HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Noble Midstream Partners LP (NASDAQ: NBLX) today reported third-quarter 2020 financial and operational results. The Partnership’s results are consolidated to include Noble Midstream’s 54.4% ownership of Black Diamond Gathering, LLC. Equity Method Investments refer to Noble Midstream’s equity interests in joint ventures that are not wholly-owned by the Partnership.
Certain results are shown as “attributable to the Partnership,” which exclude the noncontrolling interests in Black Diamond Gathering retained by Greenfield Midstream1. Noble Midstream believes the results “attributable to the Partnership” provide the best representation of the ongoing operations from which the Partnership’s unitholders will benefit.
Third-Quarter 2020 Operating Results and Highlights
- Generated $36 million Net Income attributable to the Partnership, $72 million Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities, and $96 million in Adjusted Net EBITDA2
- Self-funded quarterly operations, investing $8 million of organic capital and $43 million in Equity Method Investments
- Gathered 315,000 barrels of gross oil and gas equivalent per day (Boe/d) and 156,000 barrels of produced water per day (Bw/d)
- Transported more than 790,000 gross (181,000 net) barrels per day (Bbl/d) across intermediate and long-haul pipeline equity interests, up 10% sequentially
Robin Fielder, Chief Executive Officer of the Partnership, stated, “Noble Midstream generated operating cash flows in excess of our capital and equity method investments for the second-consecutive quarter through continued optimization and cost reductions. We are encouraged to see customer completion activity return and anticipate exiting 2020 with strong fourth-quarter activity. Along with full-year run-rate contribution from our transmission business, the Partnership is well-positioned for the future. We are excited to be a part of the Chevron organization and will work closely with our new parent to integrate our business and create unitholder value.”
| 3Q20 | |
| Gross Volumes | Actuals |
| Oil and Gas Gathered (MBoe/d) | 315 |
| Produced Water Gathered (MBw/d) | 156 |
| Fresh Water Delivered (MBw/d) | 22 |
| Financials (in millions) | |
| Net Income Attributable to the Partnership | $36 |
| Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities | $72 |
| Adjusted Net EBITDA2 | $96 |
| Distributable Cash Flow2 | $79 |
| Distribution Coverage Ratio2 | 4.7x |
| Organic Capital, Excluding Equity Investments | $8 |
Total operating expenses were $125 million with $20 million in direct operating expenses, down slightly quarter-over-quarter and 23% annually, as a result of continued cost-reduction measures and temporary reductions in customer activity levels. The Partnership identified roughly $20 million in annual, overall direct operating cost savings and anticipates that more than 50% are sustainable at current activity levels. Investment losses were $18 million, of which $12 million was related to the EPIC Y-Grade and BANGL joint venture described below.
The Partnership reported third-quarter 2020 Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities of $72 million and Adjusted Net EBITDA2 of $96 million, up slightly from second-quarter 2020. Maintenance capital expenditures and cash interest expense attributable to the Partnership totaled $7 million and $6 million, respectively, leading to $79 million Distributable Cash Flow2 attributable to the Partnership. Despite producer curtailments and lower basin activity levels, an increase in EBITDA2 from equity method investments benefited quarterly financials.
Noble Midstream invested $8 million in third-quarter organic capital expenditures. Equity method investments during the quarter totaled $43 million, including $24 million for EPIC Crude, $17 million for EPIC Y-Grade, $4 million for EPIC Propane, and a $2 million reimbursement at Delaware Crossing.
Curtailed Volumes Returned to Production and Completions Resuming
Noble Midstream connected two third-party wells during the quarter, located in the Delaware Basin.
In the Partnership's wholly-owned DJ Basin assets, oil and gas gathering averaged 171,000 Boe/d, up 6% sequentially, and produced water volumes averaged 29,000 Bw/d. Freshwater delivery averaged 22,000 Bw/d, and the Partnership delivered water to 9 third-party wells in September. DJ Basin capital expenditures totaled $2.3 million.
Black Diamond oil gathering throughput volumes averaged 72,000 Bo/d, excluding marketing volumes, down 9% sequentially, and oil sales volumes were 17,000 Bo/d. Net1 capital expenditures totaled $1.6 million. Total DJ Basin curtailed volumes averaged 11,000 Boew/d and returned to full production during the quarter.
In the Delaware Basin, quarterly oil and gas gathering throughput and produced water gathering volumes were 72,000 Boe/d and 127,000 Bw/d, respectively, both down 14% sequentially. Total Delaware Basin curtailments averaged 9,000 Boew/d and returned to production by August. Capital expenditures totaled $4.3 million.
Equity Method Investment Volumes Ramping
The Partnership averaged 790,000 gross Bbl/d (181,000 net) across its intermediate and long-haul transmission systems. Equity method investment volumes and cash flows are expected to grow in the fourth-quarter 2020 as activity returns to the DJ and Delaware basins and the first EPIC greenfield fractionator increases throughput.
EPIC Crude ended interim service in April 2020 and recorded its first full-service period in the third quarter with increasing mainline throughput volumes. The Partnership does not anticipate additional material equity method investment contributions for EPIC Crude.
The EPIC Y-Grade first greenfield fractionator commenced service at the end of the second-quarter 2020 and progressed toward nameplate capacity throughout the third quarter. During the quarter, EPIC Y-Grade announced an undivided joint interest (UJI) and joint venture transaction with BANGL, a consortium led by MPLX and Whitewater Midstream. The BANGL consortium purchased 30% of the pipeline capacity in the existing long-haul NGL pipeline and contracted a 10-year transportation and fractionation agreement to deliver Y-Grade natural gas liquids (NGLs) to a fractionation complex in Sweeny, Texas. The EPIC Y-Grade partners expect to partially reinvest the proceeds to convert its ethane line to Y-Grade service and extend it to Sweeny. This transaction should provide connectivity to another market, increase cash flow back to the partners, and allow EPIC Y-Grade to potentially defer a construction decision on the second greenfield fractionator.
Third-quarter 2020 Saddlehorn throughput averaged approximately 164,000 Bo/d, down slightly sequentially. Expansion remains on track for 2021, which is designed to add 100,000 Bbl/d of oil transportation. Volumes on the Advantage Pipeline system averaged 66,000 Bo/d, compared to 72,000 Bo/d during the second-quarter 2020, and generated $5.5 million in gross distributions to the joint venture partners during the quarter. Delaware Crossing averaged 20,000 Bbl/d in gathering and transportation volumes with essentially all third-party curtailed production back online in July.
Strong Balance Sheet and Liquidity
As of September 30, 2020, the Partnership had $422 million in liquidity and $1.6 billion in total debt. During the quarter, total debt balance increased slightly by $10 million to account for remaining equity method investment capital expenditures and working capital phasing. The Partnership anticipates to delever in the fourth-quarter 2020.
Noble Midstream has a current debt obligation of $500 million that matures July 31, 2021. The Partnership is evaluating opportunities with its parent to address this obligation.
On October 20, 2020, the Board of Directors of Noble Midstream’s general partner, Noble Midstream GP LLC, declared a third-quarter cash distribution of $0.1875 per unit, flat versus second-quarter 2020.
2020 Earnings and Cash Flow Guidance Raised as Fourth-Quarter Activity Increases
After minimal affiliate activity in the third-quarter 2020, Noble Midstream anticipates the resumption of affiliate well completions in the fourth quarter as well as third-party activity in the DJ and Delaware Basins. The Partnership estimates 17 to 20 well completions across its wholly-owned DJ Basin gathering systems. In Black Diamond, the Partnership still estimates more than 150 well connections this year with 25 to 30 connections expected in the fourth-quarter 2020. In the Delaware Basin, affiliate completion activity resumed in October, and the Partnership anticipates 8 to 10 well connections, including 1 to 3 third-party connections.
Noble Midstream is narrowing its 2020 organic capital expenditures expectations from $60 to $80 million to $70 to $80 million and is lowering the top end of its expected 2020 equity method investment range, now $240 to $250 million, from a top end of $260 million previously.
The Partnership anticipates the midpoint of its Net Income Attributable to the Partnership to be $125 million in 2020. Noble Midstream is increasing the midpoint of its expected 2020 Adjusted Net EBITDA2 by 1% to $385 to $400 million and the midpoint of the 2020 Distributable Cash Flow2 by 4% to $300 to $315 million. Distribution Coverage Ratio2 and Net Debt to Trailing Twelve Month (TTM) Adjusted Net EBITDA2 expectations were adjusted to >4.5x and 3.9x to 4.2x, respectively.
| 2020 Guidance | |||
| Financials (in millions) | |||
| Net Income | $125 | ||
| Adjusted Net EBITDA 2 | $385 | - | $400 |
| Distributable Cash Flow 2 | $300 | - | $315 |
| Net Debt to TTM Adjusted Net EBITDA 2 | 3.9x | - | 4.2x |
| Distribution Coverage Ratio 2 | >4.5x | ||
| 2020 Organic Capital | $70 | - | $80 |
| Equity Method Investment Capital | $240 | - | $250 |
1 “Net” is equivalent to “attributable to the Partnership”.
2 Adjusted Net EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow (DCF), Distribution Coverage Ratio and Net Debt to Trailing Twelve Month (TTM) Adjusted Net EBITDA are not Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) measures. Definitions and reconciliations of these Non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP reporting measures appear in Schedule 4 of the financial tables which follow. Noble Midstream does not provide guidance on the reconciling items between forecasted Adjusted Net EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow, Net Debt to TTM Adjusted Net EBITDA or Distribution Coverage Ratio and Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities due to the uncertainty regarding timing and estimates of certain of these items. Noble Midstream provides a range of such Non-GAAP financial measures to allow for the variability in timing and uncertainty of estimates of such reconciling items. Therefore, Noble Midstream cannot reconcile forecasted Adjusted Net EBITDA, Distributable Cash Flow, Net Debt to TTM Adjusted Net EBITDA or Distribution Coverage Ratio to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities without unreasonable effort.
About Noble Midstream
Noble Midstream is a master limited partnership originally formed by Noble Energy, Inc. and majority-owned by Chevron Corp. to own, operate, develop and acquire domestic midstream infrastructure assets. Noble Midstream currently provides crude oil, natural gas, and water-related midstream services and owns equity interests in oil pipelines in the DJ Basin in Colorado and the Delaware Basin in Texas. Noble Midstream strives to be the midstream provider and partner of choice for its safe operations, reliability, and strong relationships while enhancing value for all stakeholders. For more information, please visit www.nblmidstream.com.
