Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

Registration No. 333-162475

Subject to Completion, dated January 5, 2011

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

To prospectus dated October 14, 2009

 

 

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
PAA Finance Corp.

$          
% Senior Notes due

 

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and PAA Finance Corp. are offering $      aggregate principal amount of     % Senior Notes due          (the “Notes”).

 

We will pay interest on the Notes semi-annually in arrears on           and           of each year, beginning on          , 2011. The Notes will mature on          , unless redeemed prior to the maturity date.

 

We may, at our option, redeem the Notes at any time in whole or from time to time in part, prior to maturity, at the redemption prices as described herein under “Description of Notes — Optional redemption.”

 

The Notes will be our unsecured senior obligations. Initially, the Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by all of our existing subsidiaries other than (i) PAA Finance Corp., the co-issuer of the Notes, (ii) PNGS GP LLC, PAA Natural Gas Storage, L.P. and their respective subsidiaries, (iii) subsidiaries regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission and (iv) subsidiaries that are minor. Subsidiaries acquired in the future may or may not become guarantors, but any subsidiary that guarantees other indebtedness of ours or another subsidiary must also guarantee the Notes. The guarantees are also subject to release in certain circumstances. The Notes and the guarantees will rank equally with any other unsecured senior indebtedness of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., PAA Finance Corp. and the subsidiary guarantors from time to time outstanding.

 

Investing in the Notes involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page S-7 of this prospectus supplement and beginning on page 6 of the accompanying prospectus.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

 

The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. Currently, there is no public market for the Notes.

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the Notes in book-entry form only through facilities of The Depository Trust Company for the account of its participants, including Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, and Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System, against payment in New York, New York on or about January   , 2011, the seventh trading day after the date of this prospectus.

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

 

       BofA Merrill Lynch                           DnB NOR Markets

 

The date of this prospectus supplement is January   , 2011.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Prospectus Supplement

 

 

Prospectus

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT INFORMATION IN THIS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND THE ACCOMPANYING PROSPECTUS

 

This document is in two parts. The first part is the prospectus supplement, which describes our business and the specific terms of this offering. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information and includes disclosures regarding the Notes and additional disclosures that would pertain if at some time in the future we were to offer other series of our debt securities or our common units. Accordingly, the accompanying prospectus may contain information that does not apply to this offering. Generally, when we refer only to the “prospectus,” we are referring to both parts combined.

 

If the description of the offering in this prospectus supplement varies from statements in the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.

 

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any free writing prospectus relating to this offering of Notes. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer of the Notes in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any free writing prospectus or in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

The information in this prospectus supplement is not complete. You should review carefully all of the detailed information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we have incorporated by reference before making any investment decision.

 

We expect delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about January     , 2011, which is the seventh business day following the date of pricing of the notes (such settlement being referred to as “T+7”). Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes on the date of pricing of the notes or the next succeeding three business days will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+7, to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent failed settlement and should consult their own advisers.

 

All statements included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements incorporating the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend” and “forecast,” as well as similar expressions and statements regarding our business strategy, plans and objectives for future operations. The absence of these words, however, does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events, based on what we believe to be reasonable assumptions. Certain factors could cause actual results to differ materially from results anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to:

 

 

 

Other factors described herein or incorporated by reference, or factors that are unknown or unpredictable, could also have a material adverse effect on future results. Please read “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-7 of this prospectus supplement, beginning on page 6 of the accompanying prospectus and in Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 (File No. 001-14569), which is incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we do not intend to update these forward-looking statements and information.

 

SUMMARY

	•	optimizing our existing assets and realizing cost efficiencies through operational improvements;
	•	developing and implementing internal growth projects that (i) address evolving crude oil, refined products and LPG needs in the midstream transportation and infrastructure sector and (ii) are well-positioned to benefit from long-term industry trends and opportunities;
	•	utilizing our assets along the Gulf, West and East Coasts, along with our terminals and leased assets, to optimize our presence in the waterborne importation of foreign crude oil;

	•	capitalizing on the anticipated long-term growth in demand for natural gas storage services in North America by owning and operating high-quality natural gas storage facilities and providing our current and future customers reliable, competitive and flexible natural gas storage and related services;
	•	selectively pursuing strategic and accretive acquisitions of crude oil, refined products and LPG transportation, terminalling, storage and marketing assets and businesses that complement our existing asset base and distribution capabilities; and
	•	using our terminalling and storage assets in conjunction with our supply and logistic activities to capitalize on inefficient energy markets and to address physical market imbalances, mitigate inherent risks and increase margin.

 

THE OFFERING

Issuers		Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and PAA Finance Corp.
		PAA Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. that has been organized for the purpose of co-issuing our existing notes, the Notes offered hereby and the notes issued in any future offerings. PAA Finance Corp. does not have operations of any kind and will not have any revenue other than as may be incidental to its activities as a co-issuer of our debt securities.
Guarantees		Initially, all payments with respect to the Notes (including principal and interest) will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, by all of our existing subsidiaries other than (i) PAA Finance Corp., the co-issuer of the Notes, (ii) PNGS GP, PNG and their respective subsidiaries, (iii) subsidiaries regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission and (iv) subsidiaries that are minor. Subsidiaries acquired in the future may or may not become guarantors, but any subsidiary that guarantees other indebtedness of ours or another subsidiary must also guarantee the Notes. The guarantees are also subject to release in certain circumstances. The guarantees of the Notes are general unsecured obligations of the subsidiary guarantors and rank equally with any existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness of the subsidiary guarantors. See “Description of Notes — The guarantees.”
Notes offered		$      aggregate principal amount of     % Senior Notes due          .
Maturity date		,          .
Interest rate		%.
Interest payment dates		We will pay interest on the Notes semi-annually in arrears on          and           of each year, beginning on          , 2011.
Optional redemption		We may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time prior to maturity. If we redeem the Notes before a date that is 90 days prior to their maturity date, the Notes may be redeemed at a price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed or (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal of and interest on the Notes to be redeemed, discounted to the redemption date on a semiannual basis at the Adjusted Treasury Rate (as defined herein) plus      basis points, together with accrued interest to the date of redemption. If we redeem the Notes on or after a date that is 90 days prior to their maturity date, the redemption price will equal 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued interest to the redemption date. See “Description of Notes — Optional redemption.”

Ranking		The Notes will be general senior unsecured obligations of the issuers and will rank equally in right of payment with the existing and future senior indebtedness of the issuers.
Certain covenants		The Notes will be issued under an indenture containing covenants for your benefit. These covenants restrict our ability, with certain exceptions, to:
		• incur liens on principal properties to secure debt;
		• engage in sale-leaseback transactions; and
		• merge or consolidate with another entity or sell, lease or transfer substantially all of our properties or assets to another entity.
		See “Description of Notes — Covenants.”
Use of proceeds		We expect the net proceeds of this offering to be approximately $      million after deducting the underwriters’ discounts and commissions and our estimated offering expenses. We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay outstanding borrowings under our credit facilities and for general partnership purposes.
		Amounts repaid under our credit facilities may be reborrowed, as necessary, to fund our ongoing expansion capital program, future acquisitions, retirement of other long-term debt, investments in PNG, including for purposes of financing the Southern Pines Acquisition, or for general partnership purposes.
Book entry, delivery and form		The Notes will be represented by one or more permanent global certificates in fully registered form deposited with a custodian for, and registered in the name of, a nominee of The Depository Trust Company.
Further issuances		We may create and issue additional Notes ranking equally and ratably with the Notes offered by this prospectus supplement in all respects, so that such additional Notes will be consolidated and form a single series with the Notes and will have the same terms, as to status, redemption or otherwise except for the issue date, the initial interest payment date, if applicable, and the payment of interest accruing prior to the issue date of such additional notes.
No listing		The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. Currently, there is no public market for the Notes. See “Risk Factors — Your ability to transfer the Notes may be limited by the absence of an organized trading market.”
Governing law		New York.
Trustee		U.S. Bank National Association.
Risk factors		Investing in the Notes involves risks. You should consider carefully all of the information in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. In particular, you should consider carefully the specific risks set forth in “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-7 of this prospectus supplement and beginning on page 6 of the accompanying prospectus.

Conflicts of interest		Affiliates of each of the underwriters are lenders under our credit facilities. These affiliates may receive their respective share of any repayment by us of amounts outstanding under our credit facilities from the proceeds of this offering. Each of the underwriters whose affiliates will receive at least 5% of the net proceeds is considered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. to have a conflict of interest with us in regards to this offering. However, the appointment of a qualified independent underwriter is not necessary in connection with the offering because the offering is of a class of securities that are investment grade rated. See “Use of Proceeds” and “Underwriting — Conflicts of interest.”

 

Before making an investment in the Notes offered hereby, you should carefully consider the risk factors included below, as well as the risk factors beginning on page 6 of the accompanying prospectus and those included in Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 (File No. 001-14569), which is incorporated into this prospectus supplement by reference, together with all of the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In such case, the value of the Notes could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

 

Risks related to the Notes

 

Your right to receive payments on the Notes and subsidiary guarantees is unsecured and will be effectively subordinated to our and our subsidiary guarantors’ existing and future secured indebtedness as well as to any existing and future indebtedness of our subsidiaries that do not guarantee the Notes.

 

The Notes are effectively subordinated to claims of our secured creditors, and the guarantees are effectively subordinated to the claims of our secured creditors as well as the secured creditors of our subsidiary guarantors. As of September 30, 2010, on an adjusted basis as described under “Capitalization,” and as further adjusted to give effect to this offering and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds,” the Notes and the guarantees would have been effectively subordinated to $      million of short-term secured indebtedness.

 

Although our subsidiaries other than (i) PAA Finance Corp., the co-issuer of the Notes, (ii) PNGS GP, PNG and their respective subsidiaries, (iii) subsidiaries regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission and (iv) minor subsidiaries, will initially guarantee the Notes, the guarantees are subject to release under certain circumstances and in the future we may have other subsidiaries that are not guarantors. The Notes will be effectively subordinated to the claims of all creditors, including trade creditors and tort claimants, of our subsidiaries that are not guarantors. In the event of the insolvency, bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or winding up of the business of a subsidiary that is not a guarantor, creditors of that subsidiary would generally have the right to be paid in full before any distribution is made to us or the holders of the Notes.

 

Our leverage may limit our ability to borrow additional funds, comply with the terms of our indebtedness or capitalize on business opportunities.

 

Our leverage is significant in relation to our partners’ capital. As of September 30, 2010, on an adjusted basis as described under “Capitalization,” and as further adjusted to give effect to this offering and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds,” our total outstanding long-term debt, including the portion of our revolving credit facility classified as short-term, was approximately $      billion. See “Capitalization.” Various limitations in our credit facilities and other debt instruments may reduce our ability to incur additional debt, to engage in some transactions and to capitalize on business opportunities. Any subsequent refinancing of our current indebtedness or any new indebtedness could have similar or greater restrictions.

 

Our leverage could have important consequences to investors in the Notes. We will require substantial cash flow to meet our principal and interest obligations with respect to the Notes and our other consolidated indebtedness. Our ability to make scheduled payments, to refinance our obligations with respect to our indebtedness or our ability to obtain additional financing in the future will depend on our financial and operating performance, which, in turn, is subject to prevailing economic conditions and to financial, business and other factors. We believe that we will have sufficient cash flow from operations and available borrowings under our bank credit facility to service our indebtedness, although the principal amount of the Notes will likely need to be refinanced at maturity in whole or in part. A significant downturn in the hydrocarbon industry or other development adversely affecting our cash flow could materially impair our ability to service our indebtedness. If our cash flow and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to refinance all or a portion of our debt or sell assets. We can give no assurance that we

would be able to refinance our existing indebtedness or sell assets on terms that are commercially reasonable. In addition, if one or more rating agencies were to lower our debt ratings, we could be required by some of our counterparties to post additional collateral, which would reduce our available liquidity and cash flow.

 

Our leverage may adversely affect our ability to fund future working capital, capital expenditures and other general partnership requirements, future acquisition, construction or development activities, or to otherwise fully realize the value of our assets and opportunities because of the need to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness or to comply with any restrictive terms of our indebtedness. Our leverage may also make our results of operations more susceptible to adverse economic and industry conditions by limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate and may place us at a competitive disadvantage as compared to our competitors that have less debt.

 

A court may use fraudulent conveyance considerations to avoid or subordinate the subsidiary guarantees.

 

Various applicable fraudulent conveyance laws have been enacted for the protection of creditors. A court may use fraudulent conveyance laws to subordinate or avoid the subsidiary guarantees of the Notes issued by any of our subsidiary guarantors. It is also possible that under certain circumstances a court could hold that the direct obligations of a subsidiary guaranteeing the Notes could be superior to the obligations under that guarantee.

 

A court could avoid or subordinate the guarantee of the Notes by any of our subsidiaries in favor of that subsidiary’s other debts or liabilities to the extent that the court determined either of the following were true at the time the subsidiary issued the guarantee:

 

 

 

The measure of insolvency for purposes of the foregoing will vary depending upon the law of the relevant jurisdiction. Generally, however, an entity would be considered insolvent for purposes of the foregoing if the sum of its debts, including contingent liabilities, were greater than the fair saleable value of all of its assets at a fair valuation, or if the present fair saleable value of its assets were less than the amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they become absolute and matured.

 

Among other things, a legal challenge of a subsidiary’s guarantee of the Notes on fraudulent conveyance grounds may focus on the benefits, if any, realized by that subsidiary as a result of our issuance of the Notes. To the extent a subsidiary’s guarantee of the Notes is avoided as a result of fraudulent conveyance or held unenforceable for any other reason, the note holders would cease to have any claim in respect of that guarantee.

 

Your ability to transfer the Notes may be limited by the absence of an organized trading market.

 

The Notes will be new securities for which currently there is no organized trading market. We do not currently intend to apply for listing of the Notes on any securities exchange or other market. Although certain

of the underwriters have informed us that they currently intend to make a market in the Notes, they are not obligated to do so. In addition, the underwriters may discontinue any such market making at any time without notice. The liquidity of any market for the Notes will depend on the number of holders of the Notes, the interest of securities dealers in making a market in those Notes and other factors. Accordingly, we can give no assurance as to the development, continuation or liquidity of any market for the Notes.

 

We have a holding company structure in which our subsidiaries conduct our operations and own our operating assets.

 

We are a holding company, and our subsidiaries conduct all of our operations and own all of our operating assets. We have no significant assets other than the ownership interests in our subsidiaries. As a result, our ability to make required payments on the Notes depends on the performance of our subsidiaries and their ability to distribute funds to us. The ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us may be restricted by, among other things, credit facilities and applicable state partnership laws and other laws and regulations. Pursuant to our credit facilities, we may be required to establish cash reserves for the future payment of principal and interest on the amounts outstanding under our credit facilities. If we are unable to obtain the funds necessary to pay the principal amount at maturity of the Notes, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as a refinancing of the Notes. We cannot assure you that we would be able to refinance the Notes.

 

We do not have the same flexibility as other types of organizations to accumulate cash, which may limit cash available to service the Notes or to repay them at maturity.

 

Unlike a corporation, our partnership agreement requires us to distribute, on a quarterly basis, 100% of our available cash to our unitholders of record and our general partner. Available cash is generally all of our cash receipts adjusted for cash distributions and net changes to reserves. Our general partner will determine the amount and timing of such distributions and has broad discretion to establish and make additions to our reserves or the reserves of our operating partnerships in amounts the general partner determines in its reasonable discretion to be necessary or appropriate:

 

 

Although our payment obligations to our unitholders are subordinate to our payment obligations to you, the value of our units will decrease in direct correlation with decreases in the amount we distribute per unit. Accordingly, if we experience a liquidity problem in the future, we may not be able to issue equity to recapitalize.

 

We expect the net proceeds of this offering to be approximately $      million after deducting the underwriters’ discounts and commissions and our estimated offering expenses. We expect to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay outstanding borrowings under our credit facilities and for general partnership purposes. Amounts repaid under our credit facilities may be reborrowed, as necessary, to fund our ongoing expansion capital program, future acquisitions, retirement of other long-term debt, investments in PNG, including for purposes of financing the Southern Pines Acquisition, or for general partnership purposes.

 

Affiliates of each of the underwriters are lenders under our credit facilities, and accordingly, may receive a portion of the proceeds from this offering pursuant to the repayment of borrowings under such facilities. Please read “Underwriting — Conflicts of interest” in this prospectus supplement for further information.

 

As of December 31, 2010, we had approximately $1.6 billion of debt outstanding under our credit facilities with a weighted average interest rate of approximately 1.6%. Substantially all of the borrowings we expect to repay were incurred for working capital requirements.

 

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated on a consolidated historical basis. For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, “earnings” consist of pre-tax income from continuing operations before income from equity investees plus fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest), distributed income of equity investees and amortization of capitalized interest. “Fixed charges” represent interest incurred (whether expensed or capitalized), amortization of debt expense (including discounts and premiums relating to indebtedness) and the portion of rental expense on operating leases deemed to be the equivalent of interest.

 

 

 

 

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of September 30, 2010:

 

 

This table should also be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the notes thereto that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement. As of December 31, 2010, we had approximately $1.6 billion of debt outstanding under our credit facilities with a weighted average interest rate of approximately 1.6%. See “Use of Proceeds.”

 

 

 

We will issue the Notes under an indenture (the “Base Indenture”) dated as of September 25, 2002, among us, the subsidiary guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as successor trustee, and a supplemental indenture thereto to be dated as of          , 2011 (such supplemental indenture, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Notes will constitute a new series of debt securities under the Indenture, and twelve other series are now outstanding under the Base Indenture, each issued under a separate supplemental indenture.

 

As used in this description, the terms “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and PAA Finance Corp. as co-issuers of the Notes and not to any of their subsidiaries or affiliates, and references to “Plains All American Pipeline” are to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. Other capitalized terms that are used in this section of the prospectus supplement have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture, and we have included some of those definitions at the end of this section. See “— Definitions.” Also, in this section, the term “holders” means The Depository Trust Company or its nominee and not the persons who own beneficial interests in the Notes through participants in The Depository Trust Company. Please review the special considerations that apply to beneficial owners under “Book Entry, Delivery and Form.”

 

The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. We urge you to read the Indenture because it, and not this description, defines your rights as a holder of Notes. You may request copies of the Indenture from us as set forth under “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

This description is intended to be an overview of the material provisions of the Notes and is intended to supplement and, to the extent of any inconsistency, replace the description of the general terms and provisions of the debt securities set forth in the accompanying prospectus, to which we refer you. Since this description is only a summary, you should refer to the Indenture for a complete description of our obligations and your rights.

 

General description of the Notes and the guarantees

 

The Notes will be:

 

 

Initially our obligations under the Notes will be jointly and severally guaranteed by all of the existing subsidiaries of Plains All American Pipeline other than (i) PAA Finance Corp., (ii) PNGS GP and PNG and their respective subsidiaries, (iii) subsidiaries regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission and (iv) subsidiaries that are minor, which we sometimes refer to collectively as the “non-guarantor subsidiaries.” Each guarantee by a subsidiary guarantor of the Notes will be:

 

 

 

As of September 30, 2010, on an adjusted basis as described under “Capitalization,” and as further adjusted to give effect to this offering and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds,” the Notes and the guarantees would have been effectively subordinated to $      million of short-term secured indebtedness. See “Risk Factors — Risks related to the Notes — Your right to receive payments on the Notes and subsidiary guarantees is unsecured and will be effectively subordinated to our and our subsidiary guarantors’ existing and future secured indebtedness as well as to any existing and future indebtedness of our subsidiaries that do not guarantee the Notes.”

 

The Indenture does not limit the aggregate principal amount of debt securities that may be issued thereunder and provides that debt securities may be issued thereunder from time to time in one or more series. Except to the extent described under “— Covenants,” the Indenture does not limit our ability or the ability of our subsidiaries to incur either secured or unsecured additional indebtedness.

 

Further issuances

 

We may, from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the holders of the Notes, create and issue additional notes ranking equally and ratably with the Notes offered hereby in all respects, so that such additional notes form a single series with the Notes and have the same terms as to status, redemption or otherwise as the Notes (except for the issue date, the initial payment date, if applicable, and the payment of interest accruing prior to the issue date of such additional notes).

 

Principal, maturity and interest

 

We will issue the Notes in an initial aggregate principal amount of $     . The Notes will mature on                    . The Notes will bear interest at the annual rate of     %. Interest on the Notes will accrue from January     , 2011 and will be payable semi-annually in arrears on           and           of each year, beginning          , 2011. We will make each interest payment to the holders of record at the close of business on the           and           preceding such interest payment dates. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. We will issue the Notes in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000.

 

No liability of general partner

 

Plains All American Pipeline’s general partner and its directors, officers, employees and member (in their capacities as such) will not have any liability for our obligations under the Notes. In addition, the Managing General Partner, and its directors, officers, employees and members, will not have any liability for our obligations under the Notes. By accepting the Notes, each holder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the Notes. This waiver may not be effective, however, to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.

 

The guarantees

 

Initially, our payment obligations under the Notes will be jointly and severally guaranteed by all of the existing Subsidiaries of Plains All American Pipeline other than the non-guarantor subsidiaries. The obligations of each subsidiary guarantor under its guarantee will be limited to the maximum amount that will, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of the subsidiary guarantor and to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other subsidiary guarantor in respect of the obligations of the other subsidiary guarantor under its guarantee, result in the obligations of the subsidiary guarantor under the guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law.

Provided that no default shall have occurred and shall be continuing under the Indenture, a subsidiary guarantor will be unconditionally released and discharged from its guarantee:

 

 

If at any time after the issuance of the Notes, including following any release of a subsidiary guarantor from its guarantee under the Indenture, a Subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline (including any future Subsidiary) guarantees any of our debt or any debt of Plains All American Pipeline’s other Subsidiaries, we will cause such Subsidiary to guarantee the Notes in accordance with the Indenture by simultaneously executing and delivering a supplemental indenture.

 

Optional redemption

 

The Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at our option at any time and from time to time prior to maturity. If we redeem the Notes before a date that is 90 days prior to their maturity date, the Notes may be redeemed at a redemption price equal to the greater of (a) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, and (b) as determined by the Quotation Agent, the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes to be redeemed (not including any portion of those payments of interest accrued as of the date of redemption) discounted to the date of redemption on a semiannual basis (assuming 360-day years, each consisting of twelve 30-day months), at the Adjusted Treasury Rate plus           basis points, in each case together with accrued interest to the date of redemption.

 

If we redeem the Notes on or after a date that is 90 days prior to their maturity date, the redemption price will equal 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus accrued interest to the redemption date.

 

“Adjusted Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any date of redemption, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for the date of redemption.

 

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Quotation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of those Notes.

 

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any date of redemption (a) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the date of redemption, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (b) if the trustee obtains fewer than four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations.

 

“Quotation Agent” means a Primary Treasury Dealer (as defined below) appointed by us.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of (i) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, a Primary Treasury Dealer (as defined below) selected by SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., and a Primary Treasury Dealer (as defined below) selected by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, and each of their successors, provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer in the United States (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), we shall substitute another Primary Treasury Dealer; and (ii) one other dealer selected by us that is a Primary Treasury Dealer.

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any date of redemption, the average, as determined by the trustee, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the trustee by that Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding that date of redemption.

 

Unless we default in payment of the redemption price, on and after the date of redemption, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

 

On or before a redemption date, we will deposit with a paying agent (or with the trustee) sufficient money to pay the redemption price and accrued interest on the Notes to be redeemed.

 

If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time, the trustee will select Notes (or any portion of Notes in integral multiples of $1,000) for redemption as follows:

 

 

However, no Note with a principal amount of $2,000 or less will be redeemed in part. Notice of optional redemption will be mailed by first class mail at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder of Notes to be redeemed at its registered address. If any note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to that note will state the portion of the principal amount of that note to be redeemed.

 

Events of Default

 

Each of the following is an “Event of Default” with respect to the Notes:

 

 

 

 

An Event of Default regarding the Notes will not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities that may be issued under the Base Indenture. In the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization involving us, but not any subsidiary guarantor, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable immediately without further action or notice. If any other Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Notes, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately.

 

Within five days after any of our officers becomes aware of the occurrence of any Default (meaning an event that is, or after the giving of notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default) or Event of Default with respect to the Notes, we are required to give an officers’ certificate to the trustee specifying the Default or Event of Default and what action we are taking or propose to take to cure it. In addition, we and the subsidiary guarantors are required to deliver to the trustee, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, an officers’ certificate indicating that we have complied with all covenants contained in the Indenture or whether any Default or Event of Default has occurred during the previous year.

 

If a Default with respect to the Notes occurs and is continuing and is known to the trustee, the trustee must mail to each holder a notice of the Default within 90 days after the Default occurs. Except in the case of a Default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest with respect to the Notes, the trustee may withhold such notice, but only if and so long as a committee of responsible officers of the trustee in good faith determines that withholding such notice is in the interests of the holders.

 

Consolidation, merger or sale

 

We will not merge, amalgamate or consolidate with or into any other Person or sell, convey, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets to any Person, whether in a single transaction or series of related transactions, except in accordance with the provisions of the partnership agreement of Plains All American Pipeline, and unless:

 

 

 

 

 

Thereafter, the surviving Person will be substituted for us under the Indenture. If we sell or otherwise dispose of (except by lease) all or substantially all of our assets and the above stated requirements are satisfied, we will be released from all our liabilities and obligations under the Indenture. If we lease all or substantially all of our assets, we will not be so released from our obligations under the Indenture.

 

Modification of the Indenture

 

Generally, we, the subsidiary guarantors and the trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture, the guarantees and the Notes with the written consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes. However, without the consent of each holder affected, an amendment, supplement or waiver may not (with respect to any Notes held by a nonconsenting holder):

 

 

Notwithstanding the preceding, without the consent of any holder of Notes, we, the subsidiary guarantors, and the trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Notes:

 

 

 

Covenants

 

Limitations on liens

 

We will not, nor will we permit any Subsidiary to, create, assume, incur or suffer to exist any lien upon any Principal Property or upon any Capital Interests of any Restricted Subsidiary, whether owned or leased or hereafter acquired, to secure any of our debt or any debt of any other Person (other than debt securities issued under the Indenture), without in any such case making effective provision whereby all of the Notes shall be secured equally and ratably with, or prior to, such debt so long as such debt shall be so secured. The following are excluded from this restriction:

 

 

 

Notwithstanding the preceding, we may, and may permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, assume, incur, or suffer to exist any lien upon any Principal Property or Capital Interests of a Restricted Subsidiary to secure our debt or debt of any Person (other than debt securities issued under the Indenture), that is not excepted above without securing the Notes, provided that the aggregate principal amount of all debt then outstanding secured by such lien and all other liens not excepted above, together with all Attributable Indebtedness from Sale-leaseback Transactions, excluding Sale-leaseback Transactions permitted in the first paragraph under “— Limitations on sale-leasebacks,” does not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

 

Limitations on sale-leasebacks

 

We will not, and will not permit any Subsidiary to, engage in a Sale-leaseback Transaction, unless:

 

 

Notwithstanding the preceding, we may, and may permit any Subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline to, effect any Sale-leaseback Transaction that is not excepted above, provided that the Attributable Indebtedness from such Sale-leaseback Transaction, together with the aggregate principal amount of then outstanding debt (other than debt securities issued under the Indenture) secured by liens upon Principal Properties not excepted in the first paragraph under “— Limitations on liens,” do not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

 

SEC reports

 

Regardless of whether Plains All American Pipeline is required to remain subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, it will electronically file with the SEC, so long as the Notes are outstanding, the annual, quarterly and other periodic reports that it is required to file (or would otherwise be required to file) with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, and such documents will be filed with the SEC on or prior to the respective dates (the “Required Filing Dates”) by which it is required to file (or would otherwise be required to file) such documents, unless, in each case, such filings are not then permitted by the SEC.

 

If such filings are not then permitted by the SEC, or such filings are not generally available on the Internet free of charge, we will provide the trustee with, and the trustee will mail to any holder of Notes requesting in writing to the trustee copies of, such annual, quarterly and other periodic reports specified in Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act within 15 days after its Required Filing Date.

Defeasance and discharge

 

At any time we may terminate all our obligations under the Indenture as they relate to the Notes (“legal defeasance”), except for certain obligations, including those respecting the defeasance trust and timely payments therefrom and obligations to register the transfer of or exchange the Notes, to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes and to maintain a registrar and paying agent for the Notes.

 

Also, at any time we may terminate our obligations under covenants described in the last paragraph of “— The guarantees,” under “— Covenants” and under “— SEC reports” with respect to the Notes (“covenant defeasance”), and thereafter our failure to comply with any of such covenants would not constitute an Event of Default.

 

We may exercise our legal defeasance option notwithstanding our prior exercise of our covenant defeasance option. If we exercise our legal defeasance option, each guarantee obligation will be deemed to have been discharged with respect to the Notes.

 

In order to exercise either defeasance option, we must irrevocably deposit in trust (the “defeasance trust”) with the trustee money, U.S. Government Obligations (as defined in the Indenture) or a combination thereof for the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to redemption or stated maturity, as the case may be, and must comply with certain other conditions, including delivery to the trustee of an opinion of counsel to the effect that holders of the Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such defeasance had not occurred. In the case of legal defeasance only, such opinion of counsel must be based on a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or other change in applicable federal income tax law.

 

In the event of any legal defeasance, holders of the Notes would be entitled to look only to the trust for payment of principal of and any premium and interest on their Notes until maturity.

 

Although the amount of money and U.S. Government Obligations on deposit with the trustee would be intended to be sufficient to pay amounts due on the defeased Notes at the time of their stated maturity, if we exercise our covenant defeasance option for the Notes and the Notes are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of an Event of Default, such amount may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the Notes at the time of the acceleration resulting from such Event of Default. We would remain liable for such payments, however.

 

In addition, we may satisfy and discharge all our obligations under the Indenture with respect to the Notes, other than certain obligations to the trustee and our obligation to register the transfer of or exchange the Notes, provided that we either:

 

 

and comply with the other requirements of the Indenture in relation to satisfaction and discharge.

 

Definitions

 

“Attributable Indebtedness,” when used with respect to any Sale-leaseback Transaction, means, as at the time of determination, the present value, discounted at the rate set forth or implicit in the terms of the lease included in such transaction, of the total obligations of the lessee for rental payments, other than amounts required to be paid on account of property taxes, maintenance, repairs, insurance, assessments, utilities, operating and labor costs and other items that do not constitute payments for property rights during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale-leaseback Transaction including any period for which such

lease has been extended. In the case of any lease that is terminable by the lessee upon the payment of a penalty or other termination payment, such amount shall be the lesser of the amount determined assuming termination upon the first date such lease may be terminated, in which case the amount shall also include the amount of the penalty or termination payment, but no rent shall be considered as required to be paid under such lease subsequent to the first date upon which it may be so terminated, or the amount determined assuming no such termination.

 

“Board of Directors” means (a) with respect to Plains All American Pipeline, the board of directors of the Managing General Partner, and (b) with respect to PAA Finance Corp., its board of directors or, in each case, with respect to any determination or resolution permitted to be made under the Indenture, any authorized committee or subcommittee of such board.

 

“Capital Interests” means any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock, including, without limitation, with respect to partnerships, partnership interests (whether general or limited) and any other interest or participation that confers on a Person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, such Person.

 

“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means, at any date of determination, the total amount of assets after deducting therefrom:

 

(1) all current liabilities excluding:

 

(a) any current liabilities that by their terms are extendible or renewable at the option of the obligor thereon to a time more than 12 months after the time as of which the amount thereof is being computed; and

 

(b) current maturities of long-term debt; and

 

(2) the amount, net of any applicable reserves, of all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents and other like intangible assets,

 

all as set forth on the consolidated balance sheet of Plains All American Pipeline for its most recently completed fiscal quarter, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“Funded Debt” means all debt maturing one year or more from the date of the creation thereof, all debt directly or indirectly renewable or extendible, at the option of the debtor, by its terms or by the terms of any instrument or agreement relating thereto, to a date one year or more from the date of the creation thereof, and all debt under a revolving credit or similar agreement obligating the lender or lenders to extend credit over a period of one year or more.

 

“Issue Date” means the date on which the Notes are initially issued.

 

“Managing General Partner” means (i) Plains All American GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (and its successors and permitted assigns), as general partner of Plains AAP, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (and its successors and permitted assigns), as sole member of PAA GP LLC (and its successors and permitted assigns), as general partner of Plains All American Pipeline or (ii) the business entity with the ultimate authority to manage the business and operations of Plains All American Pipeline.

 

“Pari Passu Debt” means any of our Funded Debt, whether outstanding on the Issue Date or thereafter created, incurred or assumed, unless, in the case of any particular Funded Debt, the instrument creating or evidencing the same or pursuant to which the same is outstanding expressly provides that such Funded Debt shall be subordinated in right of payment to the Notes.

 

“Permitted Liens” means:

 

(1) Liens upon rights-of-way for pipeline purposes;

 

(2) any statutory or governmental lien or lien arising by operation of law, or any mechanics’, repairmen’s, materialmen’s, suppliers’, carriers’, landlords’, warehousemen’s or similar lien incurred in

the ordinary course of business which is not yet due or which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and any undetermined lien which is incidental to construction, development, improvement or repair;

 

(3) the right reserved to, or vested in, any municipality or public authority by the terms of any right, power, franchise, grant, license, permit or by any provision of law, to purchase or recapture or to designate a purchaser of any property;

 

(4) liens of taxes and assessments which are: (a) for the then current year, (b) not at the time delinquent, or (c) delinquent but the validity of which is being contested at the time by us or any Restricted Subsidiary in good faith;

 

(5) liens of, or to secure performance of, leases, other than capital leases;

 

(6) any lien upon, or deposits of, any assets in favor of any surety company or clerk of court for the purpose of obtaining indemnity or stay of judicial proceedings;

 

(7) any lien upon property or assets acquired or sold by us or any Restricted Subsidiary resulting from the exercise of any rights arising out of defaults on receivables;

 

(8) any lien incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance, temporary disability, social security, retiree health or similar laws or regulations or to secure obligations imposed by statute or governmental regulations;

 

(9) any lien in favor of us or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(10) any lien in favor of the United States of America or any state thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of the United States of America or any state thereof, to secure partial, progress, advance, or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute, or any debt incurred by us or any Restricted Subsidiary for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price of, or the cost of constructing, developing, repairing or improving, the property or assets subject to such lien;

 

(11) any lien securing industrial development, pollution control or similar revenue bonds;

 

(12) any lien securing our debt or debt of any Restricted Subsidiary, all or a portion of the net proceeds of which are used, substantially concurrently with the funding thereof (and for purposes of determining such “substantial concurrence,” taking into consideration, among other things, required notices to be given to holders of outstanding debt securities under the Indenture (including the Notes) in connection with such refunding, refinancing or repurchase, and the required corresponding durations thereof), to refinance, refund or repurchase all outstanding debt securities under the Indenture (including the Notes), including the amount of all accrued interest thereon and reasonable fees and expenses and premium, if any, incurred by us or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection therewith;

 

(13) liens in favor of any Person to secure obligations under the provisions of any letters of credit, bank guarantees, bonds or surety obligations required or requested by any governmental authority in connection with any contract or statute;

 

(14) any lien upon or deposits of any assets to secure performance of bids, trade contracts, leases or statutory obligations;

 

(15) any lien or privilege vested in any grantor, lessor or licensor or permittor for rent or other charges due or for any other obligations or acts to be performed, the payment of which rent or other charges or performance of which other obligations or acts is required under leases, easements, rights-of-way, licenses, franchises, privileges, grants or permits, so long as payment of such rent or the performance of such other obligations or acts is not delinquent or the requirement for such payment or performance is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;

 

(16) easements, exceptions or reservations in any property of Plains All American Pipeline or any property of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries granted or reserved for the purpose of pipelines, roads, the

removal of oil, gas, coal or other minerals, and other like purposes for the joint or common use of real property, facilities and equipment, which are incidental to, and do not materially interfere with, the ordinary conduct of its business or the business of Plains All American Pipeline and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

(17) liens arising under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farmout agreements, division orders, contracts for sale, transportation or exchange of oil and natural gas, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest agreements and other agreements arising in the ordinary course of Plains All American Pipeline’s or any Restricted Subsidiary’s business that are customary in the business of marketing, transportation and terminalling of crude oil and/or marketing of liquefied petroleum gas; or

 

(18) any obligations or duties to any municipality or public authority with respect to any lease, easement, right-of-way, license, franchise, privilege, permit or grant.

 

“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, association, joint stock company, trust, other entity, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

“Principal Property” means, whether owned or leased on the Issue Date or thereafter acquired:

 

(1) any of the pipeline assets of Plains All American Pipeline or the pipeline assets of any Subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline, including any related facilities employed in the transportation, distribution, terminalling, gathering, treating, processing, marketing or storage of crude oil or refined petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, fuel additives or petrochemicals; and

 

(2) any processing or manufacturing plant or terminal owned or leased by Plains All American Pipeline or any Subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline; except, in either case above: (a) any such assets consisting of inventories, furniture, office fixtures and equipment, including data processing equipment, vehicles and equipment used on, or useful with, vehicles, and (b) any such assets, plant or terminal which, in the good faith opinion of the Board of Directors, is not material in relation to the activities of Plains All American Pipeline or the activities of Plains All American Pipeline and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline owning or leasing, directly or indirectly through ownership in another Subsidiary, any Principal Property.

 

“Sale-leaseback Transaction” means the sale or transfer by us or any Subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline of any Principal Property to a Person (other than us or a Subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline) and the taking back by us or any Subsidiary of Plains All American Pipeline, as the case may be, of a lease of such Principal Property.

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person:

 

(1) any other Person of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares or other Capital Interests entitled, without regard to the occurrence of any contingency, to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees (or equivalent persons) thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof; or

 

(2) in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the partners’ Capital Interests, considering all partners’ Capital Interests as a single class, is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of such Person or a combination thereof.

 

We will issue the Notes in the form of one or more fully registered global notes, without coupons, each of which we refer to as a “Global Note.” Each such Global Note will be registered in the name of a depositary or a nominee of a depositary and held through one or more international and domestic clearing systems, principally the book-entry systems operated by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, in the United States and by Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., or the Euroclear Operator, as an operator of the Euroclear System, or Euroclear, and Clearstream Banking, société anonyme, or Clearstream, in Europe. Unless and until definitive notes are issued, all references to actions by holders of Notes issued in global form refer to actions taken by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, upon instructions from their respective participants, and all references to payments and notices to the holders refer to payments and notices to DTC, its nominee, Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, as the registered holder of the Notes. Electronic notes and payment transfer, processing, depositary and custodial links have been established among these systems and others, either directly or indirectly, which enable Global Notes to be issued, held and transferred among these clearing systems through these links.

 

Although DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream have agreed to the procedures described below in order to facilitate transfers of Global Notes among participants in DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform these procedures, and these procedures may be modified or discontinued at any time. Neither we nor the Trustee or any registrar and transfer agent with respect to the Notes will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC, Euroclear, Clearstream or any of their respective direct or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing DTC’s, Euroclear’s or Clearstream’s operations.

 

The Notes in the form of one or more Global Notes will be registered in the name of DTC or a nominee of DTC. Where appropriate, links will be established among DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream to facilitate the initial issuance of any Notes sold outside the United States and cross-market transfers of the Notes associated with secondary market trading. Although the following information concerning DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream and their respective book-entry systems has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, we take no responsibility for the accuracy of that information.

 

Depository procedures

 

DTC has advised us that DTC is a limited purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold securities for its participating organizations (collectively, the “Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions in those securities between the Participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the Participants thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. The Participants include securities brokers and dealers (including the underwriters), banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC is owned by a number of its Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the NYSE Alternext LLC and the Financial Regulatory Authority, Inc. Access to DTC’s system is also available to other entities such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant, either directly or indirectly (collectively, the “Indirect Participants”). Persons who are not Participants or Indirect Participants may beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only through the Participants or the Indirect Participants. The ownership interest and transfer of ownership interest of each actual purchaser of each security held by or on behalf of DTC is recorded on the records of the Participants and the Indirect Participants.

 

DTC has also advised us that pursuant to procedures established by it, (a) upon deposit of the Global Notes, DTC will credit the accounts of Participants designated by the underwriters with portions of the principal amount of the Global Notes and (b) ownership of such interests in the Global Notes will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership thereof will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with

respect to the Participants) or by the Participants and the Indirect Participants (with respect to other owners of beneficial interests in the Global Notes).

 

Investors in the Global Notes may hold their interests therein directly through DTC, if they are Participants in such system, or indirectly through organizations (including Euroclear and Clearstream) which are Participants in such system. Euroclear and Clearstream will hold any interests in the Global Notes on behalf of their participants through their respective depositories, which in turn will hold such interests on the books of DTC. All interests in a Global Note, including any held through Euroclear or Clearstream, may be subject to the procedures and requirements of DTC. Any interests held through Euroclear or Clearstream may also be subject to the procedures and requirements of such system.

 

The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain persons take physical delivery in definitive form of securities that they own. Consequently, the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global Note to such persons may be limited to that extent. Because DTC can act only on behalf of the Participants, which in turn act on behalf of the Indirect Participants and certain banks, the ability of a person having beneficial interests in a Global Note to pledge such interests to persons or entities that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise take actions in respect of such interests, may be affected by the lack of a physical certificate evidencing such interests. For certain other restrictions on the transferability of the Notes, see “— Exchange of book entry Notes for certificated Notes.”

 

Except as described below, owners of interests in the Global Notes will not have Notes registered in their names, will not receive physical delivery of Notes in certificated form and will not be considered the registered owners or holders thereof under the Indenture for any purpose.

 

Payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on a Global Note registered in the name of DTC or its nominee will be payable to DTC or its nominee in its capacity as the registered holder under the Indenture. Under the terms of the Indenture, we and the trustee will treat the persons in whose names the Notes, including the Global Notes, are registered as the owners thereof for the purpose of receiving such payments and for any and all other purposes whatsoever. Consequently, neither we nor the underwriters, the trustee nor any of our or their agents has or will have any responsibility or liability for (1) any aspect or accuracy of DTC’s records or any Participant’s or Indirect Participant’s records relating to the beneficial ownership or (2) any other matter relating to the actions and practices of DTC or any of the Participants or the Indirect Participants.

 

DTC has advised us that its current practice, upon receipt of any payment in respect of securities such as the Notes (including principal and interest), is to credit the accounts of the relevant Participants with the payment on the payment date, in amounts proportionate to their respective interests in the principal amount of the relevant security as shown on the records of DTC. Payments by the Participants and the Indirect Participants to the beneficial owners of notes will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices and will not be the responsibility of DTC, the trustee or us. Neither we nor the trustee will be liable for any delay by DTC or any of the Participants in identifying the beneficial owners of the Notes, and we and the trustee may conclusively rely on and will be protected in relying on instructions from DTC or its nominee as the registered owner of the Global Notes for all purposes.

 

Except for trades involving only Euroclear and Clearstream participants, secondary market trading activity in interests in the Global Notes will settle in same-day funds, subject in all cases to the rules and procedures of DTC and the Participants. Transfers between accountholders in Euroclear and Clearstream will be effected in the ordinary way in accordance with their respective rules and operating procedures.

 

Cross-market transfers between the accountholders in DTC, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly through Euroclear or Clearstream accountholders, on the other hand, will be effected through DTC in accordance with DTC’s rules on behalf of Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by its depository; however, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, by the counterparty in such system in accordance with the rules and procedures and within the established deadlines (Brussels time) of such system. Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, will, if

the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its depository to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving interests in the relevant Global Note in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Euroclear and Clearstream accountholders may not deliver instructions directly to the depositories for Euroclear or Clearstream.

 

Because of time zone differences, the securities account of a Euroclear or Clearstream accountholder purchasing an interest in a Global Note from an accountholder in DTC will be credited, and any such crediting will be reported to the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream participant, during the securities settlement processing day (which must be a business day for Euroclear or Clearstream) immediately following the settlement date of DTC. Cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream as a result of sales of interests in a Global Note by or through a Euroclear or Clearstream accountholder to a Participant in DTC will be received with value on the settlement date of DTC but will be available in the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream cash account only as of the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream following DTC’s settlement date.

 

DTC has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of notes only at the direction of one or more Participants to whose account with DTC interests in the Global Notes are credited and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of the notes as to which such Participant or Participants has or have given such direction. However, if any of the events described under “— Exchange of book entry Notes for certificated Notes” occurs, DTC reserves the right to exchange the Global Notes for Notes in certificated form and to distribute such Notes to its Participants.

 

Neither we, the underwriters, the trustee nor any of our respective agents will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream or their respective participants, indirect participants or accountholders of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

 

Exchange of book entry Notes for certificated Notes

 

A Global Note is exchangeable for definitive notes in registered certificated form if (1) DTC (a) notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depository for the Global Note or (b) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and (2) we fail to appoint a successor depository within 90 days. In all cases, certificated notes delivered in exchange for any Global Note or beneficial interests therein will be registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by or on behalf of DTC (in accordance with its customary procedures).

 

The following discussion is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Notes. The discussion is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), Treasury Regulations issued thereunder, and judicial decisions and administrative interpretations now in effect, all of which are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis, or are subject to different interpretations. There can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) will take a similar view of such consequences, and we have not obtained, nor do we intend to obtain, a ruling from the IRS with respect to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership or disposition of the Notes. This discussion is limited to initial beneficial owners who purchase the Notes for cash at their issue price (the first price at which a substantial amount of the Notes is sold for money to investors, not including bond houses, brokers or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents or wholesalers) and who hold the Notes as capital assets (generally property held for investment).

 

In this discussion, we do not purport to address all tax considerations that may be important to a particular holder in light of the holder’s special circumstances, or to certain categories of holders that may be subject to special rules, such as:

 

 

In addition, the discussion does not consider the effect of U.S. federal estate or gift tax laws or of any applicable foreign, state, local or other tax laws or income tax treaties.

 

If a partnership or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes is a beneficial owner of Notes, the treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership. Partners in partnerships acquiring Notes should consult their tax advisors.

 

PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ARE ADVISED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS WITH REGARD TO THE APPLICATION OF THE TAX CONSEQUENCES DISCUSSED BELOW TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS, AS WELL AS THE APPLICATION OF U.S. FEDERAL ESTATE OR GIFT TAX LAWS OR OF ANY STATE, LOCAL, FOREIGN OR OTHER TAX LAWS OR INCOME TAX TREATIES.

 

As used herein, a “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a Note that is:

 

 

 

As used herein, a “Non-U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of a Note that is an individual, corporation, estate or trust and is not a U.S. Holder.

 

U.S. federal income taxation of U.S. Holders

 

Payments of interest

 

Interest paid on a Note generally will be taxable to a U.S. Holder as ordinary income at the time it accrues or is received in accordance with the U.S. Holder’s regular method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

In certain circumstances (see “Description of Notes — Optional redemption”), we may pay amounts in excess of the stated interest and principal on the Notes. We intend to take the position that the possibility that such additional amounts will be paid does not cause the Notes to be treated as contingent payment debt instruments. Our determination is binding on a U.S. Holder, unless such holder explicitly discloses a contrary position to the IRS in the manner prescribed by applicable Treasury regulations. Our determination is not binding on the IRS. It is possible that the IRS might take a different position, in which case, the timing, character and amount of taxable income in respect of the Notes may be different from that described herein.

 

Disposition of Notes

 

Upon the sale, retirement, redemption or other taxable disposition of a Note, a U.S. Holder will generally recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the disposition (not including any amount attributable to accrued but unpaid interest which is taxable as ordinary interest income to the extent not previously included in income) and such holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Note. The amount realized by a U.S. Holder will include the amount of any cash and the fair market value of any other property received for the Note. A U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in a Note will generally equal the purchase price paid by such holder for the Note.

 

In general, gain or loss realized on the sale, retirement, redemption or other taxable disposition of a Note by a U.S. Holder will be long-term capital gain or loss if, at the time of disposition, the U.S. Holder has held the Note for more than one year. The long-term capital gains of individuals, estates and trusts currently are subject to a reduced rate of U.S. federal income tax. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain limitations.

 

Information reporting and backup withholding

 

Information reporting will apply to payments of interest on, and the proceeds of the sale, retirement, redemption or other disposition of, Notes held by a U.S. Holder, and backup withholding may apply unless the U.S. Holder provides the appropriate intermediary with a taxpayer identification number, certified under penalties of perjury, as well as certain other information or otherwise establishes an exemption from backup withholding. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules is allowable as a credit against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and a refund may be obtained if the amounts withheld exceed the U.S. Holder’s actual U.S. federal income tax liability and the U.S. Holder provides the required information or appropriate claim form to the IRS.

 

New legislation

 

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, newly enacted legislation is scheduled to impose a 3.8% tax on the “net investment income” of certain U.S. citizens and resident aliens, and on the undistributed

“net investment income” of certain estates and trusts. Among other items, “net investment income” would generally include gross income from interest and net gain from the sale, retirement, redemption or other taxable disposition of a Note, less certain deductions.

 

Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences of the new legislation described above.

 

U.S. federal income taxation of Non-U.S. Holders

 

Payments of interest

 

The payment to a Non-U.S. Holder of interest on a Note generally will be exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax under the “portfolio interest” exemption provided that interest on the Note is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by the Non-U.S. Holder and the Non-U.S. Holder:

 

 

The portfolio interest exemption and several of the special rules for Non-U.S. Holders described below generally apply only if a Non-U.S. Holder appropriately certifies as to his foreign status. A Non-U.S. Holder can generally meet this certification requirement by providing a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or appropriate substitute form to us, or our paying agent.

 

If a Non-U.S. Holder holds the Notes through a financial institution or other agent acting on his behalf, that Non-U.S. Holder may be required to provide appropriate certifications to the agent. That agent will then generally be required to provide appropriate certifications to us or our paying agent, either directly or through other intermediaries. Special rules apply to foreign partnerships, estates and trusts, and in certain circumstances certifications as to foreign status of partners, trust owners or beneficiaries may have to be provided to us or our paying agent. In addition, special rules apply to qualified intermediaries that enter into withholding agreements with the IRS.

 

If a Non-U.S. Holder cannot satisfy the requirements described in the preceding paragraphs, payments of interest made to the Non-U.S. Holder will be subject to a 30% U.S. federal withholding tax, unless the Non-U.S. Holder provides us with a properly executed (1) IRS Form W-8BEN (or successor form) claiming an exemption from or reduction in the rate of withholding under the benefit of an income tax treaty or (2) IRS Form W-8ECI (or successor form) stating that the interest paid on the Note is not subject to withholding tax because it is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is treated as attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States). See “— Income or gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business.”

 

Disposition of Notes

 

Generally, a Non-U.S. Holder will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax with respect to gain realized on the sale, retirement, redemption or other disposition of a Note unless:

 

 

If you are a Non-U.S. Holder described in the first bullet point above, you generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the manner described below under “— Income or gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business”. If you are a Non-U.S. Holder described in the second bullet point above, you will be subject to a flat 30% U.S. federal income tax on the gain derived from the sale or other disposition, which may be offset by U.S. source capital losses.

 

Income or gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business

 

If a Non-U.S. Holder of a Note is engaged in a trade or business in the United States and interest on the Note is effectively connected with the conduct of such trade or business, then the income or gain from the Note will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the same manner as if that Non-U.S. Holder were a U.S. Holder, unless the Non-U.S. Holder can claim an exemption under the benefits of an income tax treaty. If a Non-U.S. Holder is eligible for the benefits of an income tax treaty between the United States and his country of residence, any “effectively connected” income or gain will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by that Non-U.S. Holder in the United States. In addition, if such Non-U.S. Holder is a foreign corporation, it may be subject to a branch profits tax equal to 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) of its earnings and profits for the taxable year, subject to adjustments, that are effectively connected with its conduct of a trade or business in the United States. A Non-U.S. Holder can generally meet the certification requirements by providing a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or IRS Form W-8BEN claiming exemption under an applicable income tax treaty) or appropriate substitute form to us, or our paying agent.

 

Information reporting and backup withholding

 

Payments to a Non-U.S. Holder of interest on a Note, and amounts withheld from such payments, if any, generally will be required to be reported to the IRS and to the Non-U.S. Holder.

 

United States backup withholding tax generally will not apply to payments of interest and principal on a Note to a Non-U.S. Holder if the statement described in “— Payments of interest” is duly provided by the holder or the holder otherwise establishes an exemption, provided that we do not have actual knowledge or reason to know that the holder is a United States person.

 

Payment of the proceeds of a sale of a Note effected by the U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker will be subject to information reporting requirements and backup withholding unless the Non-U.S. Holder properly certifies under penalties of perjury as to his foreign status and certain other conditions are met or the Non-U.S. Holder otherwise establishes an exemption. Information reporting requirements and backup withholding generally will not apply to any payment of the proceeds of the sale of a Note effected outside the United States by a foreign office of a broker. However, unless such a broker has documentary evidence in its records that the holder is a Non-U.S. Holder and certain other conditions are met, or the Non-U.S. Holder otherwise establishes an exemption, information reporting will apply to a payment of the proceeds of the sale of a Note effected outside the United States by such a broker if the broker is:

 

 

Any amount withheld from payments to a Non-U.S. Holder under the backup withholding rules may be credited against such holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and any excess may be refundable if the proper information is provided to the IRS.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in an underwriting agreement, dated the date of this prospectus supplement, between us and the underwriters named below, we have agreed to sell to each of the underwriters, and the underwriters have agreed, severally and not jointly, to purchase, the principal amount of the Notes set forth opposite their respective names below:

 

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several underwriters to purchase the Notes included in this offering are subject to approval of legal matters by counsel and to other conditions. Under the terms of the underwriting agreement, the underwriters are committed to purchase all of the Notes if any are purchased.

 

Commissions and discounts

 

The underwriters propose initially to offer the Notes to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and may offer the Notes to certain dealers at such price less a concession not in excess of     % of the principal amount of the Notes. The underwriters may allow a discount not in excess of     % of the principal amount of the Notes on sales to certain other brokers and dealers. After this initial public offering, the public offering price, concession and discount may be changed.

 

The following table summarizes the compensation to be paid by us to the underwriters.

 

 

We estimate that our share of the total expenses of the offering, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $     .

 

New issue of Notes

 

We do not intend to apply for listing of the Notes on a national securities exchange. We have been advised by the underwriters that the underwriters intend to make a market in the Notes but are not obligated to do so and may discontinue market making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to whether or not a trading market for the Notes will develop or as to the liquidity of any trading market for the Notes which may develop.

 

Stabilization and short positions

 

In connection with the offering of the Notes, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the Notes. Specifically, the underwriters may overallot in connection with the offering of the Notes, creating a syndicate short position. In addition, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, Notes in the open market to cover syndicate short positions or to stabilize the price of the Notes. Finally, the underwriting syndicate may reclaim selling concessions allowed for distributing the Notes in the offering of the Notes, if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed Notes in syndicate covering transactions, stabilization transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the Notes above independent market levels. The underwriters are not required to engage in any of these activities and may end any of them at any time. Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the Notes. In addition, neither we nor the underwriters make any representation that the underwriters will engage in such transactions or that such transactions, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Settlement

 

We expect delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about January     , 2011, which is the seventh business day following the date of pricing of the notes (such settlement being referred to as “T+7”). Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in three business days unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes on the date of pricing of the notes or the next succeeding three business days will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+7, to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent failed settlement and should consult their own advisers.

 

Selling restrictions

 

European Economic Area

 

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”), an offer of Notes may not be made to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the Notes that has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, an offer of Notes may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time:

 

 

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of Notes to the public” in relation to any Notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Notes, so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Notes, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.

 

United Kingdom

 

With respect the United Kingdom, the underwriters:

 

 

Conflicts of interest

 

The underwriters and their respective affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various financial advisory, commercial banking and investment banking services for us and our affiliates, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expense reimbursement. Affiliates of

each of the underwriters are lenders under our credit facilities. These affiliates may receive their respective share of any repayment by us of amounts outstanding under our credit facilities from the proceeds of this offering. Each of the underwriters whose affiliates will receive at least 5% of the net proceeds is considered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. to have a conflict of interest with us in regards to this offering. However, the appointment of a qualified independent underwriter is not necessary in connection with the offering because the offering is of a class of securities that are investment grade rated.

 

Indemnification

 

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities.

 

Certain legal matters in connection with the Notes being offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas and for the underwriters by Baker Botts L.L.P., Houston, Texas.

 

The financial statements of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, have been incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

The balance sheet as of December 31, 2009 of PAA GP LLC incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 12, 2010, has been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

We are “incorporating by reference” into this prospectus supplement information we file with the SEC. This procedure means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to documents filed with the SEC. The information we incorporate by reference is part of this prospectus supplement and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding any information furnished and not filed pursuant to any Current Report on Form 8-K) until the offering, sale and initial resale of the Notes contemplated by this prospectus supplement are complete:

 

 

 

You may request a copy of these filings (other than any exhibits unless specifically incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus) at no cost by making written or telephone requests for copies to:

 

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.

333 Clay Street, Suite 1600

Houston, Texas 77002

Attention: Tim Moore

Telephone: (713) 646-4100

 

Additionally, you may read and copy any materials that we have filed with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding us. The SEC’s website address is www.sec.gov.

 

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus supplement. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone else to provide you with any information. You should not assume that the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of any date other than its date.

 

PROSPECTUS

 

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.

PAA Finance Corp.

 

 

Common Units

Debt Securities

 

We may offer and sell the common units, representing limited partner interests of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., and, together with PAA Finance Corp., debt securities described in this prospectus from time to time in one or more classes or series and in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions at the time of our offerings. PAA Finance Corp. may act as co-issuer of the debt securities, and other subsidiaries of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. may guarantee the debt securities.

 

We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. This prospectus describes the general terms of these common units and debt securities and the general manner in which we will offer the common units and debt securities. The specific terms of any common units and debt securities we offer will be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also describe the specific manner in which we will offer the common units and debt securities.

 

Investing in our common units and the debt securities involves risks. Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. You should carefully consider the risk factors described under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 6 of this prospectus before you make an investment in our securities.

 

Our common units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PAA.” We will provide information in the prospectus supplement for the trading market, if any, for any debt securities we may offer.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

The date of this prospectus is October 14, 2009.

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

In making your investment decision, you should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any other information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.

 

You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus. You should not assume that the information contained in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the respective dates of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we and PAA Finance Corp. have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, over time, offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus generally describes Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and the securities. Each time we sell securities with this prospectus, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add to, update or change information in this prospectus. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement and the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.” To the extent information in this prospectus is inconsistent with information contained in a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information,” and any additional information you may need to make your investment decision.

 

We have filed a registration statement with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that registers the securities offered by this prospectus. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us. The rules and regulations of the SEC allow us to omit some information included in the registration statement from this prospectus.

 

In addition, we file annual, quarterly and other reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-732-0330 for further information on the operation of the SEC’s public reference room. Our SEC filings are available on the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov. We also make available free of charge on our website, at http://www.paalp.com, all materials that we file electronically with the SEC, including our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, Section 16 reports and amendments to these reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such materials are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we have filed with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to other documents filed separately with the SEC. These other documents contain important information about us, our financial condition and results of operations. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus. Information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and may replace information in this prospectus and information previously filed with the SEC. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings made by Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (excluding any information furnished and not filed with the SEC) until all offerings under this shelf registration statement are completed or after the date on which the registration statement that includes this prospectus was initially filed with the SEC and before the effectiveness of such registration statement:

 

 

 

You may obtain any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the SEC through the SEC’s website at the address provided above. You also may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus (including exhibits to those documents specifically incorporated by reference in this document), at no cost, by visiting our internet website at www.paalp.com, or by writing or calling us at the following address:

 

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
333 Clay Street, Suite 1600
Houston, Texas 77002
Attention: Tim Moore
Telephone: (713) 646-4100

 

All statements included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or the accompanying prospectus supplement, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements identified by the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend” and “forecast,” as well as similar expressions and statements regarding our business strategy, plans and objectives of our management for future operations. The absence of these words, however, does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events, based on what we believe are reasonable assumptions. Certain factors could cause actual results to differ materially from results anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to:

 

 

 

Other factors described herein or incorporated by reference, or factors that are unknown or unpredictable, could also have a material adverse effect on future results. Please read “Risk Factors” beginning on page 6 of this prospectus and in Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we do not intend to update these forward-looking statements and information.

 

We are a Delaware limited partnership formed in September 1998. Our operations are conducted directly and indirectly through our primary operating subsidiaries. We are engaged in the transportation, storage, terminalling and marketing of crude oil, refined products and liquefied petroleum gas and other natural gas-related petroleum products. We have an extensive network of pipeline transportation, terminalling, storage and gathering assets in key oil-producing basins and transportation corridors, and at major market hubs in the United States and Canada. We are also engaged in the development and operation of natural gas storage facilities.

 

PAA Finance Corp. was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in May 2004, is wholly owned by Plains All American Pipeline, and has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of debt securities. Its activities are limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto.

 

For purposes of this prospectus, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, “we,” “us,” “our” and the “Partnership” refer to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and its subsidiaries. References to our “general partner,” as the context requires, include any or all of PAA GP LLC, Plains AAP, L.P. and Plains All American GP LLC.

 

Our executive offices are located at 333 Clay Street, Suite 1600, Houston, Texas 77002 and our telephone number is (713) 646-4100.

 

For additional information as to our business, properties and financial condition please refer to the documents cited in “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risk factors and all of the other information included in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus, including those in Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, in evaluating an investment in our securities. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our common units or value of our debt securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment. When we offer and sell any securities pursuant to a prospectus supplement, we may include additional risk factors relevant to such securities in the prospectus supplement.

 

Unless otherwise indicated to the contrary in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of securities covered by this prospectus for general partnership purposes, which may include repayment of indebtedness, the acquisition of businesses and other capital expenditures and additions to working capital.

 

Any specific allocation of the net proceeds of an offering of securities to a specific purpose will be determined at the time of the offering and will be described in a prospectus supplement.

 

The following table sets forth our historical consolidated ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated. For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, “earnings” consist of pretax income from continuing operations before income from equity investees plus fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest), distributed income of equity investees and amortization of capitalized interest. “Fixed charges” represent interest incurred (whether expensed or capitalized), amortization of debt expense (including discounts and premiums relating to indebtedness), and that portion of rental expense on operating leases deemed to be the equivalent of interest.

 

 

 

 

General

 

The debt securities will be:

 

 

Plains All American Pipeline may issue debt securities in one or more series, and PAA Finance may be a co-issuer of one or more series of debt securities. PAA Finance was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in May 2004, is wholly-owned by Plains All American Pipeline, and has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of debt securities. Its activities are limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto. When used in this section “Description of the Debt Securities,” the terms “we,” “us,” “our” and “issuers” refer jointly to Plains All American Pipeline and PAA Finance, and the terms “Plains All American Pipeline” and “PAA Finance” refer strictly to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and PAA Finance Corp., respectively.

 

If we offer senior debt securities, we will issue them under a senior indenture. If we issue subordinated debt securities, we will issue them under a subordinated indenture. A form of each indenture is filed as an exhibit to the latest registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We have not restated either indenture in its entirety in this description. You should read the relevant indenture because it, and not this description, controls your rights as holders of the debt securities. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the indentures.

 

Specific Terms of Each Series of Debt Securities in the Prospectus Supplement

 

A prospectus supplement and a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

 

 

 

We may offer and sell debt securities, including original issue discount debt securities, at a substantial discount below their principal amount. The prospectus supplement will describe special U.S. federal income tax and any other considerations applicable to those securities. In addition, the prospectus supplement may describe certain special U.S. federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any debt securities that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.

 

Guarantees

 

If specified in the prospectus supplement respecting a series of debt securities, the subsidiaries of Plains All American Pipeline specified in the prospectus supplement will unconditionally guarantee to each holder and the Trustee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of that series when and as the same become due and payable, whether at maturity, upon redemption or repurchase, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise. If a series of debt securities is guaranteed, such series will be guaranteed by all of the subsidiaries of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. other than the non-guarantor subsidiaries. The prospectus supplement will describe any limitation on the maximum amount of any particular guarantee and the conditions under which guarantees may be released.

 

The guarantees will be general obligations of the guarantors. Guarantees of subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of the guarantors on the same basis as the subordinated debt securities are subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of Plains All American Pipeline.

 

Consolidation, Merger or Asset Sale

 

Each indenture will, in general, allow us to consolidate or merge with or into another domestic entity. It will also allow each issuer to sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to another domestic entity. If this happens, the remaining or acquiring entity must assume all of the issuer’s responsibilities and liabilities under the indenture including the payment of all amounts due on the debt securities and performance of the issuer’s covenants in the indenture.

 

However, each indenture will impose certain requirements with respect to any consolidation or merger with or into an entity, or any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of an issuer’s assets, including:

 

 

The remaining or acquiring entity will be substituted for the issuer in the indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture, and the issuer will be relieved from any further obligations under the indenture.

No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control

 

Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions that protect the holders of the debt securities in the event of a change of control of us or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, whether or not such transaction results in a change of control of us.

 

Modification of Indentures

 

We may supplement or amend an indenture if the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series issued under the indenture affected by the supplement or amendment consent to it. Further, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive past defaults under the indenture and compliance by us with our covenants with respect to the debt securities of that series only. Those holders may not, however, waive any default in any payment on any debt security of that series or compliance with a provision that cannot be supplemented or amended without the consent of each holder affected. Without the consent of each outstanding debt security affected, no modification of the indenture or waiver may:

 

 

We may supplement or amend an indenture without the consent of any holders of the debt securities in certain circumstances, including:

 

 

 

Events of Default and Remedies

 

“Event of Default,” when used in an indenture, will mean any of the following with respect to the debt securities of any series:

 

 

An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities will not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under an indenture. The Trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default (except in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest) if it considers such withholding of notice to be in the best interests of the holders.

 

If an Event of Default for any series of debt securities occurs and continues, the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of the series may declare the entire principal of, and accrued interest on, all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. If this happens, subject to certain conditions, the holders of a majority in the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series can rescind the declaration.

 

Other than its duties in case of a default, a Trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under either indenture at the request, order or direction of any holders, unless the holders offer the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity. If they provide this reasonable security or indemnification, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of any series of debt securities may direct the time, method and place

of conducting any proceeding or any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any power conferred upon the Trustee, for that series of debt securities.

 

No Limit on Amount of Debt Securities

 

Neither indenture will limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue, unless we indicate otherwise in a prospectus supplement. Each indenture will allow us to issue debt securities of any series up to the aggregate principal amount that we authorize.

 

Registration of Notes

 

We will issue debt securities of a series only in registered form, without coupons, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.

 

Minimum Denominations

 

Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, the debt securities will be issued only in principal amounts of $1,000 each or integral multiples of $1,000.

 

No Personal Liability

 

None of the past, present or future partners, incorporators, managers, members, directors, officers, employees, unitholders or stockholders of either issuer, the general partner of Plains All American Pipeline or any guarantor will have any liability for the obligations of the issuers or any guarantors under either indenture or the debt securities or for any claim based on such obligations or their creation. Each holder of debt securities by accepting a debt security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the debt securities. The waiver may not be effective under federal securities laws, however, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.

 

Payment and Transfer

 

The Trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar under each indenture. The issuers may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of debt securities, and the issuers or any of their subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.

 

If a holder of debt securities has given wire transfer instructions to the issuers, the issuers will make all payments on the debt securities in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on the debt securities will be made at the corporate trust office of the Trustee, unless the issuers elect to make interest payments by check mailed to the holders at their addresses set forth in the debt security register.

 

The Trustee and any paying agent will repay to us upon request any funds held by them for payments on the debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment as general creditors.

 

Exchange, Registration and Transfer

 

Debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount and the same terms but in different authorized denominations in accordance with the indenture. Holders may present debt securities for exchange or registration of transfer at the office of the registrar. The registrar will effect the transfer or exchange when it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. We will not charge a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities. We may, however, require the payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable for that registration.

 

We will not be required to:

 

 

 

Provisions Relating only to the Senior Debt Securities

 

The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other senior and unsubordinated debt. The senior debt securities will be effectively subordinated, however, to all of our secured debt to the extent of the value of the collateral for that debt. We will disclose the amount of our secured debt in the prospectus supplement.

 

Provisions Relating only to the Subordinated Debt Securities

 

Subordinated Debt Securities Subordinated to Senior Indebtedness

 

The subordinated debt securities will rank junior in right of payment to all of the Senior Indebtedness of Plains All American Pipeline. “Senior Indebtedness” will be defined in a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions respecting any issuance of a series of subordinated debt securities, and the definition will be set forth in the prospectus supplement.

 

Payment Blockages

 

The subordinated indenture will provide that no payment of principal, interest and any premium on the subordinated debt securities may be made in the event:

 

 

No Limitation on Amount of Senior Debt

 

The subordinated indenture will not limit the amount of Senior Indebtedness that Plains All American Pipeline may incur, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.

 

Book Entry, Delivery and Form

 

The debt securities of a particular series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates that will be deposited with the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York (“DTC”). This means that we will not issue certificates to each holder. Instead, one or more global debt securities will be issued to DTC, who will keep a computerized record of its participants (for example, your broker) whose clients have purchased the debt securities. The participant will then keep a record of its clients who purchased the debt securities. Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for a certificated debt security, a global debt security may not be transferred, except that DTC, its nominees and their successors may transfer a global debt security as a whole to one another.

 

Beneficial interests in global debt securities will be shown on, and transfers of global debt securities will be made only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.

 

DTC has provided us the following information: DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a

member of the United States Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. DTC holds securities that its participants (“Direct Participants”) deposit with DTC. DTC also records the settlement among Direct Participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through computerized records for Direct Participants’ accounts. This eliminates the need to exchange certificates. Direct Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations.

 

DTC’s book-entry system is also used by other organizations such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that work through a Direct Participant. The rules that apply to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.

 

DTC is owned by a number of its Direct Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., The American Stock Exchange, Inc. and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

 

We will wire all payments on the global debt securities to DTC’s nominee. We and the Trustee will treat DTC’s nominee as the owner of the global debt securities for all purposes. Accordingly, we, the Trustee and any paying agent will have no direct responsibility or liability to pay amounts due on the global debt securities to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities.

 

It is DTC’s current practice, upon receipt of any payment on the global debt securities, to credit Direct Participants’ accounts on the payment date according to their respective holdings of beneficial interests in the global debt securities as shown on DTC’s records. In addition, it is DTC’s current practice to assign any consenting or voting rights to Direct Participants whose accounts are credited with debt securities on a record date, by using an omnibus proxy. Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities, and voting by participants, will be governed by the customary practices between the participants and owners of beneficial interests, as is the case with debt securities held for the account of customers registered in “street name.” However, payments will be the responsibility of the participants and not of DTC, the Trustee or us.

 

Debt securities represented by a global debt security will be exchangeable for certificated debt securities with the same terms in authorized denominations only if:

 

 

Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance

 

Each indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding debt securities of any series issued thereunder, when:

 

(a) either:

 

(1) all outstanding debt securities of that series that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed debt securities that have been replaced or paid and debt securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to us) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

(2) all outstanding debt securities of that series that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the giving of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee and in any case we have irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust cash in U.S. dollars, non-callable U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient,

without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness of such debt securities not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of debt securities that have been due and payable) or the stated maturity or redemption date;

 

(b) we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable by us under the indenture; and

 

(c) we have delivered an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.

 

The debt securities of a particular series will be subject to legal or covenant defeasance to the extent, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in the prospectus supplement.

 

The Trustee

 

U.S. Bank National Association is the Trustee under the senior indenture and will be the initial Trustee under the subordinated indenture. We maintain a banking relationship in the ordinary course of business with U.S. Bank National Association and some of its affiliates.

 

Resignation or Removal of Trustee

 

If the Trustee has or acquires a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee must either eliminate its conflicting interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and the applicable indenture. Any resignation will require the appointment of a successor trustee under the applicable indenture in accordance with the terms and conditions of such indenture.

 

The Trustee may resign or be removed by us with respect to one or more series of debt securities and a successor Trustee may be appointed to act with respect to any such series. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series may remove the Trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series.

 

Limitations on Trustee if it is a Creditor

 

Each indenture will limit the right of the Trustee thereunder, in the event that it becomes a creditor of an issuer or guarantor, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise.

 

Certificates and Opinions to be Furnished to Trustee

 

Each indenture will provide that, in addition to other certificates or opinions that may be specifically required by other provisions of the indenture, every application by us for action by the Trustee must be accompanied by a certificate of certain of our officers and an opinion of counsel (who may be our counsel) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with by us.

 

Governing Law

 

Each indenture and all of the debt securities will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

 

Generally, our common units represent limited partner interests that entitle the holders to participate in our cash distributions and to exercise the rights and privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the relative rights and preferences of holders of common units and our general partner in and to cash distributions. See “Cash Distribution Policy.”

 

Our outstanding common units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “PAA.” Any additional common units we issue will also be listed on the NYSE.

 

The transfer agent and registrar for our common units is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

 

Meetings/Voting

 

Each holder of common units is entitled to one vote for each common unit on all matters submitted to a vote of the unitholders.

 

Status as Limited Partner or Assignee

 

Except as described below under “— Limited Liability,” the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional capital contributions to us.

 

Each purchaser of common units offered by this prospectus must execute a transfer application whereby the purchaser requests admission as a substituted limited partner and makes representations and agrees to provisions stated in the transfer application. If this action is not taken, a purchaser will not be registered as a record holder of common units on the books of our transfer agent or issued a common unit certificate. Purchasers may hold common units in nominee accounts.

 

An assignee, pending its admission as a substituted limited partner, is entitled to an interest in us equivalent to that of a limited partner with respect to the right to share in allocations and distributions, including liquidating distributions. Our general partner will vote and exercise other powers attributable to common units owned by an assignee who has not become a substituted limited partner at the written direction of the assignee. A nominee or broker who has executed a transfer application with respect to common units held in street name or nominee accounts will receive distributions and reports pertaining to its common units.

 

Limited Liability

 

Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “Delaware Act”) and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of our partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to some possible exceptions, generally to the amount of capital he is obligated to contribute to us in respect of his units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets.

 

Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner to the extent that at the time of the distribution, after giving effect to the distribution, all liabilities of the partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purposes of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of the property subject to liability of which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act is liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years from the date of the distribution.

 

Reports and Records

 

As soon as practicable, but in no event later than 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, our general partner will furnish or make available to each unitholder of record (as of a record date selected by our general

partner) an annual report containing our audited financial statements for the past fiscal year. These financial statements will be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, no later than 45 days after the close of each quarter (except the fourth quarter), our general partner will furnish or make available to each unitholder of record (as of a record date selected by our general partner) a report containing our unaudited financial statements and any other information required by law.

 

Our general partner will use all reasonable efforts to furnish each unitholder of record information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year. Our general partner’s ability to furnish this summary tax information will depend on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying information to our general partner. Each unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his U.S. federal and state and Canadian federal and provincial tax liability and filing his U.S. federal and state and Canadian federal and provincial income tax returns.

 

A limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to the limited partner’s interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:

 

 

Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets and other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes in good faith is not in our best interest or which we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.

 

Distributions of Available Cash

 

General.  We will distribute to our unitholders, on a quarterly basis, all of our available cash in the manner described below.

 

Definition of Available Cash.  Available cash generally means, for any quarter ending prior to liquidation, all cash on hand at the end of that quarter less the amount of cash reserves that are necessary or appropriate in the reasonable discretion of the general partner to:

 

 

Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus

 

General.  Cash distributions to our unitholders will be characterized as either operating surplus or capital surplus. We distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available cash from capital surplus. See “— Quarterly Distributions of Available Cash.”

 

Definition of Operating Surplus.  Operating surplus refers generally to:

 

 

Definition of Capital Surplus.  Capital surplus will generally be generated only by:

 

 

We will treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since we began equals the operating surplus as of the end of the quarter prior to the distribution. Any available cash in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, will be treated as capital surplus.

 

If we distribute available cash from capital surplus for each common unit in an aggregate amount per common unit equal to the initial public offering price of the common units, there will not be a distinction between operating surplus and capital surplus, and all distributions of available cash will be treated as operating surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make distributions from capital surplus.

 

Incentive Distribution Rights

 

The incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. The target distribution levels are based on the amounts of available cash from operating surplus distributed above the payments made under the minimum quarterly distribution, if any, and the related 2% distribution to the general partner.

Effect of Issuance of Additional Units

 

We can issue additional common units or other equity securities for consideration and under terms and conditions approved by our general partner in its sole discretion and without the approval of our unitholders. We may fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities.

 

Holders of any additional common units that we issue will be entitled to share equally with our then-existing unitholders in distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing unitholders. If we issue additional partnership interests, our general partner will be required to make an additional capital contribution to us.

 

Quarterly Distributions of Available Cash

 

We will make quarterly distributions to our partners prior to our liquidation in an amount equal to 100% of our available cash for that quarter. We expect to make distributions of all available cash within approximately 45 days after the end of each quarter to holders of record on the applicable record date. The minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels are also subject to certain other adjustments as described below under “— Distributions from Capital Surplus” and “— Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels.”

 

Distributions From Operating Surplus

 

We will make distributions of available cash from operating surplus in the following manner:

 

 

Incentive Distribution Rights

 

For any quarter that we distribute available cash from operating surplus to the common unitholders in an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution on all units, then we will distribute any additional available cash from operating surplus in that quarter among the unitholders and the general partner in the following manner:

 

 

Our distributions to the general partner above, other than in its capacity as holders of units, that are in excess of its aggregate 2% general partner interest represent the incentive distribution rights. The right to receive incentive distribution rights is not part of its general partner interest and may be transferred separately from that interest, subject to certain restrictions.

 

Adjustments to Incentive Distribution Rights

 

In connection with acquisitions or similar transactions, we have and may in the future modify the incentive distribution rights to, among other reasons, accelerate the accretion or other benefits of the transaction to limited partners.

 

Upon closing of the Pacific and Rainbow acquisitions, our general partner agreed to reduce the amounts due it as incentive distributions. The total reduction in incentive distributions related to these acquisitions will be $75 million. Following our distribution in August 2009, the remaining incentive distribution reductions related to Pacific and Rainbow totaled approximately $21.25 million.

In connection with our acquisition of the remaining 50% indirect member interest in PAA Natural Gas Storage LLC in September 2009, our general partner agreed to further reduce the amounts due it as incentive distributions by an aggregate of $8 million over the next two years. This reduction will be effective upon our payment of a quarterly distribution of $0.92 per unit.

 

Distributions from Capital Surplus

 

How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made.  We will make distributions of available cash from capital surplus in the following manner:

 

 

Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus.  Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of available cash from capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price. To show that repayment, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced by multiplying each amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the unrecovered capital of the common units immediately after giving effect to that repayment and the denominator of which is the unrecovered capital of the common units immediately prior to that repayment.

 

When Payback Occurs.  When “payback” of the reduced initial unit price has occurred, i.e., when the unrecovered capital of the common units is zero, then

 

 

Distributions of available cash from capital surplus will not reduce the minimum quarterly distribution or target distribution levels for the quarter in which they are distributed.

 

Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels

 

How We Adjust the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels.  In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our units into fewer units or subdivide our units into a greater number of units (but not if we issue additional common units for cash or property), we will proportionately adjust:

 

 

For example, in the event of a two-for-one split of the common units (assuming no prior adjustments), the minimum quarterly distribution, each of the target distribution levels and the unrecovered capital of the common units would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level.

 

If We Became Subject to Taxation.  If legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by the relevant governmental authority so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, we will adjust the minimum quarterly

distribution and each of the target distribution levels, respectively, to equal the product obtained by multiplying the amount thereof by:

 

 

For example, assuming we were not previously subject to state and local income tax, if we become taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes and became subject to a maximum marginal federal, and effective state and local, income tax rate of 38%, then the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels would each be reduced to 62% of the amount immediately prior to that adjustment.

 

Distribution of Cash Upon Liquidation

 

General.  If we dissolve and liquidate, we will sell our assets or otherwise dispose of our assets and we will adjust the partners’ capital account balances to show any resulting gain or loss. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors in the order of priority provided in our partnership agreement and by law and, thereafter, distribute to the unitholders and the general partner in accordance with their adjusted capital account balances.

 

Manner of Adjustment.  If we liquidate, we would allocate any loss to the general partner and each unitholder as follows:

 

 

Interim Adjustments to Capital Accounts.  If we issued additional security interests or made distributions of property, interim adjustments to capital accounts would also be made. These adjustments would be based on the fair market value of the interests or the property distributed and any gain or loss would be allocated to the unitholders and the general partner in the same way that a gain or loss is allocated upon liquidation. If positive interim adjustments are made to the capital accounts, any subsequent negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from our issuance of additional interests, distributions of property, or upon our liquidation, would be allocated in a way that, to the extent possible, in the capital account balances of the general partner equaling the amount which would have been the general partner’s capital account balances if no prior positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made.

 

The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. The following provisions of our partnership agreement are summarized elsewhere in this prospectus:

 

 

Purpose

 

Our purpose under our partnership agreement is to serve as a partner of our operating partnerships and to engage in any business activities that may be engaged in by our operating partnerships or that are approved by our general partner. The partnership agreements of our operating partnerships provide that they may engage in any activity that was engaged in by our predecessors at the time of our initial public offering or reasonably related thereto and any other activity approved by our general partner.

 

Power of Attorney

 

Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a unit from a unitholder and executes and delivers a transfer application, grants to our general partner and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance or dissolution. The power of attorney also grants the authority for the amendment of, and to make consents and waivers under, our partnership agreement.

 

Reimbursements of Our General Partner

 

Our general partner does not receive any compensation for its services as our general partner. It is, however, entitled to be reimbursed for all of its costs incurred in managing and operating our business. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will determine the expenses that are allocable to us in any reasonable manner determined by our general partner in its sole discretion.

 

Issuance of Additional Securities

 

Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited partner interests and other equity securities that are equal in rank with or junior to our common units on terms and conditions established by our general partner in its sole discretion without the approval of any limited partners.

 

It is likely that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our cash distributions. In addition, the issuance of additional partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.

 

In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership interests that, in the sole discretion of our general partner, may have special voting rights to which common units are not entitled.

 

Our general partner has the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units or other equity securities whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those securities to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain their percentage interests in us that existed immediately prior to the issuance. The holders of common units will not have preemptive rights to acquire additional common units or other partnership interests in us.

Amendments to Our Partnership Agreement

 

Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by our general partner. Any amendment that materially and adversely affects the rights or preferences of any type or class of limited partner interests in relation to other types or classes of limited partner interests or our general partner interest will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests or general partner interests so affected. However, in some circumstances, more particularly described in our partnership agreement, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of our limited partners or assignees.

 

Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner

 

Our general partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as our general partner prior to December 31, 2008 without obtaining the approval of the holders of a majority of our outstanding common units, excluding those held by our general partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. On or after December 31, 2008, our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days’ written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. In addition, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days’ notice to our limited partners if at least 50% of our outstanding common units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates other than our general partner and its affiliates.

 

Upon the voluntary withdrawal of our general partner, the holders of a majority of our outstanding common units, excluding the common units held by the withdrawing general partner and its affiliates, may elect a successor to the withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within 90 days after that withdrawal, the holders of a majority of our outstanding units, excluding the common units held by the withdrawing general partner and its affiliates, agree to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner.

 

Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than two-thirds of our outstanding units, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of this kind is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of our outstanding common units, including those held by our general partner and its affiliates.

 

While our partnership agreement limits the ability of our general partner to withdraw, it allows the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights to be transferred to an affiliate or to a third party in conjunction with a merger or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of our general partner.

 

In addition, our partnership agreement expressly permits the sale, in whole or in part, of the ownership of our general partner. Our general partner may also transfer, in whole or in part, the common units it owns.

 

Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds

 

Upon our dissolution, unless we are reconstituted and continued as a new limited partnership, the person authorized to wind up our affairs (the liquidator) will, acting with all the powers of our general partner that the liquidator deems necessary or desirable in its good faith judgment, liquidate our assets. The proceeds of the liquidation will be applied as follows:

 

 

Under some circumstances and subject to some limitations, the liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time. If the liquidator determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause a loss to our partners, our general partner may distribute assets in kind to our partners.

Change of Management Provisions

 

Our partnership agreement contains the following specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove our general partner or otherwise change management:

 

 

Limited Call Right

 

If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own 80% or more of the issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right to purchase all, but not less than all, of the outstanding limited partner interests of that class that are held by non-affiliated persons. The record date for determining ownership of the limited partner interests would be selected by our general partner on at least 10 but not more than 60 days’ notice. The purchase price in the event of a purchase under these provisions would be the greater of (1) the current market price (as defined in our agreement) of the limited partner interests of the class as of the date three days prior to the date that notice is mailed to the limited partners as provided in our partnership agreement and (2) the highest cash price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for any limited partner interest of the class purchased within the 90 days preceding the date our general partner mails notice of its election to purchase the units.

 

Indemnification

 

Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify our general partner, its affiliates and their officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims or damages any of them may suffer by reason of their status as general partner, officer or director, as long as the person seeking indemnity acted in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or (in the case of an indemnitee other than the general partner) not opposed to our best interest. Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Our general partner shall not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate any indemnification.

 

We are authorized to purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our partnership agreement.

 

Registration Rights

 

Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any common units, or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates or their assignees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

This section is a discussion of the material tax considerations that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel to our general partner and us, insofar as it relates to legal conclusions with respect to matters of United States federal income tax law. This section is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), existing and proposed regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code (the “Treasury Regulations”), current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Later changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to “us” or “we” are references to Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.

 

The following discussion does not comment on all federal income tax matters affecting us or the unitholders. Moreover, the discussion focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and has only limited application to corporations, estates, trusts, nonresident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, foreign persons, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), real estate investment trusts (REITs) or mutual funds. Accordingly, we urge each prospective unitholder to consult, and depend on, his own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of common units.

 

All statements as to matters of law and legal conclusions, but not as to factual matters, contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and are based on the accuracy of the representations made by us.

 

No ruling has been or will be requested from the IRS regarding any matter affecting us or prospective unitholders. Instead, we will rely on opinions of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any contest of this sort with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for our common units and the prices at which common units trade. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, principally legal, accounting and related fees, will result in a reduction in cash available for distribution to our unitholders and our general partner and thus will be borne indirectly by our unitholders and our general partner. Furthermore, the tax treatment of us, or of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions. Any modifications may or may not be retroactively applied.

 

For the reasons described below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific federal income tax issues: (1) the treatment of a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units (please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Treatment of Short Sales”); (2) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please see “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees”); and (3) whether our method for depreciating Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election”).

 

Partnership Status

 

A partnership is not a taxable entity and incurs no federal income tax liability. Instead, each partner of a partnership is required to take into account his share of items of income, gain, loss and deduction of the partnership in computing his federal income tax liability, regardless of whether cash distributions are made to him by the partnership. Distributions by a partnership to a partner are generally not taxable to the partnership or to the partner unless the amount of cash distributed is in excess of the partner’s adjusted basis in his partnership interest.

 

Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that publicly traded partnerships will, as a general rule, be taxed as corporations. However, an exception, referred to as the “Qualifying Income Exception,” exists

with respect to publicly traded partnerships of which 90% or more of the gross income for every taxable year consists of “qualifying income.” Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the transportation, storage, terminalling and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and products thereof. Other types of qualifying income include interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. Moreover, recently enacted legislation has modified Section 7704(d)(1)(E) of the Internal Revenue Code to expand the definition of qualifying income to include income from the storage and transportation of certain alternative fuels and, among other things, the transportation and marketing of industrial source carbon dioxide. We estimate that less than 5% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based upon and subject to this estimate, the factual representations made by us and the general partner and a review of the applicable legal authorities, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that at least 90% of our current gross income constitutes qualifying income. The portion of our income that is qualifying income may change from time to time.

 

No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS and the IRS has made no determination as to our status or the status of the operating partnerships for federal income tax purposes or whether our operations generate “qualifying income” under Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. on such matters. It is the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. that, based upon the Internal Revenue Code, its regulations, published revenue rulings and court decisions and the representations described below, we will be classified as a partnership and the operating partnerships will be treated as partnerships or disregarded as entities separate from us for federal income tax purposes.

 

In rendering its opinion, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied are:

 

(a) Neither we nor the operating partnerships have elected or will elect to be treated as a corporation;

 

(b) For each taxable year, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined or will opine is “qualifying income” within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code; and

 

(c) Each hedging transaction that we treat as resulting in qualifying income has been and will be appropriately identified as a hedging transaction pursuant to applicable Treasury Regulations, and has been and will be associated with oil, gas, or products thereof that are held or to be held by us in activities that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined or will opine result in qualifying income.

 

We believe that these representations have been true in the past and expect that these representations will be true in the future.

 

If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as if we had transferred all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation, and then distributed that stock to the unitholders in liquidation of their interests in us. This deemed contribution and liquidation should be tax-free to unitholders and us so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.

 

If we were treated as an association taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on our tax return rather than being passed through to the unitholders, and our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. In addition, any distribution made to a unitholder would be treated as either taxable dividend income, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable return of capital, to the extent of the unitholder’s tax basis

in his common units, or taxable capital gain, after the unitholder’s tax basis in his common units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, taxation as a corporation would result in a material reduction in a unitholder’s cash flow and after-tax return and thus would likely result in a substantial reduction of the value of the units.

 

The discussion below is based on Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s opinion that we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

 

Limited Partner Status

 

Unitholders who have become limited partners of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. will be treated as partners of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. for federal income tax purposes. Also:

 

 

will be treated as partners of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. for federal income tax purposes. As there is no direct or indirect controlling authority addressing assignees of common units who are entitled to execute and deliver transfer applications and thereby become entitled to direct the exercise of attendant rights, but who fail to execute and deliver transfer applications, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s opinion does not extend to these persons. Furthermore, a purchaser or other transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application may not receive some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of common units unless the common units are held in a nominee or street name account and the nominee or broker has executed and delivered a transfer application for those common units.

 

A beneficial owner of common units whose units have been transferred to a short seller to complete a short sale would appear to lose his status as a partner with respect to those units for federal income tax purposes. Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Treatment of Short Sales.”

 

Income, gain, deductions or losses would not appear to be reportable by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes, and any cash distributions received by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes would therefore appear to be fully taxable as ordinary income. These holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to their tax consequences of holding common units in Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.

 

The references to “unitholders” in the discussion that follows are to persons who are treated as partners in Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. for federal income tax purposes.

 

Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership

 

Flow-Through of Taxable Income.  We will not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each unitholder will be required to report on his income tax return his share of our income, gains, losses and deductions without regard to whether corresponding cash distributions are received by him. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if he has not received a cash distribution. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his allocable share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year ending with or within his taxable year. Our taxable year ends on December 31.

 

Treatment of Distributions.  Distributions by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder for federal income tax purposes, except to the extent the amount of any such cash distribution exceeds his tax basis in his common units immediately before the distribution. Our cash distributions in excess of a unitholder’s tax basis generally will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of our common units, taxable in accordance with the rules described under “— Disposition of Common Units.” Any reduction in a unitholder’s share of our liabilities for which no partner, including the general partner, bears the economic risk of loss, known as “nonrecourse liabilities,” will be treated as a distribution of cash to that unitholder. To the extent our distributions cause a unitholder’s “at risk” amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable

year, he must recapture any losses deducted in previous years. Please see “— Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”

 

A decrease in a unitholder’s percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional common units will decrease his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash. This deemed distribution may constitute a non-pro rata distribution. A non-pro rata distribution of money or property may result in ordinary income to a unitholder, regardless of his tax basis in his common units, if the distribution reduces the unitholder’s share of our “unrealized receivables,” including depreciation recapture, and/or substantially appreciated “inventory items,” both as defined in the Internal Revenue Code, and collectively, “Section 751 Assets.” To that extent, he will be treated as having been distributed his proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and then having exchanged those assets with us in return for the non-pro rata portion of the actual distribution made to him. This latter deemed exchange will generally result in the unitholder’s realization of ordinary income, which will equal the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the unitholder’s tax basis (generally zero) for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.

 

Basis of Common Units.  A unitholder’s initial tax basis for his common units will be the amount he paid for our common units plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be increased by his share of our income and by any increases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions from us, by the unitholder’s share of our losses, by any decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities and by his share of our expenditures that are not deductible in computing taxable income and are not required to be capitalized. A unitholder will have no share of our debt that is recourse to our general partner, but will have a share, generally based on his share of profits, of our nonrecourse liabilities. Please see “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.  The deduction by a unitholder of his share of our losses will be limited to the tax basis in his units and, in the case of an individual unitholder, estate, trust, or corporate unitholder (if more than 50% of the value of the corporate unitholder’s stock is owned directly or indirectly by or for five or fewer individuals) or some tax-exempt organizations, to the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be “at risk” with respect to our activities, if that is less than his tax basis. A common unitholder subject to these limitations must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause his at-risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction to the extent that his at-risk amount is subsequently increased provided such losses do not exceed such common unitholders’ tax basis in his common units. Upon the taxable disposition of a unit, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at-risk limitation but may not be offset by losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at-risk limitation in excess of that gain would no longer be utilizable.

 

In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of the tax basis of his units, excluding any portion of that basis attributable to his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, reduced by (i) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or other similar arrangement and (ii) any amount of money he borrows to acquire or hold his units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to the unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholder’s at-risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax basis of the unitholder’s units increases or decreases, other than tax basis increases or decreases attributable to increases or decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities.

 

In addition to the basis and at-risk limitations on the deductibility of losses, the passive loss limitations generally provide that individuals, estates, trusts and some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations can deduct losses from passive activities, which are generally trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate, only to the extent of the taxpayer’s income from those passive activities. The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will only be available to offset our passive income generated in the future and will not be available to offset income from other passive activities or investments, including our

investments or investments in other publicly traded partnerships, or salary or active business income. Passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a unitholder’s share of income we generate may be deducted in full when he disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss limitations are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at-risk rules and the basis limitation.

 

A unitholder’s share of our net income may be offset by any of our suspended passive losses, but it may not be offset by any other current or carryover losses from other passive activities, including those attributable to other publicly traded partnerships.

 

Limitations on Interest Deductions.  The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer’s “investment interest expense” is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayer’s “net investment income.” Investment interest expense includes:

 

 

The computation of a unitholder’s investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a unit. Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income, but generally does not include gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment or qualified dividend income. The IRS has indicated that the net passive income earned by a publicly traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its unitholders. In addition, the unitholder’s share of our portfolio income will be treated as investment income.

 

Entity-Level Collections.  If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, local or foreign income tax on behalf of any unitholder or our general partner or any former unitholder, we are authorized to pay those taxes from our funds. That payment, if made, will be treated as a distribution of cash to the partner on whose behalf the payment was made. If the payment is made on behalf of a person whose identity cannot be determined, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. We are authorized to amend our partnership agreement in the manner necessary to maintain uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics of units and to adjust later distributions, so that after giving effect to these distributions, the priority and characterization of distributions otherwise applicable under our partnership agreement is maintained as nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of an individual partner in which event the partner would be required to file a claim in order to obtain a credit or refund.

 

Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.  In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that distributions are made to our common units in excess of distributions to the subordinated units, or incentive distributions are made to our general partner, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of these distributions. If we have a net loss, that loss will be allocated first to the general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts and, second, to the general partner.

 

Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated to account for (i) any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time of an offering and (ii) any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of any property contributed to us by the general partner and its affiliates that exists at the time of such contribution, together, referred to in this discussion as “Contributed Property.” The effect of these allocations, referred to as Section 704(c) Allocations, to a unitholder purchasing common units from us in an offering will be essentially the same as if the tax basis of our assets were equal to their fair market value at the time of such offering. In the event we issue additional common units or

engage in certain other transactions in the future “reverse Section 704(c) Allocations,” similar to the Section 704(c) Allocations described above, will be made to all holders of partnership interests immediately prior to such other transactions to account for the difference between the “book” basis for purposes of maintaining capital accounts and the fair market value of all property held by us at the time of the future transaction. In addition, items of recapture income will be allocated to the extent possible to the partner who was allocated the deduction giving rise to the treatment of that gain as recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by some unitholders. Finally, although we do not expect that our operations will result in the creation of negative capital accounts, if negative capital accounts nevertheless result, items of our income and gain will be allocated in an amount and manner as is needed to eliminate the negative balance as quickly as possible.

 

An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required by the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the difference between a partner’s “book” capital account, credited with the fair market value of Contributed Property, and “tax” capital account, credited with the tax basis of Contributed Property, referred to in this discussion as the “Book-Tax Disparity,” will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has substantial economic effect. In any other case, a partner’s share of an item will be determined on the basis of his interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:

 

 

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in “— Section 754 Election” and “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees,” allocations under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction.

 

Treatment of Short Sales.  A unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of those units. If so, he would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period:

 

 

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the treatment of a unitholder where common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units; therefore, unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition from a loan to a short seller are urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing their units. The IRS has announced that it is actively studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please also read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

Alternative Minimum Tax.  Each unitholder will be required to take into account his distributive share of any items of our income, gain, loss or deduction for purposes of the alternative minimum tax. The current minimum tax rate for noncorporate taxpayers is 26% on the first $175,000 of alternative minimum taxable income in excess of the exemption amount and 28% on any additional alternative minimum taxable income. Prospective unitholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors as to the impact of an investment in units on their liability for the alternative minimum tax.

Tax Rates.  Under current law, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 35% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than 12 months) of individuals is 15%. However, absent new legislation extending the current rates, beginning January 1, 2011, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains of individuals will increase to 39.6% and 20%, respectively. Moreover, these rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.

 

Section 754 Election.  We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. The election will generally permit us to adjust a common unit purchaser’s tax basis in our assets (“inside basis”) under Section 743(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to reflect his purchase price. This election does not apply to a person who purchases common units directly from us. The Section 743(b) adjustment belongs to the purchaser and not to other unitholders. For purposes of this discussion, a unitholder’s inside basis in our assets will be considered to have two components: (1) his share of our tax basis in our assets (“common basis”) and (2) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis.

 

Where the remedial allocation method is adopted (which we have generally adopted as to all of our properties), the Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code require a portion of the Section 743(b) adjustment that is attributable to recovery property subject to depreciation under Section 168 of the Internal Revenue Code whose book basis is in excess of its tax basis to be depreciated over the remaining cost recovery period for the property’s unamortized Book-Tax Disparity. Under Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to property subject to depreciation under Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code, rather than cost recovery deductions under Section 168, is generally required to be depreciated using either the straight-line method or the 150% declining balance method. If we elect a method other than the remedial method, the depreciation and amortization methods and useful lives associated with the Section 743(b) adjustment, therefore, may differ from the methods and useful lives generally used to depreciate the inside basis in such properties. Under our partnership agreement, the general partner is authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of units even if that position is not consistent with these and any other Treasury Regulations. If we elect a method other than the remedial method with respect to a goodwill property, the common basis of such property is not amortizable. Please see “— Uniformity of Units.”

 

Although Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine as to the validity of this approach because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on this issue, we intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property’s unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as non-amortizable to the extent attributable to property which is not amortizable. This method is consistent with the methods employed by other publicly traded partnerships but is arguably inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets. To the extent this Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may take a depreciation or amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring units in the same month would receive depreciation or amortization, whether attributable to common basis or a Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in our assets. This kind of aggregate approach may result in lower annual depreciation or amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders. Please see “— Uniformity of Units.” A unitholder’s tax basis for his common units is reduced by his share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individual’s income tax return) so that any position we take that understates deductions will overstate the common unitholder’s basis in his common units, which may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please see “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.” The IRS may challenge our position with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we take to preserve the

uniformity of the units. If such a challenge were sustained, the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.

 

A Section 754 election is advantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is higher than the units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. In that case, as a result of the election, the transferee would have, among other items, a greater amount of depreciation deductions and his share of any gain or loss on a sale of our assets would be less. Conversely, a Section 754 election is disadvantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is lower than those units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. Thus, the fair market value of the units may be affected either favorably or unfavorably by the election. A basis adjustment is required regardless of whether a Section 754 election is made in the case of a transfer of an interest in us if we have a substantial built-in loss immediately after the transfer, or if we distribute property and have a substantial basis reduction. Generally a built-in loss or a basis reduction is substantial if it exceeds $250,000.

 

The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and will be made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. For example, the allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment among our assets must be made in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment allocated by us to our tangible assets to goodwill instead. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally nonamortizable or amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure you that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS and that the deductions resulting from them will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of units may be allocated more income than he would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.

 

Tax Treatment of Operations

 

Accounting Method and Taxable Year.  We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our taxable year ending within or with his taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of his units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of his taxable year must include his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for his taxable year, with the result that he will be required to include in income for his taxable year his share of more than one year of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please see “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”

 

Initial Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization.  The tax basis of our assets will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of these assets. The federal income tax burden associated with the difference between the fair market value of our assets and their tax basis immediately prior to an offering will be borne by our unitholders holding interests in us prior to any such offering. Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.”

 

To the extent allowable, we may elect to use the depreciation and cost recovery methods that will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets subject to these allowances are placed in service. Because our general partner may determine not to adopt the remedial method of allocation with respect to any difference between the tax basis and the fair market value of goodwill immediately prior to any future offering, we may not be entitled to any amortization deductions with respect to any goodwill conveyed to us on formation or held by us at the time of any future offering. Please see “— Uniformity of Units.” Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated using accelerated methods permitted by the Internal Revenue Code.

 

If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation previously deducted and the nature of the property,

may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of his interest in us. Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction” and “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

The costs we incur in selling our units (called “syndication expenses”) must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon our termination. There are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us. The underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses.

 

Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties.  The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values, and the initial tax bases, of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deductions previously reported by unitholders might change, and unitholders might be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.

 

Disposition of Common Units

 

Recognition of Gain or Loss.  Gain or loss will be recognized on a sale of units equal to the difference between the amount realized and the unitholder’s tax basis for the units sold. A unitholder’s amount realized will be measured by the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property received by him plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.

 

Prior distributions from us in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a common unit that decreased a unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit will, in effect, become taxable income if the common unit is sold at a price greater than the unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit, even if the price received is less than his original cost.

 

Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder, other than a “dealer” in units, on the sale or exchange of a unit held for more than one year will generally be taxable as long term capital gain or loss. Capital gain recognized by an individual on the sale of units held more than twelve months will generally be taxed at a maximum rate of 15% through December 31, 2010 and 20% thereafter (absent new legislation extending or adjusting the current rate). However, a portion of this gain or loss, which will likely be substantial, will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code to the extent attributable to assets giving rise to depreciation recapture or other “unrealized receivables” or to “inventory items” we own. The term “unrealized receivables” includes potential recapture items, including depreciation recapture. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables, inventory items and depreciation recapture may exceed net taxable gain realized upon the sale of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and a capital loss upon a sale of units. Net capital losses may offset capital gains and no more than $3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gains in the case of corporations.

 

The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an “equitable apportionment” method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner’s tax basis in his entire interest in the

partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner’s entire interest in the partnership. Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Internal Revenue Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify common units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the common units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling, a common unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis common units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, may designate specific common units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of common units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of common units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional units or a sale of common units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult his tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.

 

Specific provisions of the Internal Revenue Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an “appreciated” partnership interest, one in which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, if the taxpayer or related persons enter(s) into:

 

 

Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is also authorized to issue regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.

 

Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.  In general, our taxable income and losses will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month, which we refer to in this prospectus as the “Allocation Date.” However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets other than in the ordinary course of business will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which that gain or loss is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.

 

Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Internal Revenue Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, however, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders, although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. Existing publicly traded partnerships are entitled to rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations; however, they are not binding on the IRS and are subject to change until final Treasury Regulations are issued. Accordingly, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferor and transferee unitholders. If this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder’s interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferor and transferee unitholders, as well as unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under future Treasury Regulations.

 

A unitholder who owns units at any time during a quarter and who disposes of them prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deductions attributable to that quarter but will not be entitled to receive that cash distribution.

Notification Requirements.  A unitholder who sells any of his units is generally required to notify us in writing of that sale within 30 days after the sale (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the sale). A purchaser of units who purchases units from another unitholder is also generally required to notify us in writing of that purchase within 30 days after the purchase. Upon receiving such notifications, we are required to notify the IRS of that transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a purchase may, in some cases, lead to the imposition of penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale or exchange through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.

 

Constructive Termination.  We will be considered to have been terminated for tax purposes if there are sales or exchanges which, in the aggregate, constitute 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of measuring whether the 50% threshold is reached, multiple sales of the same interest are counted only once. A constructive termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 will result in us filing two tax returns (and common unitholders receiving two Schedules K-1) for one fiscal year and the cost of the preparation of these returns will be borne by all common unitholders. We would be required to make new tax elections after a termination, including a new election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code, and a termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination might either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination. The IRS has recently announced that it plans to issue guidance regarding the treatment of constructive terminations of publicly traded partnerships such as us. Any such guidance may change the application of the rules discussed above and may affect the tax treatment of a unitholder.

 

Uniformity of Units

 

Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the units to a purchaser of these units. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements, both statutory and regulatory. A lack of uniformity can result from a literal application of Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6). Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the units. Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election.”

 

We intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property’s unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as nonamortizable, to the extent attributable to property the common basis of which is not amortizable, consistent with the regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code, even though that position may be inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets, and Treasury Regulation Section 1.197-2(g)(3). Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election.” To the extent that the Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may adopt a depreciation and amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring units in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, whether attributable to a common basis or Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable methods and lives as if they had purchased a direct interest in our property. If this position is adopted, it may result in lower annual depreciation and amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders and risk the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions not taken in the year that these deductions are otherwise allowable. This position will not be adopted if we determine that the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions will have a material

adverse effect on the unitholders. If we choose not to utilize this aggregate method, we may use any other reasonable depreciation and amortization method to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any units that would not have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. The IRS may challenge any method of depreciating the Section 743(b) adjustment described in this paragraph. If this challenge were sustained, the uniformity of units might be affected, and the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions. Please see “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors

 

Ownership of units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, non-resident aliens, foreign corporations and other non-U.S. persons raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a non-U.S. person, you should consult your tax advisor before investing in our common units.

 

Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income allocated to a unitholder that is a tax-exempt organization will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to it.

 

Non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts or estates that own units will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of the ownership of units. As a consequence, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax at regular rates on their share of our net income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, we will withhold at the highest applicable effective tax rate from cash distributions made quarterly to non-U.S. unitholders. Each non-U.S. unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes. A change in applicable law may require us to change these procedures.

 

In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns units will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the United States branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation’s “U.S. net equity,” which are effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is a “qualified resident.” In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

A foreign unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a unit will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the foreign unitholder. Under a ruling published by the IRS, interpreting the scope of “effectively connected income,” a foreign unitholder would be considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the U.S. by virtue of the U.S. activities of the partnership, and part or all of that unitholder’s gain would be effectively connected with that unitholder’s indirect U.S. trade or business. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a foreign unitholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a unit if (i) he owned (directly or constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our common units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of all of our assets consisted of U.S. real property interests at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the common units or the 5-year period ending on the date of disposition. Currently, more than 50% of our assets consist of U.S. real property interests and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future. Therefore, foreign unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their units.

Administrative Matters

 

Information Returns and Audit Procedures.  We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each calendar year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each unitholder’s share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure you that those positions will in all cases yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS. Neither we nor Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. can assure prospective unitholders that the IRS will not successfully contend in court that those positions are impermissible. Any challenge by the IRS could negatively affect the value of the units.

 

The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year’s tax liability, and possibly may result in an audit of his return. Any audit of a unitholder’s return could result in adjustments not related to our returns as well as those related to our returns.

 

Partnerships generally are treated as separate entities for purposes of federal tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings with the partners. The Internal Revenue Code requires that one partner be designated as the “Tax Matters Partner” for these purposes. Our partnership agreement names our general partner as our Tax Matters Partner.

 

The Tax Matters Partner has made and will make some elections on our behalf and on behalf of unitholders. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review will go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate.

 

A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on his federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties. Nominee Reporting. Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:

 

 

 

 

Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are United States persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $50 per failure, up to a maximum of $100,000 per calendar year, is imposed by the

Internal Revenue Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the units with the information furnished to us.

 

Accuracy-Related Penalties.  An additional tax equal to 20% of the amount of any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding that portion.

 

For individuals, a substantial understatement of income tax in any taxable year exists if the amount of the understatement exceeds the greater of 10% of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year or $5,000 ($10,000 for most corporations). The amount of any understatement subject to penalty generally is reduced if any portion is attributable to a position adopted on the return:

 

 

If any item of income, gain, loss or deduction included in the distributive shares of unitholders might result in that kind of an “understatement” of income for which no “substantial authority” exists, we must disclose the pertinent facts on our return. In addition, we will make a reasonable effort to furnish sufficient information for unitholders to make adequate disclosure on their returns and to take other actions as may be appropriate to permit unitholders to avoid liability for this penalty. More stringent rules apply to “tax shelters,” which we do not believe includes us or any of our investments, plans or arrangements.

 

A substantial valuation misstatement exists if (i) the value of any property, or the tax basis of any property, claimed on a tax return is 150% or more of the amount determined to be the correct amount of the valuation or tax basis, (ii) the price for any property or services (or for the use of property) claimed on any such return with respect to any transaction between persons described in Internal Revenue Code Section 482 is 200% or more (or 50% or less) of the amount determined under Internal Revenue Code Section 482 to be the correct amount of such price or (iii) the net Internal Revenue Code Section 482 transfer price adjustment for the taxable year exceeds the lesser of $5 million or 10% of the taxpayer’s gross receipts. No penalty is imposed unless the portion of the underpayment attributable to a substantial valuation misstatement exceeds $5,000 ($10,000 for a corporation other than an S Corporation or a personal holding company). The penalty is increased to 40% in the event of a gross valuation misstatement.

 

Reportable Transactions.  If we were to engage in a “reportable transaction,” we (and possibly you and others) would be required to make a detailed disclosure of the transaction to the IRS. A transaction may be a reportable transaction based upon any of several factors, including the fact that it is a type of tax avoidance transaction publicly identified by the IRS as a “listed transaction” or that it produces certain kinds of losses for partnerships, individuals, S corporations, and trusts in excess of $2 million in any single year, or $4 million in any combination of 6 successive tax years. Our participation in a reportable transaction could increase the likelihood that our federal income tax information return (and possibly your tax return) would be audited by the IRS. Please see “— Information Returns and Audit Procedures.”

 

Moreover, if we were to participate in a reportable transaction with a significant purpose to avoid or evade tax, or in any listed transaction, you may be subject to the following provisions of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004:

 

 

We do not expect to engage in any “reportable transactions.”

 

State, Local, Foreign and Other Tax Considerations

 

In addition to federal income taxes, you may be subject to other taxes, such as state, local and foreign income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property or in which you are a resident. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on his investment in us. We currently own property and do business in Canada and most states of the United States. A unitholder may be required to file Canadian federal income tax returns and pay Canadian federal and provincial income taxes and to file state income tax returns and to pay taxes in various states and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. In some jurisdictions, tax losses may not produce a tax benefit in the year incurred and may not be available to offset income in subsequent taxable years. Some jurisdictions may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the jurisdiction. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder’s income tax liability to the jurisdiction, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Amounts withheld will be treated as if distributed to unitholders for purposes of determining the amounts distributed by us. Please see “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Entity-Level Collections.” Based on current law and our estimate of our future operations, the general partner anticipates that any amounts required to be withheld will not be material.

 

Tax Consequences of Ownership of Debt Securities

 

A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of debt securities will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of debt securities.

 

It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of his investment in us. Accordingly, each prospective unitholder is urged to consult, and depend upon, his tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local and foreign, as well as United States federal tax returns, that may be required of him. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state, local or foreign tax consequences of an investment in us.

 

The validity of the securities offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. will also render an opinion on the material federal income tax considerations regarding the securities. If certain legal matters in connection with an offering of the securities made by this prospectus and a related prospectus supplement are passed on by counsel for the underwriters of such offering, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement related to that offering.

 

The financial statements of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (which is included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting) incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. for the year ended December 31, 2008, have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

The balance sheet as of December 31, 2008 of PAA GP LLC incorporated in this prospectus by reference to the Current Report on Form 8-K of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. filed March 12, 2009 has been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

 

$     

 

     % Senior Notes due

 

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

 

J.P. Morgan
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey
Wells Fargo Securities
BofA Merrill Lynch
DnB NOR Markets

 

January   , 2011