Basis of Presentation (Notes)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

In this report, Transco (which includes Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC and, unless the context otherwise requires, all of our majority-owned subsidiaries) is at times referred to in the first person as “we,” “us” or “our.”

Transco is indirectly owned by The Williams Companies, Inc. (Williams).

General

The condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements include our accounts and the accounts of the subsidiaries we control. Companies in which we and our subsidiaries own 20 percent to 50 percent of the voting common stock or otherwise exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies of the company are accounted for under the equity method. Effective December 31, 2019, we distributed to our parent four wholly owned subsidiaries, two of which owned an interest in Pine Needle Operating Company, LLC and Cardinal Operating Company, LLC. The equity method investments prior to December 31, 2019 consisted of Cardinal Pipeline Company, LLC (Cardinal) with an ownership interest of approximately 45 percent and Pine Needle LNG Company, LLC (Pine Needle) with an ownership interest of 35 percent. We received distributions associated with our equity method investments totaling $1.2 million in the three months ended March 31, 2019.

The condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements have been prepared from our books and records. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) have been condensed or omitted in this Form 10-Q pursuant to Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations. The condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements include all normal recurring adjustments and others which, in the opinion of our management, are necessary to present fairly our interim financial statements. These condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in our 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated unaudited financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Income Taxes

We generally are not a taxable entity for federal or state and local income tax purposes. The tax on net income is generally borne by our parent, Williams. Net income for financial statement purposes may differ significantly from taxable income of Williams as a result of differences between the tax basis and financial reporting basis of assets and liabilities.

Revenue Subject to Refund

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulations promulgate policies and procedures which govern a process to establish the rates that we are permitted to charge customers for natural gas sales and services, including the transportation and storage of natural gas. Key determinants in the ratemaking process are (1) costs of providing service, including depreciation expense, (2) allowed rate of return, including the equity component of the capital structure and related taxes, and (3) contract and volume throughput assumptions.

As a result of the ratemaking process, certain revenues collected by us may be subject to refund upon the issuance of final orders by the FERC in pending rate proceedings. We record estimates of rate refund liabilities considering our and other third-party regulatory proceedings, advice of counsel and estimated total exposure, as well as collection and other risks. Depending on the results of these proceedings, the actual amounts allowed to be collected from customers

could differ from management's estimate. In addition, as a result of rate orders, tariff provisions or regulations, we are required to refund or credit certain revenues to our customers. (See Note 3)

Accounting Standards Issued and Adopted

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-13 “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (ASU 2016-13). ASU 2016-13 changed the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments. For trade and other receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, loans, and other instruments, entities are required to use a forward-looking “expected loss” model that generally will result in the earlier recognition of allowances for losses. We adopted ASU 2016-13 effective January 1, 2020, which primarily applied to our short-term trade receivables. There was no cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings upon adoption.

The majority of our trade receivable balances are due within 30 days. We monitor the credit quality of our counterparties through review of collection trends, credit ratings, and other analysis, such as bankruptcy monitoring. Financial assets are evaluated as one pool. Changes in counterparty risk factors could lead to reassessment of the composition of our financial assets as one pool. We calculate our allowance for credit losses incorporating an aging method. In estimating our expected credit losses, we utilized historical loss rates over many years. Our expected credit loss estimate considered both internal and external forward-looking commodity price expectations, as well as counterparty credit ratings, and factors impacting their near term liquidity.

Past due accounts are generally written off against the allowance for doubtful accounts only after all collection attempts have been exhausted. We do not have a material amount of significantly aged receivables at March 31, 2020.