
%
October 7, 2010
 
October 1, 2040
 
50,000

 
50,658

 
24,580

 
25,420

 
0.18
%
December 29, 2010
 
December 1, 2040
 
85,000

 
86,118

 
835

 
84,165

 
0.18
%
August 29, 2011
 
August 1, 2041
 
75,000

 
76,085

 
11,229

 
63,771

 
0.15
%
 
 
Total
 
$
365,440

 
$
370,345

 
$
192,084

 
$
173,356

 
 

UK Term Loan
NuPOP’s UK subsidiary, NuStar Terminals Limited, is the party to the £21 million amended and restated term loan agreement (the UK Term Loan), which bears interest at 6.65% annually and matures on December 11, 2012. Management believes that we comply with all ratios and covenants of the UK Term Loan as of December 31, 2011, which are substantially the same as the 2007 Revolving Credit Agreement.
Our other long-term debt obligations do not contain any financial covenants. However, a default under any of our debt instruments would be considered an event of default under all of our debt instruments.
Port Authority of Corpus Christi Note Payable
The proceeds from the original $12.0 million note payable due to the Port of Corpus Christi Authority of Nueces County, Texas (Port Authority of Corpus Christi) were used for the construction of a crude oil storage facility in Corpus Christi, Texas. The note payable is due in annual installments of $1.2 million through December 31, 2015 and is collateralized by the crude oil storage facility. Interest on the unpaid principal balance accrues at a rate of 8.0% per annum. The land on which the crude oil storage facility was constructed is leased from the Port Authority of Corpus Christi. The wharfage and dockage fees paid to the Port Authority of Corpus Christi in connection with the use of the crude oil storage facility have exceeded certain limits per the terms of the note, which have accelerated the repayment of the unpaid principal balance.
Line of Credit
As of December 31, 2011, we had one short-term line of credit with an uncommitted borrowing capacity of up to $20.0 million. The interest rate and maturity vary and are determined at the time of the borrowing. The interest rate fluctuates with the Federal Funds rate. We borrowed and repaid $33.8 million during the year ended December 31, 2011 under this line of credit based on liquidity needs. We had no outstanding borrowings on this line of credit as of December 31, 2011 and 2010. The weighted-average interest rate related to outstanding borrowings under this short-term line of credit during the year ended December 31, 2011 was 2.5%.