UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form 10-K

 

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2010

 

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the Transition Period from           to          

 

Commission File Number 1-3880

 

National Fuel Gas Company

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

(716) 857-7000

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

 

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  Yes þ     No o

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 (d) of the Act.  Yes o     No þ

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes þ     No o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  Yes þ     No o

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  þ

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).  Yes o     No þ

 

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by nonaffiliates of the registrant amounted to $4,041,725,000 as of March 31, 2010.

 

Common Stock, $1 Par Value, outstanding as of October 31, 2010: 82,190,871 shares.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

Portions of the registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for its 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

 

 

Glossary of Terms

 

Frequently used abbreviations, acronyms, or terms used in this report:

 

National Fuel Gas Companies

 

Company The Registrant, the Registrant and its subsidiaries or the Registrant’s subsidiaries as appropriate in the context of the disclosure

 

Distribution Corporation National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation

 

Empire Empire Pipeline, Inc.

 

ESNE Energy Systems North East, LLC

 

Highland Highland Forest Resources, Inc.

 

Horizon Horizon Energy Development, Inc.

 

Horizon B.V. Horizon Energy Development B.V.

 

Horizon LFG Horizon LFG, Inc.

 

Horizon Power Horizon Power, Inc.

 

Midstream Corporation National Fuel Gas Midstream Corporation

 

Model City Model City Energy, LLC

 

National Fuel National Fuel Gas Company

 

NFR National Fuel Resources, Inc.

 

Registrant National Fuel Gas Company

 

SECI Seneca Energy Canada Inc.

 

Seneca Seneca Resources Corporation

 

Seneca Energy Seneca Energy II, LLC

 

Supply Corporation National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation

 

Toro Toro Partners, LP

 

Regulatory Agencies

 

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency

 

FASB Financial Accounting Standards Board

 

FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

 

NYDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

 

NYPSC State of New York Public Service Commission

 

PaPUC Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

 

SEC Securities and Exchange Commission

 

Other

 

Bbl Barrel (of oil)

 

Bcf Billion cubic feet (of natural gas)

 

Bcfe (or Mcfe) — represents Bcf (or Mcf) Equivalent The total heat value (Btu) of natural gas and oil expressed as a volume of natural gas. The Company uses a conversion formula of 1 barrel of oil = 6 Mcf of natural gas.

 

Board foot A measure of lumber and/or timber equal to 12 inches in length by 12 inches in width by one inch in thickness.

 

Btu British thermal unit; the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.

 

Cashout revenues A cash resolution of a gas imbalance whereby a customer pays Supply Corporation for gas the customer receives in excess of amounts delivered into Supply Corporation’s system by the customer’s shipper.

 

Capital expenditure Represents additions to property, plant, and equipment, or the amount of money a company spends to buy capital assets or upgrade its existing capital assets.

 

Degree day A measure of the coldness of the weather experienced, based on the extent to which the daily average temperature falls below a reference temperature, usually 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Derivative A financial instrument or other contract, the terms of which include an underlying variable (a price, interest rate, index rate, exchange rate, or other variable) and a notional amount (number of units, barrels, cubic feet, etc.). The terms also permit for the instrument or

contract to be settled net and no initial net investment is required to enter into the financial instrument or contract. Examples include futures contracts, options, no cost collars and swaps.

 

Development costs Costs incurred to obtain access to proved oil and gas reserves and to provide facilities for extracting, treating, gathering and storing the oil and gas.

 

Development well A well drilled to a known producing formation in a previously discovered field.

 

Dth Decatherm; one Dth of natural gas has a heating value of 1,000,000 British thermal units, approximately equal to the heating value of 1 Mcf of natural gas.

 

Exchange Act Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended

 

Expenditures for long-lived assets Includes capital expenditures, stock acquisitions and/or investments in partnerships.

 

Exploitation Development of a field, including the location, drilling, completion and equipment of wells necessary to produce the commercially recoverable oil and gas in the field.

 

Exploration costs Costs incurred in identifying areas that may warrant examination, as well as costs incurred in examining specific areas, including drilling exploratory wells.

 

Exploratory well A well drilled in unproven or semi-proven territory for the purpose of ascertaining the presence underground of a commercial hydrocarbon deposit.

 

Firm transportation and/or storage The transportation and/or storage service that a supplier of such service is obligated by contract to provide and for which the customer is obligated to pay whether or not the service is utilized.

 

GAAP Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America

 

Goodwill An intangible asset representing the difference between the fair value of a company and the price at which a company is purchased.

 

Grid The layout of the electrical transmission system or a synchronized transmission network.

 

Hedging A method of minimizing the impact of price, interest rate, and/or foreign currency exchange rate changes, often times through the use of derivative financial instruments.

 

Hub Location where pipelines intersect enabling the trading, transportation, storage, exchange, lending and borrowing of natural gas.

 

Interruptible transportation and/or storage The transportation and/or storage service that, in accordance with contractual arrangements, can be interrupted by the supplier of such service, and for which the customer does not pay unless utilized.

 

LIBOR London Interbank Offered Rate

 

LIFO Last-in, first-out

 

Marcellus Shale A Middle Devonian-age geological shale formation that is present nearly a mile or more below the surface in the Appalachian region of the United States, including much of Pennsylvania and southern New York.

 

Mbbl Thousand barrels (of oil)

 

Mcf Thousand cubic feet (of natural gas)

 

MD&A Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

MDth Thousand decatherms (of natural gas)

 

MMBtu Million British thermal units

 

MMcf Million cubic feet (of natural gas)

 

MMcfe Million cubic feet equivalent

 

NGA The Natural Gas Act of 1938, as amended; the federal law regulating interstate natural gas pipeline and storage companies, among other things, codified beginning at 15 U.S.C. Section 717.

 

NYMEX New York Mercantile Exchange. An exchange which maintains a futures market for crude oil and natural gas.

 

Open Season A bidding procedure used by pipelines to allocate firm transportation or storage capacity among prospective shippers, in which all bids submitted during a defined time period are evaluated as if they had been submitted simultaneously.

 

Order 636 An order issued by FERC entitled “Pipeline Service Obligations and Revisions to Regulations Governing Self-Implementing Transportation Under Part 284 of the Commission’s Regulations.”

 

PCB Polychlorinated Biphenyl

 

Precedent Agreement An agreement between a pipeline company and a potential customer to sign a service agreement after specified events (called “conditions precedent”) happen, usually within a specified time.

 

Proved developed reserves Reserves that can be expected to be recovered through existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods.

 

Proved undeveloped reserves Reserves that are expected to be recovered from new wells on undrilled acreage, or from existing wells where a relatively major expenditure is required to make those reserves productive.

 

PRP Potentially responsible party

 

PUHCA 1935 Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935

 

PUHCA 2005 Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005

 

Reliable technology Technology that a company may use to establish reserves estimates and categories that has been proven empirically to lead to correct conclusions.

 

Reserves The unproduced but recoverable oil and/or gas in place in a formation which has been proven by production.

Restructuring Generally referring to partial “deregulation” of the pipeline and/or utility industry by statutory or regulatory process. Restructuring of federally regulated natural gas pipelines resulted in the separation (or “unbundling”) of gas commodity service from transportation service for wholesale and large-volume retail markets. State restructuring programs attempt to extend the same process to retail mass markets.

Revenue decoupling mechanism A rate mechanism which adjusts customer rates to render a utility financially indifferent to throughput decreases resulting from conservation.

S&P Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service

SAR Stock appreciation right

Spot gas purchases The purchase of natural gas on a short-term basis.

Stock acquisitions Investments in corporations.

Unbundled service A service that has been separated from other services, with rates charged that reflect only the cost of the separated service.

VEBA Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association

WNC Weather normalization clause; a clause in utility rates which adjusts customer rates to allow a utility to recover its normal operating costs calculated at normal temperatures. If temperatures during the measured period are warmer than normal, customer rates are adjusted upward in order to recover projected operating costs. If temperatures during the measured period are colder than normal, customer rates are adjusted downward so that only the projected operating costs will be recovered.

 

For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2010

 

CONTENTS

 

This Form 10-K contains “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements should be read with the cautionary statements and important factors included in this Form 10-K at Item 7, MD&A, under the heading “Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements.” Forward-looking statements are all statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding future prospects, plans, objectives, goals, projections, strategies, future events or performance and underlying assumptions, capital structure, anticipated capital expenditures, completion of construction and other projects, projections for pension and other post-retirement benefit obligations, impacts of the adoption of new accounting rules, and possible outcomes of litigation or regulatory proceedings, as well as statements that are identified by the use of the words “anticipates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “projects,” “believes,” “seeks,” “will,” “may” and similar expressions.

 

 

The Company and its Subsidiaries

 

National Fuel Gas Company (the Registrant), incorporated in 1902, is a holding company organized under the laws of the State of New Jersey. Except as otherwise indicated below, the Registrant owns directly or indirectly all of the outstanding securities of its subsidiaries. Reference to “the Company” in this report means the Registrant, the Registrant and its subsidiaries or the Registrant’s subsidiaries as appropriate in the context of the disclosure. Also, all references to a certain year in this report relate to the Company’s fiscal year ended September 30 of that year unless otherwise noted.

 

The Company is a diversified energy company and reports financial results for four business segments.

 

1. The Utility segment operations are carried out by National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation (Distribution Corporation), a New York corporation. Distribution Corporation sells natural gas or provides natural gas transportation services to approximately 728,700 customers through a local distribution system located in western New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. The principal metropolitan areas served by Distribution Corporation include Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Jamestown, New York and Erie and Sharon, Pennsylvania.

 

2. The Pipeline and Storage segment operations are carried out by National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (Supply Corporation), a Pennsylvania corporation, and Empire Pipeline, Inc. (Empire), a New York corporation. Supply Corporation provides interstate natural gas transportation and storage services for affiliated and nonaffiliated companies through (i) an integrated gas pipeline system extending from southwestern Pennsylvania to the New York-Canadian border at the Niagara River and eastward to Ellisburg and Leidy, Pennsylvania, and (ii) 27 underground natural gas storage fields owned and operated by Supply Corporation as well as four other underground natural gas storage fields owned and operated jointly with other interstate gas pipeline companies. Empire, an interstate pipeline company, transports natural gas for Distribution Corporation and for other utilities, large industrial customers and power producers in New York State. Empire owns the Empire Pipeline, a 157-mile pipeline that extends from the United States/Canadian border at the Niagara River near Buffalo, New York to near Syracuse, New York, and the Empire Connector, which is a 76-mile pipeline extension from near Rochester, New York to an interconnection with the unaffiliated Millennium Pipeline near Corning, New York. The Millennium Pipeline serves the New York City area. The Empire Connector was placed into service on December 10, 2008.

 

3. The Exploration and Production segment operations are carried out by Seneca Resources Corporation (Seneca), a Pennsylvania corporation, and by Seneca Western Minerals Corp., a Nevada corporation and an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Seneca. Seneca is engaged in the exploration for, and the development and purchase of, natural gas and oil reserves in California, in the Appalachian region of the United States, and in the shallow waters of the Gulf Coast region of Texas and Louisiana, including offshore areas in federal waters and some state waters. At September 30, 2010, the Company had U.S. proved developed and undeveloped reserves of 45,239 Mbbl of oil and 428,413 MMcf of natural gas.

4. The Energy Marketing segment operations are carried out by National Fuel Resources, Inc. (NFR), a New York corporation, which markets natural gas to industrial, wholesale, commercial, public authority and residential customers primarily in western and central New York and northwestern Pennsylvania, offering competitively priced natural gas for its customers.

 

Financial information about each of the Company’s business segments can be found in Item 7, MD&A and also in Item 8 at Note K — Business Segment Information.

 

The Company’s other direct wholly owned subsidiaries are not included in any of the four reported business segments and include the following active companies:

 

 

No single customer, or group of customers under common control, accounted for more than 10% of the Company’s consolidated revenues in 2010.

 

The Registrant is a holding company as defined under PUHCA 2005. PUHCA 2005 repealed PUHCA 1935, to which the Company was formerly subject, and granted the FERC and state public utility commissions access to certain books and records of companies in holding company systems. Pursuant to the FERC’s regulations under PUHCA 2005, the Company and its subsidiaries are exempt from the FERC’s books and records regulations under PUHCA 2005.

 

The Utility segment’s rates, services and other matters are regulated by the NYPSC with respect to services provided within New York and by the PaPUC with respect to services provided within Pennsylvania. For additional discussion of the Utility segment’s rates and regulation, see Item 7, MD&A under the heading “Rate and Regulatory Matters” and Item 8 at Note A — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Regulatory Mechanisms) and Note C — Regulatory Matters.

 

The Pipeline and Storage segment’s rates, services and other matters are regulated by the FERC. For additional discussion of the Pipeline and Storage segment’s rates and regulation, see Item 7, MD&A under the heading “Rate and Regulatory Matters” and Item 8 at Note A — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Regulatory Mechanisms) and Note C — Regulatory Matters.

 

The discussion under Item 8 at Note C — Regulatory Matters includes a description of the regulatory assets and liabilities reflected on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets in accordance with applicable accounting standards. To the extent that the criteria set forth in such accounting standards are not met by the operations of the Utility segment or the Pipeline and Storage segment, as the case may be, the related regulatory assets and liabilities would be eliminated from the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets and such accounting treatment would be discontinued.

In addition, the Company and its subsidiaries are subject to the same federal, state and local (including foreign) regulations on various subjects, including environmental matters, to which other companies doing similar business in the same locations are subject.

 

The Utility segment contributed approximately 28.5% of the Company’s 2010 income from continuing operations and 27.7% of the Company’s 2010 net income available for common stock.

 

Additional discussion of the Utility segment appears below in this Item 1 under the headings “Sources and Availability of Raw Materials,” “Competition: The Utility Segment” and “Seasonality,” in Item 7, MD&A and in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

 

The Pipeline and Storage segment contributed approximately 16.7% of the Company’s 2010 income from continuing operations and 16.2% of the Company’s 2010 net income available for common stock.

 

Supply Corporation has service agreements for all of its firm storage capacity, totaling 68,408 MDth. The Utility segment has contracted for 27,865 MDth or 40.7% of the total firm storage capacity, and the Energy Marketing segment accounts for another 4,811 MDth or 7.1% of the total firm storage capacity. Nonaffiliated customers have contracted for the remaining 35,732 MDth or 52.2% of the total firm storage capacity. The majority of Supply Corporation’s storage and transportation services are performed under contracts that allow Supply Corporation or the shipper to terminate the contract upon six or twelve months’ notice effective at the end of the contract term. The contracts also typically include “evergreen” language designed to allow the contracts to extend year-to-year at the end of the primary term. At the beginning of 2011, 88.1% of Supply Corporation’s total firm storage capacity was committed under contracts that, subject to 2010 shipper or Supply Corporation notifications, could have been terminated effective in 2011. Supply Corporation received storage contract termination notifications in 2010 totaling approximately 5,300 MDth of storage capacity. Supply Corporation expects to remarket this capacity with service beginning April 1, 2011.

 

Supply Corporation’s firm transportation capacity is not a fixed quantity, due to the diverse web-like nature of its pipeline system, and is subject to change as the market identifies different transportation paths and receipt/delivery point combinations. Supply Corporation currently has firm transportation service agreements for approximately 2,134 MDth per day (contracted transportation capacity). The Utility segment accounts for approximately 1,065 MDth per day or 49.9% of contracted transportation capacity, and the Energy Marketing and Exploration and Production segments represent another 126 MDth per day or 5.9% of contracted transportation capacity. The remaining 943 MDth or 44.2% of contracted transportation capacity is subject to firm contracts with nonaffiliated customers.

 

At the beginning of 2011, 53.8% of Supply Corporation’s contracted transportation capacity was committed under affiliate contracts that were scheduled to expire in 2011 or, subject to 2010 shipper or Supply Corporation notifications, could have been terminated effective in 2011. Based on contract expirations and termination notices received in 2010 for 2011 termination, and taking into account any known contract additions, contracted transportation capacity with affiliates is expected to increase 2.5% in 2011. Similarly, 35.9% of contracted transportation capacity was committed under unaffiliated shipper contracts that were scheduled to expire in 2011 or, subject to 2010 shipper or Supply Corporation notifications, could have been terminated effective in 2011. Based on contract expirations and termination notices received in 2010 for 2011 termination, and taking into account any known contract additions, contracted transportation capacity with unaffiliated shippers is expected to decrease 6.6% in 2011. This expected decrease is due largely to the relative increase in the price of natural gas supplies available at the receipt point on the United States/Canadian border at Niagara compared to the price of supplies at the delivery point of Leidy. Supply Corporation previously has been successful in marketing and obtaining executed contracts for available transportation capacity (at discounted rates when necessary), though costlier Niagara pricing will make these efforts more challenging in 2011. Supply Corporation expects to add significant incremental contracted transportation capacity in 2012 in connection with the development of the Marcellus Shale by independent producers.

At the beginning of 2011, Empire had service agreements in place for firm transportation capacity totaling up to approximately 686 MDth per day (including capacity on the Empire Connector). The majority of Empire’s transportation services are performed under contracts that allow Empire or the shipper to terminate the contract upon six or twelve months’ notice effective at the end of the contract term. The contracts also typically include “evergreen” language designed to allow the contracts to extend year-to-year at the end of the primary term. At the beginning of 2011, most of Empire’s firm contracted capacity (91.6%) was contracted as long-term full-year deals. One of those contracts expires during 2011, representing approximately 2.5% of Empire’s firm contracted capacity. In addition, Empire has some seasonal (winter-only) contracts that extend for multiple years, representing 2.4% of Empire’s firm contracted capacity. None of those multi-year, seasonal contracts expires during 2011. Arrangements for the remaining 6.0% of Empire’s firm contracted capacity are single-season or single-year contracts that expire during 2011 or potentially expire early in 2012, depending on whether Empire issues or receives termination notices during 2011. Two single-season or single-year contracts expire during 2011, representing 1.1% of Empire’s firm contracted capacity. At the beginning of 2011, the Utility segment accounted for 6.1% of Empire’s firm contracted capacity, and the Energy Marketing segment accounted for 2.0% of Empire’s firm contracted capacity, with the remaining 91.9% of Empire’s firm contracted capacity subject to contracts with nonaffiliated customers.

 

Additional discussion of the Pipeline and Storage segment appears below under the headings “Sources and Availability of Raw Materials,” “Competition: The Pipeline and Storage Segment” and “Seasonality,” in Item 7, MD&A and in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

 

The Exploration and Production segment contributed approximately 51.4% of the Company’s 2010 income from continuing operations and 49.8% of the Company’s 2010 net income available for common stock.

 

Additional discussion of the Exploration and Production segment appears below under the headings “Sources and Availability of Raw Materials” and “Competition: The Exploration and Production Segment,” in Item 7, MD&A and in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

 

The Energy Marketing segment contributed approximately 4.0% of the Company’s 2010 income from continuing operations and 3.9% of the Company’s 2010 net income available for common stock.

 

Additional discussion of the Energy Marketing segment appears below under the headings “Sources and Availability of Raw Materials,” “Competition: The Energy Marketing Segment” and “Seasonality,” in Item 7, MD&A and in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

 

The All Other category and Corporate operations incurred a net loss from continuing operations in 2010. The impact of this net loss from continuing operations in relation to the Company’s 2010 income from continuing operations was negative 0.6%. The All Other and Corporate category, including both continuing and discontinued operations, contributed approximately 2.4% of the Company’s 2010 net income available for common stock.

 

Additional discussion of the All Other category and Corporate operations appears below in Item 7, MD&A and in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

 

In September 2010, the Company sold its landfill gas operations in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland and Indiana. The Company’s landfill gas operations were maintained under the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Horizon LFG, which owned and operated these short distance landfill gas pipeline companies. These operations are presented in the Company’s financial statements as discontinued operations.

Additional discussion of the Company’s discontinued operations appears in Item 7, MD&A and in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

 

Natural gas is the principal raw material for the Utility segment. In 2010, the Utility segment purchased 67.1 Bcf of gas for delivery to its customers. Gas purchased from producers and suppliers in the southwestern United States and Canada under firm contracts (seasonal and longer) accounted for 53% of these purchases. Purchases of gas under contracts for one month or less accounted for 47% of the Utility segment’s 2010 purchases. Purchases from Chevron Natural Gas (16%), Total Gas & Power North America Inc. (12%) and Tenaska Marketing Ventures (10%) accounted for 38% of the Utility’s 2010 gas purchases. No other producer or supplier provided the Utility segment with more than 10% of its gas requirements in 2010.

 

Supply Corporation transports and stores gas owned by its customers, whose gas originates in the southwestern, mid-continent and Appalachian regions of the United States as well as in Canada. Empire transports gas owned by its customers, whose gas originates in the southwestern and mid-continent regions of the United States as well as in Canada. Additional discussion of proposed pipeline projects appears below under “Competition: The Pipeline and Storage Segment” and in Item 7, MD&A.

 

The Exploration and Production segment seeks to discover and produce raw materials (natural gas, oil and hydrocarbon liquids) as further described in this report in Item 7, MD&A and Item 8 at Note K — Business Segment Information and Note Q — Supplementary Information for Oil and Gas Producing Activities.

 

The Energy Marketing segment depends on an adequate supply of natural gas to deliver to its customers. In 2010, this segment purchased 59.6 Bcf of gas, including 58.3 Bcf for delivery to its customers. The remaining 1.3 Bcf largely represents gas used in operations. The gas purchased by the Energy Marketing segment originates in either the Appalachian or mid-continent regions of the United States or in Canada.

 

Competition in the natural gas industry exists among providers of natural gas, as well as between natural gas and other sources of energy. The natural gas industry has gone through various stages of regulation. Apart from environmental and state utility commission regulation, the natural gas industry has experienced considerable deregulation. This has enhanced the competitive position of natural gas relative to other energy sources, such as fuel oil or electricity, since some of the historical regulatory impediments to adding customers and responding to market forces have been removed. In addition, management believes that the environmental advantages of natural gas have enhanced its competitive position relative to other fuels.

 

The electric industry has been moving toward a more competitive environment as a result of changes in federal law in 1992 and initiatives undertaken by the FERC and various states. It remains unclear what the impact of any further restructuring in response to legislation or other events may be.

 

The Company competes on the basis of price, service and reliability, product performance and other factors. Sources and providers of energy, other than those described under this “Competition” heading, do not compete with the Company to any significant extent.

 

Competition: The Utility Segment

 

The changes precipitated by the FERC’s restructuring of the natural gas industry in Order No. 636, which was issued in 1992, continue to reshape the roles of the gas utility industry and the state regulatory commissions. With respect to gas commodity service, in both New York and Pennsylvania, Distribution Corporation has retained a substantial majority of small sales customers. Almost all large-volume load, however, is served by unregulated retail marketers. In New York, approximately 20%, and in Pennsylvania, approximately 5%, of Distribution Corporation’s small-volume residential and commercial customers purchase their supplies from unregulated marketers. Retail competition for gas commodity service does not pose an acute competitive threat for Distribution Corporation because in both jurisdictions, utility cost of service is recovered through delivery rates and charges, not through charges for gas commodity service. Over the longer run, however, rate design

changes resulting from further customer migration to marketer service (e.g., “unbundling”) can expose utility companies such as Distribution Corporation to stranded costs and revenue erosion in the absence of compensating rate relief.

 

Competition for transportation service to large-volume customers continues with local producers or pipeline companies attempting to sell or transport gas directly to end-users located within the Utility segment’s service territories without use of the utility’s facilities (i.e., bypass). In addition, competition continues with fuel oil suppliers.

 

The Utility segment competes in its most vulnerable markets (the large commercial and industrial markets) by offering unbundled, flexible, high quality services. The Utility segment continues to develop or promote new sources and uses of natural gas or new services, rates and contracts.

 

Competition: The Pipeline and Storage Segment

 

Supply Corporation competes for market growth in the natural gas market with other pipeline companies transporting gas in the northeast United States and with other companies providing gas storage services. Supply Corporation has some unique characteristics which enhance its competitive position. Its facilities are located adjacent to Canada and the northeastern United States and provide part of the traditional link between gas-consuming regions of the eastern United States and gas-producing regions of Canada and the southwestern, southern and other continental regions of the United States. While costlier natural gas pricing at Niagara has decreased the importation and transportation of gas from that receipt point, new productive areas in the Appalachian region related to the development of the Marcellus Shale formation offer the opportunity for increased transportation services. Supply Corporation is pursuing its Northern Access pipeline expansion project to receive natural gas produced from the Marcellus Shale and transport it to key markets of Canada and the northeastern United States. For further discussion of this project, refer to Item 7, MD&A under the headings “Investing Cash Flow” and “Rate and Regulatory Matters.”

 

Empire competes for market growth in the natural gas market with other pipeline companies transporting gas in the northeast United States and upstate New York in particular. Empire is well situated to provide transportation of gas received at the Niagara River at Chippawa and, with further expansion, Appalachian-sourced gas. Empire’s location provides it the opportunity to compete for an increased share of the gas transportation markets. As noted above, Empire has constructed the Empire Connector project, which expands its natural gas pipeline and enables Empire to serve new markets in New York and elsewhere in the Northeast. Empire is also pursuing its Tioga County Extension project, which will stretch approximately 16 miles south from its existing interconnection with Millennium Pipeline at Corning, New York, into Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Like Supply Corporation’s Northern Access project, Empire’s Tioga County Extension project is designed to facilitate transportation of Marcellus Shale gas to key markets of Canada and the northeastern United States. For further discussion of this project, refer to Item 7, MD&A under the headings “Investing Cash Flow” and “Rate and Regulatory Matters.”

 

Competition: The Exploration and Production Segment

 

The Exploration and Production segment competes with other oil and natural gas producers and marketers with respect to sales of oil and natural gas. The Exploration and Production segment also competes, by competitive bidding and otherwise, with other oil and natural gas producers with respect to exploration and development prospects and mineral leaseholds.

 

To compete in this environment, Seneca originates and acts as operator on certain of its prospects, seeks to minimize the risk of exploratory efforts through partnership-type arrangements, utilizes technology for both exploratory studies and drilling operations, and seeks market niches based on size, operating expertise and financial criteria.

Competition: The Energy Marketing Segment

 

The Energy Marketing segment competes with other marketers of natural gas and with other providers of energy supply. Competition in this area is well developed with regard to price and services from local, regional and national marketers.

 

Variations in weather conditions can materially affect the volume of natural gas delivered by the Utility segment, as virtually all of its residential and commercial customers use natural gas for space heating. The effect that this has on Utility segment margins in New York is mitigated by a WNC, which covers the eight-month period from October through May. Weather that is warmer than normal results in an upward adjustment to customers’ current bills, while weather that is colder than normal results in a downward adjustment, so that in either case projected operating costs calculated at normal temperatures will be recovered.

 

Volumes transported and stored by Supply Corporation and volumes transported by Empire may vary materially depending on weather, without materially affecting revenues. Supply Corporation’s and Empire’s allowed rates are based on a straight fixed-variable rate design which allows recovery of fixed costs in fixed monthly reservation charges. Variable charges based on volumes are designed to recover only the variable costs associated with actual transportation or storage of gas.

 

Variations in weather conditions materially affect the volume of gas consumed by customers of the Energy Marketing segment. Volume variations have a corresponding impact on revenues within this segment.

 

A discussion of capital expenditures by business segment is included in Item 7, MD&A under the heading “Investing Cash Flow.”

 

A discussion of material environmental matters involving the Company is included in Item 7, MD&A under the heading “Environmental Matters” and in Item 8, Note I — Commitments and Contingencies.

 

The Company and its wholly owned or majority-owned subsidiaries had a total of 1,859 full-time employees at September 30, 2010. This compares to 1,949 employees in the Company’s operations at September 30, 2009.

 

The Company has agreements in place with collective bargaining units in New York and Pennsylvania. The agreements in New York are scheduled to expire in February 2013 and the agreements in Pennsylvania are scheduled to expire in April 2014 and May 2014.

 

The Utility segment has numerous municipal franchises under which it uses public roads and certain other rights-of-way and public property for the location of facilities. When necessary, the Utility segment renews such franchises.

 

The Company makes its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports, available free of charge on the Company’s internet website, www.nationalfuelgas.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. The information available at the Company’s internet website is not part of this Form 10-K or any other report filed with or furnished to the SEC.

 

 

 

 

 

As a holding company, the Company depends on its operating subsidiaries to meet its financial obligations.

 

The Company is a holding company with no significant assets other than the stock of its operating subsidiaries. In order to meet its financial needs, the Company relies exclusively on repayments of principal and interest on intercompany loans made by the Company to its operating subsidiaries and income from dividends and other cash flow from the subsidiaries. Such operating subsidiaries may not generate sufficient net income to pay upstream dividends or generate sufficient cash flow to make payments of principal or interest on such intercompany loans.

 

The Company is dependent on credit markets to successfully execute its business strategies.

 

The Company relies upon short-term bank borrowings, commercial paper markets and longer-term capital markets to finance capital requirements not satisfied by cash flow from operations. The Company is dependent on these capital sources to provide capital to its subsidiaries to fund operations, acquire, maintain and develop properties, and execute growth strategies. The availability and cost of credit sources may be cyclical and these capital sources may not remain available to the Company. Turmoil in credit markets may make it difficult for the Company to obtain financing on acceptable terms or at all for working capital, capital expenditures and other investments, or to refinance maturing debt on favorable terms. These difficulties could adversely affect the Company’s growth strategies, operations and financial performance. The Company’s ability to borrow under its credit facilities and commercial paper agreements, and its ability to issue long-term debt under its indentures, depend on the Company’s compliance with its obligations under the facilities, agreements and indentures. In addition, the Company’s short-term bank loans are in the form of floating rate debt or debt that may have rates fixed for very short periods of time, resulting in exposure to interest rate fluctuations in the absence of interest rate hedging transactions. The cost of long-term debt, the interest rates on the Company’s short-term bank loans and the ability of the Company to issue commercial paper are affected by its debt credit ratings published by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service (“S&P”), Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings Service. A downgrade in the Company’s credit ratings could increase borrowing costs and negatively impact the availability of capital from banks, commercial paper purchasers and other sources.

 

The Company may be adversely affected by economic conditions and their impact on our suppliers and customers.

 

Periods of slowed economic activity generally result in decreased energy consumption, particularly by industrial and large commercial companies. As a consequence, national or regional recessions or other downturns in economic activity could adversely affect the Company’s revenues and cash flows or restrict its future growth. Economic conditions in the Company’s utility service territories and energy marketing territories also impact its collections of accounts receivable. All of the Company’s segments are exposed to risks associated with the creditworthiness or performance of key suppliers and customers, many of which may be adversely affected by volatile conditions in the financial markets. These conditions could result in financial instability or other adverse effects at any of our suppliers or customers. For example, counterparties to the Company’s commodity hedging arrangements or commodity sales contracts might not be able to perform their obligations under these arrangements or contracts. Customers of the Company’s Utility and Energy Marketing segments may have particular trouble paying their bills during periods of declining economic activity and high commodity prices, potentially resulting in increased bad debt expense and reduced earnings. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

 

The Company’s credit ratings may not reflect all the risks of an investment in its securities.

 

The Company’s credit ratings are an independent assessment of its ability to pay its obligations. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in the Company’s credit ratings will generally affect the market value of the specific debt instruments that are rated, as well as the market value of the Company’s common stock. The

Company’s credit ratings, however, may not reflect the potential impact on the value of its common stock of risks related to structural, market or other factors discussed in this Form 10-K.

 

The Company’s need to comply with comprehensive, complex, and sometimes unpredictable government regulations may increase its costs and limit its revenue growth, which may result in reduced earnings.

 

While the Company generally refers to its Utility segment and its Pipeline and Storage segment as its “regulated segments,” there are many governmental regulations that have an impact on almost every aspect of the Company’s businesses. Existing statutes and regulations may be revised or reinterpreted and new laws and regulations may be adopted or become applicable to the Company, which may increase the Company’s costs or affect its business in ways that the Company cannot predict.

 

In the Company’s Utility segment, the operations of Distribution Corporation are subject to the jurisdiction of the NYPSC, the PaPUC and, with respect to certain transactions, the FERC. The NYPSC and the PaPUC, among other things, approve the rates that Distribution Corporation may charge to its utility customers. Those approved rates also impact the returns that Distribution Corporation may earn on the assets that are dedicated to those operations. If Distribution Corporation is required in a rate proceeding to reduce the rates it charges its utility customers, or to the extent Distribution Corporation is unable to obtain approval for rate increases from these regulators, particularly when necessary to cover increased costs (including costs that may be incurred in connection with governmental investigations or proceedings or mandated infrastructure inspection, maintenance or replacement programs), earnings may decrease.

 

In addition to their historical methods of utility regulation, both the PaPUC and NYPSC have established competitive markets in which customers may purchase gas commodity from unregulated marketers, in addition to utility companies. Retail competition for gas commodity service does not pose an acute competitive threat for Distribution Corporation, because in both jurisdictions, it recovers its cost of service through delivery rates and charges, and not through any mark-up on the gas commodity purchased by its customers. Over the longer run, however, rate design changes resulting from further customer migration to marketer service (“unbundling”) can expose utilities such as Distribution Corporation to stranded costs and revenue erosion in the absence of compensating rate relief.

 

Both the NYPSC and the PaPUC have instituted proceedings for the purpose of promoting conservation of energy commodities, including natural gas. In New York, Distribution Corporation implemented a Conservation Incentive Program that promotes conservation and efficient use of natural gas by offering customer rebates for high-efficiency appliances, among other things. The intent of conservation and efficiency programs is to reduce customer usage of natural gas. Under traditional volumetric rates, reduced usage by customers results in decreased revenues to the Utility. To prevent revenue erosion caused by conservation, the NYPSC approved a “revenue decoupling mechanism” that renders Distribution Corporation’s New York division financially indifferent to the effects of conservation. In Pennsylvania, although a generic statewide proceeding is pending, the PaPUC has not yet directed Distribution Corporation to implement conservation measures. If the NYPSC were to revoke the revenue decoupling mechanism in a future proceeding or the PaPUC were to adopt a conservation program without a revenue decoupling mechanism or other changes in rate design, reduced customer usage could decrease revenues, forcing Distribution Corporation to file for rate relief.

 

In New York, aggressive generic statewide programs created under the label of efficiency or conservation continue to generate a sizable utility funding requirement for state agencies that administer those programs. Although utilities are authorized to recover the cost of efficiency and conservation program funding through special rates and surcharges, the resulting upward pressure on customer rates, coupled with increased assessments and taxes, could affect future tolerance for traditional utility rate increases, especially if natural gas commodity costs were to increase.

 

The Company is subject to the jurisdiction of the FERC with respect to Supply Corporation, Empire and some transactions performed by other Company subsidiaries, including Seneca Resources, Distribution Corporation and NFR. The FERC, among other things, approves the rates that Supply Corporation and Empire may charge to their natural gas transportation and/or storage customers. Those approved rates also impact the returns that Supply Corporation and Empire may earn on the assets that are dedicated to those operations. State

commissions can also petition the FERC to investigate whether Supply Corporation’s and Empire’s rates are still just and reasonable, and if not, to reduce those rates prospectively. If Supply Corporation or Empire is required in a rate proceeding to reduce the rates it charges its natural gas transportation and/or storage customers, or if Supply Corporation or Empire is unable to obtain approval for rate increases, particularly when necessary to cover increased costs, Supply Corporation’s or Empire’s earnings may decrease. The FERC also possesses significant penalty authority with respect to violations of the laws and regulations it administers. Supply Corporation, Empire and, to the extent subject to FERC jurisdiction, the Company’s other subsidiaries are subject to the FERC’s penalty authority.

 

In the wake of certain pipeline accidents not involving the Company, new laws or regulations may be adopted regarding pipeline safety. Proposals have been made at the federal level with respect to matters such as reporting of pipeline accidents, increased fines for pipeline safety violations, the designation of additional high consequence areas along pipelines, minimum requirements for leak detection systems, installation of emergency flow restricting devices, and revision of valve spacing requirements. In addition, unrelated to these safety initiatives, the EPA in April 2010 issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking reassessing its regulations governing the use and distribution in commerce of PCBs. The EPA is considering, among other things, a proposal to eliminate by 2020 the PCB use authorization for natural gas pipeline systems, and a proposal to eliminate the authorization for storage of PCB-containing equipment for reuse. The EPA projects that it may issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in March 2012. If as a result of new laws or regulations the Company incurs material costs that it is unable to recover fully through rates or otherwise offset, the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows would be adversely affected.

 

The Company’s liquidity, and in certain circumstances, its earnings, could be adversely affected by the cost of purchasing natural gas during periods in which natural gas prices are rising significantly.

 

Tariff rate schedules in each of the Utility segment’s service territories contain purchased gas adjustment clauses which permit Distribution Corporation to file with state regulators for rate adjustments to recover increases in the cost of purchased gas. Assuming those rate adjustments are granted, increases in the cost of purchased gas have no direct impact on profit margins. Nevertheless, increases in the cost of purchased gas affect cash flows and can therefore impact the amount or availability of the Company’s capital resources. The Company has issued commercial paper and used short-term borrowings in the past to temporarily finance storage inventories and purchased gas costs, and although the Company expects to do so in the future, it may not be able to access the markets for such borrowings at attractive interest rates or at all. Distribution Corporation is required to file an accounting reconciliation with the regulators in each of the Utility segment’s service territories regarding the costs of purchased gas. Due to the nature of the regulatory process, there is a risk of a disallowance of full recovery of these costs during any period in which there has been a substantial upward spike in these costs. Any material disallowance of purchased gas costs could have a material adverse effect on cash flow and earnings. In addition, even when Distribution Corporation is allowed full recovery of these purchased gas costs, during periods when natural gas prices are significantly higher than historical levels, customers may have trouble paying the resulting higher bills, and Distribution Corporation’s bad debt expenses may increase and ultimately reduce earnings.

 

Changes in interest rates may affect the Company’s ability to finance capital expenditures and to refinance maturing debt.

 

The Company’s ability to finance capital expenditures and to refinance maturing debt will depend in part upon interest rates. The direction in which interest rates may move is uncertain. Declining interest rates have generally been believed to be favorable to utilities, while rising interest rates are generally believed to be unfavorable, because of the levels of debt that utilities may have outstanding. In addition, the Company’s authorized rate of return in its regulated businesses is based upon certain assumptions regarding interest rates. If interest rates are lower than assumed rates, the Company’s authorized rate of return could be reduced. If interest rates are higher than assumed rates, the Company’s ability to earn its authorized rate of return may be adversely impacted.

Fluctuations in oil and natural gas prices could adversely affect revenues, cash flows and profitability.

 

Operations in the Company’s Exploration and Production segment are materially dependent on prices received for its oil and natural gas production. Both short-term and long-term price trends affect the economics of exploring for, developing, producing, gathering and processing oil and natural gas. Oil and natural gas prices can be volatile and can be affected by: weather conditions, including natural disasters; the supply and price of foreign oil and natural gas; the level of consumer product demand; national and worldwide economic conditions, including economic disruptions caused by terrorist activities, acts of war or major accidents; political conditions in foreign countries; the price and availability of alternative fuels; the proximity to, and availability of capacity on transportation facilities; regional levels of supply and demand; energy conservation measures; and government regulations, such as regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and natural gas transportation, royalties, and price controls. The Company sells most of the oil and natural gas that it produces at current market prices rather than through fixed-price contracts, although as discussed below, the Company frequently hedges the price of a significant portion of its future production in the financial markets. The prices the Company receives depend upon factors beyond the Company’s control, including the factors affecting price mentioned above. The Company believes that any prolonged reduction in oil and natural gas prices could restrict its ability to continue the level of exploration and production activity the Company otherwise would pursue, which could have a material adverse effect on its revenues, cash flows and results of operations.

 

In the Company’s Pipeline and Storage segment, significant changes in the price differential between equivalent quantities of natural gas at different geographic locations or between futures contracts for natural gas having different delivery dates could adversely impact the Company. For example, if the price of natural gas at a particular receipt point on the Company’s pipeline system increases relative to the price of natural gas at other locations, then the volume of natural gas received by the Company at the relatively more expensive receipt point may decrease, or the price the Company charges to transport that natural gas may decrease. Additionally, if the prices of natural gas futures contracts for winter deliveries to locations served by the Pipeline and Storage segment decline relative to the prices of such contracts for summer deliveries (for example, as a result of increased production of natural gas within the Pipeline and Storage segment’s geographic area), then demand for the Company’s natural gas storage services driven by that price differential could decrease. These changes could adversely affect revenues, cash flows and results of operations.

 

The Company has significant transactions involving price hedging of its oil and natural gas production as well as its fixed price purchase and sale commitments.

 

In order to protect itself to some extent against unusual price volatility and to lock in fixed pricing on oil and natural gas production for certain periods of time, the Company’s Exploration and Production segment regularly enters into commodity price derivatives contracts (hedging arrangements) with respect to a portion of its expected production. These contracts may at any time cover as much as approximately 80% of the Company’s expected energy production during the upcoming 12-month period. These contracts reduce exposure to subsequent price drops but can also limit the Company’s ability to benefit from increases in commodity prices. In addition, the Energy Marketing segment enters into certain hedging arrangements, primarily with respect to its fixed price purchase and sales commitments and its gas stored underground. The Company’s Pipeline and Storage segment enters into hedging arrangements with respect to certain sales of efficiency gas.

 

Under applicable accounting rules currently in effect, the Company’s hedging arrangements are subject to quarterly effectiveness tests. Inherent within those effectiveness tests are assumptions concerning the long-term price differential between different types of crude oil, assumptions concerning the difference between published natural gas price indexes established by pipelines in which hedged natural gas production is delivered and the reference price established in the hedging arrangements, assumptions regarding the levels of production that will be achieved and, with regard to fixed price commitments, assumptions regarding the creditworthiness of certain customers and their forecasted consumption of natural gas. Depending on market conditions for natural gas and crude oil and the levels of production actually achieved, it is possible that certain of those assumptions may change in the future, and, depending on the magnitude of any such changes, it is possible that a portion of the Company’s hedges may no longer be considered highly effective. In that case, gains or losses from the ineffective derivative financial instruments would be marked-to-market on the income statement without

regard to an underlying physical transaction. Gains would occur to the extent that natural gas and crude oil hedge prices exceed market prices for the Company’s natural gas and crude oil production, and losses would occur to the extent that market prices for the Company’s natural gas and crude oil production exceed hedge prices.

 

Use of energy commodity price hedges also exposes the Company to the risk of non-performance by a contract counterparty. These parties might not be able to perform their obligations under the hedge arrangements.

 

It is the Company’s policy that the use of commodity derivatives contracts comply with various restrictions in effect in respective business segments. For example, in the Exploration and Production segment, commodity derivatives contracts must be confined to the price hedging of existing and forecast production, and in the Energy Marketing segment, commodity derivatives with respect to fixed price purchase and sales commitments must be matched against commitments reasonably certain to be fulfilled. Similar restrictions apply in the Pipeline and Storage segment. The Company maintains a system of internal controls to monitor compliance with its policy. However, unauthorized speculative trades, if they were to occur, could expose the Company to substantial losses to cover positions in its derivatives contracts. In addition, in the event the Company’s actual production of oil and natural gas falls short of hedged forecast production, the Company may incur substantial losses to cover its hedges.

 

You should not place undue reliance on reserve information because such information represents estimates.

 

This Form 10-K contains estimates of the Company’s proved oil and natural gas reserves and the future net cash flows from those reserves that were prepared by the Company’s petroleum engineers and audited by independent petroleum engineers. Petroleum engineers consider many factors and make assumptions in estimating oil and natural gas reserves and future net cash flows. These factors include: historical production from the area compared with production from other producing areas; the assumed effect of governmental regulation; and assumptions concerning oil and natural gas prices, production and development costs, severance and excise taxes, and capital expenditures. Lower oil and natural gas prices generally cause estimates of proved reserves to be lower. Estimates of reserves and expected future cash flows prepared by different engineers, or by the same engineers at different times, may differ substantially. Ultimately, actual production, revenues and expenditures relating to the Company’s reserves will vary from any estimates, and these variations may be material. Accordingly, the accuracy of the Company’s reserve estimates is a function of the quality of available data and of engineering and geological interpretation and judgment.

 

If conditions remain constant, then the Company is reasonably certain that its reserve estimates represent economically recoverable oil and natural gas reserves and future net cash flows. If conditions change in the future, then subsequent reserve estimates may be revised accordingly. You should not assume that the present value of future net cash flows from the Company’s proved reserves is the current market value of the Company’s estimated oil and natural gas reserves. In accordance with SEC requirements that became effective for the Company with its Form 10-K for the period ended September 30, 2010, the Company bases the estimated discounted future net cash flows from its proved reserves on 12-month average prices for oil and natural gas (based on first day of the month prices and adjusted for hedging) and on costs as of the date of the estimate (under prior SEC requirements, the Company utilized market prices as of the last day of the period). Actual future prices and costs may differ materially from those used in the net present value estimate. Any significant price changes will have a material effect on the present value of the Company’s reserves.

 

Petroleum engineering is a subjective process of estimating underground accumulations of natural gas and other hydrocarbons that cannot be measured in an exact manner. The process of estimating oil and natural gas reserves is complex. The process involves significant decisions and assumptions in the evaluation of available geological, geophysical, engineering and economic data for each reservoir. Future economic and operating conditions are uncertain, and changes in those conditions could cause a revision to the Company’s reserve estimates in the future. Estimates of economically recoverable oil and natural gas reserves and of future net cash flows depend upon a number of variable factors and assumptions, including historical production from the area

compared with production from other comparable producing areas, and the assumed effects of regulations by governmental agencies. Because all reserve estimates are to some degree subjective, each of the following items may differ materially from those assumed in estimating reserves: the quantities of oil and natural gas that are ultimately recovered, the timing of the recovery of oil and natural gas reserves, the production and operating costs incurred, the amount and timing of future development and abandonment expenditures, and the price received for the production.

 

The amount and timing of actual future oil and natural gas production and the cost of drilling are difficult to predict and may vary significantly from reserves and production estimates, which may reduce the Company’s earnings.

 

There are many risks in developing oil and natural gas, including numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities of proved oil and natural gas reserves and in projecting future rates of production and timing of development expenditures. The future success of the Company’s Exploration and Production segment depends on its ability to develop additional oil and natural gas reserves that are economically recoverable, and its failure to do so may reduce the Company’s earnings. The total and timing of actual future production may vary significantly from reserves and production estimates. The Company’s drilling of development wells can involve significant risks, including those related to timing, success rates, and cost overruns, and these risks can be affected by lease and rig availability, geology, and other factors. Drilling for oil and natural gas can be unprofitable, not only from non-productive wells, but from productive wells that do not produce sufficient revenues to return a profit. Also, title problems, weather conditions, governmental requirements, including completion of environmental impact analyses and compliance with other environmental laws and regulations, and shortages or delays in the delivery of equipment and services can delay drilling operations or result in their cancellation. The cost of drilling, completing, and operating wells is often uncertain, and new wells may not be productive or the Company may not recover all or any portion of its investment. Production can also be delayed or made uneconomic if there is insufficient gathering, processing and transportation capacity available at an economic price to get that production to a location where it can be profitably sold. Without continued successful exploitation or acquisition activities, the Company’s reserves and revenues will decline as a result of its current reserves being depleted by production. The Company cannot make assurances that it will be able to find or acquire additional reserves at acceptable costs.

 

Financial accounting requirements regarding exploration and production activities may affect the Company’s profitability.

 

The Company accounts for its exploration and production activities under the full cost method of accounting. Each quarter, the Company must compare the level of its unamortized investment in oil and natural gas properties to the present value of the future net revenue projected to be recovered from those properties according to methods prescribed by the SEC. In determining present value, the Company uses 12-month average prices for oil and natural gas (based on first day of the month prices and adjusted for hedging). If, at the end of any quarter, the amount of the unamortized investment exceeds the net present value of the projected future cash flows, such investment may be considered to be “impaired,” and the full cost accounting rules require that the investment must be written down to the calculated net present value. Such an instance would require the Company to recognize an immediate expense in that quarter, and its earnings would be reduced. Depending on the magnitude of any decrease in average prices, that charge could be material.

 

Environmental regulation significantly affects the Company’s business.

 

The Company’s business operations are subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations relating to environmental protection. These laws and regulations concern the generation, storage, transportation, disposal or discharge of contaminants and greenhouse gases into the environment, the reporting of such matters, and the general protection of public health, natural resources, wildlife and the environment. Costs of compliance and liabilities could negatively affect the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. In addition, compliance with environmental laws and regulations could require unexpected capital expenditures at the Company’s facilities or delay or cause the cancellation of expansion projects or oil and natural gas drilling

activities. Because the costs of complying with environmental regulations are significant, additional regulation could negatively affect the Company’s business. Although the Company cannot predict the impact of the interpretation or enforcement of EPA standards or other federal, state and local laws or regulations, the Company’s costs could increase if environmental laws and regulations change.

 

Legislative and regulatory measures to address climate change and greenhouse gas emissions are in various phases of discussion or implementation. The EPA has determined that stationary sources of significant greenhouse gas emissions will be required under the federal Clean Air Act to obtain permits covering such emissions beginning in January 2011. In addition, the U.S. Congress has been considering bills that would establish a cap-and-trade program to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Legislation or regulation that restricts greenhouse gas emissions could increase the Company’s cost of environmental compliance by requiring the Company to install new equipment to reduce emissions from larger facilities and/or purchase emission allowances. International, federal, state or regional climate change and greenhouse gas initiatives could also delay or otherwise negatively affect efforts to obtain permits and other regulatory approvals with regard to existing and new facilities, or impose additional monitoring and reporting requirements. Climate change and greenhouse gas initiatives, and incentives to conserve energy or use alternative energy sources, could also reduce demand for oil and natural gas. The effect (material or not) on the Company of any new legislative or regulatory measures will depend on the particular provisions that are ultimately adopted.

 

Increased regulation of exploration and production activities, including hydraulic fracturing, could adversely impact the Company.

 

Due to the burgeoning Marcellus Shale natural gas play in the northeast United States, together with the fiscal difficulties faced by state governments in New York and Pennsylvania, various state legislative and regulatory initiatives regarding the exploration and production business have been proposed. These initiatives include potential new or updated statutes and regulations governing the drilling, casing, cementing, testing and monitoring of wells, the protection of water supplies, hydraulic fracturing of wells, surface owners’ rights and damage compensation, the spacing of wells, and environmental and safety issues regarding natural gas pipelines. New severance taxes for oil and gas production are also possible. Additionally, legislative initiatives in the U.S. Congress and regulatory studies, proceedings or initiatives at federal or state agencies focused on the hydraulic fracturing process could result in additional permitting, compliance, reporting and disclosure requirements. If adopted, any such new state or federal legislation or regulation could lead to operational delays or restrictions, increased operating costs, additional regulatory burdens and increased risks of litigation for the Company’s Exploration and Production segment.

 

The nature of the Company’s operations presents inherent risks of loss that could adversely affect its results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

 

The Company’s operations in its various reporting segments are subject to inherent hazards and risks such as: fires; natural disasters; explosions; geological formations with abnormal pressures; blowouts during well drilling; collapses of wellbore casing or other tubulars; pipeline ruptures; spills; and other hazards and risks that may cause personal injury, death, property damage, environmental damage or business interruption losses. Additionally, the Company’s facilities, machinery, and equipment may be subject to sabotage. Any of these events could cause a loss of hydrocarbons, environmental pollution, claims for personal injury, death, property damage or business interruption, or governmental investigations, recommendations, claims, fines or penalties. As protection against operational hazards, the Company maintains insurance coverage against some, but not all, potential losses. In addition, many of the agreements that the Company executes with contractors provide for the division of responsibilities between the contractor and the Company, and the Company seeks to obtain an indemnification from the contractor for certain of these risks. The Company is not always able, however, to secure written agreements with its contractors that contain indemnification, and sometimes the Company is required to indemnify others.

 

Insurance or indemnification agreements when obtained may not adequately protect the Company against liability from all of the consequences of the hazards described above. The occurrence of an event not fully insured or indemnified against, the imposition of fines, penalties or mandated programs by governmental

authorities, the failure of a contractor to meet its indemnification obligations, or the failure of an insurance company to pay valid claims could result in substantial losses to the Company. In addition, insurance may not be available, or if available may not be adequate, to cover any or all of these risks. It is also possible that insurance premiums or other costs may rise significantly in the future, so as to make such insurance prohibitively expensive.

 

Due to the significant cost of insurance coverage for named windstorms in the Gulf of Mexico, the Company determined that it was not economical to purchase insurance to fully cover its exposures related to such storms. It is possible that named windstorms in the Gulf of Mexico could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

 

Hazards and risks faced by the Company, and insurance and indemnification obtained or provided by the Company, may subject the Company to litigation or administrative proceedings from time to time. Such litigation or proceedings could result in substantial monetary judgments, fines or penalties against the Company or be resolved on unfavorable terms, the result of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

 

The increasing costs of certain employee and retiree benefits could adversely affect the Company’s results.

 

The Company’s earnings and cash flow may be impacted by the amount of income or expense it expends or records for employee benefit plans. This is particularly true for pension and other post-retirement benefit plans, which are dependent on actual plan asset returns and factors used to determine the value and current costs of plan benefit obligations. In addition, if medical costs rise at a rate faster than the general inflation rate, the Company might not be able to mitigate the rising costs of medical benefits. Increases to the costs of pension, other post-retirement and medical benefits could have an adverse effect on the Company’s financial results.

 

Significant shareholders or potential shareholders may attempt to effect changes at the Company or acquire control over the Company, which could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and financial condition.

 

In January 2008, the Company entered into an agreement with New Mountain Vantage GP, L.L.C. (“New Mountain”) and certain parties related to New Mountain, including the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (collectively, “Vantage”), to settle a proxy contest pertaining to the election of directors to the Company’s Board of Directors at the Company’s 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. That settlement agreement expired on September 15, 2009. Vantage or other existing or potential shareholders may engage in proxy solicitations or advance shareholder proposals after the Company’s 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or otherwise attempt to effect changes or acquire control over the Company.

 

Campaigns by shareholders to effect changes at publicly traded companies are sometimes led by investors seeking to increase short-term shareholder value through actions such as financial restructuring, increased debt, special dividends, stock repurchases or sales of assets or the entire company. Responding to proxy contests and other actions by activist shareholders can be costly and time-consuming, disrupting the Company’s operations and diverting the attention of the Company’s Board of Directors and senior management from the pursuit of business strategies. As a result, shareholder campaigns could adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and financial condition.

 

 

None

 

 

The net investment of the Company in property, plant and equipment was $3.5 billion at September 30, 2010. Approximately 59% of this investment was in the Utility and Pipeline and Storage segments, whose

operations are located primarily in western and central New York and northwestern Pennsylvania. The Exploration and Production segment, which has the next largest investment in net property, plant and equipment (39%), is primarily located in California, in the Appalachian region of the United States, and in the shallow waters of the Gulf Coast region of Texas and Louisiana. The remaining net investment in property, plant and equipment consisted of the All Other and Corporate operations (2%). During the past five years, the Company has made additions to property, plant and equipment in order to expand and improve transmission and distribution facilities for both retail and transportation customers. Net property, plant and equipment has increased $610.9 million, or 21.5%, since 2005. In September 2010, the Company sold its landfill gas operations in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland and Indiana. The net property, plant and equipment of the landfill gas operations at the date of sale was $8.8 million. In addition, during 2007, the Company sold SECI, Seneca’s wholly owned subsidiary that operated in Canada. The net property, plant and equipment of SECI at the date of sale was $107.7 million.

 

The Utility segment had a net investment in property, plant and equipment of $1.2 billion at September 30, 2010. The net investment in its gas distribution network (including 14,836 miles of distribution pipeline) and its service connections to customers represent approximately 51% and 34%, respectively, of the Utility segment’s net investment in property, plant and equipment at September 30, 2010.

 

The Pipeline and Storage segment had a net investment of $858.2 million in property, plant and equipment at September 30, 2010. Transmission pipeline represents 41% of this segment’s total net investment and includes 2,356 miles of pipeline utilized to move large volumes of gas throughout its service area. Storage facilities represent 20% of this segment’s total net investment and consist of 31 storage fields, four of which are jointly owned and operated with certain pipeline suppliers, and 431 miles of pipeline. Net investment in storage facilities includes $86.3 million of gas stored underground-noncurrent, representing the cost of the gas utilized to maintain pressure levels for normal operating purposes as well as gas maintained for system balancing and other purposes, including that needed for no-notice transportation service. The Pipeline and Storage segment has 31 compressor stations with 98,194 installed compressor horsepower that represent 13% of this segment’s total net investment in property, plant and equipment.

 

The Exploration and Production segment had a net investment in property, plant and equipment of $1.3 billion at September 30, 2010.

 

The Utility and Pipeline and Storage segments’ facilities provided the capacity to meet the Company’s 2010 peak day sendout, including transportation service, of 1,608 MMcf, which occurred on January 11, 2010. Withdrawals from storage of 595.4 MMcf provided approximately 37.0% of the requirements on that day.

 

Company maps are included in exhibit 99.2 of this Form 10-K and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

The Company is engaged in the exploration for, and the development and purchase of, natural gas and oil reserves in California, in the Appalachian region of the United States, and in the shallow waters of the Gulf Coast region of Texas and Louisiana. The Company has been increasing its emphasis in the Appalachian region, primarily in the Marcellus Shale, and has been decreasing its emphasis in the Gulf Coast region. Also, Exploration and Production operations were conducted in the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia in Canada, until the sale of these properties on August 31, 2007. Further discussion of oil and gas producing activities is included in Item 8, Note Q — Supplementary Information for Oil and Gas Producing Activities. Note Q sets forth proved developed and undeveloped reserve information for Seneca. The September 30, 2010 reserves shown in Note Q have been impacted by the SEC’s final rule on Modernization of Oil and Gas Reporting. The most notable change of the final rule includes the replacement of the single day period-end pricing used to value oil and gas reserves with an unweighted arithmetic average of the first day of the month oil and gas prices for each month within the twelve-month period prior to the end of the reporting period. The reserves were estimated by Seneca’s geologists and engineers and were audited by independent petroleum engineers from Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc.

The Company’s proved oil and gas reserve estimates are prepared by the Company’s reservoir engineers who meet the qualifications of Reserve Estimator per the “Standards Pertaining to the Estimating and Auditing of Oil and Gas Reserve Information” promulgated by the Society of Petroleum Engineers as of February 19, 2007. The Company maintains comprehensive internal reserve guidelines and a continuing education program designed to keep its staff up to date with current SEC regulations and guidance.

 

The Company’s Vice President of Reservoir Engineering is the primary technical person responsible for overseeing the Company’s reserve estimation process and engaging and overseeing the third party reserve audit. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering and over 25 years of Petroleum Engineering experience with both major and independent oil and gas companies. He has maintained oversight of the Company’s reserve estimation process for the past seven years. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.

 

The Company maintains a system of internal controls over the reserve estimation process. Management reviews the price, heat content, lease operating cost and future investment assumptions used in the economic model to determine the reserves. The Vice President of Reservoir Engineering reviews and approves all new reserve assignments and significant reserve revisions. Access to the Reserve database is restricted. Significant changes to the reserve report are reviewed by senior management on a quarterly basis. Periodically, the Company’s internal audit department assesses the design of these controls and performs testing to determine the effectiveness of such controls.

 

All of the Company’s reserve estimates are audited annually by Netherland, Sewell and Associates, Inc. (NSAI). Since 1961, NSAI has evaluated gas and oil properties and independently certified petroleum reserve quantities in the United States and internationally under the Texas Board of Professional Engineers Registration No. F-002699. The primary technical persons (employed by NSAI) that are responsible for leading the audit include an engineer registered with the State of Texas (with 12 years of experience in petroleum engineering and six years of experience in the estimation and evaluation of reserves) and a Certified Petroleum Geologist and Geophysicist in the State of Texas (with 32 years of experience in petroleum geosciences and 21 years of experience in the estimation and evaluation of reserves). NSAI was satisfied with the methods and procedures used by the Company to prepare its reserve estimates at September 30, 2010 and did not identify any problems which would cause it to take exception to those estimates.

 

The reliable technologies that were utilized in estimating the reserves include wire line open-hole log data, performance data, log cross sections, core data, and statistical analysis. The statistical method utilized production performance from both the Company’s and competitor’s wells. Geophysical data include data from the Company’s wells, published documents, and state data-sites and were used to confirm continuity of the formation. Extension and discovery reserves added as a result of reliable technologies were not material.

 

Seneca’s proved developed and undeveloped natural gas reserves increased from 249 Bcf at September 30, 2009 to 428 Bcf at September 30, 2010. This increase is attributed primarily to extensions and discoveries (193.1 Bcf), primarily in the Appalachian region (190.0 Bcf), and revisions of previous estimates (16.7 Bcf). This increase was partially offset by production of 30.3 Bcf. Seneca’s proved developed and undeveloped oil reserves decreased from 46,587 Mbbl at September 30, 2009 to 45,239 Mbbl at September 30, 2010. This decrease is attributed to production (3,220 Mbbl), primarily occurring in the West Coast region (2,669 Mbbl). This decrease was partly offset by extensions and discoveries (1,054 Mbbl) and revisions of previous estimates (818 Mbbl). On a Bcfe basis, Seneca’s proved developed and undeveloped reserves increased from 528 Bcfe at September 30, 2009 to 700 Bcfe at September 30, 2010.

 

Seneca’s proved developed and undeveloped natural gas reserves increased from 226 Bcf at September 30, 2008 to 249 Bcf at September 30, 2009. This increase is attributed primarily to extensions and discoveries (59.2 Bcf), primarily in the Appalachian region (49.2 Bcf). This increase was partially offset by production of 22.3 Bcf, negative revisions of previous estimates (9.6 Bcf) and sales of minerals in place (4.7 Bcf) in the Gulf Coast region. Seneca’s proved developed and undeveloped oil reserves increased from 46,198 Mbbl at September 30, 2008 to 46,587 Mbbl at September 30, 2009. This increase is attributed to purchases of minerals in place (2,115 Mbbl) in the West Coast region, extensions and discoveries (1,213 Mbbl), and revisions of previous estimates (449 Mbbl). These increases were largely offset by production (3,373 Mbbl), primarily occurring in the West Coast region (2,674 Mbbl). On a Bcfe basis, Seneca’s proved developed and undeveloped reserves increased from 503 Bcfe at September 30, 2008 to 528 Bcfe at September 30, 2009.

The Company’s proved undeveloped (PUD) reserves increased from 87 Bcfe at September 30, 2009 to 177 Bcfe at September 30, 2010. Undeveloped reserves in the Marcellus Shale increased from 11 Bcf at September 30, 2009 to 110 Bcf at September 30, 2010. There was a material increase in undeveloped reserves at September 30, 2010 as a result of its Marcellus Shale reserve additions. The increase in undeveloped reserves in the Marcellus Shale is partially attributable to the change in SEC regulations allowing the recognition of PUD reserves more than one direct offset location away from existing production with reasonable certainty using reliable technology. The Company’s total PUD reserves are 25% of total proved reserves at September 30, 2010, up from 16% of total proved reserves at September 30, 2009.

 

The increase in PUD reserves in 2010 of 90 Bcfe is a result of 111 Bcfe in new PUD reserve additions (105 Bcfe from the Marcellus Shale), offset by 17 Bcfe in PUD conversions to developed reserves and 4 Bcfe in downward PUD revisions. The downward revisions were primarily from the removal of 51 PUD locations in the Upper Devonian play. This was the result of Seneca’s decision in 2010 to significantly reduce its 5-year investment plan for the Upper Devonian as a result of lower forward gas price expectations. The Company invested $28.9 million during the year ended September 30, 2010 to convert 17 Bcfe of PUD reserves to developed reserves. This represents 19% of the PUD reserves booked at September 30, 2009. In 2011, the Company estimates that it will invest approximately $140 million to develop the PUD reserves. The Company is committed to developing its PUD reserves within five years of being recorded as PUD reserves as required by the SEC’s final rule on Modernization of Oil and Gas Reporting.

 

At September 30, 2010, the Company does not have a material concentration of proved undeveloped reserves that have been on the books for more than five years at the corporate level or country level. All of the Company’s proved reserves are in the United States. At the field level, only at the North Lost Hills Field in Kern County, California, does the Company have a material concentration of undeveloped reserves that have been on the books for more than five years. The Company has reduced the concentration of undeveloped reserves in this field from 61% of total field level reserves at September 30, 2005 to 24% of total field level reserves at September 30, 2010. The Company has been actively drilling undeveloped locations in this field for four out of the past five years, drilling 53 undeveloped locations and converting 3.1 million barrels of proved reserves from undeveloped to developed reserves. The undeveloped reserves in this field represent less than 2% of the Company’s proved reserves at the corporate level. The Company is committed to drilling the remaining proved undeveloped locations within five years of being recorded as PUD reserves.

 

At September 30, 2010, the Company had delivery commitments of 34 Bcf. The Company expects to meet those commitments through proved reserves and the future development of reserves that are currently classified as proved undeveloped reserves and does not anticipate any issues or constraints that would prevent the Company from meeting these commitments.

 

The following is a summary of certain oil and gas information taken from Seneca’s records. All monetary amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars.

 

Production

 

 

 

 

Productive Wells

 

Developed and Undeveloped Acreage

 

 

As of September 30, 2010, the aggregate amount of gross undeveloped acreage expiring in the next three years and thereafter are as follows: 61,167 acres in 2011 (45,775 net acres), 9,055 acres in 2012 (7,634 net acres), 40,173 acres in 2013 (39,151 net acres), and 66,877 acres thereafter (58,716 net acres). The remaining 349,356 gross acres (337,549 net acres) represent non-expiring oil and gas rights owned by the Company.

 

Drilling Activity

 

 

Present Activities

 

 

 

 

 

For a discussion of various environmental and other matters, refer to Part II, Item 7, MD&A and Item 8 at Note I — Commitments and Contingencies. In addition to these matters, the Company is involved in other litigation and regulatory matters arising in the normal course of business. These other matters may include, for example, negligence claims and tax, regulatory or other governmental audits, inspections, investigations or other proceedings. These matters may involve state and federal taxes, safety, compliance with regulations, rate base, cost of service, and purchased gas cost issues, among other things. While these normal-course matters could have a material effect on earnings and cash flows in the quarterly and annual period in which they are resolved, they are not expected to change materially the Company’s present liquidity position, nor are they expected to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the Company.

 

 

Information regarding the market for the Company’s common equity and related stockholder matters appears under Item 12 at Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters, Item 8 at Note E — Capitalization and Short-Term Borrowings, and at Note P — Market for Common Stock and Related Shareholder Matters (unaudited).

 

On July 1, 2010, the Company issued a total of 3,600 unregistered shares of Company common stock to the nine non-employee directors of the Company then serving on the Board of Directors of the Company, 400 shares to each such director. All of these unregistered shares were issued under the Company’s Retainer Policy for Non-Employee Directors as partial consideration for such directors’ services during the quarter ended September 30, 2010. These transactions were exempt from registration under Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as transactions not involving a public offering.

 

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OVERVIEW

 

The Company is a diversified energy company and reports financial results for four business segments. Refer to Item 1, Business, for a more detailed description of each of the segments. This Item 7, MD&A, provides information concerning:

 

 

 

The information in MD&A should be read in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements in Item 8 of this report.

 

For the year ended September 30, 2010 compared to the year ended September 30, 2009, the Company experienced an increase in earnings of $125.2 million. Earnings from continuing operations increased $115.6 million and earnings from discontinued operations increased $9.6 million. From a continuing operations perspective, the earnings increase was primarily driven by the non-recurrence of an impairment charge of $182.8 million ($108.2 million after tax) recorded in the Exploration and Production segment during the year ended September 30, 2009. In the Company’s Exploration and Production segment, oil and gas property acquisition, exploration and development costs are capitalized under the full cost method of accounting. Such costs are subject to a quarterly ceiling test prescribed by SEC Regulation S-X Rule 4-10 that determines a limit, or ceiling, on the amount of property acquisition, exploration and development costs that can be capitalized. At December 31, 2008, due to significant declines in crude oil and natural gas commodity prices (and using the SEC full cost rules then in effect), the book value of the Company’s oil and gas properties exceeded the ceiling, resulting in the impairment charge mentioned above. For further discussion of the ceiling test results at September 30, 2010 and a sensitivity analysis to changes in crude oil and natural gas commodity prices, refer to the Critical Accounting Estimates section below. For further discussion of the Company’s earnings, refer to the Results of Operations section below.

 

The Company continues to focus on the development of its Marcellus Shale acreage in the Appalachian region of its Exploration and Production segment. The Marcellus Shale is a Middle Devonian-age geological shale formation that is present nearly a mile or more below the surface in the Appalachian region of the United States, including much of Pennsylvania and southern New York. Due to the depth at which this formation is found, drilling and completion costs, including the drilling and completion of horizontal wells with hydraulic fracturing, are very expensive. However, independent geological studies have indicated that this formation could yield natural gas reserves measured in the trillions of cubic feet. The Company controls approximately 745,000 net acres within the Marcellus Shale area, with a majority of the acreage held in fee, carrying no royalty and no lease expirations. The Company’s reserve base has grown substantially from development in the Marcellus Shale. Natural gas proved developed and undeveloped reserves in the Appalachian region have increased from 150 Bcf at September 30, 2009 to 331 Bcf at September 30, 2010. With this in mind, and with a natural desire to realize the value of these assets in a responsible and orderly fashion, the Company has spent significant amounts of capital in this region. For the year ended September 30, 2010, the Company spent $332.4 million towards the development of the Marcellus Shale. This included paying $71.8 million in March 2010 for two tracts of leasehold acreage (consisting of approximately 18,000 net acres) in Tioga and Potter Counties in Pennsylvania. These tracts are geologically and geographically similar to the Company’s existing Marcellus Shale acreage in the area, and will help the Company continue its developmental drilling program.

 

The Company has engaged Jefferies & Company to explore joint-venture opportunities across its Marcellus Shale acreage in its Exploration and Production segment. It is the Company’s goal to ramp up Marcellus Shale development faster than its current plans. By entering into a joint-venture agreement, the Company expects to enhance shareholder value by shifting a significant portion of the early drilling costs to a minority-interest partner while still allowing the Company to continue operating across most of its acreage. The Company’s position in the Marcellus Shale provides a competitive advantage for a potential joint- venture partner as a majority of the acreage is held in fee, carrying no royalty and no lease expirations, and large,

contiguous acreage blocks allow for operating- and cost-efficiency through multi-well pad drilling. The Company will forgo any joint-venture opportunities that do not enhance shareholder value when compared to its current growth plans.

 

Coincident with the development of its Marcellus Shale acreage, the Company’s Pipeline and Storage segment is building pipeline gathering and transmission facilities to connect Marcellus Shale production with existing pipelines in the region and is pursuing the development of additional pipeline and storage capacity in order to meet anticipated demand for the large amount of Marcellus Shale production expected to come on-line in the months and years to come. Two of the projects, the Tioga County Extension Project and the Northern Access expansion project, are considered significant for Empire and Supply Corporation. Both projects are designed to receive natural gas produced from the Marcellus Shale and transport it to Canada and the Northeast United States to meet growing demand in those areas. During the past year, Empire and Supply Corporation have experienced a decline in the volumes of natural gas received at the Canada/United States border at the Niagara River to be shipped across their systems. The historical price advantage for gas sold at the Niagara import points has declined as production in the Canadian producing regions has declined or been diverted to other demand areas, and as production from new shale plays has increased in the United States. This factor has been causing shippers to seek alternative gas supplies and consequently alternative transportation routes. Empire and Supply Corporation have seen transportation volumes decrease as a result of this situation. The Tioga County Extension Project and the Northern Access expansion project are designed to provide an alternative gas supply source for the customers of Empire and Supply Corporation. These projects, which are discussed more completely in the Investing Cash Flow section that follows, will involve significant capital expenditures.

 

From a capital resources perspective, the Company has been able to meet its capital expenditure needs for all of the above projects by using cash from operations. The Company had $395.2 million in Cash and Temporary Cash Investments at September 30, 2010, as shown on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet. For fiscal 2011, the Company expects that it will be able to use cash on hand and cash from operations as its first means of financing capital expenditures, with short-term borrowings being its next source of funding. It is not expected that long-term financing will be required to meet capital expenditure needs until the later part of fiscal 2011 or in fiscal 2012.

 

The possibility of environmental risks associated with a well completion technology referred to as hydraulic fracturing continues to be debated. In Pennsylvania, where the Company is focusing its Marcellus Shale development efforts, the permitting and regulatory processes seem to strike a balance between the environmental concerns associated with hydraulic fracturing and the benefits of increased natural gas production. Hydraulic fracturing is a well stimulation technique that has been used for many years, and in the Company’s experience, one that the Company believes has little impact to the environment. Nonetheless, the potential for increased state or federal regulation of hydraulic fracturing could impact future costs of drilling in the Marcellus Shale and lead to operational delays or restrictions. There is also the risk that drilling could be prohibited on certain acreage that is prospective for the Marcellus Shale. For example, New York State currently has a moratorium in place that prevents hydraulic fracturing of new horizontal wells in the Marcellus Shale. However, due to the small amount of Marcellus Shale acreage owned by the Company in New York State, the moratorium is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s plans for Marcellus Shale development. Please refer to the Risk Factors section above for further discussion.

 

On September 1, 2010, the Company sold its landfill gas operations in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland and Indiana. Those operations consisted of short distance landfill gas pipeline companies engaged in the purchase, sale and transportation of landfill gas. The Company’s landfill gas operations were maintained under the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Horizon LFG. This sale resulted in a $6.3 million gain, net of tax. The decision to sell was based on progressing the Company’s strategy of divesting its smaller, non-core assets in order to focus on its core businesses, including the development of the Marcellus Shale and the construction of key pipeline infrastructure projects throughout the Appalachian region. As a result of the decision to sell the landfill gas operations, the Company began presenting those operations as discontinued operations in September 2010.

 

On September 17, 2010, the Company completed the sale of its sawmill in Marienville, Pennsylvania, including approximately 23 million board feet of logs and timber consisting of yard inventory along with

unexpired timber cutting contracts and certain land and timber holdings designed to provide the purchaser with a supply of logs for the mill. Despite this sale, the Company has retained substantially all of its land and timber holdings, along with mineral rights on land to be sold. The Company will maintain a forestry operation; however, as part of this change in focus, the Company will no longer be processing lumber products. The Company received proceeds of approximately $15.8 million from the sale. In addition, the purchaser assumed approximately $7.4 million in payment obligations under the Company’s timber cutting contracts with various timber suppliers. In addition to the 23 million board feet mentioned above, the Company expects to sell an additional 17 million board feet of logs to the purchaser over a five-year period, during which time the Company anticipates receiving up to an additional $10 million in proceeds. There was not a material impact to earnings from this sale.

 

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

 

The Company has prepared its consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In the event estimates or assumptions prove to be different from actual results, adjustments are made in subsequent periods to reflect more current information. The following is a summary of the Company’s most critical accounting estimates, which are defined as those estimates whereby judgments or uncertainties could affect the application of accounting policies and materially different amounts could be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions. For a complete discussion of the Company’s significant accounting policies, refer to Item 8 at Note A — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

 

Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Costs.  In the Company’s Exploration and Production segment, oil and gas property acquisition, exploration and development costs are capitalized under the full cost method of accounting. Under this accounting methodology, all costs associated with property acquisition, exploration and development activities are capitalized, including internal costs directly identified with acquisition, exploration and development activities. The internal costs that are capitalized do not include any costs related to production, general corporate overhead, or similar activities. The Company does not recognize any gain or loss on the sale or other disposition of oil and gas properties unless the gain or loss would significantly alter the relationship between capitalized costs and proved reserves of oil and gas attributable to a cost center.

 

The Company believes that determining the amount of the Company’s proved reserves is a critical accounting estimate. Proved reserves are estimated quantities of reserves that, based on geologic and engineering data, appear with reasonable certainty to be producible under existing economic and operating conditions. Such estimates of proved reserves are inherently imprecise and may be subject to substantial revisions as a result of numerous factors including, but not limited to, additional development activity, evolving production history and continual reassessment of the viability of production under varying economic conditions. The estimates involved in determining proved reserves are critical accounting estimates because they serve as the basis over which capitalized costs are depleted under the full cost method of accounting (on a units-of-production basis). Unproved properties are excluded from the depletion calculation until proved reserves are found or it is determined that the unproved properties are impaired. All costs related to unproved properties are reviewed quarterly to determine if impairment has occurred. The amount of any impairment is transferred to the pool of capitalized costs being amortized.

 

In addition to depletion under the units-of-production method, proved reserves are a major component in the SEC full cost ceiling test. The full cost ceiling test is an impairment test prescribed by SEC Regulation S-X Rule 4-10. The ceiling test, which is performed each quarter, determines a limit, or ceiling, on the amount of property acquisition, exploration and development costs that can be capitalized. The ceiling under this test represents (a) the present value of estimated future net cash flows, excluding future cash outflows associated with settling asset retirement obligations that have been accrued on the balance sheet, using a discount factor of 10%, which is computed by applying an unweighted arithmetic average of the first day of the month oil and gas prices for each month within the twelve-month period prior to the end of the reporting period (as adjusted for hedging) to estimated future production of proved oil and gas reserves as of the date of the latest balance sheet, less

estimated future expenditures, plus (b) the cost of unevaluated properties not being depleted, less (c) income tax effects related to the differences between the book and tax basis of the properties. The estimates of future production and future expenditures are based on internal budgets that reflect planned production from current wells and expenditures necessary to sustain such future production. The amount of the ceiling can fluctuate significantly from period to period because of additions to or subtractions from proved reserves and significant fluctuations in oil and gas prices. The ceiling is then compared to the capitalized cost of oil and gas properties less accumulated depletion and related deferred income taxes. If the capitalized costs of oil and gas properties less accumulated depletion and related deferred taxes exceeds the ceiling at the end of any fiscal quarter, a non-cash impairment must be recorded to write down the book value of the reserves to their present value. This non-cash impairment cannot be reversed at a later date if the ceiling increases. It should also be noted that a non-cash impairment to write down the book value of the reserves to their present value in any given period causes a reduction in future depletion expense. At September 30, 2010, the ceiling exceeded the book value of the Company’s oil and gas properties by approximately $269.6 million. The 12-month average of the first day of the month price for crude oil for each month during 2010, based on posted Midway Sunset prices, was $69.64 per Bbl. The 12-month average of the first day of the month price for natural gas for each month during 2010, based on the quoted Henry Hub spot price for natural gas, was $4.41 per MMBtu. (Note — Because actual pricing of the Company’s various producing properties varies depending on their location and hedging, the actual various prices received for such production is utilized to calculate the ceiling, rather than the Midway Sunset and Henry Hub prices, which are only indicative of 12-month average prices for 2010.) If natural gas prices used in the ceiling test calculation at September 30, 2010 had been $1 per MMBtu lower, the ceiling would have exceeded the book value of the Company’s oil and gas properties by approximately $152.9 million. If crude oil prices used in the ceiling test calculation at September 30, 2010 had been $5 per Bbl lower, the ceiling would have exceeded the book value of the Company’s oil and gas properties by approximately $221.6 million. If both natural gas and crude oil prices used in the ceiling test calculation at September 30, 2010 were lower by $1 per MMBtu and $5 per Bbl, respectively, the ceiling would have exceeded the book value of the Company’s oil and gas properties by approximately $104.8 million. These calculated amounts are based solely on price changes and do not take into account any other changes to the ceiling test calculation.

 

It is difficult to predict what factors could lead to future impairments under the SEC’s full cost ceiling test. As discussed above, fluctuations in or subtractions from proved reserves and significant fluctuations in oil and gas prices have an impact on the amount of the ceiling at any point in time.

 

In accordance with the current authoritative guidance for asset retirement obligations, the Company records an asset retirement obligation for plugging and abandonment costs associated with the Exploration and Production segment’s crude oil and natural gas wells and capitalizes such costs in property, plant and equipment (i.e. the full cost pool). Under the current authoritative guidance for asset retirement obligations, since plugging and abandonment costs are already included in the full cost pool, the units-of-production depletion calculation excludes from the depletion base any estimate of future plugging and abandonment costs that are already recorded in the full cost pool.

 

As discussed above, the full cost method of accounting provides a ceiling to the amount of costs that can be capitalized in the full cost pool. In accordance with current authoritative guidance, since the full cost pool includes an amount associated with plugging and abandoning the wells, as discussed in the preceding paragraph, the calculation of the full cost ceiling no longer reduces the future net cash flows from proved oil and gas reserves by an estimate of plugging and abandonment costs.

 

Regulation.  The Company is subject to regulation by certain state and federal authorities. The Company, in its Utility and Pipeline and Storage segments, has accounting policies which conform to the FASB authoritative guidance regarding accounting for certain types of regulations, and which are in accordance with the accounting requirements and ratemaking practices of the regulatory authorities. The application of these accounting policies allows the Company to defer expenses and income on the balance sheet as regulatory assets and liabilities when it is probable that those expenses and income will be allowed in the ratesetting process in a period different from the period in which they would have been reflected in the income statement by an unregulated company. These deferred regulatory assets and liabilities are then flowed through the income statement in the period in which the same amounts are reflected in rates. Management’s assessment of the

probability of recovery or pass through of regulatory assets and liabilities requires judgment and interpretation of laws and regulatory commission orders. If, for any reason, the Company ceases to meet the criteria for application of regulatory accounting treatment for all or part of its operations, the regulatory assets and liabilities related to those portions ceasing to meet such criteria would be eliminated from the balance sheet and included in the income statement for the period in which the discontinuance of regulatory accounting treatment occurs. Such amounts would be classified as an extraordinary item. For further discussion of the Company’s regulatory assets and liabilities, refer to Item 8 at Note C — Regulatory Matters.

 

Accounting for Derivative Financial Instruments.  The Company, in its Exploration and Production segment, Energy Marketing segment, and Pipeline and Storage segment, uses a variety of derivative financial instruments to manage a portion of the market risk associated with fluctuations in the price of natural gas and crude oil. These instruments are categorized as price swap agreements and futures contracts. In accordance with the authoritative guidance for derivative instruments and hedging activities, the Company accounted for these instruments as effective cash flow hedges or fair value hedges. Gains or losses associated with the derivative financial instruments are matched with gains or losses resulting from the underlying physical transaction that is being hedged. To the extent that the derivative financial instruments would ever be deemed to be ineffective based on the effectiveness testing, mark-to-market gains or losses from the derivative financial instruments would be recognized in the income statement without regard to an underlying physical transaction.

 

The Company uses both exchange-traded and non exchange-traded derivative financial instruments. The Company adopted the authoritative guidance for fair value measurements during the quarter ended December 31, 2008. As such, the fair value of such derivative financial instruments is determined under the provisions of this guidance. The fair value of exchange traded derivative financial instruments is determined from Level 1 inputs, which are quoted prices in active markets. The Company determines the fair value of non exchange-traded derivative financial instruments based on an internal model, which uses both observable and unobservable inputs other than quoted prices. These inputs are considered Level 2 or Level 3 inputs. All derivative financial instrument assets and liabilities are evaluated for the probability of default by either the counterparty or the Company. Credit reserves are applied against the fair values of such assets or liabilities. Refer to the “Market Risk Sensitive Instruments” section below for further discussion of the Company’s derivative financial instruments.

 

Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefits.  The amounts reported in the Company’s financial statements related to its pension and other post-retirement benefits are determined on an actuarial basis, which uses many assumptions in the calculation of such amounts. These assumptions include the discount rate, the expected return on plan assets, the rate of compensation increase and, for other post-retirement benefits, the expected annual rate of increase in per capita cost of covered medical and prescription benefits. The Company utilizes a yield curve model to determine the discount rate. The yield curve is a spot rate yield curve that provides a zero-coupon interest rate for each year into the future. Each year’s anticipated benefit payments are discounted at the associated spot interest rate back to the measurement date. The discount rate is then determined based on the spot interest rate that results in the same present value when applied to the same anticipated benefit payments. The expected return on plan assets assumption used by the Company reflects the anticipated long-term rate of return on the plan’s current and future assets. The Company utilizes historical investment data, projected capital market conditions, and the plan’s target asset class and investment manager allocations to set the assumption regarding the expected return on plan assets. Changes in actuarial assumptions and actuarial experience, including deviations between actual versus expected return on plan assets, could have a material impact on the amount of pension and post-retirement benefit costs and funding requirements experienced by the Company. However, the Company expects to recover substantially all of its net periodic pension and other post-retirement benefit costs attributable to employees in its Utility and Pipeline and Storage segments in accordance with the applicable regulatory commission authorization. For financial reporting purposes, the difference between the amounts of pension cost and post-retirement benefit cost recoverable in rates and the amounts of such costs as determined under applicable accounting principles is recorded as either a regulatory asset or liability, as appropriate, as discussed above under “Regulation.” Pension and post-retirement benefit costs for the Utility

and Pipeline and Storage segments, as determined under the authoritative guidance for pensions and postretirement benefits, represented 93% of the Company’s total pension and post-retirement benefit costs for the years ended September 30, 2010 and 2009.

 

Changes in actuarial assumptions and actuarial experience could also have an impact on the benefit obligation and the funded status related to the Company’s pension and other post-retirement benefits and could impact the Company’s equity. For example, the discount rate was changed from 5.50% in 2009 to 4.75% in 2010. The change in the discount rate from 2009 to 2010 increased the Retirement Plan projected benefit obligation by $75.1 million and the accumulated post-retirement benefit obligation by $39.4 million. Other examples include actual versus expected return on plan assets, which has an impact on the funded status of the plans, and actual versus expected benefit payments, which has an impact on the pension plan projected benefit obligation and the accumulated post-retirement benefit obligation. For 2010, the actual return on plan assets exceeded the expected return, which improved the funded status of the Retirement Plan ($3.3 million) as well as the VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts ($4.1 million). The actual versus expected benefit payments for 2010 caused a decrease of $4.3 million to the accumulated post-retirement benefit obligation. In calculating the projected benefit obligation for the Retirement Plan and the accumulated post-retirement obligation, the actuary takes into account the average remaining service life of active participants. The average remaining service life of active participants is 9 years for the Retirement Plan and 8 years for those eligible for other post-retirement benefits. For further discussion of the Company’s pension and other post-retirement benefits, refer to Other Matters in this Item 7, which includes a discussion of funding for the current year, and to Item 8 at Note H — Retirement Plan and Other Post Retirement Benefits.

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

EARNINGS

 

2010 Compared with 2009

 

The Company’s earnings were $225.9 million in 2010 compared with earnings of $100.7 million in 2009. As previously discussed, the Company sold its landfill gas operations in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland and Indiana in September 2010. Accordingly, all financial results for those operations, which are part of the All Other category, have been presented as discontinued operations. The Company’s earnings from continuing operations were $219.1 million in 2010 compared with $103.5 million in 2009. The Company’s earnings from discontinued operations were $6.8 million in 2010 compared to a loss of $2.8 million in 2009. The increase in earnings from continuing operations of $115.6 million is primarily the result of higher earnings in the Exploration and Production segment. The Utility and Energy Marketing segments, as well as the All Other category, also contributed to the increase in earnings. Lower earnings in the Pipeline and Storage segment and a higher loss in the Corporate category slightly offset these increases. The increase in earnings from discontinued operations primarily resulted from the gain on the sale of the Company’s landfill gas operations recognized in 2010 as well as the non-recurrence of $2.8 million of impairment charges recognized in 2009 related to certain landfill gas assets. In the discussion that follows, note that all amounts used in the earnings discussions are after-tax amounts, unless otherwise noted. Earnings from continuing operations and discontinued operations were impacted by the following event in 2010 and several events in 2009, including:

 

2010 Event

 

 

2009 Events

 

 

 

2009 Compared with 2008

 

The Company’s earnings were $100.7 million in 2009 compared with earnings of $268.7 million in 2008. The Company’s earnings from continuing operations were $103.5 million in 2009 compared with $266.9 million in 2008. The Company recorded a loss from discontinued operations of $2.8 million in 2009 compared with earnings from discontinued operations of $1.8 million in 2008. Discontinued operations in 2009 and 2008 consisted of the Company’s landfill gas operations in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri, Maryland and Indiana. The decrease in earnings from continuing operations of $163.4 million is primarily the result of lower earnings in the Exploration and Production, Pipeline and Storage and Utility segments and the All Other category, slightly offset by a lower loss in the Corporate category and higher earnings in the Energy Marketing segment, as shown in the table below. The loss from discontinued operations in 2009 compared to earnings from discontinued operations in 2008 reflects the recognition of $2.8 million of impairment charges in 2009 related to certain landfill gas assets. Earnings from continuing operations and discontinued operations were impacted by the 2009 events discussed above and the following 2008 event:

 

2008 Event

 

 

Earnings (Loss) by Segment

 

UTILITY

 

Revenues

 

Utility Operating Revenues

 

 

Utility Throughput — million cubic feet (MMcf)

 

 

Degree Days

 

 

 

 

2010 Compared with 2009

 

Operating revenues for the Utility segment decreased $293.2 million in 2010 compared with 2009. This decrease largely resulted from a $315.6 million decrease in retail gas sales revenues, a $1.8 million decrease in transportation revenues, and a $1.2 million decrease in other operating revenues. These were partially offset by a $25.4 million increase in off-system sales revenue.

 

The decrease in retail gas sales revenues of $315.6 million was largely a function of warmer weather and lower gas costs (subject to certain timing variations, gas costs are recovered dollar for dollar in revenues). The recovery of lower gas costs resulted from a lower cost of purchased gas combined with the refunding of previously over-recovered purchased gas costs. See further discussion of purchased gas below under the heading “Purchased Gas.”

 

The increase in off-system sales revenues of $25.4 million was largely due to the Utility segment not engaging in off-system sales from November 2008 through October 2009. This was due to Order No. 717 (“Final Rule”), which was issued by the FERC on October 16, 2008. The Final Rule seemingly held that a local distribution company making off-system sales on unaffiliated pipelines would be engaging in “marketing” that would require Distribution Corporation to substantially modify its operations in order to assure compliance with the FERC’s standards of conduct. Accordingly, pending clarification of this issue from the FERC, as of November 1, 2008, Distribution Corporation ceased off-system sales activities. On October 15, 2009, the FERC released Order No. 717-A, which clarified that a local distribution company making off-system sales of gas that has been transported on non-affiliated pipelines is not subject to the FERC standards of conduct. In light of and in reliance on this clarification, Distribution Corporation determined that it could resume engaging in off-system sales on non-affiliated pipelines. Such off-system sales resumed in November 2009. Due to profit sharing with retail customers, the margins resulting from off-system sales are minimal and there was not a material impact to earnings.

 

The decrease in transportation revenues of $1.8 million was primarily due to warmer weather and the resulting decrease in transportation volumes for residential and commercial customers. While there was a slight increase in transportation volumes of 0.4 Bcf for all revenue classes, this was largely due to an increase in throughput for large industrial customers. Margins associated with large industrial customers do not have a significant impact on transportation revenues. The decrease in other operating revenues of $1.2 million is largely due to a decrease in late payment revenue, caused by a decrease in gas costs.

 

2009 Compared with 2008

 

Operating revenues for the Utility segment decreased $97.2 million in 2009 compared with 2008. This decrease largely resulted from a $54.5 million decrease in off-system sales revenue (see discussion below), a $33.6 million decrease in retail gas sales revenues, a $2.4 million decrease in transportation revenues, and a $6.7 million decrease in other operating revenues.

 

The decrease in retail gas sales revenues of $33.6 million was largely a function of the recovery of lower gas costs (subject to certain timing variations, gas costs are recovered dollar for dollar in revenues). The recovery of lower gas costs resulted from a much lower cost of purchased gas. See further discussion of purchased gas below under the heading “Purchased Gas.” The decrease in transportation revenues of $2.4 million was primarily due to a 4.5 Bcf decrease in transportation throughput, largely the result of customer conservation efforts and the poor economy.

 

In the New York jurisdiction, the NYPSC issued an order providing for an annual rate increase of $1.8 million beginning December 28, 2007. As part of this rate order, a rate design change was adopted that shifts a greater amount of cost recovery into the minimum bill amount, thus spreading the recovery of such costs more evenly throughout the year. As a result of this rate order, retail and transportation revenues for 2009 were $2.2 million lower than revenues for 2008.

 

The Utility segment had off-system sales revenues of $3.7 million and $58.2 million for 2009 and 2008, respectively. Due to profit sharing with retail customers, the margins resulting from off-system sales are minimal and there was not a material impact to margins in 2009 and 2008. The decrease in off-system sales revenue stemmed from Order No. 717 (“Final Rule”), as discussed above.

The decrease in other operating revenues of $6.7 million is largely related to amounts recorded in 2008 pursuant to rate settlements approved by the NYPSC. In accordance with these settlements, Distribution Corporation was allowed to utilize certain refunds from upstream pipeline companies and certain other credits (referred to as the “cost mitigation reserve”) to offset certain specific expense items. In 2008, Distribution Corporation utilized $5.6 million of the cost mitigation reserve, which increased other operating revenues, to recover previous undercollections of pension expenses. In 2009, Distribution Corporation utilized only $0.2 million of the cost mitigation reserve. The impact of this $5.4 million decrease in other operating revenues was offset by an equal decrease to operation and maintenance expense (thus there was no earnings impact).

 

Purchased Gas

 

The cost of purchased gas is the Company’s single largest operating expense. Annual variations in purchased gas costs are attributed directly to changes in gas sales volumes, the price of gas purchased and the operation of purchased gas adjustment clauses. Distribution Corporation recorded $428.4 million, $713.2 million and $800.5 million of Purchased Gas Expense during 2010, 2009 and 2008, respectively. Under its purchased gas adjustment clauses in New York and Pennsylvania, Distribution Corporation is not allowed to profit from fluctuations in gas costs. Purchased gas expense recorded on the consolidated income statement matches the revenues collected from customers, a component of Operating Revenues on the consolidated income statement. Under mechanisms approved by the NYPSC in New York and the PaPUC in Pennsylvania, any difference between actual purchased gas costs and what has been collected from the customer is deferred on the consolidated balance sheet as either an asset, Unrecovered Purchased Gas Costs, or a liability, Amounts Payable to Customers. These deferrals are subsequently collected from the customer or passed back to the customer, subject to review by the NYPSC and the PaPUC. Absent disallowance of full recovery of Distribution Corporation’s purchased gas costs, such costs do not impact the profitability of the Company. Purchased gas costs impact cash flow from operations due to the timing of recovery of such costs versus the actual purchased gas costs incurred during a particular period. Distribution Corporation’s purchased gas adjustment clauses seek to mitigate this impact by adjusting revenues on either a quarterly or monthly basis.

 

Currently, Distribution Corporation has contracted for long-term firm transportation capacity with Supply Corporation, Empire and six other upstream pipeline companies, for long-term gas supplies with a combination of producers and marketers, and for storage service with Supply Corporation and two nonaffiliated companies. In addition, Distribution Corporation satisfies a portion of its gas requirements through spot market purchases. Changes in wellhead prices have a direct impact on the cost of purchased gas. Distribution Corporation’s average cost of purchased gas, including the cost of transportation and storage, was $7.13 per Mcf in 2010, a decrease of 13% from the average cost of $8.17 per Mcf in 2009. The average cost of purchased gas in 2009 was 27% lower than the average cost of $11.23 per Mcf in 2008. Additional discussion of the Utility segment’s gas purchases appears under the heading “Sources and Availability of Raw Materials” in Item 1.

 

Earnings

 

2010 Compared with 2009

 

The Utility segment’s earnings in 2010 were $62.5 million, an increase of $3.8 million when compared with earnings of $58.7 million in 2009.

 

In the New York jurisdiction, earnings increased by $1.8 million. The positive earnings impact associated with lower operating expenses of $1.5 million (primarily a decrease in bad debt expense slightly offset by an increase in personnel costs) and routine regulatory adjustments ($1.4 million) were partially offset by a $1.2 million decrease in late payment revenue (due to lower gas costs) and higher income tax expense of $0.3 million.

 

The impact of weather on the Utility segment’s New York rate jurisdiction is tempered by a weather normalization clause (WNC). The WNC, which covers the eight-month period from October through May, has had a stabilizing effect on earnings for the New York rate jurisdiction. In addition, in periods of colder than normal weather, the WNC benefits the Utility segment’s New York customers. For 2010, the WNC preserved

earnings of approximately $1.3 million, as the weather was warmer than normal. For 2009, the WNC reduced earnings by approximately $0.2 million, as the weather was colder than normal.

 

In the Pennsylvania jurisdiction, earnings increased by $2.0 million. The positive earnings impact associated with a lower effective tax rate ($5.1 million) and lower operating expenses of $2.8 million were the main factors in the earnings increase. The effective tax rate impact is attributable to a lower state income tax expense in 2010 as a result of the pass-back to customers of over-collected gas costs. The decrease in operating expenses was primarily attributable to a decrease in bad debt expense. These factors were partially offset by lower usage per account ($2.1 million), higher interest expense ($2.1 million), warmer weather ($0.8 million) and routine regulatory true-up adjustments ($0.2 million). The phrase “usage per account” refers to average gas consumption per account after factoring out any impact that weather may have had on consumption. The increase in interest expense was partially due to the Company’s April 2009 debt issuance that was issued at a significantly higher interest rate than the debt that had matured in March 2009. In addition, accrued interest on deferred gas costs increased as a result of the over-recovery of gas costs during fiscal 2009.

 

2009 Compared with 2008

 

The Utility segment’s earnings in 2009 were $58.7 million, a decrease of $2.8 million when compared with earnings of $61.5 million in 2008.

 

In the New York jurisdiction, earnings decreased by $3.0 million. This was primarily due to an increase in interest expense ($2.9 million) stemming from the borrowing by the New York jurisdiction of Distribution Corporation of a portion of the Company’s April 2009 debt issuance. The April 2009 debt was issued at a significantly higher interest rate than the interest rates on debt that had matured in March 2009. The negative earnings impact of the December 28, 2007 rate order discussed above ($1.4 million) and routine regulatory adjustments ($0.7 million) also contributed to the decrease. The decrease was partially offset by a $2.6 million overall reduction in operating expenses (mostly other post-retirement benefits and pension expense).

 

In 2009, the WNC reduced earnings by approximately $0.2 million, as the weather was colder than normal. In 2008, the WNC preserved earnings of approximately $2.5 million, as the weather was warmer than normal.

 

In the Pennsylvania jurisdiction, earnings increased by $0.2 million. This was primarily due to the positive earnings impact of colder weather ($2.1 million), routine regulatory adjustments ($0.5 million) and lower operating expenses ($0.9 million). A decrease in normalized usage per account ($2.3 million), a higher effective tax rate ($1.4 million) and an increase in interest expense ($0.2 million) partially offset these increases. The phrase “usage per account” refers to the average gas consumption per customer account after factoring out any impact that weather may have had on consumption.

PIPELINE AND STORAGE

 

Revenues

 

Pipeline and Storage Operating Revenues

 

 

Pipeline and Storage Throughput — (MMcf)

 

 

Operating revenues for the Pipeline and Storage segment decreased $0.4 million in 2010 as compared with 2009. The decrease was due to a decrease in interruptible transportation revenues of $1.3 million largely due to a decrease in the gathering rate under Supply Corporation’s tariff. Also contributing to the decrease was a decrease in cashout revenues of $0.3 million (reported as a part of other revenue in the table above). Cashout revenues are completely offset by purchased gas expense and as a result have no impact on earnings. Offsetting the decrease was an increase in efficiency gas revenues of $1.3 million (reported as a part of other revenue in the table above) due to higher efficiency gas volumes and a significantly lower efficiency gas inventory write down in 2010 versus 2009. These increases to efficiency gas revenues were partially offset by lower gas prices and a lower gain, period over period, on the sale of retained efficiency gas volumes held in inventory. Under Supply Corporation’s tariff with shippers, Supply Corporation is allowed to retain a set percentage of shipper-supplied gas to cover compressor fuel costs and for other operational purposes. To the extent that Supply Corporation does not need all of the gas to cover such operational needs, it is allowed to keep the excess gas as inventory. That inventory is later sold to buyers on the open market. The excess gas that is retained as inventory, as well as any gains resulting from the sale of such inventory, represent efficiency gas revenue to Supply Corporation. Also offsetting the decrease in revenues was an increase in firm transportation revenues of $0.3 million. This increase was primarily the result of higher revenues from the Empire Connector, which was placed in service in December 2008, partially offset by a reduction in the level of short-term contracts entered into by shippers period over period as such shippers utilized lower priced pipeline transportation routes.

 

Transportation volume decreased by 50.8 Bcf in 2010 as compared with 2009. These decreases were largely due to shippers seeking alternative lower priced gas supply (and in some cases, not renewing short-term transportation contracts) combined with warmer weather and lower industrial demand. The reason shippers are seeking lower priced gas supply is primarily because of the relatively higher price of natural gas supplies available at the United States/Canadian border at the Niagara River near Buffalo, New York compared to the lower pricing for supplies available at Leidy, Pennsylvania. Empire’s proposed Tioga County Extension Project and Supply Corporation’s “Northern Access” expansion project, both of which are discussed in the Investing Cash Flow

section that follows, are designed to utilize that available pipeline capacity by receiving natural gas produced from the Marcellus Shale and transporting it to Canada and the Northeast United States where demand has been growing. Much of the impact of lower volumes is offset by the straight fixed-variable rate design utilized by Supply Corporation and Empire. However, this rate design does not protect Supply Corporation or Empire in situations where shippers do not contract for that capacity at the same quantity and rate. In that situation, Supply Corporation or Empire can propose revised rates and services in a rate case at the FERC.

 

2009 Compared with 2008

 

Operating revenues for the Pipeline and Storage segment increased $2.7 million in 2009 as compared with 2008. The increase was primarily due to a $15.6 million increase in transportation revenue primarily due to higher revenues from the Empire Connector and new contracts for transportation service. Partially offsetting this increase, efficiency gas revenues decreased $11.5 million. The majority of this decrease was due to significantly lower gas prices in 2009 as compared to 2008.

 

Earnings

 

2010 Compared with 2009

 

The Pipeline and Storage segment’s earnings in 2010 were $36.7 million, a decrease of $10.7 million when compared with earnings of $47.4 million in 2009. The decrease in earnings is primarily due to a decrease in the allowance for funds used during construction ($2.3 million), higher operating costs ($4.5 million), higher property taxes ($2.0 million), higher interest expense ($3.1 million) and higher depreciation expense ($0.5 million). Lower transportation revenues of $0.7 million, as discussed above, also contributed to the earnings decrease. The decrease in allowance for funds used during construction (equity component) is a result of the construction of the Empire Connector, which was completed and placed in service on December 10, 2008. The increase in operating expenses can primarily be attributed to higher pension expense, higher personnel costs, and an increase in corrosion logging expenses associated with Supply Corporation’s storage wells. The increase in property taxes is primarily a result of additional property taxes and higher payments in lieu of taxes associated with the Empire Connector. The increase in interest expense can be attributed to higher debt balances and a higher average interest rate on borrowings combined with a decrease in the allowance for borrowed funds used during construction resulting from the completion of the Empire Connector. The increase in the average interest rate stems from the Company’s April 2009 debt issuance. The increase in depreciation expense is primarily the result of the Empire Connector being placed in service in December 2008. These earnings decreases were partially offset by the earnings impact associated with higher efficiency gas revenues ($0.8 million), as discussed above, and lower income tax expense ($1.4 million) due to a lower effective tax rate.

 

2009 Compared with 2008

 

The Pipeline and Storage segment’s earnings in 2009 were $47.4 million, a decrease of $6.7 million when compared with earnings of $54.1 million in 2008. The decrease was primarily due to the earnings impact associated with a decrease in efficiency gas revenues ($7.5 million), as discussed above. In addition, higher interest expense ($5.1 million), higher depreciation expense ($1.5 million), and a decrease in the allowance for funds used during construction ($2.0 million) also contributed to the decrease in earnings. The increase in interest expense can be attributed to higher debt balances and a higher average interest rate on borrowings. The increase in the average interest rate stems from the Company’s April 2009 debt issuance. The increase in depreciation expense can be attributed primarily to a revision of accumulated depreciation combined with the increased depreciation associated with placing the Empire Connector in service in December 2008. The decrease in the allowance for funds used during construction was due to completion of the Empire Connector project in December 2008. Whereas the allowance for funds used during construction related to the Empire Connector project was recorded throughout 2008, it was only recorded for three months in 2009. These earnings decreases were partially offset by the earnings impact associated with higher transportation revenues ($9.7 million), as discussed above.

EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION

 

Revenues

 

Exploration and Production Operating Revenues

 

 

 

 

Production

 

Average Prices

 

 

 

 

2010 Compared with 2009

 

Operating revenues for the Exploration and Production segment increased $55.3 million in 2010 as compared with 2009. Gas production revenue after hedging increased $28.7 million primarily due to production increases in the Appalachian division. The increase in Appalachian natural gas production was mainly due to Marcellus Shale production that came on line during fiscal 2010, primarily in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Increases in natural gas production were partially offset by a $0.90 per Mcf decrease in the weighted average price of gas after hedging. Oil production revenue after hedging increased $23.3 million due to an increase in the weighted average price of oil after hedging ($10.31 per Bbl), while oil production levels were slightly lower in fiscal 2010. In addition, there was a $2.9 million increase in gross processing plant revenues (net of eliminations) due to an increase in the commodity prices of residual gas and liquids sold at Seneca’s processing plants in the West Coast region.

 

Refer to further discussion of derivative financial instruments in the “Market Risk Sensitive Instruments” section that follows. Refer to the tables above for production and price information.

 

2009 Compared with 2008

 

Operating revenues for the Exploration and Production segment decreased $84.0 million in 2009 as compared with 2008. Gas production revenue after hedging decreased $47.6 million primarily due to a $2.11 per Mcf decrease in weighted average prices after hedging. Gas production was virtually flat with the prior year as production decreases in the Gulf Coast region were substantially offset by production increases in the Appalachian region. The decrease in gas production that occurred in the Gulf Coast region (1,147 MMcf) was a result of lingering shut-ins caused by Hurricanes Edouard, Gustav and Ike in September 2008. While Seneca’s properties sustained only superficial damage from the hurricanes, two significant producing properties were shut-in for a significant portion of the current fiscal year due to repair work on third party pipelines and onshore processing facilities. One of the properties was back on line by March 31, 2009 and the other property was back on line by the end of April 2009. The increase in gas production in the Appalachian region of 1,066 MMcf resulted from additional wells drilled throughout fiscal 2008 that came on line in 2009. Oil production revenue after hedging decreased $31.9 million due to a $16.81 per barrel decrease in weighted average prices after hedging, which more than offset an increase in oil production of 303,000 barrels (primarily from the West Coast and Gulf Coast regions). In addition, there was a $5.9 million decrease in gross processing plant revenues (net of

eliminations) due to a reduction in the commodity prices of residual gas and liquids sold at Seneca’s processing plants in the West Coast and Appalachian regions.

 

Refer to further discussion of derivative financial instruments in the “Market Risk Sensitive Instruments” section that follows. Refer to the tables above for production and price information.

 

Earnings

 

2010 Compared with 2009

 

The Exploration and Production segment’s earnings for 2010 were $112.5 million, compared with a loss of $10.2 million for 2009, an increase of $122.7 million. The increase in earnings is primarily the result of the non-recurrence of an impairment charge of $108.2 million during the quarter ended December 31, 2008, as discussed above in the Overview section. Higher natural gas production and higher crude oil prices increased earnings by $36.3 million and $21.6 million, respectively. Higher processing plant revenues ($1.9 million) largely due to an increase in commodity prices of residual gas and liquids sold at Seneca’s processing plants in the West Coast region further contributed to an increase in earnings. Lower interest expense ($1.6 million) due to a lower average amount of debt outstanding and the capitalization of interest further contributed to an increase in earnings. In addition, lower general and administrative and other operating expenses ($1.2 million) increased earnings. The decrease in general and administrative and other operating expenses primarily reflects variations between actual plugging and abandonment costs incurred versus amounts previously accrued for such properties. During 2010, actual plugging and abandonment costs incurred were less than the liability that had been established for such properties, resulting in a gain. The decrease in general and administrative and other operating expenses also reflects a decrease in bad debt expense. Higher personnel costs, primarily in the Appalachian region, partially offset these decreases. Lower natural gas prices ($17.7 million) and lower crude oil production ($6.5 million) partially offset the increase in earnings. In addition, the earnings increases noted above were partially offset by higher depletion expense ($10.0 million), the earnings impact associated with higher income tax expense ($7.2 million), higher lease operating expenses ($6.1 million), and lower interest income ($0.9 million). The increase in depletion expense was primarily due to an increase in production and depletable base (largely due to increased capital spending in the Appalachian region). The increase in income tax expense in 2010 is attributable to the loss of a domestic production activities deduction for fiscal 2010, the non-recurrence of a Corporate tax benefit received in the prior year, and higher state income taxes. Lease operating expenses increased due to higher steaming costs in California, additional production properties related to the acquisition of Ivanhoe Energy’s United States oil and gas properties in July 2009, an increase in the costs associated with a higher number of producing properties in the Appalachian region, primarily within the Marcellus Shale, and higher production taxes. The reduction in interest income was largely due to lower interest rates on cash investment balances.

 

2009 Compared with 2008

 

The Exploration and Production segment’s loss for 2009 was $10.2 million, compared with earnings of $146.6 million for 2008, a decrease of $156.8 million. The decrease in earnings is primarily the result of an impairment charge of $108.2 million, as discussed above. In addition, lower crude oil prices, lower natural gas prices, and lower natural gas production decreased earnings by $36.9 million, $30.6 million, and $0.3 million, respectively, while higher crude oil production increased earnings by $16.1 million. Lower interest income ($5.5 million) and higher operating expenses ($1.7 million) further reduced earnings. In addition, there was a $3.8 million decrease in earnings caused by a reduction in the commodity prices of residual gas and liquids sold at Seneca’s processing plants in the West Coast and Appalachian regions. The decrease in interest income is due to lower interest rates and lower temporary cash investment balances. The increase in operating expenses is due to an increase in bad debt expense as a result of a customer’s bankruptcy filing, and higher personnel costs in the Appalachian region. These earnings decreases were partially offset by lower interest expense ($5.4 million), lower lease operating costs ($2.6 million), lower depletion expense ($0.9 million), and lower income tax expense ($4.2 million). The decline in interest expense is primarily due to a lower average amount of debt outstanding. The reduction in lease operating expenses is primarily due to a reduction in steam fuel costs in the West Coast region and lower production taxes in the Gulf Coast region. The decrease in depletion is primarily

due to a lower full cost pool balance after the impairment charge taken during the quarter ended December 31, 2008.

 

ENERGY MARKETING

 

Revenues