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Note 4 - Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
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6 Months Ended |
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Jun. 30, 2011
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| Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Abstract] | |
| Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents [Text Block] |
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
Restricted cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and cash equivalents that are contractually restricted as to usage or withdrawal, as follows:
Senior Notes Debt Service Reserve
Sabine Pass LNG has consummated private offerings of an aggregate principal amount of $2,215.5 million of Senior Notes (See Note 10—"Debt and Debt—Related Parties"). Under the indenture governing the Senior Notes (the "Sabine Pass Indenture"), except for permitted tax distributions, Sabine Pass LNG may not make distributions until certain conditions are satisfied, including that there must be on deposit in an interest payment account an amount equal to one-sixth of the semi-annual interest payment multiplied by the number of elapsed months since the last semi-annual interest payment, there must be on deposit in a permanent debt service reserve fund an amount equal to one semi-annual interest payment of $82.4 million and a fixed charge coverage ratio test of 2:1 must be satisfied.
As of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, we classified $13.7 million as current restricted cash and cash equivalents for the payment of interest due within twelve months. As of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, we classified the permanent debt service reserve fund of $82.4 million as non-current restricted cash and cash equivalents. These cash accounts are controlled by a collateral trustee, and, therefore, are shown as restricted cash and cash equivalents on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Other Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents
As of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, $55.3 million and $53.3 million, respectively, of current restricted cash and cash equivalents was primarily related to cash and cash equivalents held by Sabine Pass LNG and Cheniere Partners that were considered restricted to Cheniere. As of June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, due to various other contractual restrictions, $3.5 million and $6.1 million had been classified as current restricted cash and cash equivalents, respectively, and $0.5 million had been classified as non-current restricted cash and cash equivalents on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.
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