Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (Notes)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Price Risk Management Assets and Liabilities

DERIVATIVE ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

The Company is exposed to certain risks in its ongoing business operations.  The Company, from time to time, uses interest rate derivative contracts to manage interest rate risk associated with its long-term borrowings. The Company recognizes all derivative assets and liabilities at fair value on the consolidated balance sheets. The Company had no outstanding interest rate swap agreements as of September 30, 2015 or December 31, 2014.

The following table summarizes the location and amount (excluding income tax effects) of derivative instrument (gains) and losses reported in the Company’s consolidated financial statements:

	Three Months Ended September 30,					Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2015		2014			2015		2014
Interest rate contracts:
Increase (decrease) in interest expense	$	—	$	(13	)	$	—	$	(6	)

Credit Risk

Credit risk refers to the risk that a shipper may default on its contractual obligations resulting in a credit loss to the Company. A credit policy has been approved and implemented to govern the Company’s portfolio of shippers with the objective of mitigating credit losses. This policy establishes guidelines, controls, and limits, consistent with FERC filed tariffs, to manage credit risk within approved tolerances by mandating an appropriate evaluation of the financial condition of existing and potential shippers, monitoring agency credit ratings, and by implementing credit practices that limit credit exposure according to the risk profiles of the shippers. Furthermore, the Company may, at times, require collateral under certain circumstances in order to mitigate credit risk as necessary.

The Company’s shippers consist of a diverse portfolio of customers across the energy industry, including oil and gas producers, midstream companies, municipalities, utilities, and commercial and industrial end users. Our overall exposure may be affected positively or negatively by macroeconomic or regulatory changes that could impact our shippers to one extent or another. Currently, management does not anticipate a material adverse effect in our financial position or results of operations as a consequence of shipper non-performance.