The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of
operations should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this
report. The information provided below supplements, but does not form part of,
our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. This discussion
contains forward-looking statements that are based on the views and beliefs of
our management, as well as assumptions and estimates made by our management.
Actual results could differ materially from such forward-looking statements as a
result of various risk factors, including those that may not be in the control
of management. For further information on items that could impact our future
operating performance or financial condition, please see "Item 1A. Risk Factors"
and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements." We do not
undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements
except as otherwise required by applicable law. In this section, references to
"Antero Midstream," "AM," the "Company," "we," "us," and "our" refer to Antero
Midstream Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise
indicated or the context otherwise requires.
Overview
We are a growth-oriented midstream energy company formed to own, operate and
develop midstream energy assets to primarily service Antero Resources'
production and completion activity. We believe that our strategically located
assets and our relationship with Antero Resources have allowed us to become a
leading midstream energy company serving the Appalachian Basin. Our assets
consist of gathering pipelines, compressor stations, and interests in processing
and fractionation plants that collect and process production from Antero
Resources' wells in the Appalachian Basin in West Virginia and Ohio. Our assets
also include two independent fresh water delivery systems that deliver fresh
water from the Ohio River and several regional waterways. These fresh water
delivery systems consist of permanent buried pipelines, surface pipelines and
fresh water storage facilitates, as well as pumping stations and impoundments to
transport the fresh water throughout the pipelines. These services are provided
by us directly or through third-parties with which we contract. Our assets also
include other flowback and produced water treatment facilities that we use to
provide water treatment services to Antero Resources.
COVID-19 Pandemic
In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a
pandemic. Governments tried to slow the spread of the virus by imposing social
distancing guidelines, travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders, among other
actions, which have caused reduced activity in the global economy and the demand
for oil, and to a lesser extent, natural gas and NGLs. The COVID-19 pandemic,
commodity market volatility and resulting financial market instability are
variables beyond our control and may adversely impact our generation of funds
from operating cash flows, distributions from unconsolidated affiliates,
available borrowings under our Credit Facility (defined below) and our ability
to access the capital markets.
As a midstream energy company, we are recognized as an essential business under
various federal, state and local regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have continued to operate as permitted under these regulations while taking
steps to protect the health and safety of our workers. We have implemented
protocols to reduce the risk of an outbreak within our field operations and
corporate offices, and these protocols have not reduced Antero Resources'
production and our throughput in a significant manner. A substantial portion of
our non-field level employees continue to operate in remote work from home
arrangements, and we have been able to maintain a consistent level of
effectiveness through these arrangements, including maintaining our day-to-day
operations, our financial reporting systems and our internal control over
financial reporting.
Neither our nor Antero Resources' supply chain has experienced any significant
interruptions. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Antero Resources had developed a
diverse set of buyers and destinations, as well as in-field and off-site storage
capacity for its condensate volumes, and as a result of the pandemic, Antero
Resources has expanded its customer base and its condensate storage capacity
within the Appalachian Basin. However, if Antero Resources or out other
customers were to experience any production curtailments or shut-ins it would
reduce throughput for our gathering and processing systems. In addition, if our
customers were to delay or discontinue drilling or completion activities, it
would reduce the volumes of water that we handle and therefore revenues for our
water distribution and handling business.
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Growth Incentive Fee Program With Antero Resources
On December 8, 2019, we and Antero Resources amended the existing gathering and
compression agreement to establish a growth incentive fee program whereby we
agreed to provide quarterly fee reductions to Antero Resources from 2020 through
2023, contingent upon Antero Resources achieving volumetric growth targets on
low pressure gathering. The compression, high pressure gathering and fresh water
delivery fees payable to us were unchanged. In addition, we and Antero Resources
agreed to extend the primary term of such agreement by an additional four years
to November 10, 2038. The following table summarizes the low pressure gathering
growth incentive targets through 2023. If actual low pressure volumes are below
the lowest threshold for the respective period, Antero Resources will not
receive a reduction in low pressure gathering fees.
Low Pressure Gathering Quarterly Fee
Volume Growth Incentive Reduction
Targets (MMcf/d) (in millions)
Calendar Years 2021-2023
Threshold 1 >2,900 and <3,150 $12.0
Threshold 2 >3,150 and <3,400 $15.5
Threshold 3 >3,400 $19.0
For the three months ended March 31, 2021, Antero Resources delivered low
pressure gathering volumes of 2,853 MMcf/d, and as a result, no quarterly fee
reduction was earned during the period.
Results of Operations
We have two operating segments: (i) gathering and processing and (ii) water
handling. The gathering and processing segment includes a network of gathering
pipelines and compressor stations that collect and process production from
Antero Resources' wells in the Appalachian Basin, as well as equity in earnings
from our investments in the joint venture to develop processing and
fractionation assets with MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P, a wholly owned
subsidiary of MPLX, LP (the "Joint Venture") and Stonewall Gas Gathering LLC.
The water handling segment includes (i) two independent systems that deliver
fresh water from sources including the Ohio River, local reservoirs and several
regional waterways, (ii) the wastewater treatment facility and related landfill
(collectively, the "Clearwater Facility") that was idled in September 2019 and
(iii) other fluid handling services, which include high rate transfer,
wastewater transportation, disposal and blending.
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