Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Note 16 - Business Segment Information

 v2.3.0.11
Note 16 - Business Segment Information
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Business Segment Information [Abstract]  
Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block]
Business Segment Information

We have three operating business segments: LNG terminal business, natural gas pipeline business and LNG and natural gas marketing business. These operating segments reflect lines of business for which separate financial information is produced internally and are subject to evaluation by our chief operating decision makers in deciding how to allocate resources.
 
Our LNG terminal business segment consists of the operational Sabine Pass LNG terminal, approximately 90.3% owned at June 30, 2011, in western Cameron Parish, Louisiana on the Sabine Pass Channel and two other LNG terminals that are in various stages of development at the following locations: Corpus Christi LNG, 100% owned, near Corpus Christi, Texas; and Creole Trail LNG, 100% owned, at the mouth of the Calcasieu Channel in central Cameron Parish, Louisiana.
 
Our natural gas pipeline business segment consists of the Creole Trail Pipeline, consisting of 94 miles of natural gas pipeline connecting the Sabine Pass LNG terminal to numerous interconnection points with existing interstate natural gas pipelines in southwest Louisiana, and other natural gas pipelines in various stages of development to provide access to North American natural gas markets.

Our LNG and natural gas marketing business segment is seeking to monetize the 2.0 Bcf/d of regasification capacity at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal held by a subsidiary of Cheniere Partners; develop a portfolio of long-term, short-term, and spot LNG purchase and sale agreements; assist Cheniere Partners' subsidiary in negotiations with potential customers for bi-directional service at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal; and enter into business relationships for the domestic marketing of natural gas imported by Cheniere Marketing as LNG to the Sabine Pass LNG terminal.
 
The following table summarizes revenues, net income (loss) from operations and total assets for each of our operating segments (in thousands):
 
 
Segments
 
 
LNG Terminal
 
Natural
Gas Pipeline
 
LNG & Natural Gas Marketing
 
Corporate and Other (1)
 
Total
Consolidation
As of or for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2011
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

Revenues
 
$
67,302

 
$
18

 
$
4,606

 
$
884

 
$
72,810

Intersegment revenues (losses) (2) (3)
 
6,432

 
14

 
(6,063
)
 
(383
)
 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization
 
10,845

 
3,743

 
258

 
779

 
15,625

Non-cash compensation
 
634

 
165

 
2,124

 
3,417

 
6,340

Income (loss) from operations
 
35,928

 
(5,852
)
 
(7,791
)
 
(5,824
)
 
16,461

Interest expense, net
 
(43,399
)
 
(11,389
)
 

 
(9,799
)
 
(64,587
)
Interest income
 
62

 

 
11

 
10

 
83

Goodwill
 
76,819

 

 

 

 
76,819

Total assets
 
1,865,312

 
547,243

 
61,995

 
145,257

 
2,619,807

Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets
 
3,608

 
160

 
12

 
363

 
4,143

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As of or for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2010
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Revenues
 
$
66,337

 
$
26

 
$
1,028

 
$
884

 
$
68,275

Intersegment revenues (losses) (4) (5) (6) (7)
 
63,759

 
24

 
(63,058
)
 
(725
)
 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization
 
10,674

 
3,728

 
264

 
946

 
15,612

Non-cash compensation
 
376

 
121

 
1,040

 
2,098

 
3,635

Income (loss) from operations
 
101,850

 
(5,497
)
 
(67,091
)
 
(4,572
)
 
24,690

Interest expense, net
 
(45,922
)
 
(11,260
)
 

 
(9,768
)
 
(66,950
)
Interest income
 
96

 

 
30

 
16

 
142

Goodwill
 
76,819

 

 

 

 
76,819

Total assets
 
1,920,528

 
561,737

 
94,771

 
30,445

 
2,607,481

Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets
 
917

 
60

 
(349
)
 
(12
)
 
616

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As of or for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2011
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Revenues
 
$
137,303

 
$
31

 
$
13,055

 
$
1,652

 
$
152,041

Intersegment revenues (losses) (2) (3)
 
11,214

 
25

 
(10,856
)
 
(383
)
 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization
 
21,685

 
7,497

 
519

 
1,310

 
31,011

Non-cash compensation
 
1,206

 
341

 
5,662

 
7,142

 
14,351

Income (loss) from operations
 
69,712

 
(11,348
)
 
(7,030
)
 
(11,309
)
 
40,025

Interest expense, net
 
(86,634
)
 
(22,618
)
 

 
(19,489
)
 
(128,741
)
Interest income
 
123

 

 
32

 
12

 
167

Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets
 
6,169

 
84

 
12

 
435

 
6,700

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As of or for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2010
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Revenues
 
$
133,164

 
$
37

 
$
13,170

 
$
1,421

 
$
147,792

Intersegment revenues (losses) (4) (5) (6) (7)
 
127,710

 
255

 
(126,736
)
 
(1,229
)
 

Depreciation, depletion and amortization
 
21,363

 
7,496

 
572

 
1,805

 
31,236

Non-cash compensation
 
844

 
254

 
3,601

 
5,286

 
9,985

Income (loss) from operations
 
200,533

 
(10,848
)
 
(125,279
)
 
(8,669
)
 
55,737

Interest expense, net
 
(92,360
)
 
(22,394
)
 

 
(19,391
)
 
(134,145
)
Interest income
 
162

 

 
44

 
33

 
239

Expenditures for additions to long-lived assets
 
1,937

 
(105
)
 
(349
)
 
(76
)
 
1,407

 
(1)
Includes corporate activities, oil and gas exploration, development and exploitation activities and certain intercompany eliminations. Our oil and gas exploration, development and exploitation operating activities have been included in the corporate and other column due to the lack of a material impact that these activities have on our consolidated financial statements.
(2)
Intersegment revenues related to our LNG terminal segment are primarily from tug revenues from Cheniere Marketing and the receipt of 80% of gross margins earned by Cheniere Marketing in monetizing the TUA capacity of Cheniere Energy Investments, LLC ("Cheniere Investments") at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal in the three and six months ended June 30, 2011. These LNG terminal segment intersegment revenues are eliminated with intersegment expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(3)
Intersegment losses related to our LNG and natural gas marketing segment are primarily from Cheniere Marketing's tug costs and the payment of 80% of gross margins earned by Cheniere Marketing in monetizing the TUA capacity of Cheniere Investments at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal in the three and six months ended June 30, 2011. These LNG terminal segment intersegment costs are eliminated with intersegment revenues in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(4)
Intersegment revenues related to our LNG terminal segment are primarily from TUA capacity reservation fee revenues and tug revenues of $62.8 million and $125.5 million that were received from our LNG and natural gas marketing segment for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010, respectively. These LNG terminal segment intersegment revenues are eliminated with intersegment expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(5)
Intersegment revenues related to our natural gas pipeline segment are primarily from transportation fees charged by our natural gas pipeline segment to our LNG terminal and LNG and natural gas marketing segments to transport natural gas that was regasified at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal.  These natural gas pipeline segment intersegment revenues are eliminated with intersegment expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(6)
Intersegment losses related to our LNG and natural gas marketing segment are primarily from TUA capacity reservation fee expenses and tug costs of $62.8 million and $125.5 million that were incurred from our LNG terminal segment for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010, respectively. These costs and expenses are classified as marketing trading gains (losses) as they are considered capacity contracts related to our energy trading and risk management activities. These LNG and natural gas marketing segment intersegment costs and expenses are eliminated with intersegment revenues in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
(7)
Intersegment losses related to corporate and other are from various transactions between our LNG terminal, natural gas pipeline and LNG and natural gas marketing segments in which revenue recorded by one operating segment is eliminated with a non-revenue line item (i.e., operating expense or is capitalized) by the other operating segment.