Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)

Registration No. 333-162566

(To Prospectus dated November 9, 2009)

 

2,700,000 Common Units

 

Representing Limited Partner Interests

 

Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.

 

We are selling 2,700,000 common units representing limited partner interests. Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PSE.” On November 9, 2009, the last reported sale price of our common units on the New York Stock Exchange was $21.53 per common unit.

 

Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement and on page 4 of the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

We have granted the underwriters a 30-day over-allotment option to purchase up to an additional 405,000 common units on the same terms and conditions as set forth above.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The underwriters expect to deliver the common units on or about November   , 2009.

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

 

 

Co-Managers

 

The date of this prospectus supplement is November     , 2009.

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying prospectus, which gives more general information about securities we may offer from time to time. To the extent the information contained in this prospectus supplement differs or varies from the information contained in the accompanying prospectus, the information in this prospectus supplement controls. Before you invest in our common units, you should carefully read this prospectus supplement, along with the accompanying prospectus, in addition to the information contained in the documents we refer to under the heading “Where you can find more information” in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any “free writing prospectus” we may authorize to be delivered to you. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy our common units in any jurisdiction where such offer or any sale would be unlawful. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the dates shown in these documents or any information that we have incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since such dates. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus—the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

 

As used in this prospectus supplement, unless we indicate otherwise: (1) “we,” “our,” “us” or like terms refer to Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. and its subsidiaries, (2) “Pioneer GP” or “our general partner” refers to Pioneer Natural Resources GP LLC, our general partner, (3) “our operating company” refers to Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners USA LLC, (4) “Pioneer” refers to Pioneer Natural Resources Company, a Delaware corporation (NYSE: PXD) and the ultimate parent company of our general partner, and its wholly owned subsidiaries, (5) “Pioneer USA” refers to Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pioneer, (6) “our properties” refers to the properties that are held by our operating company and (7) our “area of operations” is limited by an agreement with Pioneer to onshore Texas and eight counties in the southeast region of New Mexico.

Estimated proved reserves as of December 31, 2008

2008 average daily sales volumes

Oil

Oil

& NGLs

Gas

Standardized

& NGLS

Gas

(MBbls)

(MMcf)

MBOE

measure

(Bbls)

(Mcf)

BOE

(in thousands)

Total

34,454

38,109

40,805

$

187,219

5,235

5,828

6,206

Ø	increase production through a two-rig drilling program, with a goal of drilling 50 to 60 wells by the end of 2010;
Ø	purchase producing properties in our area of operations directly from Pioneer;
Ø	purchase producing properties in our area of operations from third parties either independently or jointly with Pioneer;
Ø	benefit from production and reserve enhancements as a result of infill drilling and secondary recovery initiatives being advanced by Pioneer;
Ø	maintain a balanced capital structure to ensure financial flexibility for development and acquisitions; and
Ø	mitigate commodity price risk through derivatives.

Ø	our relationship with Pioneer:

	-	Pioneer has a significant retained interest in the Spraberry field as well as an active development plan, each of which should generate acquisition opportunities for us over time;
	-	Pioneer’s significant ownership in us provides it an economic incentive to sell producing oil and gas properties to us over time; and
	-	our ability to pursue acquisitions jointly with Pioneer increases the number and type of transactions we can pursue and increases our competitiveness;

Ø	our assets are characterized by long-lived and stable production and include 170 forty-acre drilling locations; and
Ø	our cost of capital and financial flexibility should over time provide us with a competitive advantage in pursuing acquisitions.

Public Common Units			37.2	%
Pioneer USA Common Units			62.7	%
Pioneer GP General Partner Interest			0.1	%
			100.0	%

(1)		Includes approximately 91,000 common units owned by directors and executive officers of Pioneer Natural Resources GP LLC.

Common units offered by us		2,700,000 common units.
		405,000 common units if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full.
Common units outstanding after this offering		32,708,700 common units, or 33,113,700 if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full.
Use of proceeds		We expect to receive net proceeds of approximately $      million from this offering ($      million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full), including our general partner’s proportionate capital contribution and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to reduce outstanding borrowings under our revolving credit facility, which we incurred in connection with the acquisition of the Acquired Property Interests. Such amounts may be reborrowed and used for general partnership purposes, including potential future acquisitions. Please read “Use of proceeds.”
Cash distributions		Our partnership agreement requires us to distribute all of our cash on hand at the end of each quarter, less reserves established by our general partner, or “available cash,” 99.9% to our unitholders and 0.1% to our general partner. These distributions will be paid within 45 days after the end of each quarter. We do not have any subordinated units, and our general partner is not entitled to any incentive distributions.
		Currently, our policy is to pay quarterly distributions at a rate of $0.50 per common unit ($2.00 per common unit on an annual basis) to the extent we have sufficient available cash. Our ability to pay distributions is subject to various restrictions and other factors, and there is no guarantee that unitholders will receive quarterly distributions from us. Please read “Cash Distribution Policy” in the accompanying prospectus for more information. We declared a quarterly distribution for our third quarter of 2009 of $0.50 per unit, or $2.00 on an annualized basis. The distribution is payable November 12, 2009, to unitholders of record at the close of business on November 5, 2009. Holders of common units purchased in this offering are not entitled to this distribution.
Estimated ratio of taxable income to distributions		We estimate that if you own the common units you purchase in this offering through the record date for distributions for the period ended December 31, 2011, you will be allocated, on a cumulative basis, an amount of federal taxable income for that period that will be less than 30% of the cash distributed to you with respect to that period. Please read “Material tax consequences” on page S-10 of this prospectus supplement for an explanation of the basis of this estimate.

Agreement to be bound by the partnership agreement		By purchasing a common unit, you will be bound by all of the terms of our partnership agreement. Please read “The Partnership Agreement” in the accompanying prospectus for more information.
Exchange listing		Our common units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PSE.”
Conflicts of interest		Affiliates of certain of the underwriters are lenders under our revolving credit facility and will receive a portion of the proceeds from this offering through repayment of indebtedness under the revolving credit facility. Please read “Conflicts of interest.”
Risk factors		You should carefully consider the information set forth in the section of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus entitled “Risk factors” as well as the other information included in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement before deciding whether to invest in our common units.

 

Risk factors

 

The nature of our business activities subjects us to certain hazards and risks. Additionally, limited partner interests are inherently different from capital stock of a corporation. Before investing in our common units, you should carefully consider the risk factors included in “Item 1. Business—Competition, Markets and Regulations” and “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” in Exhibit 99.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 9, 2009 (which Form 8-K recast certain financial and operating data previously included in our 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K), in “Part I, Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk” and “Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors” in each of our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed since our 2008 Annual Report on Form 10-K, and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk” in Exhibit 99.6 to our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on October 19, 2009 (which Form 8-K recasts and supplements certain financial and operating data previously included in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2009), as well as the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. These risk factors are not the only risks that may affect our business. Our business could also be impacted by additional risks not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial. If any of these risks were actually to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In that case, we might not be able to pay the distributions on our common units, the trading price of our common units could decline and you could lose part or all of your investment.

 

Use of proceeds

 

We expect to receive net proceeds of approximately $      million from this offering ($      million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full), including our general partner’s proportionate capital contribution and after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering (and from the underwriters’ exercise of their option to purchase additional units, if any) to reduce outstanding borrowings under our revolving credit facility, which we incurred in connection with the acquisition of the Acquired Property Interests. Such amounts may be reborrowed and used for general partnership purposes, including potential future acquisitions.

 

At September 30, 2009, $135 million of borrowings were outstanding under our revolving credit facility, substantially all of which was incurred to finance the acquisition of the Acquired Property Interests. As of September 30, 2009, interest on borrowings under our revolving credit facility had a weighted average effective interest rate of approximately 1.13%. The revolving credit facility matures on May 6, 2013.

 

Affiliates of certain of the underwriters are lenders under our revolving credit facility and will receive a portion of the proceeds from this offering through repayment of indebtedness under the revolving credit facility. Please read “Conflicts of interest.”

 

Capitalization

 

The following table shows our cash and cash equivalents and our capitalization as of September 30, 2009:

 

 

The actual information in the table is derived from and should be read in conjunction with our historical financial statements, including the accompanying notes, included in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 

 

Price range of common units and distributions

 

Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PSE.” The last reported sale price of the common units on November 9, 2009 was $21.53 per common unit. As of November 9, 2009, there were 30,008,700 common units outstanding, which were held by 14 holders of record.

 

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low sales prices per common unit, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange, and the amount of the cash distributions declared per common unit:

 

 

 

 

Material tax consequences

 

The tax consequences to you of an investment in our common units will depend in part on your own tax circumstances. For a discussion of the principal federal income tax considerations associated with our operations and the purchase, ownership and disposition of common units, please read “Material Tax Consequences” beginning on page 33 of the accompanying prospectus. You are urged to consult your own tax advisor about the federal, state, foreign and local tax consequences particular to your circumstances.

 

RATIO OF TAXABLE INCOME TO DISTRIBUTIONS

 

We estimate that if you purchase a common unit in this offering and hold the common unit through the record date for the distribution with respect to the quarter ending December 31, 2011, you will be allocated, on a cumulative basis, an amount of federal taxable income for the taxable years 2009 through 2011 that will be less than 30 percent of the amount of cash distributed to you with respect to that period. This estimate is based upon many assumptions regarding our business, assets and operations, including assumptions with respect to the timing and amounts of capital expenditures, other expenditures for our drilling program, cash flows and cash distributions. This estimate and our assumptions are subject to, among other things, numerous business, economic, regulatory, competitive and political uncertainties beyond our control. Further, this estimate is based on current tax law and tax reporting positions that we have adopted and with which the Internal Revenue Service might disagree. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that this estimate will be correct. The actual percentage of taxable income to distributions could be higher or lower than our estimate, and any differences could materially affect the value of the common units. For example, the percentage of taxable income relative to our distributions could be higher, and perhaps substantially higher, than our estimate with respect to the period described above if:

 

 

TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS & OTHER INVESTORS

 

Ownership of common units by tax-exempt entities and foreign investors raises issues unique to such persons. Please read “Material Tax Consequences—Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors” in the accompanying base prospectus.

 

Underwriting

 

We are offering our common units described in this prospectus supplement through the underwriters named below. UBS Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are the representatives of the underwriters. Subject to the terms and conditions of an underwriting agreement, each of the underwriters has severally agreed to purchase the number of common units listed next to its name in the following table:

 

 

The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters must buy all of the common units if they buy any of them. However, the underwriters are not required to take or pay for the common units covered by the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units described below. The conditions contained in the underwriting agreement include the condition that all the representations and warranties made by us and our affiliates to the underwriters are true, that there has been no material adverse change in the condition of us and that we deliver to the underwriters customary closing documents.

 

Our common units and the common units to be sold upon the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units, if any, are offered subject to a number of conditions, including:

 

 

We have been advised by the representative that the underwriters intend to make a market in our common units, but that they are not obligated to do so and may discontinue making a market at any time without notice.

 

In connection with this offering, certain of the underwriters or securities dealers may distribute prospectuses electronically.

 

OPTION TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL COMMON UNITS

 

We have granted the underwriters an option to buy up to an aggregate 405,000 additional common units. The underwriters have 30 days from the date of this prospectus to exercise this option. If the underwriters exercise this option, they will each purchase additional common units approximately in proportion to the amounts specified in the table above.

 

COMMISSIONS AND DISCOUNTS

 

Common units sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus supplement. Any common units sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount of up to $      per common unit from the offering price. Any of these securities dealers may resell any common units purchased from the underwriters to other brokers or dealers at a discount of up to $      per common unit from the public offering price. If all

 

Underwriting

 

 

the common units are not sold at the offering price, the representatives may change the offering price and the other selling terms. Sales of common units made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters. Upon execution of the underwriting agreement, the underwriters will be obligated to purchase the common units at the prices and upon the terms stated therein, and, as a result, will thereafter bear any risk associated with changing the offering price to the public or other selling terms.

 

The following table shows the per unit and total underwriting discounts and commissions we will pay to the underwriters assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 405,000 units.

 

 

We estimate that the total expenses of this offering payable by us, not including the underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $320,000.

 

INDEMNIFICATION

 

We and our general partner have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to contribute to payments that may be required to be made in respect of these liabilities.

 

LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS

 

We, our general partner and its executive officers and directors, have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriters. Under these agreements, we and each of the these persons may not, without the prior written approval of the representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of or hedge our common units or securities convertible into or exchangeable for our common units, enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the common units, make any demand for or exercise any right or file or cause to be filed a registration statement with respect to the registration of any common units or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into common units or publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing. These restrictions will be in effect for a period of 60 days after the date of this prospectus supplement, subject to certain limited exceptions. The restrictions described in this paragraph do not apply to, among other things:

 

 

At any time and without public notice, the representatives may in their discretion, release all or some of the securities from these lock-up agreements.

 

Underwriting

 

 

 

PRICE STABILIZATION, SHORT POSITIONS AND PENALTY BIDS

 

In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in activities that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of our common units including:

 

 

Stabilizing transactions consist of bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our common units while this offering is in progress. These transactions may also include making short sales of our common units, which involves the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of common units than they are required to purchase in this offering, and purchasing common units on the open market to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales may be “covered” shorts, which are short positions in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units referred to above, or may be “naked” shorts, which are short positions in excess of that amount.

 

The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional common units, in whole or in part, or by purchasing common units in the open market. In making this determination, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of common units available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase common units through their option to purchase additional common units.

 

Naked short sales are in excess of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional common units. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing common units in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common units in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchased in this offering.

 

LISTING

 

Our common units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PSE.”

 

ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTION

 

A prospectus supplement in electronic format may be made available by one or more of the underwriters or their affiliates. The representatives may agree to allocate a number of common units to underwriters for sale to their online brokerage account holders. The representatives will allocate common units to underwriters that may make Internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations. In addition, common units may be sold by the underwriters to securities dealers who resell common units to online brokerage account holders.

 

Other than the prospectus supplement in electronic format, the information on any underwriter’s web site and any information contained in any other web site maintained by an underwriter is not part of the prospectus supplement or the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or any underwriter in its capacity as an underwriter and should not be relied upon by investors.

 

Conflicts of interest

 

Some of the underwriters and their affiliates have performed investment banking, commercial banking and advisory services for us and our affiliates from time to time for which they have received customary fees and expenses. The underwriters and their affiliates may, from time to time in the future, engage in transactions with and perform services for us and our affiliates in the ordinary course of their business.

 

Affiliates of UBS Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and RBC Capital Markets Corporation are lenders and agents under our revolving credit facility. These affiliates will receive their respective share of any repayment by us of amounts outstanding under our revolving credit facility from the proceeds of this offering.

 

Because FINRA views our common units as interests in a direct participation program, this offering is being made in compliance with FINRA Rule 2310. Investor suitability with respect to the common units will be judged similarly to the suitability with respect to other securities that are listed for trading on a national securities exchange.

 

Legal matters

 

The validity of the common units will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas. Certain legal matters in connection with the common units offered by us will be passed upon for the underwriters by Baker Botts L.L.P., Dallas, Texas.

 

Experts

 

The consolidated financial statements of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2008 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The consolidated balance sheet of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners GP LLC appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2008 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated balance sheet is incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The carve out financial statements of the Acquired Property Interests as of December 31, 2008 and 2007 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008 appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s current report on Form 8-K/A filed on October 16, 2009 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon appearing therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such carve out financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The supplemental consolidated financial statements of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. as of December 31, 2008 and 2007 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008 appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s current report on Form 8-K filed on October 19, 2009 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such supplemental financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The supplemental consolidated balance sheet of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners GP LLC as of December 31, 2008 appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s current report on Form 8-K filed on October 19, 2009 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such supplemental consolidated balance sheet is incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The consolidated financial statements of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. as of December 31, 2008 and 2007 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008 appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s current report on Form 8-K filed on November 9, 2009 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

Estimated quantities of our oil and gas reserves and the net present value of such reserves incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement are based upon reserve reports prepared by us, certain portions of which have been audited by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. We have incorporated these estimates in reliance on the authority of such firm as experts in such matters.

 

Where you can find more information

 

We file annual, quarterly, and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any documents filed by us at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding us. The SEC’s web site is at http://www.sec.gov.

 

We also make available free of charge on our internet website at http://www.pioneersouthwest.com all of the documents that we file with the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and, you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus supplement.

 

We “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus supplement, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus supplement, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus supplement. Also, the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede the information in documents previously filed with the SEC. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus supplement.

 

We incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement the documents listed below:

 

 

In addition, we incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement any future filings made by Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) (excluding any information furnished and not filed with the SEC) after the date of this prospectus supplement and until the termination of this offering.

 

You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:

 

Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.

5205 N. O’Connor Blvd., Suite 200

Irving, Texas 75039

Attention: Investor Relations

Tel: (972) 969-3586

 

Cautionary statements regarding forward-looking statements

 

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, and the documents we incorporate by reference contain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Exchange Act, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and we undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of the words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “will,” “contemplate,” “would” and similar expressions that contemplate future events. These statements appear in a number of places in the documents we incorporate by reference. All statements other than statements of historical fact included or incorporated in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, including statements regarding the financial position, business strategy, production and other plans and objectives for our future operations, are forward-looking statements.

 

Although we believe that such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we give no assurance that our expectations will in fact occur. Important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including factors identified in our periodic reports incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference and under the heading “Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the accompanying prospectus. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and include information concerning general economic conditions and possible or assumed future results of operations, estimates of oil and gas production and reserves, drilling plans, future cash flows, anticipated capital expenditures, and our strategies, plans and objectives. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference herein, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.

 

All forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

PROSPECTUS

 

 

$500,000,000

 

PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P.

 

Common Units

 

PIONEER SOUTHWEST ENERGY PARTNERS L.P.

PSE FINANCE CORPORATION

 

Debt Securities

 

We may offer under this prospectus, from time to time, in one or more series, common units representing limited partner interests in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. and debt securities, which may be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities.

 

PSE Finance Corporation may act as co-issuer of the debt securities. If a series of debt securities is guaranteed, we expect that such series will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by substantially all of the domestic wholly-owned subsidiaries of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.

 

We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. This prospectus describes the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which we will offer the securities. The specific terms of any securities we offer will be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will also describe the specific manner in which we will offer the securities.

 

You should carefully read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement before you invest. You should also read the documents we refer to in the “Where You Can Find More Information” section of this prospectus for information on us and our financial statements.

 

Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trade under the symbol “PSE.”

 

Investing in our securities involves risks, including those associated with the inherent differences between partnerships and corporations. You should carefully consider each of the risk factors described under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 4 of this prospectus and in the applicable prospectus supplement before you make an investment in our securities.

 

We will provide information in the prospectus supplement for the trading market, if any, for any debt securities we may offer.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is November 9, 2009.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are not an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus, or that the information contained in any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of a security.

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 that we and PSE Finance Corporation have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, utilizing a “shelf” registration process or continuous offering process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell up to $500,000,000 of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. Each time we offer securities, we will provide this prospectus and a prospectus supplement that will describe, among other things, the specific amounts and prices of the securities being offered and the terms of the offering, including, in the case of debt securities, the specific terms of the securities.

 

The prospectus supplement may include additional risk factors or other special considerations applicable to those securities and may also add, update, or change information in this prospectus. Additional information, including our financial statements and the notes thereto, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our reports filed with the SEC. Please read “Where You Can Find More Information.” You are urged to read this prospectus and any prospectus supplements relating to the securities offered to you, together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information,” carefully before investing in our common units or debt securities. To the extent information in this prospectus is inconsistent with information contained in a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

 

The following information should help you understand some of the conventions used in this prospectus:

 

 

Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. is a Delaware limited partnership that was formed in June 2007 by Pioneer Natural Resources Company to own and acquire oil and gas assets in the Partnership’s area of operations. The Partnership’s area of operations consists of onshore Texas and eight counties in the southeast region of New Mexico.

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 5205 N. O’Connor Blvd., Suite 200, Irving, Texas 75039, and our phone number is (972) 969-3586. Our website is located at http://www.pioneersouthwest.com. We make our periodic reports and other information filed with or furnished to the SEC available, free of charge, through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.

 

For additional information as to our business, properties, and financial condition, please refer to the documents cited in “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

We are required to file annual, quarterly, and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any documents filed by us at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding US.The SEC’s web site is at http://www.sec.gov.

We also make available free of charge on our internet website at http://www.pioneersouthwest.com all of the documents that we file with the SEC as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and, you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.

 

We “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus.Also, the information we file later with the SEC will automatically supersede the information in documents previously filed with the SEC. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is current as of any date other than the date on the front page of this prospectus.

 

We incorporate by reference in this prospectus the documents listed below:

 

 

In addition, we incorporate by reference in this prospectus any future filings made by Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) (excluding any information furnished and not filed with the SEC) after the date on which the registration statement that includes this prospectus was initially filed with the SEC (including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement) and until all offerings under this shelf registration statement are terminated.

 

You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:

 

Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.

5205 N. O’Connor Blvd., Suite 200

Irving, Texas 75039

Attention: Investor Relations

Tel: (972) 969-3586

 

Statements included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Statements other than historical facts are forward- looking and may be identified by words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “impact,” “future,” “projection,” “forecasts,” “could,” “will,” and words of similar meaning. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. Examples of these types of statements include, among others, those regarding:

 

 

 

The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are largely based on our expectations, which reflect estimates and assumptions made by our management. These estimates and assumptions reflect our best judgment based on currently known market conditions and other factors. Although we believe such estimates and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently uncertain and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that are beyond our control. In addition, management’s assumptions about future events may prove to be inaccurate. Management cautions all readers that the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are not guarantees of future performance, and we cannot assure any reader that such statements will be realized or the forward-looking events and circumstances will occur. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and any prospectus supplement. The risk factors and other factors included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, or incorporated by reference herein or therein could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

 

All forward-looking statements included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, and the documents we incorporate by reference herein and therein are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.

 

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus or, in the case of forward-looking statements contained in any document incorporated by reference, the date of such document, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update these statements to reflect any change in our expectations or beliefs or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based.

 

The nature of our business activities subjects us to certain hazards and risks. Additionally, limited partner interests are inherently different from the capital stock of a corporation, although many of the business risks to which we are subject are similar to those that would be faced by a corporation engaged in similar businesses. You should carefully consider the risk factors and all of the other information included in, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, including those included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and, if applicable, in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, in evaluating an investment in our securities. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition, or results of operations could be adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our common units or debt securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment. When we offer and sell any securities pursuant to a prospectus supplement, we may include additional risk factors relevant to those securities in the prospectus supplement.

 

Unless otherwise indicated to the contrary in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general partnership purposes, which may include debt repayment, future acquisitions, capital expenditures, and additions to working capital.

 

Any specific allocation of the net proceeds of an offering of securities to a purpose will be determined at the time of the offering and will be described in a prospectus supplement.

 

The table below sets forth our and our predecessors’ ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated on a consolidated historical basis. For purposes of determining the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings are defined as earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, plus fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of net interest expense (inclusive of credit facility commitment fees) on all indebtedness, the amortization of deferred financing costs, and interest associated with operating leases, if any.

 

 

 

 

General

 

The debt securities will be:

 

 

Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. may issue debt securities in one or more series, and PSE Finance Corporation may be a co-issuer of one or more series of such debt securities. PSE Finance Corporation was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on August 25, 2009, is wholly-owned by Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P., and has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of debt securities. Its activities are expected to be limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto. When used in this section “Description of Debt Securities,” the terms “we,” “us,” “our,” and “issuers” refer jointly to Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. and PSE Finance Corporation, and the terms “Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.” and “PSE Finance” refer strictly to Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. and PSE Finance Corporation, respectively.

 

If we offer senior debt securities, we will issue them under a senior indenture. If we issue subordinated debt securities, we will issue them under a subordinated indenture. A form of each indenture is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We have not restated either indenture in its entirety in this description. You should read the relevant indenture because it, and not this description, controls the rights of holders of the debt securities. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the indentures.

 

Specific Terms of Each Series of Debt Securities in the Prospectus Supplement

 

A prospectus supplement and a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

 

 

 

We may offer and sell debt securities, including original issue discount debt securities, at a substantial discount below their principal amount. The prospectus supplement will describe special U.S. federal income tax and any other considerations applicable to those securities. In addition, the prospectus supplement may describe certain special U.S. federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any debt securities that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.

 

Guarantees

 

If specified in the prospectus supplement respecting a series of debt securities, Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners USA LLC and any other of our subsidiaries specified in the prospectus supplement will unconditionally guarantee to each holder and the trustee, on a joint and several basis, the full and prompt payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of that series when and as the same become due and payable, whether at stated maturity, upon redemption or repurchase, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise. If a series of debt securities is guaranteed, we expect that such series will be guaranteed by substantially all of the wholly-owned subsidiaries of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. The prospectus supplement will describe any limitation on the maximum amount of any particular guarantee and the conditions under which guarantees may be released.

 

The guarantees will be general obligations of the guarantors. Guarantees of subordinated debt securities will be subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of the guarantors on the same basis as the subordinated debt securities are subordinated to the Senior Indebtedness of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.

 

Consolidation, Merger, or Asset Sale

 

Each indenture will, in general, allow each issuer to consolidate or merge with or into another domestic entity. It will also allow each issuer to sell, lease, transfer, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to another domestic entity. If this happens, the remaining or acquiring entity must assume all of the issuer’s responsibilities and liabilities under the indenture, including the payment of all amounts due on the debt securities and performance of the issuer’s covenants in the indenture.

 

However, each indenture will impose certain requirements with respect to any consolidation or merger with or into an entity, or any sale, lease, transfer, or other disposition of all or substantially all of an issuer’s assets, including:

 

 

The remaining or acquiring entity will be substituted for the issuer in the indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture, and, except in the case of a lease, the issuer will be relieved from any further obligations under the indenture.

No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control

 

Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions that protect the holders of the debt securities in the event of a change of control of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. or our general partner or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, whether or not such transaction results in a change of control of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. or our general partner.

 

Modification of Indentures

 

We may supplement or amend an indenture if the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series issued under the indenture affected by the supplement or amendment consent to it. Further, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive past defaults under the indenture and compliance by us with our covenants with respect to the debt securities of that series only. Those holders may not, however, waive any default in any payment on any debt security of that series or compliance with a provision that cannot be supplemented or amended without the consent of each holder affected. Without the consent of each outstanding debt security affected, no modification of the indenture or waiver may:

 

 

We may supplement or amend an indenture without the consent of any holders of the debt securities in certain circumstances, including:

 

 

 

Events of Default and Remedies

 

“Event of Default,” when used in an indenture, will mean any one or more of the following with respect to the debt securities of any series:

 

 

An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities will not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under an indenture. The trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default (except in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest) if it considers such withholding of notice to be in the interests of the holders.

 

If an Event of Default described in the sixth bullet point above occurs, the entire principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on, all debt securities then outstanding will be due and payable immediately, without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holders. If any other Event of Default for any series of debt securities occurs and continues, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of the series may declare the entire principal of, and accrued interest on, all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. If this happens, subject to certain conditions, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series can rescind the declaration.

 

Other than its duties in case of a default, a trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under either indenture at the request, order, or direction of any holders, unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable security or indemnity. If they provide this reasonable security or indemnification, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of any series of debt securities may direct the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any power conferred upon the trustee, for that series of debt securities.

No Limit on Amount of Debt Securities

 

Neither indenture will limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue, unless we indicate otherwise in a prospectus supplement. Each indenture will allow us to issue debt securities of any series up to the aggregate principal amount that we authorize.

 

Registration of Notes

 

We will issue debt securities of a series only in registered form, without coupons, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.

 

Minimum Denominations

 

Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, the debt securities will be issued only in principal amounts of $1,000 each or integral multiples of $1,000.

 

No Personal Liability

 

None of the past, present, or future partners, incorporators, managers, members, directors, officers, employees, unitholders, or stockholders of either issuer or any guarantor will have any liability for the obligations of the issuers or any guarantors under either indenture, the debt securities, or any guarantee or for any claim based on such obligations or their creation. Each holder of debt securities by accepting a debt security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the debt securities. The waiver may not be effective under federal securities laws, however, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.

 

Payment and Transfer

 

The trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar under each indenture. The issuers may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of debt securities, and the issuers or any of their subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.

 

If a holder of debt securities has given wire transfer instructions to the issuers, the issuers will make all payments on the debt securities in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on the debt securities will be made at the corporate trust office of the trustee, unless the issuers elect to make interest payments by check mailed to the holders at their addresses set forth in the debt security register.

 

Subject to any applicable abandoned property law, the trustee and any paying agent will repay to us upon request any funds held by them for payments on the debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment as general creditors.

 

Exchange, Registration, and Transfer

 

Debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount, and the same terms but in different authorized denominations in accordance with the applicable indenture. Holders may present debt securities for exchange or registration of transfer at the office of the registrar. The registrar will effect the transfer or exchange when it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. We will not charge a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities. We may, however, require the payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable for that transaction.

 

We will not be required to:

 

 

Provisions Relating only to the Senior Debt Securities

 

The senior debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other senior and unsubordinated debt. The senior debt securities will be effectively subordinated, however, to all of our secured debt to the extent of the value of the collateral for that debt. We will disclose the amount of our secured debt in the prospectus supplement.

 

Provisions Relating only to the Subordinated Debt Securities

 

Subordinated Debt Securities Subordinated to Senior Indebtedness

 

The subordinated debt securities will rank junior in right of payment to all of our Senior Indebtedness. “Senior Indebtedness” and “Designated Senior Indebtedness” will be defined in a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions respecting any issuance of a series of subordinated debt securities, and the definitions will be set forth in the prospectus supplement. If the subordinated debt securities are guaranteed by any of the subsidiaries of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P., then the guarantees will be subordinated on like terms.

 

Payment Blockages

 

The subordinated indenture will provide that no payment of principal, interest, and any premium on the subordinated debt securities (or any related guarantee) may be made in the event:

 

 

No Limitation on Amount of Senior Debt

 

The subordinated indenture will not limit the amount of Senior Indebtedness that we or any guarantor may incur, unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement.

 

Book Entry, Delivery and Form

 

The debt securities of a particular series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates that will be deposited with the trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York (“DTC”). This means that we will not issue certificates to each holder, except in the limited circumstances described below. Instead, one or more global debt securities will be issued to DTC, who will keep a computerized record of its participants (for example, your broker) whose clients have purchased the debt securities. The participant will then keep a record of its clients who purchased the debt securities. Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for a certificated debt security, a global debt security may not be transferred, except that DTC, its nominees, and their successors may transfer a global debt security as a whole to one another.

 

Beneficial interests in global debt securities will be shown on, and transfers of global debt securities will be made only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.

 

DTC has provided us the following information: DTC, the world’s largest securities depository, is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. DTC holds and provides asset servicing for over 3.5 million

issues of U.S. and non-U.S. equity issues, corporate and municipal debt issues, and money market instruments (from over 100 countries) that DTC’s participants (“Direct Participants”) deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the post-trade settlement among Direct Participants of sales and other securities transactions in deposited securities, through electronic computerized book-entry transfers and pledges between Direct Participants’ accounts. This eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates. Direct Participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations. DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (“DTCC”). DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies. DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Direct Participant, either directly or indirectly (“Indirect Participants”). DTC has Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services’ highest rating: AAA. The DTC rules applicable to its Direct Participants are on file with the SEC.

 

We will wire all payments on the global debt securities to DTC’s nominee. We, any guarantor, and the trustee will treat DTC’s nominee as the owner of the global debt securities for all purposes. Accordingly, we, any guarantor, the trustee and any paying agent will have no direct responsibility or liability to pay amounts due on the global debt securities to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities.

 

We understand that it is DTC’s current practice, upon receipt of any payment on the global debt securities, to credit Direct Participants’ accounts on the payment date according to their respective holdings of beneficial interests in the global debt securities as shown on DTC’s records. In addition, it is DTC’s current practice to assign any consenting or voting rights to Direct Participants whose accounts are credited with debt securities on a record date, by using an omnibus proxy. Payments by Direct and Indirect Participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities, and voting by Direct and Indirect Participants, will be governed by the customary practices between such Participants and owners of beneficial interests, as is the case with debt securities held for the account of customers registered in “street name.” However, payments will be the responsibility of the Direct and Indirect Participants and not of DTC, the trustee, us, or any guarantor.

 

Debt securities represented by a global debt security will be exchangeable for certificated debt securities with the same terms in authorized denominations only if:

 

 

Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance

 

Each indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding debt securities of any series issued thereunder, when:

 

(a) either:

 

(1) all outstanding debt securities of that series that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen, or destroyed debt securities that have been replaced or paid and debt securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to us) have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation; or

 

(2) all outstanding debt securities of that series that have not been delivered to the trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the giving of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the trustee and in any case we have irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the trustee as trust funds in trust cash sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness of such debt securities not delivered to the trustee for

cancellation, for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of debt securities that have been due and payable) or the stated maturity or redemption date;

 

(b) we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable by us under the indenture with respect to that series; and

 

(c) we have delivered an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel to the trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.

 

The debt securities of a particular series will be subject to legal or covenant defeasance to the extent, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in the prospectus supplement.

 

Governing Law

 

Each indenture and all of the debt securities will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

 

The Trustee

 

We will enter into the indentures with a trustee that is qualified to act under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the “Trust Indenture Act”) and with any other trustees chosen by us and appointed in a supplemental indenture for a particular series of debt securities. We may maintain a banking relationship in the ordinary course of business with our trustee and one or more of its affiliates.

 

Resignation or Removal of Trustee

 

If the trustee has or acquires a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the trustee must either eliminate its conflicting interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and the applicable indenture. Any resignation will require the appointment of a successor trustee under the applicable indenture in accordance with the terms and conditions of such indenture.

 

The trustee may resign or be removed by us with respect to one or more series of debt securities and a successor trustee may be appointed to act with respect to any such series. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series may remove the trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series.

 

Limitations on Trustee if It Is Our Creditor

 

Each indenture will contain certain limitations on the right of the trustee, in the event that it becomes a creditor of an issuer or a guarantor, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise.

 

Certificates and Opinions to Be Furnished to Trustee

 

Each indenture will provide that, in addition to other certificates or opinions that may be specifically required by other provisions of an indenture, every application by us for action by the trustee must be accompanied by a certificate of certain of our officers and an opinion of counsel (who may be our counsel) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with by US.

 

The Common Units

 

Our common units represent limited partner interests in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. The holders of units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to unitholders under our partnership agreement. For a description of the rights and preferences of holders of common units in and to partnership distributions, please read this section and “Cash Distribution Policy.” For a description of the rights and privileges of unitholders under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read “The Partnership Agreement.”

 

Our common units trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PSE.”

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

Duties

 

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company is the registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We will pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units except the following, which must be paid by unitholders:

 

 

There will be no direct charge to unitholders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We will indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.

 

Resignation or Removal

 

The transfer agent may resign, by notice to us, or be removed by US. The resignation or removal of the transfer agent will become effective upon our appointment of a successor transfer agent and registrar and its acceptance of the appointment. If no successor has been appointed and has accepted the appointment within 30 days after notice of the resignation or removal, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.

 

Transfer of Common Units

 

Pursuant to our partnership agreement, each transferee of our common units:

 

 

A transferee will become a substituted limited partner of our partnership for the transferred common units automatically upon the recording of the transfer on our books and records or the books and records of our transfer agent. Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.

We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holders’ rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.

 

Common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfers of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units.

 

Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

Conflicts of interest exist and may arise in the future as a result of the relationships among us and our general partner and affiliates. Because our general partner is owned by Pioneer, the directors and officers of our general partner have fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner beneficial to Pioneer. At the same time, our general partner has a fiduciary duty to manage us in a manner beneficial to us, subject to the exculpation provisions and limitations in the partnership agreement. The board of directors or the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner will resolve any such conflict and has broad latitude to consider the interests of all parties to the conflict. The resolution of these conflicts may not always be in our best interest.

 

Whenever a conflict arises between our general partner or its affiliates, on the one hand, and us, on the other hand, our general partner will resolve that conflict. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner’s fiduciary duties are limited and owed only to us, not to our unitholders. Our partnership agreement also restricts the remedies available to unitholders for actions taken that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of our general partner’s fiduciary duty to US.

 

Our general partner is responsible for identifying any such conflict of interest and our general partner may choose to resolve the conflict of interest by any one of the methods described in the following sentence. Our general partner will not be in breach of its obligations under the partnership agreement or its duties to us if the resolution of the conflict is, or is deemed to be, fair and reasonable to the partnership; provided, that any conflict of interest and any resolution of such conflict of interest shall be deemed fair and reasonable to the partnership if such conflict of interest or resolution is:

 

 

The board of directors of our general partner has stated that it intends to maintain a conflicts committee, comprising at least two independent directors. Currently its conflicts committee comprises all four of its independent directors. Our general partner may, but is not required to, seek approval from the conflicts committee of a resolution of a conflict of interest with our general partner or its affiliates. If our general partner seeks approval from the conflicts committee, the members of the conflicts committee who do not have a “recusal conflict” (as defined below) will determine in good faith whether to approve the proposed resolution of a conflict of interest with our general partner or its affiliates. In the event any member of the conflicts committee has a recusal conflict with respect to any proposed transaction, such member is required to disclose such recusal conflict and may not participate in the decision of the conflicts committee with respect to such proposed transaction. A member of the conflicts committee shall only be deemed to have a recusal conflict with respect to a proposed transaction in the event that such member of the conflicts committee (i) is an officer of any person that is a party to any proposed transaction with the partnership or any member of the partnership group that is the subject of review (a “counterparty”), (ii) is an employee of the counterparty, (iii) has a material financial interest in the counterparty (other than ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding equity of the counterparty) or the proposed transaction (other than by reason of an ownership interest in the partnership) or (iv) is involved on behalf of the counterparty in connection with structuring or negotiating the proposed transaction. Any matters approved by the conflicts committee (or approved by an officer or officers of our general partner pursuant to guidelines and procedures adopted by the conflicts committee) in good faith will be conclusively deemed to be fair and reasonable to us, approved by all of our partners and not a breach by our general partner of any duties it may owe to US.It shall be presumed that, in making any decision relating to the resolution of a conflict of interest, the conflicts committee or

our general partner acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or us, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption. Unless the resolution of a conflict is specifically provided for in our partnership agreement, our general partner or the conflicts committee may consider any of the following factors when resolving a conflict: (i) the relative interests of any party to such conflict, agreement, transaction or situation and the benefits and burdens relating to such interest; (ii) the totality of the relationships between the parties involved (including other transactions that may be or have been particularly favorable or advantageous to us); (iii) any customary or accepted industry practices and any customary or historical dealings with a particular person; (iv) any applicable engineering practices or generally accepted accounting practices or principles; and (v) the relative cost of capital of the parties and the consequent rates of return to the equity holders of the parties. In addition, the conflicts committee (or such officer or officers of our general partner pursuant to guidelines and procedures adopted by the conflicts committee) shall be authorized in connection with its resolution of any conflict of interest to consider such additional factors as the conflicts committee or such officer(s) determine in their sole discretion to be relevant, reasonable or appropriate under the circumstances. For a discussion of what constitutes good faith, please read “— Fiduciary Duties” below.

 

Conflicts of interest could arise in the situations described below, among others.

 

Pioneer is not limited in its ability to compete with us, which could cause conflicts of interest and limit our ability to acquire additional assets or businesses which, in turn, could adversely affect our results of operations and cash available for distribution to our unitholders.

 

Our partnership agreement does not prohibit Pioneer from owning assets or engaging in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with US.For example, Pioneer owns other oil and gas properties in the Spraberry field and other parts of our area of operations that will not be conveyed to US.In addition, Pioneer may acquire, develop or dispose of oil and gas properties or other assets in the future, without any obligation to offer us the opportunity to purchase or develop any of those assets. Pioneer is a large, established participant in the oil and gas industry, and has significantly greater resources and experience than we have, which may make it more difficult for us to compete with Pioneer with respect to commercial activities as well as for acquisition candidates. As a result, competition from Pioneer could adversely impact our results of operations and cash available for distribution.

 

Neither our partnership agreement nor any other agreement requires Pioneer to pursue a business strategy that favors US.Pioneer’s officers and directors have a fiduciary duty to make these decisions in the best interests of the owners of Pioneer, which may be contrary to our interests.

 

Because the officers and certain of the directors of our general partner are also officers of Pioneer, such officers and directors have fiduciary duties to Pioneer that may cause them to pursue business strategies that disproportionately benefit Pioneer or which otherwise are not in our best interests.

 

Our general partner is allowed to take into account the interests of parties other than us, such as Pioneer, in resolving conflicts of interest.

 

Our partnership agreement contains provisions that reduce the standards to which our general partner would otherwise be held by state fiduciary duty law. For example, our partnership agreement permits our general partner to make a number of decisions in its sole discretion. This entitles our general partner to consider only the interests and factors that it desires, and it has no fiduciary duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of, or factors affecting, us, our affiliates or any limited partner. Examples include the exercise of its limited call right, its right to vote and transfer the units it owns, its registration rights and its determination whether or not to consent to any merger or consolidation of the partnership or any amendment to the partnership agreement.

 

We will reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for expenses.

 

Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for all actual direct and indirect expenses they incur or actual payments they make on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner or its affiliates in connection with operating our business, including overhead allocated to our general partner by its affiliates, including Pioneer. These expenses may include salary,

bonus, incentive compensation (including equity compensation) and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf, and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. Our general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to US.In connection with our initial public offering, we entered into an administrative services agreement pursuant to which Pioneer agreed to manage all of our assets and perform administrative services for us and be reimbursed for a portion of its overhead expenses allocated to us pursuant to a formula. For a description of the fees and expenses that we pay pursuant to these agreements, please read “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions, and Director Independence” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A (Amendment No. 1) for the year ended December 31, 2008.

 

Our general partner intends to limit its liability regarding our obligations.

 

Our general partner intends to limit its liability under contractual arrangements so that the other party has recourse only against our assets and not against our general partner or its assets. Our partnership agreement provides that any action taken by our general partner to limit its liability or our liability is not a breach of our general partner’s fiduciary duties, even if we could have obtained more favorable terms without the limitation on liability.

 

Common unitholders will have no right to enforce obligations of our general partner and its affiliates under agreements with US.

 

Any agreements between us on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, will not grant to the unitholders, separate and apart from us, the right to enforce the obligations of our general partner and its affiliates in our favor.

 

Contracts between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, may not be the result of arm’s-length negotiations.

 

Our partnership agreement allows our general partner to determine, in good faith, any amounts to pay itself or its affiliates for any services rendered to us. Our general partner may also enter into additional contractual arrangements with any of its affiliates on our behalf. Neither the partnership agreement nor many of the other agreements, contracts and arrangements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, are or will be the result of arm’s-length negotiations.

 

Pioneer will have conflicts of interest between the manner in which it operates our properties and other properties it owns or operates.

 

Pioneer operates all of our properties as well as its own properties. Pioneer will have conflicts of interest between the manner in which it operates our properties and other properties it owns or operates. For example:

 

 

Common units are subject to our general partner’s limited call right.

 

Our general partner may exercise its right to call and purchase common units as provided in our partnership agreement or assign this right to one of its affiliates or to us. Our general partner may use its own discretion, free of fiduciary duty restrictions, in determining whether to exercise this right. As a result, a common unitholder may have his common units purchased from him at an undesirable time or price.

We may not choose to retain separate counsel for ourselves or for the holders of common units.

 

The attorneys, independent accountants and others who perform services for us have been retained by our general partner. Attorneys, independent accountants and others who will perform services for us are selected by our general partner or the conflicts committee and may perform services for our general partner and its affiliates. We or our conflicts committee may retain separate counsel for ourselves in the event of a conflict of interest between our general partner and its affiliates, on the one hand, and us, on the other, depending on the nature of the conflict. We are not required to do so and do not intend to do so in most cases.

 

Fiduciary Duties

 

The fiduciary duties our general partner owes are prescribed by law and our partnership agreement. The Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, which we refer to in this prospectus as the Delaware Act, provides that Delaware limited partnerships may, in their partnership agreements, expand, restrict or eliminate the fiduciary duties otherwise owed by a general partner.

 

Our partnership agreement contains various provisions modifying and restricting the fiduciary duties that our general partner might otherwise owe. We have adopted these restrictions to allow our general partner to take into account the interests of other parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. These modifications are detrimental to the common unitholders because they restrict the remedies available to unitholders for actions that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty, as described below. The following is a summary of the material restrictions of the fiduciary duties owed by our general partner to US.

 

 

In order to become one of our limited partners, a unitholder is required to agree to be bound by the provisions in our partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above. This is in accordance with the policy of the Delaware Act favoring the principle of freedom of contract and the enforceability of partnership agreements. The failure of a limited partner or assignee to sign a partnership agreement does not render the partnership agreement unenforceable against that person. By purchasing a common unit, you will be admitted as a limited partner and will be deemed to be bound by all of the terms of our partnership agreement.

 

We must indemnify our general partner and its officers, directors, managers and certain other specified persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by our general partner or these other persons. We must provide this indemnification unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that these persons acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. We must also provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings unless our general partner or these other persons acted with knowledge that their conduct was unlawful. Thus, our general partner could be indemnified for its negligent acts if it meets the requirements set forth above. To the extent these provisions purport to include indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is contrary to public policy and, therefore, unenforceable. Please read “The Partnership Agreement — Indemnification.”

 

Distributions of Available Cash

 

Our partnership agreement requires that, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute all of our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.

 

The term “available cash,” for any quarter, means all cash and cash equivalents on hand at the end of that quarter:

 

 

 

 

We distribute 99.9% of our available cash to our unitholders, pro rata, and 0.1% of our available cash to our general partner.

 

Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation

 

If we dissolve in accordance with the partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to our unitholders and our general partner, in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.

 

Adjustments to Capital Accounts

 

Our partnership agreement requires that we make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units. In this regard, our partnership agreement specifies that we allocate any unrealized and, for tax purposes, unrecognized gain or loss resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and our general partner in the same manner as we allocate gain or loss upon liquidation.

 

The following is a summary of the material provisions of the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P., as amended, which is referred to in this prospectus as our partnership agreement. Our partnership agreement is available as described under “Where You Can Find More Information.” We will provide prospective investors with a copy of this agreement upon request at no charge.

 

We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:

 

 

Organization and Duration

 

We were formed on June 19, 2007 and have a perpetual existence.

 

Purpose

 

Under our partnership agreement, we are permitted to engage, directly or indirectly, in the business activity that is approved by our general partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law; provided that our general partner may not cause us to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that our general partner determines would cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes.

 

Although our general partner has the ability to cause us and our subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the acquisition, development and production of oil and gas reserves, our general partner may decline to do so in its sole discretion. Our general partner is authorized in general to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.

 

Power of Attorney

 

Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a unit from a unitholder, by accepting the unit, automatically grants to our general partner and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our formation, qualification, continuance or dissolution. The power of attorney also grants our general partner the authority to amend, and to make consents and waivers under, our partnership agreement.

 

Capital Contributions

 

Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under “— Limited Liability.”

 

Limited Liability

 

Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Act and that the limited partner otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of our partnership agreement, the limited partner’s liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital the limited partner is obligated to contribute to us for the limited partner’s common units plus the limited partner’s share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:

 

 

 

constituted “participation in the control” of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then our limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as our general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us and reasonably believe that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither our partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against our general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of our general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for this type of a claim in Delaware case law.

 

Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Act, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of the limited partner’s assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except that such person is not obligated for liabilities unknown to the limited partner at the time the limited partner became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.

 

Limitations on the liability of limited partners for the obligations of a limited partner have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our ownership of our operating company or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any state without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace the general partner, to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement, or to take other action under our partnership agreement constituted “participation in the control” of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as the general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that the general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.

Voting Rights

 

The following is a summary of the unitholder vote required for the matters specified below. In voting their units, affiliates of our general partner will have no fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners.

 

 

Issuance of Additional Securities

 

Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited partner interests and other equity securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our general partner without the approval of our unitholders.

 

It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional units or other equity securities. Holders of any additional units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of units in

our cash distributions. In addition, the issuance of additional partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of units in our net assets.

 

In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership interests that, as determined by our general partner, may have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled. In addition, our partnership agreement does not prohibit the issuance of equity securities that may effectively rank senior to our common units.

 

If we issue additional units in the future, our general partner is not obligated to, but may, contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its general partner interest. If our general partner does not contribute a proportionate additional amount of capital, our general partner’s initial 0.1% interest would be reduced. Moreover, our general partner will have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units or other partnership securities whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those securities to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the percentage interest of the general partner and its affiliates that existed immediately prior to each issuance. Other than our general partner, the holders of common units will not have a preemptive right to acquire additional common units or other partnership securities.

 

Amendments to Our Partnership Agreement

 

General

 

Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment. To adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below under “— No Unitholder Approval,” our general partner is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a majority of our outstanding units.

 

Prohibited Amendments

 

Generally, no amendment may be made that would:

 

(1) have the effect of reducing the voting percentage of outstanding units required to take any action under the provisions of our partnership agreement;

 

(2) enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without its consent; or

 

(3) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by us to our general partner or any of its affiliates without the consent of our general partner, which may be given or withheld at its option.

 

The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in clauses (1) to (3) above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units. Our general partner and its affiliates own approximately 68.7% of our outstanding common units.

 

No Unitholder Approval

 

Our general partner generally may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner or assignee to reflect:

 

(1) a change in the name of the partnership, the location of the partnership’s principal place of business, the partnership’s registered agent or its registered office;

 

(2) the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with our partnership agreement;

 

(3) a change that our general partner determines to be necessary or advisable to qualify or to continue our qualification as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under

the laws of any state or to ensure that the partnership and its subsidiaries will not be treated as associations taxable as corporations or otherwise taxed as entities for federal income tax purposes;

 

(4) an amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of our counsel, to prevent the partnership or our general partner or its directors, officers, agents or trustees, from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed;

 

(5) an amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the authorization of additional partnership securities or rights to acquire partnership securities;

 

(6) any amendment expressly permitted in our partnership agreement to be made by our general partner acting alone;

 

(7) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a merger agreement that has been approved under the terms of our partnership agreement;

 

(8) any amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect and account for the formation by the partnership of, or its investment in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, as otherwise permitted by our partnership agreement;

 

(9) a change in our fiscal year or taxable year and related changes;

 

(10) certain mergers or conveyances set forth in our partnership agreement; and

 

(11) any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in (1) through (10) above.

 

In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner or assignee if our general partner determines, at its option, that those amendments:

 

(1) do not adversely affect our limited partners (or any particular class of limited partners) in any material respect;

 

(2) are necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute;

 

(3) are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of limited partner interests (including the division of any limited partner interests into different classes to facilitate uniformity of tax consequences within such class of limited partner interests) or to comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any national securities exchange on which the limited partner interests are or will be listed or admitted for trading;

 

(4) are necessary or advisable for any action taken by our general partner relating to splits or combinations of units under the provisions of our partnership agreement; or

 

(5) are required to effect the intent expressed in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part as amended or supplemented or of the provisions of our partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by our partnership agreement.

 

Opinion of Counsel and Unitholder Approval

 

Our general partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners or result in our being treated as an entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments described under “— No Unitholder Approval.” No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units unless we first obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners. In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding

units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners constituting not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.

 

Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets

 

A merger, consolidation or conversion of us requires the prior consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion.

 

In addition, our partnership agreement generally prohibits our general partner, without the prior approval of the holders of a majority of our outstanding units, from causing us to, among other things, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation, other combination, or sale of ownership interests in our subsidiaries. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without that approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without that approval. Finally, our general partner may consummate any merger or consolidation without the prior approval of our unitholders if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding certain limited liability and tax matters, the transaction would not result in a material amendment to our partnership agreement, each of our units will be an identical unit of our partnership following the transaction, and the units to be issued do not exceed 20% of our outstanding units immediately prior to the transaction.

 

If the conditions specified in our partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner may convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey all of our assets to, a newly formed entity if the sole purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity. The unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under our partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets or any other transaction or event.

 

Termination or Dissolution

 

We will continue as a limited partnership until terminated under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:

 

(1) the election of our general partner to dissolve us, if approved by the holders of a majority of our outstanding units;

 

(2) there being no limited partners, unless we are continued without dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act;

 

(3) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of our partnership; or

 

(4) the withdrawal or removal of our general partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be our general partner other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with our partnership agreement or withdrawal or removal following approval and admission of a successor.

 

Upon a dissolution under clause (4) above, the holders of a majority of our outstanding units may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement by appointing as a successor general partner an entity approved by the holders of a majority of our outstanding units subject to receipt by us of an opinion of counsel to the effect that:

 

 

Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds

 

Upon our dissolution, unless we are continued as a new limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all the powers of our general partner that are necessary or appropriate, liquidate our assets. The proceeds of the liquidation will be applied as follows:

 

 

Under some circumstances and subject to some limitations, the liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time. If the liquidator determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause a loss to our partners, our general partner may distribute assets in kind to our partners.

 

Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner

 

Except as described below, our general partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as our general partner prior to March 31, 2018 without obtaining the approval of a majority of our outstanding common units, excluding those held by our general partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding certain limited liability and tax matters. On or after March 31, 2018, our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days’ written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. In addition, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days’ notice to our limited partners if at least 50% of our outstanding common units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates other than our general partner and its affiliates. In addition, the partnership agreement permits our general partner in some instances to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in us without the approval of the unitholders. Please read “— Transfer of General Partner Interest.”

 

Upon the voluntary withdrawal of our general partner, other than as a result of its transfer of all or part of its general partner interest in us, the holders of a majority of our outstanding units may elect a successor to the withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within 90 days after that withdrawal, the holders of a majority of our outstanding common units, excluding the common units held by the withdrawing general partner and its affiliates, agree to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner.

 

Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by not less than 662/3% of our outstanding units, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding certain limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by a majority of our outstanding units, including those held by our general partner and its affiliates. The ownership of more than 331/3% of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates would give it the practical ability to prevent its removal. Pioneer USA and its affiliates own approximately 68.7% of the outstanding common units.

 

In addition, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred for the termination of any employees employed by the departing general partner or its affiliates for our benefit.

 

Transfer of General Partner Interest

 

Except for transfer by our general partner of all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest in us to:

 

 

our general partner may not transfer all or any part of its general partner interest in us to another entity prior to March 31, 2018 without the approval of a majority of the common units outstanding, excluding common units held

by our general partner and its affiliates. As a condition of this transfer, the transferee must assume the rights and duties of our general partner, agree to be bound by the provisions of the partnership agreement, and furnish an opinion of counsel regarding certain limited liability and tax matters.

 

Our general partner and its affiliates may at any time transfer units to one or more persons without unitholder approval.

 

Transfer of Ownership Interests in Our General Partner

 

At any time, Pioneer USA, as the sole member of our general partner, may sell or transfer all or part of its ownership interest in the general partner without the approval of our unitholders.

 

Change of Management Provisions

 

Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove our general partner as general partner or otherwise change management. If any person or group other than our general partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to (1) any person or group that acquires the units from our general partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by our general partner or (2) any person or group that acquires the units with the prior approval of the board of directors of our general partner.

 

Limited Call Right

 

If at any time our general partner and its affiliates hold more than 80% of the outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right, but not the obligation, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or us, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the remaining limited partner interests of the class held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by our general partner, on at least ten but not more than 60 days’ notice. The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:

 

 

As a result of our general partner’s right to purchase outstanding limited partner interests, a holder of limited partner interests may have his limited partner interests purchased at an undesirable time or price. The tax consequences to a unitholder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unitholder of his units in the market. Please read “Material Tax Consequences — Disposition of Common Units.”

 

Our general partner and its affiliates own 20,612,193 of our common units, representing approximately 68.7% of our outstanding common units.

 

Meetings; Voting

 

Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of units then outstanding, unitholders on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited. Units that are owned by Non-Eligible Holders will be voted by our general partner and our general partner will distribute the votes on those units in the same ratios as the votes of limited partners on other units are cast.

 

Our general partner does not anticipate that any meeting of unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by our unitholders may be taken either at a meeting of the unitholders or, if authorized by our general partner, without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units as would be necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Special meetings of the unitholders may be called by our general partner or by unitholders owning at least

20% of the outstanding units. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting was called (including outstanding units deemed owned by the general partner), represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.

 

Each record holder of a unit has a vote according to his percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Please read “— Issuance of Additional Securities” above. However, if at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of our general partner or its affiliates, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the units may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes except such units may be considered to be outstanding for purposes of the withdrawal of our general partner. Common units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise.

 

Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of units under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.

 

Status as Limited Partner

 

By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the transferred units when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records or the books and records of our transfer agent. Except as described under “— Limited Liability,” the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions.

 

Non-Eligible Holders; Redemption; Withholding of Distributions

 

We do not currently own interests in oil and gas leases on United States federal lands but we may acquire such interests in the future. To comply with certain U.S. laws relating to the ownership of interests in oil and gas leases on United States federal lands, if requested by our general partner after the delivery of notice relating thereto, transferees will be required to fill out a properly completed certifications that the unitholder is an Eligible Holder, and our general partner, acting on our behalf, may at any time require each unitholder to certify or re-certify that the unitholder is an Eligible Holder. As used herein, an Eligible Holder means a person or entity qualified to hold an interest in oil and gas leases on United States federal lands. As of the date hereof, Eligible Holder means: (1) a citizen of the United States; (2) a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof; (3) a public body, including a municipality; or (4) an association of United States citizens, such as a partnership or limited liability company, organized under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof, but only if such association does not have any direct or indirect foreign ownership, other than foreign ownership of stock in a parent corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, onshore mineral leases on United States federal lands or any direct or indirect interest therein may be acquired and held by aliens only through stock ownership, holding or control in a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any state thereof. This certification can be changed in any manner our general partner determines is necessary or appropriate to implement its original purpose.

 

If a transferee or unitholder, as the case may be, fails to furnish:

 

 

then, as the case may be, such transfer will be void or we will (1) have the right to withhold quarterly distributions payable on the units held by such transferee or unitholder or (2) have the right, which we may assign to any of our

subsidiaries, to acquire at the lower of the purchase price of their units or the then current market price all but not less than all of the units held by such unitholder. Further, the units held by such unitholder will not be entitled to any voting rights. If the transferee or unitholder furnishes the required certification, but our general partner determines (1) that such transferee or unitholder is not an Eligible Holder or (2) that the certification contains false information, then quarterly distributions will be restored on the units held by such transferee or unitholder, but the units shall still be subject to redemption as set forth above. If the units held by such unitholder are transferred, any previously withheld distributions will be paid to such transferring unitholder.

 

The purchase price will be paid in cash or delivery of a promissory note, as determined by our general partner. Any such promissory note will bear interest at the rate of 5% annually and be payable in three equal annual installments of principal and accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption date. Any such promissory note will also be unsecured and shall be subordinated to the extent required by the terms of our other indebtedness.

 

Indemnification

 

Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by our partnership agreement, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:

 

(1) our general partner;

 

(2) any departing general partner;

 

(3) any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partner or any departing general partner;

 

(4) any person who is or was an officer, director, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of any entity described in (1), (2) or (3) above;

 

(5) any person who is or was serving as an officer, director, member, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person at the request of the general partner or any departing general partner or any affiliate of our general partner or any departing general partner, provided that a person will not be an indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee, fiduciary or custodian services; and

 

(6) any person designated by our general partner.

 

Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under the partnership agreement. Please read “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties — Fiduciary Duties.”

 

Reimbursement of Expenses

 

Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for all direct and indirect expenses they incur or payments they make on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner or its affiliates in connection with operating our business. These expenses may include salary, bonus, incentive compensation (including equity compensation) and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. The general partner is entitled to determine the expenses that are allocable to US.In connection with our initial public offering, we entered into an administrative services agreement pursuant to which Pioneer performs administrative services for us such as accounting, business development, finance, land, legal, engineering, investor relations, management, marketing, information technology, insurance, government regulations, communications, regulatory, environmental and human resources. Under the administrative services agreement, Pioneer is reimbursed for a portion of its overhead expenses allocated to us pursuant to a formula. In addition, Pioneer operates our properties pursuant to operating agreements. For a description of the fees and expenses that we pay pursuant to these

agreements, please read “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions, and Director Independence” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A (Amendment No. 1) for the year ended December 31, 2008.

 

Books and Reports

 

Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.

 

We will furnish or make available to record holders of units, within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 90 days after the close of each quarter.

 

We will furnish each record holder of a unit with information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is expected to be furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to unitholders will depend on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his federal and state tax liability and filing his federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with information.

 

Right to Inspect Our Books and Records

 

A limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to the limited partner’s interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable demand stating the purpose of such demand and at his own expense, obtain:

 

 

Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets and other information the disclosure of which our general partner believes in good faith is not in our best interest or which we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.

 

Registration Rights

 

Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any units or other partnership securities proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates or their assignees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

Tax Consequences to Common Unitholders

 

This section is a summary of the material tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel to our general partner and us, insofar as it relates to legal conclusions with respect to matters of U.S. federal income tax law. This section is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), existing and proposed Treasury regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code (the “Treasury Regulations”), and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Later changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to “us” or “we” are references to Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. and our operating subsidiaries.

 

The following discussion does not comment on all federal income tax matters affecting us or our unitholders. Moreover, the discussion focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and has only limited application to corporations, estates, trusts, nonresident aliens, or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, foreign persons, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts (REITs), or mutual funds. Accordingly, we encourage each prospective unitholder to consult, and depend on, his own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of common units.

 

No ruling has been or will be requested from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) regarding any matter affecting us or prospective unitholders. Instead, we will rely on opinions and advice of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made in this discussion may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any contest of this sort with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for the common units and the prices at which the common units trade. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, principally legal, accounting, and related fees, will result in a reduction in cash available for distribution to our unitholders and our general partner and thus will be borne directly by our unitholders and our general partner. Furthermore, the tax treatment of us, or of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions. Any modifications may or may not be retroactively applied.

 

All statements as to matters of law and legal conclusions, but not as to factual matters, contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and are based on the accuracy of the representations made by us.

 

For the reasons described below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific federal income tax issues: (a) the treatment of a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units (please read “— Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership — Treatment of Short Sales”); (b) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees”); (c) whether percentage depletion will be available to a unitholder or the extent of the percentage depletion deduction available to any unitholder (please read “— Tax Treatment of Operations — Oil and Natural Gas Taxation — Depletion Deductions”); (d) whether the deduction related to U.S. production activities will be available to a unitholder or the extent of such deduction to any unitholder (please read “— Tax Treatment of Operations — Oil and Natural Gas Taxation — Deduction for U.S. Production Activities”); and (e) whether our method for depreciating Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read “— Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election” and “— Uniformity of Common Units”).

 

Partnership Status

 

A partnership is not a taxable entity and incurs no federal income tax liability. Instead, each partner of a partnership is required to take into account his share of items of income, gain, loss, and deduction of the partnership in computing his federal income tax liability, regardless of whether cash distributions are made to him by the

partnership. Distributions by a partnership to a partner are generally not taxable to the partnership or the partner unless the amount of cash distributed to him is in excess of the partner’s adjusted basis in his partnership interest.

 

Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that publicly traded partnerships will, as a general rule, be taxed as corporations. However, an exception, referred to in this discussion as the “Qualifying Income Exception,” exists with respect to publicly traded partnerships 90% or more of the gross income of which for every taxable year consists of “qualifying income.” Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the exploration, development, mining or production, processing, transportation, and marketing of natural resources, including oil, gas, and products thereof. Other types of qualifying income include interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 2% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based upon and subject to this estimate, the factual representations made by us and our general partner and a review of the applicable legal authorities, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that at least 90% of our current gross income constitutes qualifying income. The portion of our income that is qualifying income may change from time to time.

 

No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS, and the IRS has made no determination as to our status or the status of our operating subsidiaries for federal income tax purposes or whether our operations generate “qualifying income” under Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. on such matters. It is the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. that, based upon the Internal Revenue Code, its regulations, published revenue rulings, and court decisions and the representations described below, we will be classified as a partnership, and each of our operating subsidiaries will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes.

 

In rendering its opinion, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied include:

 

(a) Neither we, nor our operating company, has elected or will elect to be treated as a corporation;

 

(b) For each taxable year of the Partnership, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined or will opine is “qualifying income” within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code; and

 

(c) Each hedging transaction that we treat as resulting in qualifying income has been and will be appropriately identified as a hedging transaction pursuant to applicable Treasury Regulations, and has been and will be associated with oil, gas, or products thereof that are held or to be held by us in activities that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined or will opine result in qualifying income.

 

We believe that these representations have been true in the past and expect that these representations will be true in the future.

 

If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as if we had transferred all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation, and then distributed that stock to the unitholders in liquidation of their interests in US.This deemed contribution and liquidation should be tax-free to unitholders and us so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.

 

If we were treated as an association taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on our tax return rather than being passed through to our unitholders, and our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. In addition, any distribution made to a unitholder would be treated as either taxable dividend income, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable return of capital, to the extent of the unitholder’s tax basis in his common units, or taxable

capital gain, after the unitholder’s tax basis in his common units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, taxation as a corporation would result in a material reduction in a unitholder’s cash flow and after-tax return and thus would likely result in a substantial reduction of the value of the common units.

 

The discussion below is based on Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s opinion that we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

 

Limited Partner Status

 

Unitholders who have become limited partners of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. will be treated as partners of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. for federal income tax purposes. Also:

 

(a) assignees who have executed and delivered transfer applications, and are awaiting admission as limited partners, and

 

(b) unitholders whose common units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of their common units

 

will be treated as partners of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. for federal income tax purposes. As there is no direct or indirect controlling authority addressing the federal tax treatment of assignees of common units who are entitled to execute and deliver transfer applications and thereby become entitled to direct the exercise of attendant rights, but who fail to execute and deliver transfer applications, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s opinion does not extend to these persons. Furthermore, a purchaser or other transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application may not receive some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of common units unless the common units are held in a nominee or street name account and the nominee or broker has executed and delivered a transfer application for those common units.

 

A beneficial owner of common units whose common units have been transferred to a short seller to complete a short sale would appear to lose his status as a partner with respect to those common units for federal income tax purposes. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership — Treatment of Short Sales.”

 

Income, gain, deductions, or losses would not appear to be reportable by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes, and any cash distributions received by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes would therefore appear to be fully taxable as ordinary income. These holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to their tax consequences of holding common units in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.

 

The references to “unitholders” in the discussion that follows are to persons who are treated as partners in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership

 

Flow-Through of Taxable Income.  We do not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each unitholder will be required to report on his income tax return his share of our income, gains, losses, and deductions without regard to whether we make cash distributions to him. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if he has not received a cash distribution. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his allocable share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year ending with or within his taxable year. Our taxable year ends on December 31.

 

Treatment of Distributions.  Distributions by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder for federal income tax purposes, except to the extent the amount of any such cash distribution exceeds his tax basis in his common units immediately before the distribution. Our cash distributions in excess of a unitholder’s tax basis generally will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of the common units, taxable in accordance with the rules described under “— Disposition of Common Units” below. Any reduction in a unitholder’s share of our liabilities for which no partner, including the general partner, bears the economic risk of loss, known as “nonrecourse liabilities,” will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that unitholder. To the extent our distributions cause a unitholder’s “at-risk” amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year, he must recapture any losses deducted in previous years. Please read “— Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”

A decrease in a unitholder’s percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional common units will decrease his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash. This deemed distribution may constitute a non-pro rata distribution. A non-pro rata distribution of money or property may result in ordinary income to a unitholder, regardless of his tax basis in his common units, if the distribution reduces the unitholder’s share of our “unrealized receivables,” including recapture of intangible drilling costs, depletion and depreciation and/or substantially appreciated “inventory items,” both as defined in Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code, and collectively, “Section 751 Assets.” To that extent, he will be treated as having been distributed his proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and then having exchanged those assets with us in return for the non-pro rata portion of the actual distribution made to him. This latter deemed exchange will generally result in the unitholder’s realization of ordinary income, which will equal the excess of (a) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (b) the unitholder’s tax basis (generally zero) for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.

 

Basis of Common Units.  A unitholder’s initial tax basis for his common units will be the amount he paid for the common units plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be increased by his share of our income and by any increases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions from us, by the unitholder’s share of our losses, by depletion deductions taken by him to the extent such deductions do not exceed his proportionate share of the adjusted tax basis of the underlying producing properties, by any decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities and by his share of our expenditures that are not deductible in computing taxable income and are not required to be capitalized. A unitholder will have no share of our debt that is recourse to our general partner, but will have a share, generally based on his share of profits, of our nonrecourse liabilities. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.  The deduction by a unitholder of his share of our losses will be limited to the tax basis in his common units and, in the case of an individual unitholder, estate, trust, or corporate unitholder (if more than 50% of the value of the corporate unitholder’s stock is owned directly or indirectly by or for five or fewer individuals or some tax-exempt organizations) to the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be “at risk” with respect to our activities, if that is less than his tax basis. A unitholder subject to these limitations must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause his at-risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction to the extent that his at-risk amount is subsequently increased, provided such losses do not exceed such unitholders’ tax basis in his common units. Upon the taxable disposition of a common unit, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at-risk limitation but may not be offset by losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at-risk limitation in excess of that gain would no longer be utilizable.

 

In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of the tax basis of his common units, excluding any portion of that basis attributable to his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, reduced by (a) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or other similar arrangement and (b) any amount of money he borrows to acquire or hold his common units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to the unitholder or can look only to the common units for repayment. A unitholder’s at-risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax basis of the unitholder’s common units increases or decreases, other than tax basis increases or decreases attributable to increases or decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Moreover, a unitholder’s at risk amount will decrease by the amount of the unitholder’s depletion deductions and will increase to the extent of the amount by which the unitholder’s percentage depletion deductions with respect to our property exceed the unitholder’s share of the tax basis of that property.

 

The at-risk limitation applies on an activity-by-activity basis, and in the case of oil and gas properties, each property is treated as a separate activity. Thus, a taxpayer’s interest in each oil or gas property is generally required to be treated separately so that a loss from any one property would be limited to the at-risk amount for that property and not the at-risk amount for all the taxpayer’s oil and gas properties. It is uncertain how this rule is implemented in the case of multiple oil and gas properties owned by a single entity treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. However, for taxable years ending on or before the date on which further guidance is published, the IRS will permit aggregation of oil or gas properties we own in computing a unitholder’s at-risk limitation with respect to US.If a unitholder were required to compute his at-risk amount separately with respect to each oil or gas property we

own, he might not be allowed to utilize his share of losses or deductions attributable to a particular property even though he has a positive at-risk amount with respect to his common units as a whole.

 

In addition to the basis and at-risk limitations on the deductibility of losses, the passive loss limitations generally provide that individuals, estates, trusts, and some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations can deduct losses from passive activities, which are generally trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate, only to the extent of the taxpayer’s income from those passive activities. The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will be available to offset only our passive income generated in the future and will not be available to offset income from other passive activities or investments (including our investments or a unitholder’s investments in other publicly traded partnerships), or a unitholder’s salary or active business income. If we dispose of all or only a part of our interest in an oil or gas property, unitholders will be able to offset their suspended passive activity losses from our activities against the gain, if any, on the disposition. Passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a unitholder’s share of income we generate may be deducted by the common unitholder in full when he disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss limitations are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at-risk rules and the basis limitation.

 

A unitholder’s share of our net income may be offset by any of our suspended passive losses, but it may not be offset by any other current or carryover losses from other passive activities, including those attributable to other publicly traded partnerships.

 

Limitations on Interest Deductions.  The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer’s “investment interest expense” is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayer’s “net investment income.” Investment interest expense includes:

 

 

The computation of a unitholder’s investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a common unit. Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income, but generally does not include gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment or qualified dividend income. The IRS has indicated that the net passive income earned by a publicly traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its unitholders for purposes of the investment interest deduction limitation. In addition, the unitholder’s share of our portfolio income will be treated as investment income.

 

Entity-Level Collections.  If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, or local income tax on behalf of any unitholder or our general partner or any former unitholder, we are authorized to pay those taxes from our funds. That payment, if made, will be treated as a distribution of cash to the unitholder on whose behalf the payment was made. If the payment is made on behalf of a person whose identity cannot be determined, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. Subject to the terms of our partnership agreement, we are authorized to amend our partnership agreement in the manner necessary to maintain uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics of common units and to adjust later distributions, so that after giving effect to these distributions, the priority and characterization of distributions otherwise applicable under our partnership agreement is maintained as nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of an individual unitholder in which event the unitholder would be required to file a claim in order to obtain a credit or refund.

 

Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.  In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss, and deduction will be allocated among our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in US.If we have a net loss, that loss will be allocated first to our general partner and the

unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts and, second, to our general partner.

 

Specified items of our income, gain, loss, and deduction will be allocated under Section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code to account for (a) any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time of an offering and (b) any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of any property contributed to us that exists at the time of such contribution, together, referred to in this discussion as the “Contributed Property.” These “Section 704(c) Allocations” are required to eliminate the difference between a partner’s “book” capital account, credited with the fair market value of Contributed Property, and the “tax” capital account, credited with the tax basis of Contributed Property, referred to in this discussion as the “Book-Tax Disparity.” The effect of these Section 704(c) Allocations to a unitholder purchasing common units from us in an offering will be essentially the same as if the tax bases of our assets were equal to their fair market value at the time of such offering. In the event we issue additional common units or engage in certain other transactions in the future, we will make “reverse Section 704(c) Allocations,” similar to the Section 704(c) Allocations described above, to our general partner and our other unitholders immediately prior to such issuance or other transactions to account for the Book-Tax Disparity of all property held by us at the time of such issuance or future transaction. In addition, items of recapture income will be allocated to the extent possible to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to the treatment of that gain as recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by some unitholders. Finally, although we do not expect that our operations will result in the creation of negative capital accounts, if negative capital accounts nevertheless result, items of our income and gain will be allocated in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the negative balance as quickly as possible.

 

An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss, or deduction, other than an allocation required by Section 704(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has substantial economic effect. In any other case, a partner’s share of an item will be determined on the basis of his interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:

 

 

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in “— Section 754 Election,” “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees,” and “— Uniformity of Common Units,” allocations under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss, or deduction.

 

Treatment of Short Sales.  A unitholder whose common units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of common units may be considered as having disposed of those common units. If so, he would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those common units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period:

 

 

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units; therefore, unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition from a loan to a short seller are urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing and loaning their common units. The IRS has previously announced that it is studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please also read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

Alternative Minimum Tax.  Each unitholder will be required to take into account his distributive share of any items of our income, gain, loss, or deduction for purposes of the alternative minimum tax. The current minimum tax rate for noncorporate taxpayers is 26% on the first $175,000 of alternative minimum taxable income in excess of the exemption amount and 28% on any additional alternative minimum taxable income. Prospective unitholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors as to the impact of an investment in common units on their liability for the alternative minimum tax.

 

Tax Rates.  Under current law, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 35% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than 12 months) of individuals is 15%. However, absent new legislation extending the current rates, beginning January 1, 2011, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains of individuals will increase to 39.6% and 20%, respectively. Moreover, these rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.

 

Section 754 Election.  We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. The election will generally permit us to adjust a common unit purchaser’s tax basis in our assets (“inside basis”) under Section 743(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to reflect his purchase price. The Section 743(b) adjustment resulting from this election applies to a purchaser of common units from another unitholder, but does not apply to a person who purchases common units directly from us, and it belongs only to the purchaser and not to other unitholders. Please also read, however, “— Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction” above. For purposes of this discussion, a unitholder’s inside basis in our assets will be considered to have two components: (a) his share of our tax basis in our assets (“common basis”) and (b) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis.

 

Where the remedial allocation method is adopted (which we have and will adopt as to our properties), the Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code require a portion of the Section 743(b) adjustment that is attributable to recovery property subject to depreciation under Section 168 of the Internal Revenue Code whose book basis is in excess of its tax basis to be depreciated over the remaining cost recovery period for the property’s unamortized book-tax disparity. Under Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to property subject to depreciation under Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code, rather than cost recovery deductions under Section 168, is generally required to be depreciated using either the straight-line method or the 150% declining balance method. Under our partnership agreement, our general partner is authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of common units even if that position is not consistent with these and any other Treasury Regulations. Please read “— Uniformity of Common Units.”

 

Although Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine as to the validity of this approach because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on this issue, we intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property’s unamortized book-tax disparity, or treat that portion as non-amortizable to the extent attributable to property which is not amortizable. This method is consistent with the methods employed by other publicly traded partnerships but is arguably inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets. To the extent this Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may take a depreciation or amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring common units in the same month would receive depreciation or amortization, whether attributable to common basis or a Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in our assets. This kind of aggregate approach may result in lower annual depreciation or amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders. Please read “— Uniformity of Common Units.” A unitholder’s tax basis for his common units is reduced by his share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individual’s income tax return) so that any position we take that understates deductions will overstate the unitholder’s basis in his common units, which may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such common units. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.” The IRS may challenge our position with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we

take to preserve the uniformity of the common units. If such a challenge were sustained, the gain from the sale of common units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.

 

A Section 754 election is advantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his common units is higher than the common units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. In that case, as a result of the election, the transferee would have, among other items, a greater amount of depreciation and depletion deductions and his share of any gain or loss on a sale of our assets would be less. Conversely, a Section 754 election is disadvantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his common units is lower than those common units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. Thus, the fair market value of the common units may be affected either favorably or unfavorably by the election. A basis adjustment is required regardless of whether a Section 754 election is made in the case of a transfer of an interest in us if we have a substantial built — in loss immediately after the transfer, or if we distribute property and have a substantial basis reduction. Generally a built — in loss or a basis reduction is substantial if it exceeds $250,000.

 

The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and will be made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. For example, the allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment among our assets must be made in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment allocated by us to our tangible assets to goodwill instead. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally nonamortizable or amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure you that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS and that the deductions resulting from them will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of common units may be allocated more income than he would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.

 

Tax Treatment of Operations

 

Accounting Method and Taxable Year.  We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our taxable year ending within or with his taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of his common units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of his taxable year must include his share of our income, gain, loss, and deduction in income for his taxable year, with the result that he will be required to include in his taxable income for his taxable year his share of more than twelve months of our income, gain, loss, and deduction. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”

 

Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization.  The tax basis of our tangible assets, such as casing, tubing, tanks, pumping units and other similar property, will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of these assets. The federal income tax burden associated with the difference between the fair market value of our assets and their tax basis immediately prior to an offering will be borne by our partners holding interests in us prior to such offering. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.”

 

To the extent allowable, we may elect to use the depreciation and cost recovery methods that will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets subject to these allowances are placed in service. We may not be entitled to any amortization deductions with respect to certain goodwill properties, if any, held by us at the time of any future offering. Please read “— Uniformity of Common Units.” Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated using accelerated methods permitted by the Internal Revenue Code.

 

If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation previously deducted and the nature of the property, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of his interest in US. Please read “— Tax Consequences of

Common Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction” and “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

The costs incurred in selling our common units (called “syndication expenses”) must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably, or upon our termination. There are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by US.The underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses.

 

Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties.  The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of common units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values, and the tax bases, of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deduction previously reported by unitholders might change, and unitholders might be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.

 

Oil and Natural Gas Taxation

 

Depletion Deductions

 

Subject to the limitations on deductibility of losses discussed above (please read “— Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership — Limitations on Deductibility of Losses”), unitholders will be entitled to deductions for the greater of either cost depletion or (if otherwise allowable) percentage depletion with respect to our oil and natural gas interests. Although the Internal Revenue Code requires each unitholder to compute his own depletion allowance and maintain records of his share of the adjusted tax basis of the underlying property for depletion and other purposes, we intend to furnish each of our unitholders with information relating to this computation for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder, however, remains responsible for calculating his own depletion allowance and maintaining records of his share of the adjusted tax basis of the underlying property for depletion and other purposes.

 

Percentage depletion is generally available with respect to unitholders who qualify under the independent producer exemption contained in Section 613A(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. For this purpose, an independent producer is a person not directly or indirectly involved in the retail sale of oil, natural gas, or derivative products or the operation of a major refinery. Percentage depletion is calculated as an amount generally equal to 15% (and, in the case of marginal production, potentially a higher percentage) of the unitholder’s gross income from the depletable property for the taxable year. The percentage depletion deduction with respect to any property is limited to 100% of the taxable income of the unitholder from the property for each taxable year, computed without the depletion allowance and without the deduction under Internal Revenue Code Section 199. A unitholder that qualifies as an independent producer may deduct percentage depletion only to the extent the unitholder’s average daily production of domestic crude oil, or the natural gas equivalent, does not exceed 1,000 barrels. This depletable amount may be allocated between natural gas and oil production, with 6,000 cubic feet of domestic natural gas production regarded as equivalent to one barrel of crude oil. The 1,000-barrel limitation must be allocated among the independent producer and controlled or related persons and family members in proportion to the respective production by such persons during the period in question.

 

In addition to the foregoing limitations, the percentage depletion deduction otherwise available is limited to 65% of a unitholder’s total taxable income from all sources for the year, computed without the depletion allowance, net operating loss carrybacks, or capital loss carrybacks. Any percentage depletion deduction disallowed because of the 65% limitation may be deducted in the following taxable year if the percentage depletion deduction for such year plus the deduction carryover does not exceed 65% of the unitholder’s total taxable income for that year. The carryover period resulting from the 65% net income limitation is unlimited.

 

Unitholders that do not qualify under the independent producer exemption are generally restricted to depletion deductions based on cost depletion. Cost depletion deductions are calculated by (a) dividing the unitholder’s share of the adjusted tax basis in the underlying mineral property by the number of mineral units (barrels of oil and

thousand cubic feet, or Mcf, of natural gas) remaining as of the beginning of the taxable year and (b) multiplying the result by the number of mineral units sold within the taxable year. The total amount of deductions based on cost depletion cannot exceed the unitholder’s share of the total adjusted tax basis in the property.

 

All or a portion of any gain recognized by a unitholder as a result of either the disposition by us of some or all of our oil and natural gas interests or the disposition by the unitholder of some or all of his common units may be taxed as ordinary income to the extent of recapture of depletion deductions, except for percentage depletion deductions in excess of the tax basis of the property. The amount of the recapture is generally limited to the amount of gain recognized on the disposition.

 

The foregoing discussion of depletion deductions does not purport to be a complete analysis of the complex legislation and Treasury Regulations relating to the availability and calculation of depletion deductions by the unitholders. Further, because depletion is required to be computed separately by each unitholder and not by our partnership, no assurance can be given, and counsel is unable to express any opinion, with respect to the availability or extent of percentage depletion deductions to the unitholders for any taxable year. Moreover, the availability of percentage depletion may be reduced or eliminated if recently proposed (or similar) tax legislation is enacted. For a discussion of such legislative proposals, please read “— Recent Legislative Developments.” We encourage each prospective unitholder to consult his tax advisor to determine whether percentage depletion would be available to him.

 

Deductions for Intangible Drilling and Development Costs

 

We elect to currently deduct intangible drilling and development costs associated with wells located in the United States (“IDCs”). IDCs generally include our expenses for wages, fuel, repairs, hauling, supplies and other items that are incidental to, and necessary for, the drilling and preparation of wells for the production of oil or natural gas. The option to currently deduct IDCs applies only to those items that do not have a salvage value.

 

Although we elect to currently deduct IDCs, each unitholder will have the option of either currently deducting IDCs or capitalizing all or part of the IDCs and amortizing them on a straight-line basis over a 60-month period, beginning with the taxable month in which the expenditure is made. If a unitholder makes the election to amortize the IDCs over a 60-month period, no IDC preference amount in respect of those IDCs will result for alternative minimum tax purposes.

 

Integrated oil companies must capitalize 30% of all their IDCs (other than IDCs paid or incurred with respect to oil and gas wells located outside of the United States) and amortize these IDCs over 60 months beginning in the month in which those costs are paid or incurred. If the taxpayer ceases to be an integrated oil company, it must continue to amortize those costs as long as it continues to own the property to which the IDCs relate. An “integrated oil company” is a taxpayer that has economic interests in crude oil deposits and also carries on substantial retailing or refining operations. An oil or natural gas producer is deemed to be a substantial retailer or refiner if it is subject to the rules disqualifying retailers and refiners from taking percentage depletion. In order to qualify as an “independent producer” that is not subject to these IDC deduction limits, a unitholder, either directly or indirectly through certain related parties, may not be involved in the refining of more than 75,000 barrels of oil on average for any day during the taxable year or in the retail marketing of oil and natural gas products exceeding $5 million per year in the aggregate.

 

IDCs previously deducted that are allocable to property (directly or through ownership of an interest in a partnership) and that would have been included in the adjusted tax basis of the property had the IDC deduction not been taken are recaptured to the extent of any gain realized upon the disposition of the property or upon the disposition by a unitholder of interests in US.Recapture is generally determined at the unitholder level. Where only a portion of the recapture property is sold, any IDCs related to the entire property are recaptured to the extent of the gain realized on the portion of the property sold. In the case of a disposition of an undivided interest in a property, a proportionate amount of the IDCs with respect to the property is treated as allocable to the transferred undivided interest to the extent of any gain recognized. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

The election to currently deduct IDCs may be restricted or eliminated if recently proposed (or similar) tax legislation is enacted. For a discussion of such legislative proposals, please read “— Recent Legislative Developments.”

 

Deduction for U.S. Production Activities

 

Subject to the limitations on the deductibility of losses discussed above and the limitation discussed below, unitholders will be entitled to a deduction, herein referred to as the Section 199 deduction, equal to 9% of our qualified production activities income that is allocated to such unitholder, but not to exceed 50% of such unitholder’s IRS Form W-2 wages for the taxable year allocable to domestic production gross receipts.

 

Qualified production activities income is generally equal to gross receipts from domestic production activities reduced by cost of goods sold allocable to those receipts, other expenses directly associated with those receipts, and a share of other deductions, expenses, and losses that are not directly allocable to those receipts or another class of income. The products produced must be manufactured, produced, grown, or extracted in whole or in significant part by the taxpayer in the United States.

 

For a partnership, the Section 199 deduction is determined at the partner level. To determine his Section 199 deduction, each unitholder will aggregate his share of the qualified production activities income allocated to him from us with the unitholder’s qualified production activities income from other sources. Each unitholder must take into account his distributive share of the expenses allocated to him from our qualified production activities regardless of whether we otherwise have taxable income. However, our expenses that otherwise would be taken into account for purposes of computing the Section 199 deduction are taken into account only if and to the extent the unitholder’s share of losses and deductions from all of our activities is not disallowed by the tax basis rules, the at-risk rules or the passive activity loss rules. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership — Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”

 

The amount of a unitholder’s Section 199 deduction for each year is limited to 50% of the IRS Form W-2 wages actually or deemed paid by the unitholder during the calendar year that are deducted in arriving at qualified production activities income. Each unitholder is treated as having been allocated IRS Form W-2 wages from us equal to the unitholder’s allocable share of our wages that are deducted in arriving at qualified production activities income for that taxable year. It is not anticipated that we or our subsidiaries will pay material wages that will be allocated to our unitholders, and thus a unitholder’s ability to claim the Section 199 deduction may be limited.

 

This discussion of the Section 199 deduction does not purport to be a complete analysis of the complex legislation and Treasury authority relating to the calculation of domestic production gross receipts, qualified production activities income, or IRS Form W-2 wages, or how such items are allocated by us to unitholders. Further, because the Section 199 deduction is required to be computed separately by each unitholder, no assurance can be given, and counsel is unable to express any opinion, as to the availability or extent of the Section 199 deduction to the unitholders. Moreover, the availability of Section 199 deductions may be reduced or eliminated if recently proposed (or similar) tax legislation is enacted. For a discussion of such legislative proposals, please read “— Recent Legislative Developments.” Each prospective unitholder is encouraged to consult his tax advisor to determine whether the Section 199 deduction would be available to him.

 

Lease Acquisition Costs

 

The cost of acquiring oil and natural gas lease or similar property interests is a capital expenditure that must be recovered through depletion deductions if the lease is productive. If a lease is proved worthless and abandoned, the cost of acquisition less any depletion claimed may be deducted as an ordinary loss in the year the lease becomes worthless. Please read “— Tax Treatment of Operations — Oil and Natural Gas Taxation — Depletion Deductions.”

 

Geophysical Costs

 

The cost of geophysical exploration incurred in connection with the exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties in the United States is deducted ratably over a 24-month period beginning on the date that

such expense is paid or incurred. This 24-month period is extended to 7 years in the case of major integrated oil companies. Moreover, the 24-month period may be similarly extended for all taxpayers if recently proposed (or similar) tax legislation is enacted. For a discussion of such legislative proposals, please read “— Recent Legislative Developments.”

 

Operating and Administrative Costs

 

Amounts paid for operating a producing well are deductible as ordinary business expenses, as are administrative costs to the extent they constitute ordinary and necessary business expenses that are reasonable in amount.

 

Recent Legislative Developments

 

On February 26, 2009, the White House released President Obama’s budget proposal for the fiscal year 2010 (the “Budget Proposal”). Among the changes recommended in the Budget Proposal is the elimination of certain key U.S. federal income tax preferences currently available to oil and gas exploration and production companies. These changes include, but are not limited to, (i) the repeal of the percentage depletion allowance for oil and gas properties, (ii) the elimination of current deductions for intangible drilling and development costs, (iii) the elimination of the deduction for United States production activities, and (iv) the increase in the amortization period from two years to seven years for geophysical costs paid or incurred in connection with the exploration for, or development of, oil or gas within the United States.

 

On April 23, 2009, the Oil Industry Tax Break Repeal Act of 2009 (the “Senate Bill”) was introduced in the Senate and includes many of the proposals outlined in the Budget Proposal. While the Senate Bill continues to be considered, it is unclear whether any such changes will actually be enacted or, if so, how soon any such changes could become effective. The passage of any future legislation as a result of the Budget Proposal, the Senate Bill or any other similar change in U.S. federal income tax law could affect certain tax deductions that are currently available with respect to oil and gas exploration and production and could negatively impact the value of an investment in our units.

 

Disposition of Common Units

 

Recognition of Gain or Loss.  Gain or loss will be recognized on a sale of common units equal to the difference between the amount realized and the unitholder’s tax basis for the common units sold. A unitholder’s amount realized will be measured by the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property received by him plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of common units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.

 

Prior distributions from us in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a common unit that decreased a unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit will, in effect, become taxable income if the common unit is sold at a price greater than the unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit, even if the price received is less than his original cost.

 

Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder, other than a “dealer” in common units, on the sale or exchange of a common unit will generally be taxable as capital gain or loss. Capital gain recognized by an individual on the sale of common units held for more than twelve months will generally be taxed at a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 15% through December 31, 2010 and 20% thereafter (absent new legislation extending or adjusting the current rate). However, a portion, which will likely be substantial, of this gain or loss will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code to the extent attributable to assets giving rise to depreciation recapture or other “unrealized receivables” or to “inventory items” we own. The term “unrealized receivables” includes potential recapture items, including depreciation depletion, and IDC recapture. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables, inventory items, and depreciation recapture may exceed net taxable gain realized upon the sale of a common unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a common unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and a capital loss upon a sale of common units. Net capital losses may offset capital gains and no

more than $3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gains in the case of corporations.

 

The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an “equitable apportionment” method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner’s tax basis in his entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner’s entire interest in the partnership. Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Internal Revenue Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify common units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the common units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling discussed above, a unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis common units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, he may designate specific common units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of common units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of common units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of common units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional common units or a sale of common units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult his tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.

 

Specific provisions of the Internal Revenue Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an “appreciated” partnership interest, one in which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, if the taxpayer or related persons enter(s) into:

 

 

Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is also authorized to issue regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.

 

Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.  In general, our taxable income and losses will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of common units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month, which we refer to in this prospectus as the “Allocation Date.” However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets other than in the ordinary course of business will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which that gain or loss is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring common units may be allocated income, gain, loss, and deduction realized after the date of transfer.

 

Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Internal Revenue Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, however, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders, although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. Existing publicly traded partnerships are entitled to rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations; however, they are not binding on the IRS and are subject to change until final Treasury Regulations are issued. Accordingly, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferor and transferee unitholders. If this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder’s interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between

transferor and transferee unitholders, as well as unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under future Treasury Regulations.

 

A unitholder who owns common units at any time during a quarter and who disposes of them prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deductions attributable to that quarter but will not be entitled to receive that cash distribution.

 

Notification Requirements.  A unitholder who sells any of his common units is generally required to notify us in writing of that sale within 30 days after the sale (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the sale). A purchaser of common units who purchases common units from another unitholder is also generally required to notify us in writing of that purchase within 30 days after the purchase. Upon receiving such notifications, we are required to notify the IRS of that transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a purchase may, in some cases, lead to the imposition of penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale or exchange through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.

 

Constructive Termination.  We will be considered to have been terminated for tax purposes if there are sales or exchanges which, in the aggregate, constitute 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of measuring whether the 50% threshold is reached, multiple sales of the same interest are counted only once. A constructive termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 will result in us filing two tax returns (and unitholders receiving two Schedules K-1) for one fiscal year and the cost of the preparation of these returns will be borne by all unitholders. We would be required to make new tax elections after a termination, including a new election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code, and a termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination might either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination. The IRS has announced recently announced that it plans to issue guidance regarding the treatment of constructive terminations of publicly traded partnerships such as US.Any such guidance may change the application of the rules discussed above and may affect the tax treatment of a unitholder.

 

Uniformity of Common Units

 

Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of common units, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics within each class of common units to a purchaser of a common unit of that class. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements, both statutory and regulatory. A lack of uniformity can result from a literal application of Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6). Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the common units. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election.”

 

We intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property’s unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as nonamortizable, to the extent attributable to property the common basis of which is not amortizable, consistent with the regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code, even though that position may be inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election.” To the extent that the Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may adopt a depreciation and amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring common units in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, whether attributable to a common basis or Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable methods and lives as if they had purchased a direct

interest in our property. If this position is adopted, it may result in lower annual depreciation and amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders and risk the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions not taken in the year that these deductions are otherwise allowable. This position will not be adopted if we determine that the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions will have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. If we choose not to utilize this aggregate method, we may use any other reasonable depreciation and amortization method to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any common units that would not have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. The IRS may challenge any method of depreciating the Section 743(b) adjustment described in this paragraph. If this challenge were sustained, the uniformity of common units might be affected, and the gain from the sale of common units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

 

Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors

 

Ownership of common units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, non-resident aliens, foreign corporations, and other foreign persons raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a non-U.S. person, you should consult your tax advisor before investing in our common units. Moreover, under our partnership agreement, non-U.S. persons are not Eligible Holders of our common units and common units held by non-U.S. persons may be subject to redemption. Please read “The Partnership Agreement — Non-Eligible Holders; Redemption; Withholding of Distributions.”

 

Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income less certain allowable deductions allocated to a unitholder that is a tax-exempt organization will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to them.

 

Non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts, or estates that own common units will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of the ownership of common units. As a consequence, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss, or deduction and pay federal income tax at regular rates on their share of our net income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, we will withhold at the highest applicable effective tax rate from cash distributions made quarterly to foreign unitholders. Each foreign unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes. A change in applicable law may require us to change these procedures.

 

In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns common units will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the United States branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation’s “U.S. net equity,” which is effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is a “qualified resident.” In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

A foreign unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a common unit will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that common unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the foreign unitholder. Under a ruling published by the IRS, interpreting the scope of “effectively connected income,” a foreign unitholder would be considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the U.S. by virtue of the U.S. activities of the Partnership, and part or all of that unitholder’s gain would be effectively connected with that unitholder’s indirect U.S. trade or business. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a foreign unitholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a common unit if (a) he owned (directly or constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our common units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (b) 50% or more of the fair market value of all of our assets consisted of U.S. real property interests at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the common units or the 5-year period ending on the date of disposition. Currently, more than 50% of our assets consist of U.S. real property interests and we do not expect that

to change in the foreseeable future. Therefore, foreign unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their common units.

 

Administrative Matters

 

Information Returns and Audit Procedures.  We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each calendar year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes each unitholder’s share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each unitholder’s share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure you that those positions will yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations, or administrative interpretations of the IRS. Neither we nor Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. can assure prospective unitholders that the IRS will not successfully contend in court that those positions are impermissible. Any challenge by the IRS could negatively affect the value of the common units.

 

The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year’s tax liability, and possibly may result in an audit of a unitholder’s return. Any audit of a unitholder’s return could result in adjustments not related to our returns as well as those related to our returns.

 

Partnerships generally are treated as separate entities for purposes of federal tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings with the partners. The Internal Revenue Code requires that one partner be designated as the “Tax Matters Partner” for these purposes. Our partnership agreement names our general partner as our Tax Matters Partner.

 

The Tax Matters Partner has made and will make some elections on our behalf and on behalf of unitholders. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review will go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate.

 

A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on a unitholder’s federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.

 

Nominee Reporting.  Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:

 

(a) the name, address, and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;

 

(b) whether the beneficial owner is:

 

1. a person that is not a United States person;

 

2. a foreign government, an international organization, or any wholly-owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or

 

3. a tax-exempt entity;

 

(c) the amount and description of common units held, acquired, or transferred for the beneficial owner; and

 

(d) specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales.

Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are United States persons and specific information on common units they acquire, hold, or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $50 per failure, up to a maximum of $100,000 per calendar year, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code for failure to report that information to US.The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the common units with the information furnished to us.

 

Accuracy-Related Penalties.  An additional tax equal to 20% of the amount of any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax, and substantial valuation misstatements, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding that portion.

 

For individuals, a substantial understatement of income tax in any taxable year exists if the amount of the understatement exceeds the greater of 10% of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year or $5,000. The amount of any understatement subject to penalty generally is reduced if any portion is attributable to a position adopted on the return:

 

(a) for which there is, or was, “substantial authority”; or

 

(b) as to which there is a reasonable basis and the pertinent facts of that position are disclosed on the return.

 

If any item of income, gain, loss, or deduction included in the distributive shares of unitholders might result in that kind of an “understatement” of income for which no “substantial authority” exists, we must disclose the pertinent facts on our return. In addition, we will make a reasonable effort to furnish sufficient information for unitholders to make adequate disclosure on their returns and to take other actions as may be appropriate to permit unitholders to avoid liability for this penalty. More stringent rules apply to “tax shelters,” which we do not believe includes us, or any of our investments, plans or arrangements.

 

A substantial valuation misstatement exists if (a) the value of any property, or the tax basis of any property, claimed on a tax return is 150% or more of the amount determined to be the correct amount of the valuation or tax basis, (b) the price for any property or services (or for the use of property) claimed on any such return with respect to any transaction between persons described in Internal Revenue Code Section 482 is 200% or more (or 50% or less) of the amount determined under Section 482 to be the correct amount of such price, or (c) the net Internal Revenue Code Section 482 transfer price adjustment for the taxable year exceeds the lesser of $5 million or 10% of the taxpayer’s gross receipts. No penalty is imposed unless the portion of the underpayment attributable to a substantial valuation misstatement exceeds $5,000 ($10,000 for a corporation other than an S Corporation or a personal holding company). The penalty is increased to 40% in the event of a gross valuation misstatement.

 

Reportable Transactions.  If we were to engage in a “reportable transaction,” we (and possibly you and others) would be required to make a detailed disclosure of the transaction to the IRS. A transaction may be a reportable transaction based upon any of several factors, including the fact that it is a type of tax avoidance transaction publicly identified by the IRS as a “listed transaction” or that it produces certain kinds of losses for partnerships, individuals, S corporations, and trusts in excess of $2 million in any single year, or $4 million in any combination of six successive tax years. Our participation in a reportable transaction could increase the likelihood that our federal income tax information return (and possibly your tax return) would be audited by the IRS. Please read “— Information Returns and Audit Procedures.”

 

Moreover, if we were to participate in a reportable transaction with a significant purpose to avoid or evade tax, or in any listed transaction, you may be subject to the following provisions of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004:

 

 

We do not expect to engage in any “reportable transactions.”

 

State, Local, and Other Tax Considerations

 

In addition to federal income taxes, you will be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangibles taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business or own property or in which you are a resident. We conduct business and own property only in Texas. Texas imposes an entity level franchise tax (the Texas Margin tax) on corporations, certain partnerships and other entities, but currently does not impose any income or similar tax on individuals. We may also own property or do business in other states in the future that impose income or similar taxes on nonresident individuals. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective common unitholder should consider their potential impact on his investment in US.You may be required to file state income tax returns and to pay state income taxes in any state other than Texas in which we do business or own property, and you may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. In some states, tax losses may not produce a tax benefit in the year incurred and also may not be available to offset income in subsequent taxable years. Some of the states may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the state. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder’s income tax liability to the state, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Amounts withheld may be treated as if distributed to unitholders for purposes of determining the amounts distributed by US.Please read “ — Tax Consequences of Common Unit Ownership — Entity-Level Collections.” Based on current law and our estimate of our future operations, we anticipate that any amounts required to be withheld will not be material.

 

It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of his investment in US.Accordingly, each prospective unitholder is urged to consult, and depend upon, his tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local, and foreign, as well as United States federal tax returns, that may be required of him. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state, local, or foreign tax consequences of an investment in us.

 

Tax Consequences of Ownership of Debt Securities

 

A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of any series of debt securities that we may offer hereunder will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of such debt securities.

 

We may sell securities described in this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement through underwriters, through broker-dealers, through agents, or directly to one or more investors.

 

We will prepare a prospectus supplement for each offering that will disclose the terms of the offering, including the name or names of any underwriters, dealers, or agents, the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds to us from the sale, any underwriting discounts, and other items constituting compensation to underwriters, dealers, or agents.

 

We will fix a price or prices of our securities at:

 

 

We may change the price of the securities offered from time to time.

 

If we use underwriters or dealers in the sale, they will acquire the securities for their own account, and they may resell these securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price, or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. The securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more of such firms. Unless otherwise disclosed in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities offered by the prospectus supplement if any of the securities are purchased. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.

 

We may sell the securities through agents designated by us from time to time. We will name any agent involved in the offering and sale of the securities for which this prospectus is delivered, and disclose any commissions payable by us to the agent or the method by which the commissions can be determined, in the prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

 

Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us and the sale thereof may be made by us directly to institutional investors or others, who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to any resale thereof. The terms of any such sales will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. We may use electronic media, including the internet, to sell offered securities directly.

 

We may offer our common units into an existing trading market on the terms described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. Underwriters, dealers, and agents who participate in any at-the-market offerings will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto.

 

We may agree to indemnify underwriters, dealers, and agents who participate in the distribution of securities against certain liabilities to which they may become subject in connection with the sale of the securities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates may be customers of, may engage in transactions with and may perform services for us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

 

A prospectus and accompanying prospectus supplement in electronic form may be made available on the websites maintained by the underwriters. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of securities for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Such allocations of securities for internet distributions will be made on the same basis as other allocations. In addition, securities may be sold by the underwriters to securities dealers who resell securities to online brokerage account holders.

The aggregate maximum compensation the underwriters will receive in connection with the sale of any securities under this prospectus and the registration statement of which it forms a part will not exceed 10% of the gross proceeds from the sale.

 

Because FINRA views our common units as interests in a direct participation program, any offering of common units under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part will be made in compliance with Rule 2810 of the NASD Conduct Rules (or any applicable successor to such rule).

 

To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. The place and time of delivery for the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

 

In connection with offerings of securities under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and in compliance with applicable law, underwriters, brokers, or dealers may engage in transactions that stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at levels above those that might otherwise prevail in the open market. Specifically, underwriters, brokers, or dealers may over-allot in connection with offerings, creating a short position in the securities for their own accounts. For the purpose of covering a syndicate short position or stabilizing the price of the securities, the underwriters, brokers, or dealers may place bids for the securities or effect purchases of the securities in the open market. Finally, the underwriters may impose a penalty whereby selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other brokers or dealers for distribution of the securities in offerings may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. These activities may stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the market price of the securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market, and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

 

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. will pass upon the validity of the securities offered in this registration statement. If certain legal matters in connection with an offering of the securities made by this prospectus and a related prospectus supplement are passed upon by counsel for the underwriters of such offering, that counsel will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement related to that offering.

 

The consolidated financial statements of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2008 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The consolidated balance sheet of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners GP LLC appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2008 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated balance sheet is incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The carve out financial statements of the Acquired Property Interests as of December 31, 2008 and 2007 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008 appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s current report on Form 8-K/A filed on October 16, 2009 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, as set forth in their report thereon appearing therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such carve out financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The supplemental consolidated financial statements of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. as of December 31, 2008 and 2007 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008 appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s current report on Form 8-K filed on October 19, 2009 have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such supplemental financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

The supplemental consolidated balance sheet of Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners GP LLC as of December 31, 2008 appearing in Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.’s current report on Form 8-K filed on October 19, 2009 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such supplemental financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

Estimated quantities of our oil and gas reserves and the net present value of such reserves incorporated by reference in this prospectus are based upon reserve reports prepared by us, certain portions of which have been audited by Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc. We have incorporated these estimates in reliance on the authority of such firm as experts in such matters.

 

Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P.

 

2,700,000 Common Units

Representing Limited Partner Interests

 

Joint Book-Running Managers

 

 

 

Co-Managers