Background and Basis of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Background and Basis of Presentation

Background and Basis of Presentation

1.     Background and Basis of Presentation

        Terra Nitrogen Company, L.P. (TNCLP, we, our or us) is a Delaware limited partnership that produces nitrogen fertilizer products. Our principal products are anhydrous ammonia (ammonia) and urea ammonium nitrate solutions (UAN), which we manufacture at our facility in Verdigris, Oklahoma.

        We conduct our operations through an operating partnership, Terra Nitrogen, Limited Partnership (TNLP or the Operating Partnership, and collectively with TNCLP, the Partnership). Terra Nitrogen GP Inc. (TNGP or the General Partner), a Delaware corporation, is the general partner of both TNCLP and TNLP and owns a consolidated 0.05 percent general partner interest in the Partnership. The General Partner is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Terra Industries Inc., a Maryland corporation (Terra), which is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF Industries Holdings), a Delaware corporation. Ownership of TNCLP is represented by the General Partner interests and the Limited Partner interests. Limited Partner interests consist of common units which are listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "TNH" and Class B common units. As of December 31, 2011, we had 18,501,576 common units and 184,072 Class B common units issued and outstanding. CF Industries Holdings through its subsidiaries owned 13,889,014 common units (representing approximately 75% of the total outstanding common units) and all of the Class B common units as of December 31, 2011.

        Throughout this document, the terms "General Partner Affiliates," "Affiliates of the General Partner" or similar terms refer to consolidated subsidiaries of CF Industries, Inc. (CF Industries), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CF Industries Holdings, including TNGP. For periods prior to the acquisition of Terra by CF Industries in April 2010, the terms refer solely to an affiliate or affiliates of Terra.

        The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP).