EX-99.1 3 ex-99_1.htm EX-99.1 PRESENTATION EX-99.1 Presentation


Merrill Lynch
2006 Power & Gas Conference
New York  
September 27, 2006

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this presentation that include company expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. It is important to note that the actual results of company earnings could differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. For additional information refer to Southern Union Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Southern Union Contact:
Jack Walsh, Director of Investor Relations
800-321-7423

Southern Union Company

Portfolio Asset Mix

Create Shareholder Value

Reposition Portfolio
ü  Building portfolio of franchise-quality assets
ü  Repositioning portfolio to higher returning businesses
  2003: Acquisition of Panhandle Energy/Sale of Texas distribution assets
  2004: Investment in Cross Country
  2006: Acquisition of Sid Richardson/Sale of PA & RI distribution assets
  2006: Exchange 50% interest in TW for additional 25% interest in FGT
ü  Focusing on growth around quality assets
SUG Actively Manages Portfolio to Optimize Value

Transaction Overview
ü  Multi-step transaction designed to increase ownership in FGT to 50% and eliminate ownership in Transwestern
ü  Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) to purchase CCEH Class B interests from GE & others for $1B cash
ü  ETP exchanges its Class B interests in CCEH for 100% of Transwestern Pipeline valued at $1.465 billion
ü  Expected to close 4Q 2006
Positions SUG for Future Growth


Transaction Rationale
ü  SUG improves risk profile
ü  FGT is a franchise quality asset strategically positioned for growth in the Florida market
ü  Transwestern has more strategic value to ETP
Increasing Interest in Franchise Asset

Financial Impacts
ü  Expected to be neutral to near term earnings
ü  CCEH responsible for $455MM of Transwestern Holding’s debt
ü  Enhances intrinsic value of assets
Long-Term Value Focus

Efficiently Manage Assets
ü  Efficiently manage existing assets
  Integrating Panhandle and Cross Country produced synergies of $25MM
  Pursuing rate cases at both LDCs
  Driving future savings and efficiencies with shared services
Assets Managed to Maximize Free Cash Flow

Fund Growth & Optimize Capitalization
ü  Utilize free cash flow to fund growth and optimize capitalization
  Reinvest in high returning growth projects
  Trunkline LNG
  Trunkline Field Zone Expansion
  SUGS projects
  Optimize debt level - maximize return to shareholders
  Conversion of $125MM equity units in August
Building Value through Reinvestment

Improve Visibility 
ü  Steps to provide more transparency in our communications
  Changed fiscal year end from June to December
  Implemented $.40 per share cash dividend in 2006
  Redesigned shareholder communications
  Improved disclosures
Raising Profile through Clarity

Delivering Value

Consistent EPS Growth

Strong Cash Generator

Diversified Earnings Base

Strengthened Balance Sheet

2Q 2006 Segment Highlights ($000s)
  Includes SUG’s 50% of Transwestern’s total interest and depreciation of $23 million plus SUG’s 25% of Citrus’ total interest, taxes, and depreciation of $67 million.
  Includes $21.8 million of cash settlement from 2Q options plus $1.3 million non-cash loss related to the time value portion of the hedge.

2Q EBIT Reconciliation ($000s)

Asset Overview

Distribution Assets
  Headquartered in Kansas City, MO
  Regulated by the Missouri PSC
  Serves approximately 500,000 customers
  Serves 34 counties throughout MO
  Filed for $41.7 million rate increase

  Headquartered in Wilkes-Barre, PA
  Regulated by the Pennsylvania PUC
  Serves approximately 160,000 customers
  Serves 13 counties in northeastern and central PA
  Sold PA assets to UGI for $580 million

  Headquartered in Providence, RI
  Regulated by the RI PUC and the Massachusetts DT&E
  Serves approximately 250,000 customers in RI
  Serves approximately 50,000 customers in MA
  Sold RI assets to National Grid for $575 million including assumed debt of $77 million

Transportation & Storage Business

Key Characteristics
  FERC regulated
  Diverse access to supply
  Strong and growing customer base
  Significant organic growth opportunities
  Consolidated operations
One of the Nation’s Largest Interstate Pipeline Companies

Trunkline LNG Company
  North America’s largest operating facility
  Fully contracted with high credit quality counterparty-
BG Group - until 2028
  1.8 Bcf/d baseload sendout
  9.0 Bcf storage
  Ambient air vaporization and NGL extraction to be in service by 2008
Trunkline LNG is a Leading Player in LNG Sector

Strong Organic Growth

Gathering & Processing Business
  Southern Union Gas Services acquired by Southern Union on March 1, 2006
  Major provider of gas gathering and processing services in the Permian basin
  Unregulated, high growth business

System Detail

Differentiating Factors

Attractive Contract Risk
•  
Percent of Proceeds Contracts
–  
45% by volume
–  
80 - 85% by margin
–  
Spreads price risk to both producer and pipeline
–  
Fixed recovery and fuel % in contract
–  
Allows pipeline and producer to hedge their interests
–  
Allows pipeline to benefit from operational flexibility
–  
Creates pipeline option to optimize revenue when processing is economic
–  
Contract contains recovery of treating, compression and gathering services

•  
Fee Based/Conditioning Fee Contracts
–  
55% by volume
–  
15 - 20% by margin
–  
Contracts contain fixed fees for service
–  
Depending on gas quality, contracts may contain upside for processing and no downside risk below base fee
–  
Creates exposure to diverse producer base with no downside commodity risk

Operational Reliability
  Operating Risks reduced by…
  Diversified inter-connected assets
  Strong reliable operations
  High run rate
  Low FF&U (fuel, flared and unaccountable)
  Low operating costs
  Gas rejection
  Blending

Manageable Commodity Exposure
  SUGS’ system flexibility allows it to hedge equity BTU volumes using various instruments
  Current hedging done through put options so that SUGS maintains upside while mitigating downside

SUGS Growth Projects
  Deep Atoka Gas Development - Loving, Winkler and Ward Counties, Texas
  ~200MMcf/d currently producing
  Expect to double that by 2008 with 16 to 18 rigs
  5 to 30MM/d per well
  Eunice Area Expansion Projects - Lea County, New Mexico
  70 MMcf/d expansion
  Expect to connect additional volumes from major active producers in 2006 and 2007
  High margin, rich, sour, low pressure gas
  Spraberry Trend Expansion - Reagan County, Texas
  20 mile extension of system into Spraberry trend
  Over 15 MMcf/d of 6.6 GPM gas
  Infill drilling continues at a steady pace
  West Texas Barnett Shale - Culberson, Reeves, Pecos & Jeff Davis Counties, TX
  Over 2 MM acres have been leased in past 2 years in area with little infrastructure for gas or NGL’s
  Approximately 40 evaluation wells have been drilled, are drilling or are permitted
  Chesapeake recently acquired 135,000 acres and active exploratory program with established commercial production in the area from Hallwood and Four Sevens (Alpine)
  Additional players include, EOG, Encana, Petro-Hunt, Burlington, Quicksilver and Southwestern Energy

Questions