About EDGAR Online | Login
 
The following is an excerpt from a S-1 SEC Filing, filed by COFFEYVILLE RESOURCES, INC. on 2/11/2005.
Next Section Next Section Previous Section Previous Section
COFFEYVILLE RESOURCES, INC. - S-1 - 20050211 - MANAGEMENTS_DISCUSSION


MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

         You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with our financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, but not limited to those set forth under "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this prospectus.

Overview and Executive Summary

        We are one of the largest independent high complexity petroleum refiners and marketers in the mid-continental U.S. and the lowest cost producer and marketer of upgraded nitrogen fertilizer products in North America. Our operations are organized into two business segments: petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer. Our petroleum business includes a complex oil refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas, a crude oil gathering system throughout Kansas and Northern Oklahoma, and storage and terminalling facilities for asphalt and refined fuels in Phillipsburg, Kansas. Our refinery operates in close proximity to our primary customer base and benefits from favorable crude oil supply and product distribution logistics. Our nitrogen fertilizer business in Coffeyville, Kansas, includes a petroleum coke gasification plant that produces high purity hydrogen that is converted to ammonia at our ammonia plant and upgraded to urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) at our UAN plant. We operate the only nitrogen fertilizer plant in North America utilizing a coke gasification process to generate hydrogen feedstock that is further converted to ammonia for the production of nitrogen fertilizers. This currently provides us with a significant competitive advantage due to the high prevailing and volatile natural gas prices.

Factors Affecting Comparability

        Our results over the past three years and over the nine months ended September 30, 2003 and 2004 have been influenced by the following factors, which are fundamental to understanding comparisons of our period-to-period financial performance.

        Coffeyville Group Holdings, LLC was formed in 2003 by an investor group led by Pegasus specifically for the acquisition Farmland's petroleum business and a nitrogen fertilizer plant. On March 3, 2004, Coffeyville Group Holdings, LLC completed the acquisition of certain assets of Farmland that comprise our business. As a result, financial information as of and for the periods prior to March 3, 2004 discussed below and included elsewhere in this prospectus was derived from the financial statements and reporting systems of Farmland. Prior to March 3, 2004, Farmland's petroleum division was primarily comprised of our current petroleum business. Our nitrogen fertilizer plant, however, was only one facility within Farmland's eight-plant nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing and marketing division.

        A new basis of accounting was established on the date of the transaction and, therefore, the financial position and operating results after March 3, 2004 are not consistent with the operating results before the acquisition date. However, management believes the most practical way to comment on the results of operations due to the short period from January 1, 2004 to March 2, 2004 is to compare the sum of the operating results for both periods in 2004 with the corresponding period in 2003.

        Our financial statements prior to March 3, 2004 reflect an allocation of certain general corporate expenses of Farmland, including general and corporate insurance, property insurance, corporate retirement and benefits, human resource and payroll department salaries, facility costs, information services, and information systems support. For the years ended December 31, 2001, 2002 and 2003, and for the 62 day period ending March 2, 2004, these costs allocated to our businesses were approximately $4.2 million, $6.3 million, $12.7 million and $3.8 million, respectively. Our financial statements prior to March 2, 2004 also reflect an allocation of interest expense from Farmland. These allocations were

39



made by Farmland on a basis deemed meaningful for their internal management needs and may not be representative of the actual expense levels required to operate the businesses at that time or as they have been operated after March 3, 2004.

        The financial statements for our nitrogen fertilizer business prior to February 2002 reflect the impact of an operating lease structure utilized by Farmland to finance our nitrogen fertilizer plant. The cost of this plant under the operating lease was $263.0 million and the rental payments were $18.7 million and $0.3 million for the periods ended December 31, 2001 and 2002, respectively. In February 2002, Farmland refinanced the operating lease into a secured loan structure, which effectively terminated the lease and all of Farmland's obligations under the lease.

        During 2002, our refinery was shut down for approximately six weeks in order to perform planned major maintenance. We reported costs of $17.0 million associated with this shutdown using the direct expense method of accounting and included this expense in the cost of sales during 2002. We have planned major maintenance scheduled at our refinery for late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter in 2006 and 2010.

        In December 2002, Farmland implemented Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 144, resulting in a reorganization expense from the impairment of long-lived assets. Under this Statement, recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. It was determined that the carrying amount of the petroleum assets and the carrying amount of our nitrogen fertilizer plant in Coffeyville exceeded their estimated future undiscounted net cash flows and, as a result, impairment charges of $144.3 million and $230.8 million were recognized for each of the refinery and fertilizer assets, based on Farmland's best assumptions regarding the use and eventual disposition of those assets. In 2003, as a result of additional information acquired through the bankruptcy court's sales process, Farmland revised its estimate for the amount to be generated from the disposition of these assets, and an additional impairment charge was taken. The charge to earnings in 2003 was $4.0 million and $5.7 million, respectively, for the refinery and fertilizer assets.

        During the first 11 months of 2001, Farmland operated a joint venture with CHS, Inc. called Country Energy, LLC. During this period, our refinery's output was marketed on an agency basis and sales for Farmland's petroleum business included 41% of all sales sold through Country Energy. These sales included CHS's portion of the output of the NCRA refinery at McPherson, Kansas, CHS's refinery at Laurel, Montana and our refinery, as well as gasoline and distillates purchased from third parties for resale, and wholesale propane, lubricants and petroleum products. After the termination of the joint venture, Farmland entered into a propane marketing and sale agreement with CHS which also had an impact on the financial results of Farmland's petroleum division during that 11 month period. Country Energy's and Farmland's interests in the propane marketing and sale agreement were sold to CHS in November 2001 for a gain of $18.0 million. After these transactions, the petroleum business revenue consisted primarily of the output of the Coffeyville refinery.

        In December 2001, Farmland entered into an agreement to sell to CHS all of Farmland's refined products produced at the Coffeyville refinery through November 2003. The selling price for this production was set by reference to daily market prices within a defined geographic region. Subsequent to the expiration of this contract, the petroleum business began marketing its refined products in the open market to multiple customers.

        During the first quarter of 2001, our nitrogen fertilizer plant was in the startup and commissioning phase. As a result, our intermittent operations of the plant and production during that quarter are not representative of the current operations of our nitrogen fertilizer plant.

        For the periods ending December 31, 2001, 2002, 2003 and the first 62 days of 2004, Farmland's sales of nitrogen fertilizer products were subject to a marketing agreement with Agriliance, LLC. Under the agreement, Agriliance was responsible for marketing substantially all of Farmland's nitrogen

40



fertilizer products in return for a commission, represented as a percentage of dollar sales volume. Over this period, the stated commission rate varied from 7.0% to 2.5% depending on the time period, the product and the customer. In 2001 through 2003 the favorable impact on gross margins would have been in the range of $2.0 million to $4.5 million per year. In addition to the direct impact of the discounts offered to Agriliance, there were indirect impacts on the earnings as result of the business being a part of a larger marketing effort and product being shipped longer distances to avoid competing with other Farmland facilities or facilities from which Agriliance was acquiring product. Such effects are difficult to quantify and may make period to period comparisons of our results less meaningful. Subsequent to our acquisition of the nitrogen fertilizer business, we began selling our nitrogen fertilizer products directly to dealers and distributors and focused on customers that were the most freight logical to our facility.

        On May 31, 2002, Farmland filed for bankruptcy. One of the most significant consequences to the petroleum business was the inability of Farmland to acquire its desired crude slate and the necessity for Farmland to prepay for crude oil. We have not been required to make similar prepayments for our crude oil supply since we commenced operations as a stand-alone entity. The impact of this and other factors is difficult to quantify and may make period to period comparisons of our results less meaningful.

Industry Factors

        Earnings for our petroleum business depend largely on refining industry margins, which have been and continue to be volatile. Crude oil and refined product prices depend on factors beyond our control. While it is impossible to predict refining margins due to the uncertainties associated with global crude oil supply and global and domestic demand for refined products, we believe that refining margins for U.S. refineries will generally remain above those experienced in the period from and including 1998 through 2003 as growth in demand for refining products in the U.S., particularly transportation fuels, continues to exceed the ability of domestic refiners to increase capacity. In addition, global supply and other factors have constricted the extent to which product importation to the U.S. can relieve domestic supply deficits. This phenomenon is more pronounced in our marketing region, where demand for refined products has exceeded refining production by approximately 38% since 1997.

        Over the first nine months of 2004, the market price of distillates relative to crude oil was above average due to low industry inventories and strong consumer demand brought about by the relatively cold winter weather in the Midwest and high natural gas prices. This phenomenon led to an increase in industrial users switching from natural gas to fuel oil and the markets anticipation of a fuel oil deficit in the winter of 2003-2004. In addition, gasoline margins were above average, and substantially so during the spring and summer driving seasons, primarily because of very low pre-driving season inventories exacerbated by high demand growth. The increased demand for refined products due to the relatively cold winter and the decreased supply due to high turnaround activity led to increasing refining margins during the early part of 2004.

        When product demand spikes, this demand is met largely by refineries capable of processing only light/sweet crude. This is due to the fact that a majority of refineries are equipped to process only light/sweet crude. This puts upward pressure on light/sweet crude pricing. As a result, refineries such as ours, which can process heavy/sour crudes are able to benefit. This is evident in market conditions such as those that existed in 2004 when refining margins widened.

        Average discounts for sour and heavy sour crude oil compared to sweet crude increased in the first nine months of 2004 from already favorable 2003 levels due to increasing worldwide production of sour and heavy sour crude oil relative to the worldwide production of light sweet crude oil coupled with the continuing demand for light sweet crude oil. In 2003, the discount for West Texas Sour (WTS) versus West Texas Intermediate (WTI) widened to $2.75 per barrel and this sweet/sour spread continues to exceed recent average historic levels. WTI continues to trade at a premium to WTS due to continued

41



high demand for sweet crude oil resulting from the more stringent fuel specifications implemented in the United States and Europe and the higher margins for light products. We expect to continue to recognize significant benefits from our ability to meet current fuel specifications using predominantly heavy and medium sour crude oil feedstocks as the discount for heavy and medium sour crude oil compared to WTI continues at its current level.

        We expect refined product supply and demand balances to tighten worldwide as growth in demand for refined products is expected to exceed net capacity growth, particularly for transportation fuels. We expect that a portion of the supply growth due to new capacity built by foreign refiners and the continued de-bottlenecking and expansion of existing refineries will likely be offset by more stringent environmental specifications that will place further supply pressure on clean fuel availability resulting from the high capital requirements to meet worldwide low-sulfur gasoline and diesel specifications. We expect that the worldwide growth in the production of sour and heavy sour crude oil will continue to exceed increases in the production of light sweet crude oil and that this, along with the continuing demand for light sweet crude oil, will support a wide spread between the prices of light sweet and heavy sour crude oil. Our refinery is able to extract economic benefit under these conditions because of its ability to accommodate heavy crude in the crude slate and retain value from the by-products of that refining process.

        Earnings for our nitrogen fertilizer business depend largely on the prices of nitrogen fertilizer products, the floor price of which is directly influenced by natural gas prices. Natural gas prices have been and continue to be volatile. We expect nitrogen fertilizer product prices to remain high by historical standards as well as continued growth in demand for nitrogen fertilizer products in the U.S., particularly for UAN. This trend is more pronounced in our region, the Midwest, where demand for nitrogen fertilizer products has exceeded production and there is limited fertilizer transportation infrastructure. We believe this will continue to provide us with relatively high margins on our nitrogen fertilizer products.

Factors Affecting Results

    Petroleum Business

        In our petroleum business, earnings and cash flow from operations are primarily affected by the relationship between refined product prices and the prices for crude oil and other feedstocks. The cost to acquire feedstocks and the price for which refined products are ultimately sold depends on factors beyond our control, including the supply of, and demand for, crude oil, as well as gasoline and other refined products which, in turn, depend on, among other factors, changes in domestic and foreign economies, weather conditions, domestic and foreign political affairs, production levels, the availability of imports, the marketing of competitive fuels and the extent of government regulation. While our net sales fluctuate significantly with movements in crude oil prices, these prices do not generally have a direct long-term relationship to net earnings. Because we apply first-in, first-out accounting to value our inventory, crude oil price movements may impact net earnings in the short term because of instantaneous changes in the value of the minimally required, unhedged on hand inventory. The effect of changes in crude oil prices on our results of operations is influenced by the rate at which the prices of refined products adjust to reflect such changes.

        Feedstock and refined product prices are also affected by other factors, such as product pipeline capacity, local market conditions and the operating levels of competing refineries. Crude oil costs and the price of refined products have historically been subject to wide fluctuations. An expansion or upgrade of our competitors' facilities, price volatility, international political and economic developments and other factors beyond our control are likely to continue to play an important role in refining industry economics. These factors can impact, among other things, the level of inventories in the market resulting in price volatility and a reduction in product margins. Moreover, the industry typically experiences seasonal fluctuations in demand for refined products, such as increases in the demand for

42



gasoline during the summer driving season and for home heating oil during the winter, primarily in the Northeast. For further details on the economics of refining, see "Industry Overview—Oil Refining—Industry Economics of Refining."

        In order to assess our operating performance, we compare our gross margin against an industry gross margin benchmark. The industry gross margin is calculated by assuming that five barrels of benchmark light sweet crude oil is converted, or cracked, into three barrels of conventional gasoline and two barrels of distillate. This is referred to as the 5-3-2 crack spread. Because we calculate the benchmark margin using the market value of New York gasoline and diesel fuel against the market value of West Texas Intermediate crude oil, we refer to the benchmark as the New York 5-3-2 crack spread, or simply, the 5-3-2 crack spread. The 5-3-2 crack spread is expressed in dollars per barrel and is a proxy for the per barrel margin that a sweet crude refinery would earn assuming it produced and sold the benchmark production of conventional gasoline and distillate.

        Because our refinery has certain feedstock costs and/or logistical advantages as compared to a benchmark refinery, our gross margin generally exceeds the 5-3-2 crack spread by a significant amount. Our refinery is able to process significant quantities of heavy and medium sour crude oil that has historically cost less than WTI crude oil. We measure the cost advantage of our crude oil slate by calculating the spread between the price of our delivered crude oil, to the price of WTI crude oil, a light crude oil. The spread is referred to as our consumed crude differential. Our consumed crude differential will move directionally with changes in the WTS differential to WTI and the Maya differential to WTI as both these differentials indicate the relative price of heavier, more sour slate to WTI. The correlation between our consumed crude differential and published differentials will vary depending on the volume of heavy medium sour crude we purchase as a percent of our total crude volume and will correlate more closely with such published differentials the heavier and more sour the crude oil slate.

        The value of our products is also an important consideration in understanding our results. We produce a high volume of premium products, such as gasoline, diesel and heating oil. Our refined products benefit from the fact that our marketing region consumes more refined products than it produces so that the market prices of our products have to be high enough to cover the logistics cost for Gulf Coast refineries to ship into our region.

        Our operating cost structure is also important to our profitability. Major operating costs include energy, employee labor, maintenance, contract labor, and environmental compliance. Our predominant variable cost is energy and the most important benchmark for energy costs is the value of natural gas. Our variable operating costs are largely energy related and therefore sensitive to the movements of crude price. We believe our fixed operations costs are low as compared to our peers, partially because of the flexibility our current union contracts provide us.

        Consistent, safe, and reliable operations at our refineries are key to our financial performance and results of operations. Unplanned downtime of our refinery may result in lost margin opportunity, increased maintenance expense and a temporary increase in working capital investment and related inventory position. The financial impact of planned downtime, such as major turnaround maintenance, is mitigated through a diligent planning process that takes into account margin environment, the availability of resources to perform the needed maintenance, feedstock logistics and other factors.

        Other than crude we gather ourselves, we purchase crude oil from third parties using a credit intermediation agreement. Our credit intermediation agreement is structured such that we take title, and the price of the crude oil is set, when it is delivered at the crude oil tank farm adjacent to our refinery. This agreement significantly reduces the investment that we are required to maintain in petroleum inventories relative to our competitors and reduces the time we are exposed to market fluctuations before the inventory is priced to a customer. Because petroleum feedstocks and products are essentially commodities, we have no control over the changing market value of our investment. Therefore, the lower target inventory we are able to maintain significantly reduces the impact of

43


commodity price volatility on our hydrocarbon inventory position relative to other refiners. This target inventory position is generally not hedged. To the extent our inventory position deviates from the target level, we consider risk mitigation activities usually through the purchase or sale of futures contracts on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). Our hedging activities carry customary time, location and product grade basis risks generally associated with hedging activities. Because most of our titled inventory is valued under the first-in, first-out costing method, price fluctuations on our target level of titled inventory have a major effect on our financial results unless the market value of our target inventory is increased above cost.

    Nitrogen Fertilizer Business

        In our nitrogen fertilizer business, earnings and cash flow from operations are primarily affected by the relationship between nitrogen fertilizer product prices and operating costs. Unlike our competitors, we use minimal natural gas as feedstock and, as a result, are not directly heavily impacted in terms of cost, by high or volatile swings in natural gas prices. Instead, our coke feedstock is primarily supplied by our adjacent oil refinery. The price for which nitrogen fertilizer products are ultimately sold depends on numerous factors beyond our control, including the supply of, and demand for, nitrogen fertilizer products which, in turn, depend on, among other factors, the price of natural gas, cost and availability of fertilizer transportation infrastructure, changes in the world population, weather conditions, grain production levels, the availability of imports, and the extent of government intervention in agriculture markets. While our net sales could fluctuate significantly with movements in natural gas prices during periods when fertilizer markets are weak and sell at the floor price, high natural gas prices do not force us to shut down our operations because we employ coke as a feedstock to produce ammonia and UAN.

        Nitrogen fertilizer prices are also affected by other factors, such as local market conditions and the operating levels of competing facilities. Natural gas costs and the price of nitrogen fertilizer products have historically been subject to wide fluctuations. An expansion or upgrade of our competitors' facilities, price volatility, international political and economic developments and other factors beyond our control are likely to continue to play an important role in nitrogen fertilizer industry economics. These factors can impact, among other things, the level of inventories in the market resulting in price volatility and a reduction in product margins. Moreover, the industry typically experiences seasonal fluctuations in demand for nitrogen fertilizer products. For further details on the economics of fertilizer, see "Industry Overview—Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry—Pricing of Fertilizer Products."

        In order to assess our operating performance, we calculate netbacks, or plant gate price, to determine our operating margin. Netbacks refers to the unit price of fertilizer, in dollars per ton, offered on a delivered basis, excluding shipment costs. Given our use of low cost petroleum coke, we are not presently subjected to the high raw materials costs of competitors who use natural gas. Instead of experiencing high variability in the cost of raw materials, we utilize less than 1% of the natural gas relative to other natural gas based fertilizers and we estimate that we maintain our competitive advantage at natural gas spot prices in the range of $1.50 to $2.50 per million Btu and above. The spot price for natural gas at Henry Hub on September 30, 2004 was $5.84 per million Btu.

        Because our fertilizer plant has certain logistical advantages relative to end users of ammonia and UAN and demand relative to production remains high, we can afford to target freight-advantaged destinations in the U.S. farm belt. We do not incur any intermediate transfer, storage, barge freight or pipeline freight charges. Currently, our freight advantage over U.S. Gulf Coast importers is approximately $65 per ton for ammonia production and $37 per ton for UAN production. Such cost differentials represent a significant portion of the market price of these commodities. For example, since the end of 2003, ammonia prices have fluctuated between $268 and $329 per ton, and UAN prices have fluctuated between $156 and $195 per ton. Selling products to customers in close proximity to our fertilizer plant while keeping transportation costs low is key to maintaining profitability and understanding our results.

44



        The value of our nitrogen fertilizer products is also an important consideration in understanding our results. We upgrade two-thirds of our ammonia production into UAN, a product that presently generates a greater value for the upgraded ammonia. As the largest fully integrated single train UAN production facility in North America, UAN production is a major contributor to our profitability. Furthermore, given the high demand for UAN relative to production and transportation costs that Gulf Coast importers face, we anticipate favorable operating results from our UAN production capabilities.

        Our operating cost structure is also important to our profitability. Using a coke gasification process, we have higher fixed costs than natural gas based fertilizer plants. Major operating costs include electrical energy, employee labor, maintenance, including contract labor, and outside services. The predominant variable cost is the cost of petroleum coke that we obtain primarily from our refinery.

        Consistent, safe, and reliable operations at our nitrogen fertilizer plant are critical to our financial performance and results of operations. Unplanned downtime of our nitrogen fertilizer plant may result in lost margin opportunity, increased maintenance expense and a temporary increase in working capital investment and related inventory position. The financial impact of planned downtime, such as major turnaround maintenance, is mitigated through a diligent planning process that takes into account margin environment, the availability of resources to perform the needed maintenance, feedstock logistics and other factors.

Results of Operations

        The following tables provide supplementary income statement and operating data and do not represent income statements presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Selected items in each of the periods are discussed separately below.

        Net sales consist principally of sales of refined fuel and nitrogen fertilizer products. For the petroleum business, net sales are mainly affected by crude oil and refined product prices, changes to the input mix and volume changes caused by operations. Product mix refers to the percentage of production represented by higher value light products, such as gasoline, rather than lower value finished products, such as petroleum coke. In the nitrogen fertilizer business, net sales are primarily impacted by manufactured tons and nitrogen fertilizer prices.

        Gross margin is net sales less raw material cost, inclusive of transportation, and all other components of cost of sales except operating expenses which are displayed separately for discussion purposes. Industry-wide petroleum results are driven and measured by the relationship, or margin, between refined products and the prices for crude oil referred to as crack spreads, see "—Factors Affecting Results." We discuss our results of petroleum operations in the context of per barrel consumed crack spreads and gross margin. Our nitrogen fertilizer gross margin is principally driven by the relationship or margin between nitrogen fertilizer products and the cost of petroleum coke. In contrast to our petroleum business, gross margin is not a significant indicator of profitability in the nitrogen business as the vast majority of expenses associated with our nitrogen business are classified as operating expenses.

        We define Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA plus or minus the following items: (1) for the petroleum business, (a) during the year ended December 31, 2001, a gain of $18.0 million, which was recorded for the disposition of our Predecessor's share in Country Energy, LLC, (b) during the year ended December 31, 2002 an asset impairment charge of $144.3 million related to the write-down of our refinery to fair market value, (c) during the year ended December 31, 2003, an additional charge of $3.9 million related to the asset impairment of our refinery based on the expected sale price of the assets in the Transaction, and (d) for the 212 day period ended September 30, 2004, a write-off of $6.2 million of deferred financing costs in connection with refinancing of our indebtedness on May 10, 2004, and (2) for the nitrogen fertilizer business, (w) for the periods ended December 31, 2001 and 2002, rental payments of $18.7 million and $0.3 million, respectively, to reflect the termination of such rental payments under an operating lease structure utilized by Farmland to finance the nitrogen

45



fertilizer plant, (x) during the year ended December 31, 2002 an asset impairment charge of $230.8 million related to the write-down of our nitrogen fertilizer plant to fair market value, (y) during the year ended December 31, 2003, an additional charge of $5.7 million related to the asset impairment of our nitrogen fertilizer plant based on the expected sale price of the assets in the Transaction, and (z) during the 212 day period ended September 30, 2004, a write-off of $1.0 million of deferred financing costs in connection with refinancing of our senior secured credit facility on May 10, 2004.

        For a reconciliation of EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA to net income, see notes 3 and 4 to "Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data."

 
   
   
   
   
  Succesor and
Predecessor Combined

 
   
   
   
  Predecessor
 
  Predecessor
 
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 
  Year Ended December 31,
Consolidated Financial Results

  2001
  2002
  2003
  2003
  2004
 
  (in millions)

Net sales   $ 1,630.2   $ 887.5   $ 1,262.2   $ 937.2   $ 1,231.7
Gross margin     189.5     125.3     205.7     147.7     216.2
Operating expenses     163.9     183.5     141.8     102.9     110.2
Depreciation and amortization     19.1     30.8     3.3     2.7     2.0
Operating income (loss)     (20.8 )   (449.9 )   29.4     16.9     92.3
Net income (loss)     (19.4 )   (465.7 )   27.9     15.3     51.1
EBITDA     18.0     (423.2 )   32.5     19.3     86.2
Adjusted EBITDA     18.7     (47.8 )   42.1     28.9     93.4
 
   
   
   
   
  Succesor and
Predecessor Combined

 
   
   
   
  Predecessor
 
  Predecessor
 
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 
  Year Ended December 31,
Petroleum Business
Financial Results

  2001
  2002
  2003
  2003
  2004
 
  (in millions)

Net sales   $ 1,581.7   $ 829.0   $ 1,161.3   $ 865.5   $ 1,151.9
Gross margin     157.7     82.6     121.3     87.3     147.8
Operating expenses     103.8     112.8     82.2     60.5     66.2
Depreciation and amortization     18.6     15.8     2.1     1.7     1.2
Operating income (loss)     31.8     (183.9 )   21.5     12.1     74.2
EBITDA     70.0     (172.1 )   23.5     13.6     68.3
Adjusted EBITDA     51.9     (27.9 )   27.4     17.5     77.0
 
   
   
   
   
  Succesor and
Predecessor Combined

 
   
   
   
  Predecessor
 
  Predecessor
 
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 
  Year Ended December 31,
Nitrogen Fertilizer Business
Financial Results

  2001
  2002
  2003
  2003
  2004
 
  (in millions)

Net sales   $ 48.5   $ 58.5   $ 100.9   $ 71.7   $ 82.7
Gross margin     31.8     42.7     84.4     60.4     68.3
Operating expenses     60.1     70.7     59.6     42.4     44.0
Depreciation and amortization     0.4     15.0     1.2     1.0     0.8
Operating income (loss)     (52.5 )   (266.1 )   7.8     4.8     18.1
EBITDA     (52.1 )   (251.1 )   9.0     5.7     17.9
Adjusted EBITDA     (33.3 )   (20.0 )   14.7     11.4     19.3

46


Petroleum Business Results of Operations

 
   
   
   
   
  Succesor and
Predecessor Combined

 
 
   
   
   
  Predecessor
 
 
  Predecessor
 
 
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 
 
  Year Ended December 31,
 
Market Indicators

 
  2001
  2002
  2003
  2003
  2004
 
(dollars per barrel)

   
   
   
   
   
 
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil   $ 24.31   $ 25.33   $ 31.10   $ 30.77   $ 38.46  
NYMEX 5-3-2 Crack Spread   $ 7.56   $ 5.68   $ 5.58   $ 6.13   $ 8.73  
Crude Oil Differentials:                                
  WTI less WTS (sour)   $ 2.81   $ 1.37   $ 2.75   $ 2.95   $ 3.91  
  WTI less Maya (heavy sour)   $ 8.85   $ 5.26   $ 6.95   $ 6.68   $ 12.00  
  WTI less Dated Brent (foreign)   $ 1.51   $ 1.11   $ 2.27   $ 2.32   $ 2.92  

PADD 2 Group III versus NYMEX Basis:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Gasoline   $ 0.98   $ (0.16 ) $ 0.62   $ 0.64   $ (0.42 )
  Heating Oil   $ 2.06   $ 0.29   $ 0.52   $ 0.86   $ 1.55  

Operating Statistics


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 
(dollars per barrel)                                
Per barrel margin/expense of crude oil throughput:                                
  Gross margin   $ 5.12   $ 3.05   $ 3.89   $ 3.72   $ 5.92  
  Operating expense   $ 3.36   $ 4.15   $ 2.63   $ 2.59   $ 2.65  

(dollars per gallon)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Per gallon sales price:                                
  Gasoline   $ 0.86   $ 0.75   $ 0.91   $ 0.93   $ 1.17  
  Distillate   $ 0.82   $ 0.71   $ 0.84   $ 0.84   $ 1.07  
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Succesor and
Predecessor Combined

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Predecessor
 
  Predecessor
 
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 
  Year Ended December 31,
Selected Volumetric Data

  2001
  2002
  2003
  2003
  2004
 
  Barrels
Per Day

 
%

  Barrels
Per Day

 
%

  Barrels
Per Day

 
%

  Barrels
Per Day

 
%

  Barrels
Per Day

 
%

Production:                                        
  Total gasoline   44,783   47.3   41,457   49.2   48,230   50.4   47,725   49.7   48,110   47.0
  Total distillate   33,846   35.7   29,779   35.3   34,363   35.9   34,126   35.5   37,587   36.7
  Total other   16,129   17.0   13,107   15.5   13,108   13.7   14,167   14.8   16,636   16.3
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Total all production   94,758   100.0   84,343   100.0   95,701   100.0   96,018   100.0   102,333   100.0
 
Crude oil throughput

 

84,605

 

94.3

 

74,446

 

92.4

 

85,501

 

93.4

 

85,713

 

93.2

 

91,052

 

93.6
  All other inputs   5,122   5.7   6,109   7.6   6,085   6.6   6,215   6.8   6,200   6.4
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Total feedstocks   89,727   100.0   80,555   100.0   91,586   100.0   91,928   100.0   97,252   100.0
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Succesor and
Predecessor Combined

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Predecessor
 
  Predecessor
 
  Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2003

  Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2004

 
  Year Ended December 31,

 

 

Total
Barrels


 

%


 

Total
Barrels


 

%


 

Total
Barrels


 

%


 

Total
Barrels


 

%


 

Total
Barrels


 

%

Crude oil throughput by crude type:                                        
  Sweet   15,039,853   48.7   14,991,867   55.2   18,187,215   58.3   13,616,265   58.2   12,172,642   48.8
  Light/medium sour   15,440,430   50.0   9,902,688   36.4   12,311,203   39.4   9,318,197   39.8   12,775,690   51.2
  Heavy sour   400,577   1.3   2,278,275   8.4   709,300   2.3   465,200   2.0    
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Total crude oil throughput   30,880,860   100.0   27,172,830   100.0   31,207,718   100.0   23,399,662   100.0   24,948,332   100.0

47


    Nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to nine months ended September 30, 2003.

        Net Sales.     Petroleum net sales increased $286.4 million or 33%, to $1,151.9 million in the first nine months of 2004 from $865.5 million in the corresponding period in 2003. This revenue increase is attributable to increased production volumes and higher refined product prices, which reacted favorably to the increase in global crude oil prices over the period. The higher prices resulted in additional net sales of $224.0 million for the first nine months of 2004 over 2003. For the first nine months of 2004, crude oil throughput increased by an average of 5,339 bpd, or 5.9%, versus the comparable period in 2003. The higher crude throughput experienced in the first nine months of 2004 compared to 2003 was directly attributable to Farmland's inability, because of its impending reorganization, to purchase optimum crude oil blends necessary to operate the refinery at 2004 levels in 2003. For the first nine months of 2004, our petroleum business experienced increases in gasoline and distillate prices of 26% and 28%, respectively compared to the same period in 2003.

        Gross Margin.     Petroleum gross margin increased by $60.5 million, or 69%, to $147.8 million in the first nine months of 2004 from $87.3 million in the corresponding period of 2003. This increase was attributable to historically high differentials between refined products prices and crude oil prices as exemplified in the average NYMEX crack spread of $8.73 per barrel for the first nine months of 2004 and the increased discount for heavy crude oils demonstrated by the $5.32, or 80%, increase in the spread between the WTI price, which is a market indicator for the price of light sweet crude, and the Maya price, which an indicator for the price of heavy crude, in the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the same period in 2003. The first nine months of 2004 also benefited from increased production volume versus the comparable period of 2003. Gross margin per barrel increased by $2.20, or 59%, to $5.92 in the first nine months of 2004 from $3.72 in the corresponding period in 2003.

        Our gross margin for the nine months ending September 30, 2004 improved as a result of the termination of a single customer product marketing agreement in November 2003. During the first nine months of 2003 Farmland was party to a marketing agreement that required them to sell all refined products to a single customer at a fixed differential to an index price. Subsequent to the conclusion of the contract, we have expanded our customer base and increased the realized differential to that index. In addition, we have been able to supply value added fuels such as boutique blends for Kansas City and Denver markets that trade at a premium price to regular unleaded gasoline.

        We blend light and heavy crude oil to create a medium gravity crude oil in order to utilize our refinery's coking capacity to derive economic benefit from the heavier crude. In 2004, we reduced the percent of light sweet WTI crude from 58.2% of the purchased crude in 2003 to 48.8%. Shifting from WTI crude to heavier crude has allowed us to take advantage of the wider spread between light and heavy crudes. In 2003 Farmland was restricted to one foreign cargo per month due to its bankruptcy. As a result, our ability to optimize our crude slate to take advantage of the discount associated with medium sour and medium heavy crudes resulting in a lower total crude charge rate as well as a lower discount to WTI was restricted.

        Operating Expenses.     Petroleum operating expenses increased by $5.7 million, or 9%, to $66.2 million in the first nine months of 2004 from $60.5 million in the corresponding period of 2003, primarily due to higher energy costs. Operating expense per barrel for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 and 2004 remained essentially constant at $2.59 in 2003 and $2.65 in 2004.

        Depreciation and Amortization.     Petroleum depreciation and amortization decreased by $0.5 million to $1.2 million in the first nine months of 2004 compared to the corresponding period in 2003. The decrease is primarily the result of the assets being revalued at a lower amount subsequent to the our acquisition.

48



        Operating Income.     Operating income increased $62.1 million, or 517%, to $74.2 million in the first nine months of 2004 from $12.1 million in the corresponding period in 2003. This increase was due to the factors discussed above, and particularly driven by favorable market conditions in the domestic refining industry.

    Year ended December 31, 2003 compared to year ended December 31, 2002.

        Net Sales.     Petroleum net sales increased $332.3 million or 40%, to $1,161.3 million in 2003 from $829.0 million in 2002. This revenue increase is attributable to higher crude oil throughput of 85,501 barrels per day (bpd) in 2003 compared to 74,446 bpd in 2002, representing a 14.9% increase, and higher refined fuel pricing in 2003. Higher refined fuel prices contributed $164.6 million of the $332.3 million increase in revenue over this period. Gasoline price increases were the largest contributor, increasing 21% from $0.75 per gallon to $0.91 per gallon, contributing $102.5 million to the revenue increases. The price of distillate increased by 19% to $0.84 per gallon in 2003, as compared to $0.71 per gallon in 2002.

        Increased crude throughput during 2003 compared to 2002 was primarily the result of a major maintenance turnaround at the refinery in March 2002, which halted production at the refinery for four weeks. Problems with the start up of the modified fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) resulted in a delay in reaching normal operations for an additional two week period in 2002. In 2003, refined fuel production volume was 4.2 million barrels higher than 2002 resulting in a revenue increase of $157.7 million.

        Gross Margin.     Petroleum gross margin increased by $38.7 million, or 47%, to $121.3 million in 2003 from $82.6 million in 2002. The increase was primarily due to increased volume over 2002, as described above, during which a major turnaround at the refinery was completed. In addition, earnings were favorably impacted by an increase in the gross margin per barrel as a result of an improved pricing in our marketing region and a widening crude oil differential for heavy crude.

        Crude oil throughput increased 15% to 31.2 million barrels in 2003 compared to 27.2 million barrels in 2002 resulting in a margin increase of approximately $15.7 million.

        As demand in our marketing region increased by higher than historical rates, the price basis in the region increased relative to the NYMEX price by an average of $0.55 per barrel in 2003 over 2002 resulting in additional gross margin. In addition, the spread between WTI and heavy medium sour crude oils widened as indicated by the crude oil differentials. Both of these factors contributed to an improved gross margin per barrel in a time the NYMEX crack spread remained largely unchanged. The per barrel gross margin increased $0.84 to $3.89 in 2003 from $3.05 in 2002.

        Operating Expenses.     Petroleum operating expenses decreased by $30.6 million, or 27%, to $82.2 million in 2003 from $112.8 million in 2002. This decrease was principally attributable to expenses related to the major maintenance turnaround in March 2002 of approximately $17.0 million. This decrease in operating expenses was partially offset by higher usage of natural gas in 2003 as compared to 2002 due to increased throughput. Operating expense per barrel of total plant throughput decreased to $2.63 in 2003 from $4.15 in 2002.

        Depreciation and Amortization.     Petroleum depreciation and amortization decreased $13.7 million to $2.1 million in 2003 from $15.8 million in 2002 This change in depreciation and amortization is directly attributable to the $144.3 million impairment charge to reduce the carrying amount of the fixed assets of the petroleum business recorded in 2002, as more fully described in Note 3 to our financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

        Operating Income.     Petroleum operating income increased by $205.4 million to $21.5 million in 2003 from an operating loss of $183.9 million in 2002. Excluding the reorganization expense associated

49



with the impairment of property, plant and equipment in 2002 of $144.3 million and $4.0 million in 2003, petroleum operating income increased by $65.1 million in 2003 versus 2002, primarily as a result of the reasons described above.

    Year ended December 31, 2002 compared to year ended December 31, 2001.

        Net Sales.     Petroleum net sales decreased $752.7 million or 48%, to $829.0 million in 2002 from $1,581.7 million in 2001. This revenue decrease is primarily attributable to the sale of Country Energy as described above in "—Factors Affecting Comparability." In 2001, Farmland purchased and resold 6.7 million barrels of propane and 8.4 million barrels of gasoline and distillate from Country Energy. The revenue for this purchased product was not segregated, but we estimate the majority of the decrease in net sales was a result of the discontinuation of purchased products.

        In addition to the impact of the sale of Country Energy, both lower volumes and lower prices impacted revenue in the petroleum business in 2002 compared to 2001. Our average sale price per gallon for gasoline and distillate decreased 12% and 13% respectively in 2002 as compared to 2001. Price decreases for gasoline and distillate, excluding the impact of volume purchased and resold, in 2002 versus 2001 negatively impacted revenue by $133.1 million.

        Crude oil throughput declined to 74,446 bpd in 2002 compared to 84,605 bpd in 2001, which contributed significantly to lower revenue. Decreased crude throughput during 2002 compared to 2001 was primarily the result of a major maintenance turnaround at the refinery in March 2002, which halted production at the refinery for four weeks. Complications with the startup of the modified FCCU resulted in an additional two weeks of below normal operations in 2002.

        Gross Margin.     Petroleum gross margin decreased by $75.1 million, or 48%, to $82.6 million in 2002 from $157.7 million in 2001. The decrease was principally due to weak refining fundamentals as evidenced by a 25% reduction in the NYMEX crack spread from 2002 as compared to 2001. In addition to the general weakening of refinery economics, our consumed crude cost discount relative to WTI decreased in 2002 compared to 2001 as result of a declining differential for heavier more sour crude oil and a change in our crude oil mix from 49% light sweet crude in 2001 to 55% in 2002. The reason for lighter slate was a direct result of Farmland's bankruptcy and its inability to source more than one foreign cargo per month. Due to factors described gross margin per barrel in 2002 decreased 40% to $3.05 per barrel from $5.12 per barrel in 2001 resulting in a lower gross margin of $63.8 million dollars.

        Total crude throughput declined by 3.7 million barrels in 2002 to 27.2 million barrels from 30.9 million barrels in 2001. The reduced barrels impacted gross margin by more than $11.3 million.

        Operating Expenses.     Petroleum operating expenses increased by $9.0 million or 9%, to $112.8 million in 2002 from $103.8 million in 2001 principally due to expenses associated with the major maintenance turnaround in March 2002 of approximately $17.0 million and increased environmental accruals of approximately $8.0 million. This increase in operating expenses compared to 2001 was partially offset by an overall reduction in costs associated with natural gas, production chemicals and catalyst. Operating expense per barrel increased $0.79 per barrel of plant throughput, or 24% to $4.15 in 2002 from $3.36 in 2001.

        Equity in Earnings (Losses) of Joint Ventures.     Results in 2001 reflect Farmland's loss in the joint venture interest of Country Energy, LLC of $2.8 million. This joint venture was sold to CHS in November 2001.

        Depreciation and Amortization.     Petroleum depreciation and amortization decreased $2.8 million, or 15%, to $15.8 million in 2002 from $18.6 million in 2001. This change in depreciation and

50



amortization is directly attributable to the $144.3 million impairment charge to reduce the carrying amount of the fixed assets of the petroleum business in 2002.

        Operating Income.     Petroleum operating income decreased $215.7 million in 2002 to an operating loss of $183.9 million in 2002 from operating income of $31.8 million in 2001. Excluding the reorganization expense associated with the impairment of property, plant and equipment in 2002 of $144.3 million and joint venture loss from Farmland's interest in Country Energy of $2.8 million, petroleum operating income decreased by $68.6 million in 2002 versus 2001.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Business Results of Operations

 
  Predecessor
  Predecessor and Successor
Combined

 
 
  Nine Months Ended September 30,
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 
Market Indicators

  2001
  2002
  2003
  2003
  2004
 
Natural gas (dollars per million Btu)   $ 4.26   $ 3.22   $ 5.36   $ 5.62   $ 5.81  
Ammonia — southern plains (dollars per ton)     247     168     272     273     287  
UAN — corn belt (dollars per ton)     144     108     141     139     162  
Production (thousand tons):                                
  Ammonia     198.5     265.1     335.7     244.4     233.0  
  UAN     286.2     434.6     510.6     363.8     378.1  
   
 
 
 
 
 
    Total     484.7     699.7     846.3     608.2     611.1  

Sales (thousand tons):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Ammonia     86.1     85.3     134.8     92.7     88.6  
  UAN     246.3     450.0     528.9     387.8     384.8  
   
 
 
 
 
 
    Total     332.4     535.3     663.7     480.5     473.4  

Product pricing (plant gate) (dollars per ton):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Ammonia   $ 208   $ 147   $ 235   $ 233   $ 262  
  UAN     123     76     107     105     132  

On-stream factor:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Gasification     66.8 %   78.6 %   90.1 %   89.7 %   91.2 %
  Ammonia     63.6 %   75.3 %   89.6 %   87.5 %   80.3 %
  UAN     66.8 %   78.6 %   81.6 %   79.1 %   80.3 %

Capacity utilization:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Ammonia     49.5 %   66.0 %   83.6 %   81.4 %   77.3 %
  UAN     52.3 %   79.4 %   93.3 %   88.8 %   92.1 %

    Nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to nine months ended September 30, 2003.

        Net Sales.     Nitrogen fertilizer net sales increased $11.0 million or 15%, to $82.7 million in the first nine months of 2004 from $71.7 million in the corresponding period in 2003. The revenue increase was entirely attributable to increased nitrogen fertilizer prices, which more than offset a slight decline in total production volume due to a planned turnaround in August 2004. For the first nine months of 2004, southern plains ammonia and corn belt UAN prices increased 5% and 17%, respectively versus the comparable period in 2003. In addition, due to our direct marketing efforts, our actual netbacks relative to the market indices presented above have improved substantially. This improvement is the result of eliminating the reseller discount offered to Agriliance under the terms of the prior marketing agreement and maximizing shipments to customers that are more freight logical to our facility.

        Operating Expenses.     Nitrogen fertilizer operating expense increased by $1.6 million, or 4%, to $44.0 million in the first nine months of 2004 from $42.4 million in the corresponding period of 2003.

51



This increase was primarily due to the resumption of payments to our nitrogen and oxygen supplier, BOC, subsequent to the Transaction, the turnaround expense as discussed above, and an increase in costs allocated to the nitrogen fertilizer business for insurance.

        Depreciation and Amortization.     Nitrogen fertilizer depreciation and amortization decreased by $0.2 million, or 20%, to $0.8 million in the first nine months of 2004 from $1.0 million in the comparable period of 2003. This decrease was principally due to differences in the capitalized value of our nitrogen fertilizer plant in 2003 versus our allocation of the purchase price to the fixed assets of the nitrogen fertilizer plant completed in March 2004.

        Operating Income.     Operating income increased $13.3 million, or 277%, to $18.1 million in the first nine months of 2004 from $4.8 million in the corresponding period in 2003. This increase was due to continued strong market conditions in the domestic nitrogen fertilizer industry described above. For the 212 day period ending September 30, 2004 the nitrogen fertilizer business was charged $3.0 million for petroleum coke transferred from our refinery. During the Predecessor period, petroleum coke was transferred at zero value.

    Year ended December 31, 2003 compared to year ended December 31, 2002.

        Net Sales.     Nitrogen fertilizer net sales increased $42.4 million or 72%, to $100.9 million in 2003 from $58.5 million in 2002. Prices accounted for $21.1 million of the revenue increase while the remaining $21.3 million was attributable to increased volume. In 2003, southern plains ammonia and corn belt UAN prices increased 62% and 31%, respectively versus 2002.

        The remaining $21.3 million attributable to increased volume directly correlates to the improvement in operating days. The most significant factor was our increased gasifier on-stream time due to improvements in our operations and maintenance groups. Our ability to transition from our main gasifier to our spare gasifier without discontinuing ammonia production significantly reduced downtime.

        Operating Expenses.     Nitrogen fertilizer operating expenses decreased by $11.0 million, or 16%, to $59.6 million in 2003 from $70.7 million in 2002. The most significant factor in the decrease was $13.8 million reduction in depreciation expense as result of the asset impairment charge of $230.8 million in 2002, reductions in repairs and maintenance, reduced vendor fees associated with oxygen and nitrogen supply and lower payments made for royalties and operating assistance related to gasifier operations. This was offset by increased expenses for refractory brick and electricity.

        Electricity costs increased $1.0 million due to a 5% increase in power usage in 2003 over 2002 as a result of the improved operating rates. Increased refractory brick costs in 2003 of $1.9 million resulted from replacing damaged brickwork in our gasifier.

        The reduction in both oxygen and nitrogen supply payments and gasifier royalty and operating assistance payments resulted in Farmland's election to discontinue these payments subsequent to the bankruptcy filing. In both cases, resolutions were reached between Farmland and the counterparty and payments have already been made or agreed to by Farmland. These two items comprise approximately $1.8 million in cost improvements in 2003 compared to 2002.

        Depreciation and Amortization.     Nitrogen fertilizer depreciation and amortization decreased $13.8 million, or 91%, to $1.2 million from $15.0 million in 2002. This decrease in depreciation and amortization is directly attributable to the $230.8 million impairment charge to reduce the carrying amount of the fixed assets of the nitrogen fertilizer plant in 2002.

        Operating Income.     Nitrogen fertilizer operating income increased $273.9 million to $7.8 million in 2003 from a net loss of $266.0 million. Excluding the reorganization expense associated with the impairment of the nitrogen fertilizer plant in 2002 of $230.8 million and $5.8 million in 2003, operating

52



income increased by $46 million to $10.7 million in 2003 from an operating loss of $35.3 million in 2002, primarily for the reasons described above.

    Year ended December 31, 2002 compared to year ended December 31, 2001.

        Net Sales.     Nitrogen fertilizer net sales increased by $10.0 million or 21%, to $58.5 million in 2002 from $48.5 million in 2001. Increased production volumes as a result of an increased on-stream factors at the nitrogen fertilizer plant in 2002 compared to 2001 resulted in a revenue increase of $15.6 million. The increase was offset by lower nitrogen prices. In 2002, Southern Plains ammonia and corn belt UAN prices decreased 32% and 25%, respectively versus 2001.

        Operating Expenses.     Nitrogen fertilizer operating expenses increased by $10.5 million, or 18%, to $70.7 million in 2002 from $60.1 million in 2001. This increase was the result of $14.6 million of additional depreciation expense offset by lower expenses of $3.6 million associated with the start-up and commissioning of the nitrogen fertilizer plant in 2001. Outside services decreased by $3.0 million in 2002 from 2001 primarily as a result of canceling our operating and maintenance agreement with Texaco to operate and maintain our gasifier.

        Depreciation and Amortization.     Nitrogen fertilizer depreciation and amortization increased $14.6 million to $15.0 million in 2002 from $0.4 million in 2001. This increase in depreciation and amortization was directly attributable to the capitalization of the fixed assets of the nitrogen fertilizer plant, which were previously reported as an operating lease. In February 2002, Farmland prepaid the outstanding balance of the operating lease, which financed the construction of our nitrogen fertilizer plant. This increase was offset by the impairment charge of $230.8 million later in 2002.

        Operating Income.     Nitrogen fertilizer operating income decreased $213.6 million in 2002 from an operating loss of $52.5 million in 2001. Excluding the reorganization expense associated with property, plant and equipment in 2002 of $230.8 million, nitrogen fertilizer operating income increased by $17.2 million in 2002 versus 2001. This increase was principally the result of improved on-stream factors at the nitrogen fertilizer plant offset by an overall reduction in nitrogen fertilizer prices in 2002 as compared to 2001.

Consolidated Results of Operations

        Selling, General and Administrative Expenses.     Consolidated selling, general and administrative expenses for the period from March 2, 2004 through September 30, 2004 were $8.4 million. These expenses represent the cost associated with corporate governance, legal expenses, treasury, accounting, marketing, human resources and maintaining corporate offices in New York and Kansas City. During the predecessor periods, Farmland allocated corporate overhead based on internal needs, which may not be representative of the actual cost to operate the businesses. In addition, during the nine months ended September 2003, Farmland incurred a number of charges related to the bankruptcy. As a result of the charges and issues related to allocations, a comparison of selling, general and administrative expenses for the nine months ended September 2004 to the nine months ended 2003 is not meaningful.

        Interest Expense.     For the Predecessor periods, all interest expense prior to May 31, 2002, and interest on secured borrowings subsequent to May 31, 2002 were allocated to the Predecessor by Farmland based on identifiable net assets of each of Farmland's divisions. Under bankruptcy law, payment of interest on Farmland's unsecured debt was stayed beginning May 31, 2002. Accordingly, Farmland did not allocate any interest on its unsecured borrowings to the Predecessor since May 31, 2002. Interest expense in the Successor period represents the interest recognized on our long-term borrowings and amortization of deferred financing costs associated with these borrowings.

        Provision for Income Taxes.     The Predecessor was not a separate legal entity, and its operating results were included with the operating results of Farmland and its subsidiaries in filing consolidated

53



federal and state income tax returns. Farmland did not allocate income taxes to its divisions. As a result, the Predecessor periods do not reflect any provision for income taxes.

    Nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to nine months ended September 30, 2003.

        Net Income.     Net income increased $35.8 million in the first nine months of 2004 to $51.0 million from $15.3 million for the comparable period in 2003. The increase was due to both the change in ownership and improved results in both the petroleum business and the nitrogen fertilizer business as discussed in greater detail for each business above.

    Year ended December 31, 2003 compared to year ended December 31, 2002.

        Other Income (Expense).     Other expense was $0.2 million in 2003 compared to $4.1 million in 2002, primarily relating to changes in value of the Predecessor's derivative contracts.

        Reorganization Expense; Impairment of Property Plant and Equipment.     Reorganization expense represents the impairment of long-lived assets in accordance with the SFAS No. 144 implemented by Farmland. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. In 2003, Farmland determined the carrying amount of the assets of the petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer business exceeded the expected value to be received in a bankruptcy approved sale. As a result, an impairment charge of $9.6 million was recognized.

        Net Income.     Net income increased $493.6 million in 2003 to $27.9 million from a loss of $465.7 million in 2002. The asset impairment described above accounted for $365.4 million of the improvement. In addition, both facilities benefited from improved volumes, the nitrogen fertilizer market improved dramatically, the refined fuel price in the region improved and crude differentials improved.

    Year ended December 31, 2002 compared to year ended December 31, 2001.

        Selling, General and Administrative Expenses.     Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $8.4 million, or 34%, to $16.4 million in 2002 from $24.8 million in 2001. The decrease was principally the result of the dissolution of the Country Energy joint venture and the elimination of the Country Energy administrative fee, which was $9.1 million in 2001.

        Equity in Loss of Joint Venture.     In 2001, the Predecessor recognized $2.8 million in expenses related to its share of Country Energy's losses.

        Reorganization Expense; Impairment of Property, Plant, and Equipment.     The reorganization expense represents the impairment of long-lived assets in accordance with the SFAS No. 144 implemented by Farmland. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. In 2002, it was determined that the carrying amount of the assets of our petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer businesses exceeded their respective estimated future undiscounted net cash flows and, as a result, an impairment charge of $375.1 million was recognized.

        Gain on Sale of Joint Venture Interest.     Results in 2001 reflect the gain on the sale of Farmland's interest in Country Energy to CHS, Inc. in November 2001 for approximately $18.0 million.

        Other Income (Expense).     Other income (expense) decreased $5.6 million in 2002 to ($4.1) million, compared to $1.6 million of income in 2001, primarily related to the changes in value of the Predecessor's derivative contracts.

54



        Net Income.     Net income decreased $446.3 million in 2002 to a loss of $465.7 million from a loss of $19.4 million in 2001. The asset impairment described above accounted for $375.1 million of the decline. In addition, the crack spreads narrowed and the nitrogen fertilizer business experienced significantly lower prices.

Critical Accounting Policies

        The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The following summary provides further information about our critical accounting policies and should be read in conjunction with the Notes to Financial Statements, which summarizes our significant accounting policies.

        Major Maintenance Turnarounds.     The direct-expense method of accounting is used for planned major maintenance activities. Maintenance costs are recognized as expense as maintenance services are performed. During 2002, our refinery was shut down for approximately six weeks in order to perform planned major maintenance. Costs associated with this shutdown are included in costs of goods sold in 2002 and were approximately $17.0 million. Most refiners accrue for future planned turnarounds or defer the costs associated with turnarounds, which lessens the earnings impact in the year of the turnaround. As a result, comparison of our results to other refineries must take into account the impact of the difference in accounting for turnaround highlighted above. We expect that our next major maintenance will occur in 2006 at an estimated cost of approximately $12.0 million and $1.3 million for the petroleum business and nitrogen fertilizer business, respectively.

        Impairment of Long-Lived Assets.     During 2001, Farmland accounted for long-lived assets in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 121, Accounting for Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and for Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of (SFAS 121). SFAS 121 was superseded by SFAS 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets (SFAS 144), which was adopted by Farmland effective January 1, 2002.

        In accordance with both SFAS No. 144 and SFAS No. 121, Farmland reviewed its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicated that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to estimate undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeded its estimated future undiscounted net cash flows, an impairment charge was recognized by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeded the fair value of the assets. Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying value or fair value less cost to sell, and are no longer depreciated.

        In its Plan of Reorganization, Farmland stated, among other things, its intent to dispose of its petroleum and nitrogen assets. Despite this stated intent, these assets were not classified as held for sale under SFAS 144 until October 7, 2003 because, ultimately, any disposition must be approved by the Court and the Court did not approve such disposition until that date. Since Farmland determined that it was more likely than not that its assets would be disposed of, those assets were tested for impairment in 2002 pursuant to SFAS 144, using projected undiscounted net cash flows based on Farmland's best assumptions regarding the use and eventual disposition of those assets. Based on the tests, assumptions and determinations as of the impairment testing date, the assets were determined to be impaired. Farmland's best estimate at December 31, 2002 was that the carrying value of these assets exceeded the fair value expected to be received on disposition of these assets by approximately $375.1million. Accordingly, an impairment charge was recognized for such amount in 2002. The ultimate proceeds from disposition of these assets resulted from a bidding and auction process conducted in the bankruptcy proceedings. This process led to an additional impairment charge of $9.6 million recorded in September of 2003 when Farmland management's estimate was refined to reflect additional current information regarding the ultimate disposition of these assets.

55


        Derivative Commodity Instruments.     We use futures contracts, options, and forward contracts primarily to reduce our exposure to changes in crude oil prices and to provide economic hedges of inventory positions and forecasted transactions. Although management considers these derivatives economic hedges, these instruments have not been designated as hedges for accounting purposes and are recorded at fair value in the balance sheet. Accordingly, changes in the fair value of these derivative instruments are recorded into earnings as a component of other income (expense) in the period of change. Our petroleum business recorded net gains from derivative instruments of $0.9 million and $0.3 million in other income (expense) for the 212 days ended September 30, 2004 and the year ended December 31, 2003.

        Environmental Expenditure.     Liabilities related to remediation of contaminated properties are recognized when the related costs are considered probable and can be reasonably estimated. Estimates of these costs are based upon currently available facts, existing technology, site-specific costs, and currently enacted laws and regulations. In reporting environmental liabilities, no offset is made for potential recoveries. All liabilities are monitored and adjusted as new facts or changes in law or technology occur. Environmental expenditures are capitalized when such costs provide future economic benefits. Changes in laws, regulations or assumptions used in estimating these costs could have a material impact to our financial statements. The amount recorded for environmental obligations at September 30, 2004 totaled $9.8 million.

        Purchase Price Accounting and Allocation.     The transaction described in Note 1 to our financial statements related to the purchase of our assets from Farmland has been accounted for using the purchase method of accounting as of March 3, 2004. The allocation of the purchase price to the net assets acquired has been performed in accordance with SFAS 141, Business Combinations. In connection with the allocation of the purchase price, management used estimates and assumptions to determine the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Changes in these assumptions and estimates such as discount rates and future cash flows used in the appraisal process could have a material impact on how the purchase price was allocated at the date of acquisition.

        Valuation of Our Equity.     In connection with the Transaction, Coffeyville Group Holdings, LLC issued preferred and common units. The preferred units required a preference distribution of $63.2 million plus a preferred yield prior to any distribution to the residual interests, which was split 85% to the preferred and 15% to the common. Management determined the fair value of the equity based on the amount paid to Farmland in the Chapter 11 auction process less the amount borrowed. The fair value allocated to the preferred and common was estimated based on the estimated relative fair values on March 3, 2004. Changes in the assumptions used and the use of a different valuation technique could have a material impact on the financial statements.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

        Our principal sources of liquidity are from cash and cash equivalents, cash from operations and borrowings under our senior secured credit agreement

    Cash Balance and Other Liquidity

        As of September 30, 2004, we had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $13.0 million. Prior to March 3, 2004, Farmland centralized its cash management operations and did not segregate cash balances by business. We believe our September 30, 2004 cash levels as well as the availability of borrowings under our revolving credit agreement are adequate to fund our cash requirements for the foreseeable future. As of September 30, 2004, we had available up to $74.5 million under our revolving credit facility, which is discussed in more detail below.

56



    Debt

        Our current debt structure is used to fund our business operations, and our revolving credit facility is a source of liquidity. At September 30, 2004, our long-term debt, including current maturities, totaled $149.3 million. Debt outstanding under the term loan, and the revolving credit facility bore interest at variable rates. We also had capital lease obligations of $1.2 million at September 30, 2004.

        On May 10, 2004, we completed a refinancing of substantially all of our outstanding long-term debt with a new $150.0 million senior secured term loan due in 2010 and a senior secured $75.0 million revolving credit facility which terminates in 2009. We used the net proceeds from the term loan to:

    repay $34.3 million for all outstanding amounts under our then-existing revolving credit facility and term loan, including accrued and unpaid interest, fees and a $1.1 million make-whole premium to the previous lenders;

    pay $9.3 million in costs associated with the refinancing that were capitalized and that will be amortized over the term of the new debt;

    fund $6.4 million of cash into our operating account and a debt service account; and

    distribute $100.0 million to shareholders for earnings distributions, preferred returns and return of capital.

        The senior secured revolving credit facility provides for direct cash borrowings and the issuance of letters of credit up to the lesser of: (i) the borrowing base calculated with respect to our cash and eligible cash equivalents, eligible accounts receivables and eligible inventories, and (ii) $75.0 million. Letters of credit issued under the revolving loans are subject to an issuance sub-limit of $30.0 million. After May 2006, the issuance sub-limit will increase to $50 million. As of September 30, 2004, we had $3.1 million of standby letters of credit issued and outstanding under this facility. Borrowings under the revolving loans are secured by a first priority security interest in our accounts receivable and inventory and contract rights, chattel paper, instruments, documents, deposit accounts and intangible assets related thereto. We had $71.9 million of available borrowing capacity at September 30, 2004 under the credit agreement. The $75.0 million senior secured revolving loans bear interest at either LIBOR plus 3.00%, or prime rate plus 1.00% subject to a 0.5% per annum unused capacity commitment fee. We had outstanding borrowings of $72,000 at September 30, 2004 under the senior secured facility.

        The senior secured term loan is subject to quarterly principal amortization of payments of approximately $0.4 million that began on June 30, 2004 with the balance due at maturity in 2010. Mandatory prepayments are required to be made with the proceeds of certain asset sales and casualty events subject, in some instances, to reinvestment provisions. In addition, the senior secured credit facility also requires prepayment of any outstanding balance subject to excess cash flow provisions as determined under the credit agreement. The senior secured term loan is secured by a first priority lien on all our property, plant and equipment as well as a second priority lien on the primary collateral of the senior secured revolving loans. The senior secured term loan bears interest at LIBOR plus 5.00%, or at the prime rate plus 4.00%. The interest rate on the term loan at September 30, 2004 was 6.95%.

        Under the credit agreement and subject to a prepayment penalty, we may prepay all or part of the senior secured term loans. The prepayment penalty is calculated as a declining percentage of the total senior secured term debt or senior secured revolving commitment retired. The prepayment penalty is dependent upon the actual date the prepayment occurs. No prepayment penalties exist for the senior revolving loans and the senior secured term loan after May 10, 2006 and May 10, 2007, respectively.

        The credit agreement contains customary covenants and events of default. Accordingly, this agreement imposes significant operating and financial restrictions on us. These restrictions, among other things, limit incurrence of additional indebtedness, payment of dividends, significant investments

57


and sales of assets. These limitations are subject to a number of important qualifications and exceptions.

        The credit agreement requires us to maintain specified financial ratios as follows:

    Minimum Fixed Charge Ratio of 1.25 to 1.00;

    Maximum Leverage Ratio of 3.50 to 1.00; and

    Minimum Interest Coverage Ratio of 2.00 to 1.00.

        In addition, the credit agreement limits the amount of capital spending (as defined therein) to $35.0 million, $45.0 million and $60.0 million in 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively and $30.0 million for each year after 2006. The provision limiting this capital spending allows for flexibility in the timing of the expenditure.

        For all calendar years through and including 2007, subject to meeting certain employment levels which we currently exceed, we are abated from any ad valorem real estate and personal property tax liability on our nitrogen fertilizer assets that were part of the original construction of the facility. Beginning in 2008, we will be subject to ad valorem real estate and personal property taxes on the facility at the then applicable rate on the assessed value to be determined by the county appraiser. The actual amount cannot be determined until an assessed value for the assets is established.

    Capital Spending

        We divide our capital spending needs into two categories, non-discretionary, which is either capitalized or expensed, and discretionary, which is capitalized. Non-discretionary capital spending, such as for planned turnarounds and other maintenance, is required to maintain safe and reliable operations or to comply with environmental, health and safety regulations. We estimate that our total non-discretionary capital spending needs, including turnaround expenditures, will be approximately $56 million in 2005, approximately $71 million in 2006 and approximately $84 million in the aggregate over the three-year period beginning 2007. These estimates include the capital costs necessary to comply with environmental regulations, including Tier II gasoline standards and on-road diesel regulations.

        We estimate that compliance with the Tier II gasoline and on-road diesel standards will require us to spend approximately $34 million in 2005, approximately $43 million in 2006, approximately $20 million during 2008 and 2009 and an additional $15 million thereafter. See "Business—Environmental Matters—The Clean Air Act—Fuel Regulations—Tier II, Low Sulfur Fuels."

        The following table sets forth our estimate of our non-discretionary capital spending for the years presented:

 
  2005
  2006
  2007
  2008
  2009
  Cumulative
Through 2009

 
  (in millions)

Environmental capital needs   $ 36.5   $ 45.8   $ 3.0   $ 13.2   $ 33.0   $ 131.4
Sustaining capital needs     19.7     11.6     11.3     11.6     10.0     64.2
Planned turnaround capital needs         13.3         1.6         14.9
   
 
 
 
 
 
  Total estimated capital needs   $ 56.2   $ 70.6   $ 14.2   $ 26.4   $ 43.0   $ 210.4
   
 
 
 
 
 

        We undertake capital spending based on the expected return on incremental capital employed. Discretionary capital projects generally involve an expansion of existing capacity, improvement in product yields, and/or a reduction in operating costs. As of December 31, 2004, we had committed approximately $13.7 million towards discretionary capital spending in 2005.

58



Cash Flows

    Operating Activities

    Nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to nine months ending September 30, 2003.

        Operating activities generated $98.0 million in the first nine months of 2004 versus $35.4 million for the comparable period in 2003. The $62.6 million improvement in operating cash flow was due to a $36.3 million improvement in net income and favorable changes in working capital. For purposes of this cash flow discussion, we define working capital as accounts receivable, inventories, prepaids and other assets less accounts payable, other current liabilities and deferred revenue. Changes in components of working capital generated $32.3 million of cash flow in the first nine months of 2004, compared to cash generated in the comparable period of 2003 of $0.8 million, an increase of $31.5 million. In the first nine months of 2004, accounts receivable increased $11.2 million and inventory increased by $13.2 million. The resulting effect on operating cash flows was offset by an increase in accounts payable of $26.1 million due to price increases and a returning to normal payment terms with some vendors, an increase in accrued liabilities of $9.8 million and a $17.4 million decrease in prepaids and other. The primary source for the $35.4 million in cash flow generated in the first nine months of 2003 was $32.0 million of cash flow generated from net income. This amount was adjusted for the $9.6 million impairment of property, plant and equipment charge resulting from the sales price of the petroleum assets and a $7.0 million increase in a long-term environmental accrual.

    Year ended December 31, 2003 compared to year ended December 31, 2002.

        Operating activities generated $20.3 million in 2003 compared to a use of cash of $1.7 million in 2002. The $22.0 million improvement in cash flows was due to a $128.2 million improvement in income from operations, as adjusted for the impairment charges of $375.1 million in 2002 and $9.6 million in 2003, offset by unfavorable changes in working capital. Changes in components of working capital used cash of $28.5 million in 2003, compared to $52.6 million of cash provided in 2002, an increase of $81.1 million. In 2003, accounts receivable increased by $25.3 million due to higher average selling prices and an increase in volume from the nitrogen fertilizer segment, while prepaid and other current assets increased by $23.8 million as a result of both increases in the price and volume of prepaid crude oil. The resulting effect on operating cash flows was offset by an increase in accounts payable of $8.3 million due to price increases and returning to normal payment terms with some vendors as time had elapsed from the bankruptcy of Farmland and a $10.4 million dollar decrease in inventory primarily as a result of lower raw material prices. The primary reason for the $52.6 million source of cash in components of working capital for 2002 was a $56.2 million increase in accounts payable as result of the bankruptcy filing of Farmland and the suspension of terms by nearly all of Farmland's raw material suppliers.

    Year ended December 31, 2002 compared to year ended December 31, 2001.

        Operating activities produced a cash outflow of $1.7 million in 2002 compared operating cash flow generation of $65.4 million in 2001. The decrease of $67.1 million was primarily due to two substantial events. In 2002, Farmland filed bankruptcy, which resulted in an increase in the accounts payable of $56.2 million due to the suspension of paying pre-petition liabilities subject to compromise. In 2001, working capital was impacted by the dissolution of Cooperative Refining, LLC on December 31, 2000. On that date, Farmland purchased excess inventory from Cooperative Refining of $59.7 million resulting in an increase in the working capital position as of December 31, 2000. The excessive working capital position was liquidated in 2001, resulting in cash generation from working capital.

59


    Investing Activities

    Nine months ended September 30 2004 compared to nine months ended September 30, 2003.

        Net cash used in investing activities for the nine month period ending September 30, 2004, was $127.1 million as compared to $0.8 million for the comparable period of 2003. This difference is directly attributable to an increase in capital expenditures and the acquisition of the Farmland assets during the comparable periods. For the nine months ending September 30, 2003 and throughout its bankruptcy, Farmland's management maintained capital expenditures on the petroleum and nitrogen assets to a minimum.

    Year ended December 31, 2003 compared to years ended December 31, 2002 and 2001.

        Net cash from investing activities was a use of $0.8 million in 2003 compared to a use of $272.4 million in 2002 and a source of $17.9 million in 2001. Capital expenditures accounted for $0.8 million, $12.2 million and $8.2 million, in 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. These capital expenditures were related to operational improvements, maintenance capital, safety and environmental related projects. In 2002, an additional $260.3 million was spent acquiring the nitrogen fertilizer complex that had previously been financed under an operating lease arrangement. In 2001, asset sales related to the sale of Farmland's interest in the Country Energy, LLC and Farmland's interest in a propane business generated cash proceeds of $18.9 million and $7.2 million, respectively.

    Financing Activities

    Nine months ending September 30, 2004 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003.

        Net cash used by financing activities in the nine month period ending September 30, 2004 was $42.0 million. The uses of cash for financing activities over this period related primarily to the prepayment of the $22.7 million term loan, a $100.0 million cash distribution to the holders of the preferred and common units issued by Coffeyville Group Holdings, LLC, $16.2 million in financing costs and $53.2 million in net divisional equity distribution to Farmland. We used cash from operations and a new term loan for $150.0 million completed on May 10, 2004 to finance the aforementioned cash outflows in 2004. For the nine month period ending September 30, 2003, we used $34.6 million in cash to fund a net divisional equity distribution.

    Year ended December 31, 2003 compared to years ended December 31, 2002 and 2001.

        For the 2003, 2002 and 2001, the petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer businesses were financed by the parent company. All cash generated or used was immediately disbursed to the parent, Farmland, in the form of a net divisional equity distribution or contribution. Neither the petroleum business nor the fertilizer business had incremental access to capital beyond that available from Farmland.

Capital and Commercial Commitments

        In addition to long-term debt, we are required to make payments relating to various types of obligations. The following table summarizes our minimum payments as of September 30, 2004 relating to long-term debt and unconditional purchase obligations and operating leases for the quarter ending December 31, 2004, the five-year period following December 31, 2004 and thereafter.

        Our ability to make payments on and to refinance our indebtedness and to fund planned capital expenditures will depend on our ability to generate cash flow in the future. This, to a certain extent, is subject to general economic financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control. Based on our current level of operations, we believe our cash flow from

60



operations, available cash and available borrowings under our revolving credit facility will be adequate to meet our future liquidity needs for the foreseeable future.

 
  Payments Due by Period
 
  Total
  Quarter
Ending
December 31,
2004

  2005
  2006
  2007
  2008
  2009
  Thereafter
 
  (in millions)

Contractual Obligations                                                
  Long-term debt (1)   $ 149.3   $ 0.4   $ 1.5   $ 1.5   $ 1.5   $ 1.5   $ 1.5   $ 141.4
  Capital lease     1.2     1.2                        
  Operating leases (2)     16.3     0.7     3.3     3.1     2.9     2.9     1.9     1.5
  Unconditional purchase obligations (3)     176.6     1.4     12.8     12.8     12.8     8.8     8.8     119.1
  Other long-term liabilities included in the
balance sheet (4)
    2.1     0.3     1.0     0.8                
  Environmental liabilities (5)     15.6     0.8     0.8     0.6     0.5     2.6     3.6     6.7
  Interest payments (6)     56.6     2.6     10.3     10.3     10.1     10.0     9.9     3.4
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total   $ 417.7   $ 7.4   $ 29.7   $ 29.1   $ 27.8   $ 25.8   $ 25.7   $ 272.2

Other Commercial Commitments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Standby letters of credit (7)   $ 3.1   $   $ 3.1   $   $   $   $   $

(1)
Long-term debt amortization is based on the contractual terms of our credit agreement.

(2)
We lease various facilities and equipment, primarily railcars for our nitrogen fertilizer business under noncancelable operating leases for various periods.

(3)
The amount includes (1) commitments under a pipeline construction, operation and transportation agreement related to the delivery of crude oil from Cushing, Oklahoma to our Broom Station pipeline system near Caney, Kansas and (2) commitments under an electric supply agreement.

(4)
The amount includes contractual payments due to Farmland related to rejection damages for the electricity contract with the City of Coffeyville.

(5)
Environmental liabilities represents our estimated payments required by Federal and/or state environmental agencies related to sites in Coffeyville and Phillipsburg, Kansas.

(6)
Interest payments are based on interest rate in effect at September 30, 2004 and assume contractual amortization payments.

(7)
Standby letters of credit include our obligations under $3.1 million of letters of credit issued in connection with environmental liabilities.

        Our business may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations, and future borrowings may not be available to us under our revolving credit facility in an amount sufficient to enable us to pay our indebtedness or to fund our other liquidity needs. We may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness on or before maturity. We may not be able to refinance any of our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

        As of September 30, 2004, we had several operating lease agreements with payments due on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis. The primary assets financed under these agreements were railcars utilized in the delivery of finished products for the nitrogen fertilizer business. For the period ending September 30, 2004, we had approximately 590 railcars subject to three separate lease agreements.

61



Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

        The risk inherent in our market risk sensitive instruments and positions is the potential loss from adverse changes in commodity prices and interest rates. None of our market risk sensitive instruments are held for trading.

    Commodity Risk

        Impact of Changing Prices.     Our revenues and cash flows, as well as estimates of future cash flows, are very sensitive to changes in energy prices. Major shifts in the cost of crude oil and the price of refined products and natural gas can result in large changes in the operating margin from refining operations. These prices also determine the carrying value of our refinery's inventories.

        Our revenues, cash flows and estimates of future cash flows related to the fertilizer business are sensitive to changes in nitrogen fertilizer prices, which have shown strong correlation to natural gas prices.

        Price Risk Management Activities.     At times, we enter into commodity derivative contracts to manage our price exposure to our inventory positions that are in excess of our base level of operating inventories, to fix margins on certain future production and fix differentials on crude oil. The commodity derivative contracts we use may take the form of futures contracts or price swaps and are entered into with reputable counterparties. We account for our commodity derivative contracts under mark-to-market accounting, and gains or losses on commodity derivative are recognized in other (income) expense in the period incurred.

        At September 30, 2004, we had the following open commodity derivative contracts whose unrealized gains or losses are included in other (income) expense in the consolidated statements of operations:

    Derivative contracts on 80,000 barrels of heating oil crack spreads, the price spread between crude oil and heating oil, to fix the margin on forecasted sales in October and November 2004. These open contracts had total unrealized net losses at September 30, 2004 of approximately $82,000.

    Derivative contracts on 870,000 barrels of unleaded gasoline crack spreads, the price spread between crude oil and unleaded gasoline, to fix the margin on forecasted sales in October, November and December 2004. These open contracts had total unrealized net gains at September 30, 2004 of approximately $298,000.

        As of September 30, 2004, a $1.00 change in quoted futures price for the crack spreads described above would result in a $950,000 change to the fair market value of the derivative commodity position and the same change in operating income.

        During the nine months ended September 30, 2004 we utilized additional derivative contracts on unleaded gasoline crack spreads and heating oil crack spreads to fix the refining margin to the NYMEX spread between light crude oil contract price and unleaded gasoline and heating oil price for a portion of forecasted refined products production. During the nine months ended September 30, 2004, we recorded realized losses of nearly $1.0 million (included in other income (expense)) on these contracts. These losses are in addition to the unrealized gains and losses on open positions described above.

    Interest Rate Risk

        Borrowings under our term loan and revolving credit facility bear a current market rate of interest such that we are subject to interest rate risk on these borrowings. As of September 30, 2004, a 100 basis point change in interest rates on our floating rate loans, which totaled $149.3 million, would result in a $1.5 million change in pretax income on an annual basis.

62



INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

Oil Refining Industry

        Oil refining is the process of separating the wide spectrum of hydrocarbons present in crude oil, and in certain processes, modifying the constituent molecular structures, for the purpose of converting them into marketable finished petroleum products optimized for specific end uses. According to the Energy Information Association, as of January 1, 2004, there were 147 oil refineries operating in the U.S., with the 16 smallest each having a capacity under 13,000 bpd, and the 12 largest having capacities ranging from 300,000 to 550,000 bpd.

        The current refining industry is characterized by capacity shortage, high utilization rates, and reliance on imported products to meet the demand for finished petroleum products. The last major oil refinery in the U.S. was built in 1976. Over the past three decades, more than 150 generally small and unsophisticated refineries that were unable to process heavy crude into a marketable product mix were permanently closed down. According to the Energy Information Association, while domestic refining capacity has decreased 1.5%, from 6.5 billion barrels in 1983 to 6.4 billion barrels in 2003, domestic demand for refined fuels has increased 30.4%, from 5.6 billion barrels to 7.3 billion barrels over the same period.

        The following overview explains the basics of the refining process and certain factors that influence the refining industry.

    Refining Basics

        Refineries are uniquely designed to process and convert crude oils having a specific range of characteristics into the products required by the market of interest. In general, the different process units inside a refinery perform one of three functions:

        Distillation:     Separating the many types of hydrocarbons present in crude oil into distinct hydrocarbon fractions with specific boiling point ranges, such as gasoline, diesel oil and heavier hydrocarbons. Atmospheric and vacuum distillation are the primary distillation processes;

        Conversion:     Chemically changing the various hydrocarbon fractions into more desirable products by (a) rearranging the molecular structure through catalytic reforming, (b) creating larger, useable fractions from highly volatile light components through alkylation and isomerization, and/or (c) catalytically or thermally breaking down low value, very high molecular weight fractions into lighter gasoline and distillate range materials through fluid catalytic cracking and delayed coking; and

        Treating:     Removing unwanted contaminant elements and compounds such as sulfur, nitrogen, metals, and aromatics, typically via hydrotreating and contaminant recovery.

        Each step in the refining process is designed to maximize the product realization for each level of the feedstocks, particularly the crude oil, processed through the refinery.

        Typically, the first step in the refining process is to remove any chloride and solid impurities from the crude oil that would prove to be destructive to the downstream refining processes. This is accomplished in a water washing process called desalting.

        The desalted crude oil is then processed through an atmospheric distillation unit where it is separated into various components based on the boiling ranges. Two principal side streams are withdrawn, a naphtha fraction whose boiling point range is similar to that of gasoline and the next heavier fraction, a middle distillate cut whose boiling point is similar to those of diesel oil and heating oil. The temperature at the bottom of the atmospheric distillation tower is held at approximately 650 degrees Fahrenheit since the non volatilized tower bottoms would thermally degrade at temperatures

63



above that level. Atmospheric distillation tower bottoms, generally referred to as atmospheric residuum or long residuum, is that part of the crude oil that is not volatile at 650 degrees Fahrenheit. Atmospheric residuum still contains valuable fractions, which are processed through a vacuum distillation tower, which allows, by virtue of the vacuum conditions, the useable hydrocarbons to distill off at actual temperatures that do not exceed the degradation point, but simulate the theoretical separation that would occur at a 1050 degree boiling point. The principal side stream is a vacuum gas oil (VGO) that becomes further upgraded in the refinery as it is charged to the fluid catalytic cracking unit. The non-volatilized bottoms of the vacuum unit are generally referred to as vacuum tower bottoms (VTBs) or asphaltic residuum.

Our Refinery Configuration

GRAPHIC

        The next step in the refining process is to convert the major hydrocarbon fractions into distinct and marketable products. These major fractions include the naphtha and mid-distillate streams from the atmospheric distillation unit, and the VGO and VTBs fractions from the vacuum distillation unit. The VGO stream is processed in a fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) where it is chemically altered to produce fractions that boil in the mid-distillate and gasoline boiling range. Some of the material produced in the FCC is not of adequate quality to directly produce gasoline and mid-distillate fuels, and cannot be recycled, so these intermediates are withdrawn from the FCC and fed to the delayed coker for further upgrading to a finished product. The VTBs, a very heavy tar, is processed through a delayed coking unit where it is exposed to high temperature and moderate pressure for long time periods. During that process, the vacuum residuum is thermally fractionated into naphtha, distillate and gas oil streams that get further upgraded to finished products, and to a solid coke byproduct. The most important conversion units in this refinery are the delayed coking unit and the fluid catalytic cracking unit, which combine to convert heavy crude oil into gasoline and diesel oil range products.

        The light end products from the delayed coking unit and FCC are upgraded into high octane, low volatility, low aromaticity blend stocks in an alkylation unit catalyzed with hydrofluoric acid.

        The light portion of the naphtha is separated and processed in an isomerization unit. In this unit the straight chain molecules are converted into branched chain molecules that have more valuable blending properties.

64



        Both the virgin heavy naphthas that are produced directly from the crude oil as well as the cracked naphthas produced by the coker and the FCC are upgraded to gasoline in the catalytic reformer where molecular structure is substantially rearranged, creating octane value in the gasoline pool, and generating the hydrogen needed in the refinery to reduce the sulfur content of the product pool.

    Refinery Products

        Major refinery products include:

        Gasoline.     The most significant refinery product is motor gasoline. The most important product characteristics of gasoline include octane level (high levels of which command a premium), vapor pressure and sulfur content. Various gasoline blendstocks are blended to achieve specifications for regular and premium grades in both summer and winter gasoline formulations. Refiners also produce different grades of reformulated gasoline from time to time as required by their markets. Reformulated gasolines are special blends containing oxygenates, which contain ethers such as Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether or, more frequently, ethyl alcohol. These formulations are tailored to areas of the country with severe ozone pollution.

        Distillate Fuels.     Distillates are diesel fuels and domestic heating oils. The most important characteristic of diesel fuel is its cetane number, analogous, but diametrically opposite to octane number in gasoline, and sulfur content. As with gasoline, the market pays a premium for high cetane fuels, but unlike gasoline, there is a two tier sulfur content market since different limits apply to on-road diesel than to off-road diesel such as that used by railroads or farm machinery.

        Kerosene.     Kerosene is a more highly refined middle-distillate petroleum product that is used for jet fuel, cooking, space heating, lighting, solvents and for blending into diesel fuel. It generally commands a premium over distillate fuels, except when used in bulk for space heating.

        Liquefied Petroleum Gas.     Liquefied petroleum gases, consisting primarily of propane and butane, are produced for use as a fuel and as an intermediate material in the manufacture of petrochemicals. It may also be consumed in the refinery or sold.

        Residual Fuels.     Many marine vessels, power plants, commercial buildings and industrial facilities use residual fuels or combinations of residual and distillate fuels for heating and processing. Asphalts are also made from residual fuels and are used primarily for roads and roofing materials. However, such applications generate the lowest value. Many modern refineries, including ours, upgrade all residual fuels into gasoline and diesel oil.

    Crude Oil

        The quality of crude oil dictates the level of processing and conversion necessary to achieve the optimal mix of finished products. Crude oils are classified by their density (light to heavy) and sulfur content (sweet to sour). Light sweet crude oils are more expensive than heavy sour crude oils because (a) there is a limited supply of crude oil of these grades, and (b) there is more demand for light sweet crude oils given the large number of refineries that lack the process equipment needed to either crack the heavy materials to usable products (delayed coking, catalytic cracking) or to safely remove the contained sulfur to the levels required by the market. Heavy sour crude oils typically sell at a discount to the lighter, sweet crude oils because they produce a greater percentage of lower-value products with simple distillation and require additional processing to produce higher-value light products. Refiners strive to process the optimal mix, or slate, of crude oils through their refineries, depending on each refinery's conversion and treating equipment, the desired product output, and the relative price of available crude oils.

65



    Refinery Complexity

        Refinery complexity refers to a refinery's ability to process less-expensive feedstock, such as heavier and higher-sulfur content crude oils, into value-added products. Generally, the higher the complexity and the more flexible the feedstock slate options are, the better positioned the refinery will be to take advantage of these more cost-effective crude oils. This will result in incremental gross margin opportunities for the refinery. Refinery complexity is a measure of its cost in terms of its process capabilities. A complexity factor is assigned to each process unit based on its relative conversion value compared with the crude distillation unit. A refinery's overall complexity rating is an aggregate of the value assigned to each process unit multiplied by the capacity of the unit as a percentage of the crude distillation unit's capacity. The modified Solomon and Nelson complexity factors are standard measures of complexity that are the most widely used in the industry.

    U.S. Refining Capacity

        We believe the fundamental drivers of profitability in the refining industry support a favorable outlook for U.S. refining margins for the next several years. Expected annual increases in demand exceed estimated increases in refining capacity, both on a global basis and in the U.S. By way of example, the Gulf Coast refining margins per barrel of crude oil between 1992 and 1999 were above $5.00 per barrel approximately 3% of the time. As a result of the underlying fundamental factors beginning in 2000, these margins have been over $5.00 per barrel almost 40% of the time.

        It has become increasingly difficult over the last several years for U.S. refiners to meet the growth in demand for light products. Between 1985 and 2000 refinery utilization increased from 78% to over 92%. Since 2000 refinery utilization has continued to increase and is approaching the effective maximum rate. The trend toward greater capacity utilization has been driven by several factors:

    no new major refineries have been built in the U.S. since 1976;

    demand for refined products is increasing;

    many small refineries have been closed; and

    permitting requirements have constrained refiners' ability to increase capacity.

    Number of U.S. Refineries vs. Utilization

GRAPHIC

         Source: EIA and Purvin & Gertz, Inc.

        Existing refineries have exhausted almost all opportunities to increase light product yields in a cost effective manner. The implementation of the Federal Tier II low sulfur fuel regulations is expected to further reduce existing refining capacity.

        In 2003, demand for gasoline and other refined products has continued to increase. According to Energy Information Agency, gasoline demand is up 1.7% in the nine months ended September 30, 2004

66



compared to the same period in 2003, due primarily to an improving economy and a continued increase in the number of higher gas consumption vehicles utilized by U.S. consumers. At the same time, gasoline supplies have tightened due to more stringent fuel specifications. This has caused gasoline margins to reach historic highs. Product demand has driven margins in 2004 to substantially exceed those experienced in 2003, and the expectation is for margins to continue at high levels beyond 2004. The inventory balances of refined products, especially gasoline, are well below their historical averages which provides evidence of the supply reduction.

        Changes in the crude oil market also support better margins for complex U.S. refiners as growth in the production of heavy sour crude oil is expected to exceed that of light sweet crude oil. The price discounts available to refiners of heavy sour crude oil have widened as many refiners have turned to sweeter crude oils to meet lower sulfur fuel specifications, which has resulted in increasing the surplus of sour crude oils. In addition, as the global economy has improved, world-wide crude oil demand has increased, resulting in greater sour crude oil production. We expect all of these factors will result in increased sour crude discounts as compared to light sweet crude.

    Refinery Locations

        A refinery's location can have an important impact on its refining margins because location can influence access to feedstocks and efficient distribution. There are five regions in the United States, the Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts (PADDs), that have historically experienced varying levels of refining profitability due to regional market conditions. For example, refiners located in the U.S. Gulf Coast region operate in a highly competitive market due to the fact that this region (PADD III) accounts for approximately 35% of the total number of U.S. refineries and approximately 45% of the country's refining capacity. Since 1997, demand for gasoline and distillates has historically exceeded refining production by approximately 22% in the Midwest (PADD II). PADD I represents the East Coast, PADD IV the Rocky Mountains and PADD V is the West Coast. Our refinery is located in PADD II, Group 3. Since 1997, this region has imported nearly 38% of its requirement for petroleum products from the U.S. Gulf Coast. These imported products have higher prices due to the additional transportation costs associated with importing products from the U.S. Gulf Coast, the effect of which is overall higher prices for petroleum products in our region.

    Structure of Refining Companies

        Refiners typically are structured as part of a fully or partially integrated oil company, or as an independent entity. Refineries can be part of an integrated petroleum products business, beginning with exploration and production of crude oil (upstream) and ending with refining and/or participating in retail product distribution (downstream). Integrated multi-national oil companies are generally integrated throughout all aspects of the petroleum industry. Generally, an independent refiner and marketer neither has a source of proprietary crude oil production nor does it have significant downstream operations.

        Refiners primarily distribute their products as either wholesalers or retailers. Refiners who operate as wholesalers principally sell their refined products under spot and term contracts to bulk and truck rack customers. Wholesalers who sell their products on an unbranded basis are called merchant refiners. Many refiners, both integrated and independent, distribute their refined products through their own retail outlets.

    Economics of Refining

        Refining is primarily a margin-based business where both the feedstocks and refined finished products are commodities. Although it is important to maintain high throughput rates and on-stream factors in refining because of the substantial fixed costs. There are also material variable costs

67



associated with the fuel and byproduct components that become increasingly expensive as crude prices increase. The refiner's goal is to maximize the yields of high-value products and to minimize feedstock costs.

        The refining industry uses a number of benchmarks to measure market values and margins:

        West Texas Intermediate.     In the U.S., West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil is the reference quality crude oil. WTI is a light sweet crude oil and forms the price benchmark used in both the spot and futures markets.

        Crack Spreads.     A variety of crack spreads are used to track the profitability of the market place. Among those of most relevance to our refinery are the gas crack spread, the heat crack spread and the 5-3-2 crack spread. The gas crack spread is the simple difference in per barrel value of regular unleaded gasoline in New York Harbor as traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and the NYMEX prompt price of WTI on any given day. This provides a measure of the profitability when producing gasoline. The heat crack spread is the similar measure of the price of Number 2, low sulfur heating oil in New York Harbor as traded on the NYMEX, again, relative to the value of WTI crude which provided a measure of the profitability of producing diesel and heating oil. The 5-3-2 crack spread is a composite spread that assumes for simplification and comparability purposes that for every five barrels of WTI consumed, a refinery produces three barrels of gasoline and two barrels of heating oil; the spread is again based on the NYMEX price and delivery of gasoline and heating oil in New York Harbor. The 5-3-2 crack spread provides a measure of the general profitability of a well operated, medium high complexity refinery on the day that the spread is computed.

        Our refinery uses a consumed 5-3-2 crack spread to measure its specific daily performance in the market. The consumed 5-3-2 crack spread assumes the same relative production of gasoline and heating oil from crude, so like the NYMEX based 5-3-2 crack spread, it has an inherent inaccuracy because the refinery does not produce exactly five barrels of high valued products for each five barrels of crude oil, and the relative proportions of gasoline to heating oil will vary somewhat from the 3:2 relationship. However, the consumed 5-3-2 crack spread is an economically more accurate measure of performance since the crude price used represents the price of our actual charged crude slate and is based on the actual sale values in our marketing region, PADD II, Group 3, rather than on New York Harbor NYMEX numbers. Average 5-3-2 crack spreads vary from region to region depending on the supply and demand balances of crude oils and refined products and can vary seasonally and from year to year reflecting more macroeconomic factors.

        Heavy/Light Differential.     The heavy/light differential is the price differential between Maya, a heavy, sour crude oil, and WTI crude oil. Maya crude oil typically trades at a discount to WTI crude oil.

        Sweet/Sour Differential.     The sweet/sour differential is the price differential between West Texas Sour, a medium sour crude oil and WTI crude oil. West Texas Sour crude oil trades at a discount to WTI crude oil. Typically, the sweet/sour differential is less than the heavy/light differential.

        Product Differentials.     Because refineries produce many other products that are not reflected in the crack spread, product differentials to regular unleaded gasoline and high-sulfur diesel are calculated to analyze the product mix advantage of a given refinery. Those refineries that produce relatively high volumes of premium products such as premium and reformulated gasoline, low-sulfur diesel fuel and jet fuel and relatively low volumes of by-products such as liquefied petroleum gas, residual fuel oil, petroleum coke, and sulfur have an economic advantage.

        Operating Expenses.     Major operating expenses include labor, energy and repairs and maintenance. Labor and repairs and maintenance are relatively fixed costs that generally increase proportionally to

68



inflation. The predominant variable cost is energy and the most reliable price indicator for energy costs is the cost of natural gas and crude oil.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry

    Plant Nutrition Fundamentals

        Commercially produced fertilizers give plants the primary nutrients needed in a form they can readily absorb and use. Nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth. Absorbed by plants in larger amounts than other nutrients, nitrogen makes plants green and healthy and is most responsible for increasing yields in crop plants. Although plants will absorb nitrogen from organic matter and soil materials, this is usually not sufficient to satisfy the demands of crop plants. The supply of nutrients must, accordingly, be supplemented with fertilizers to meet the requirements of crops during periods of plant growth, to replenish nutrients removed from the soil through crop harvesting and to provide those nutrients that are not already available in appropriate amounts in the soil. The two most important sources of nutrients are manufactured or mineral fertilizers and organic manures. Farmers determine the types, quantities and proportions of fertilizer to apply to their fields depending on, among other factors, the crop, soil and weather conditions, regional farming practices, and fertilizer and crop prices.

    Consumption of Commercially Produced Fertilizers; Historical Development and Projected Growth

        Global demand for fertilizers typically grows at predictable rates and tends to correspond to growth in grain production. Global fertilizer demand is driven in the long-term primarily by population growth, increases in disposable income and associated improvements in diet. Short-term demand depends on world economic growth rates and factors creating temporary imbalances in supply and demand. These factors include weather patterns, the level of world grain stocks relative to consumption, agricultural commodity prices, energy prices, crop mix, fertilizer application rates, farm income and temporary disruptions in fertilizer trade from government intervention, such as changes in the buying patterns of large countries like China or India. According to the International Fertilizer Industry Association, or IFA, over the last 40 years global fertilizer demand has grown 3.8% annually and global nitrogen demand has grown at a faster rate of 5.2% annually. According to the IFA, during that 40 year period, North American fertilizer demand has grown 2.7% annually with North American nitrogen demand growing at a faster rate of 3.7% annually.

        In addition, the world's dietary standard has improved significantly during this period, as reflected by a rise in the per capita caloric intake. Data from The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) indicate that, on a per capita basis, the human average daily caloric intake increased by approximately 25% from 1961 to 2001. The shift in dietary pattern has further spurred demand for higher crop yields and consequently, fertilizer demand.

        Commercially produced fertilizer has played, and is expected to continue to play, an increasingly important role in crop nutrition over time. Using a typical grain crop as an example, natural soil fertility can only sustain a production of approximately 0.67 tons per acre of land over time. Traditional agricultural practices with animal, grass and grain production combined, and full use of the manures produced by the animals, can enhance this yield to approximately 0.89 tons per acre. Through the use of commercially produced fertilizers, together with other advances in agricultural technologies and practices, the present production has increased to approximately 2.68 tons per acre.

        In a report entitled Fertilizer Requirements in 2015 and 2030 prepared in 2000, the FAO projected an increase in major world crop production from 1995/97 to 2030 of approximately 76%. In order to attain the yields projected by the FAO, the FAO forecasts that fertilizer consumption will have to increase from the average level of 147 million tons per year during the mid to late 1990s period to between 184 and 219 million tons per year by 2030. This forecast conservatively assumes a slow-down

69



in the growth of the world's population and crop production, and an improvement in fertilizer use efficiency. These figures represent a projected annual growth rate of between 0.7% and 1.3% per year, compared to an actual average annual increase of 2.4% per year between 1970 and 2000.

    Nitrogen Products

        Nitrogen, which typically accounts for approximately 60% of worldwide fertilizer consumption in any planting season, is an essential element for most organic compounds in plants as it promotes protein formation and is a major component of chlorophyll, which helps to promote green healthy growth and high yields. There are no substitutes for nitrogen fertilizers in the cultivation of high-yield crops. Ammonia is the basic building block for producing virtually all forms of nitrogen-based fertilizers. To a lesser extent, it is also used directly as a commercial fertilizer. Ammonia is produced by reacting gaseous nitrogen with hydrogen at high pressure and temperature in the presence of a catalyst. Nearly all hydrogen produced for the manufacture of nitrogen based fertilizers is produced by reforming natural gas at a high temperature and pressure in the presence of water and a catalyst. This process is profitable in a low cost natural gas environment. Hydrogen can also be produced by gasifying petroleum coke. This process, which is commercially employed our nitrogen fertilizer plant and a few other plants, takes advantage of the large cost differential between petroleum coke and natural gas in current markets. Because of the wide availability of feedstocks capable of being reformed into hydrogen, ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers are produced in many countries.

        The production of virtually all nitrogen based fertilizers starts with the production of ammonia. There are a number of processes that produce the various fertilizers derived from ammonia, the most common of which include: urea, ammonium nitrate, urea ammonium nitrate, and ammoniated phosphates, (often referred to as MAP and DAP). The diversity of products facilitates site-specific agricultural applications, which take into account factors such as soil type and the requirements of the crop, thus making it possible to achieve optimal plant nutrition.

        The four principal nitrogen-based fertilizer products are:

        Ammonia.     Ammonia is used in limited quantities as a direct application fertilizer, and is primarily used as a building block for other nitrogen products, including intermediate products for industrial applications and finished fertilizer products. Ammonia, consisting of 82% nitrogen, is stored either as a refrigerated liquid at minus 27 degrees, or under pressure if not refrigerated. It is gaseous at ambient temperatures and is injected into the soil as a gas. The direct application of ammonia requires farmers to make a considerable investment in pressurized storage tanks and injection machinery, and can only take place under a narrow range of ambient conditions. We produce approximately 370,000 tons per annum of ammonia, of which approximately two-thirds is upgraded into 638,000 tons per annum of UAN.

        Urea.     Urea is formed by reacting ammonia with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) at high pressure. From the warm urea liquid produced in the first, wet stage of the process, the finished product is mostly produced as a coated, granular solid containing 46% nitrogen and suitable for use in bulk fertilizer blends containing the other two principal fertilizer nutrients, phosphate and potash. We do not produce merchant urea.

        Ammonium Nitrate.     Ammonium nitrate is another dry, granular form of nitrogen based fertilizer. It is produced by converting ammonia to nitric acid in the presence of a platinum catalyst reaction, then further reacting the nitric acid with additional volumes of ammonia to form ammonium nitrate. We do not produce this product.

        Urea Ammonia Nitrate Solution (UAN).     Urea can be combined with ammonium nitrate solution to make liquid nitrogen fertilizer (urea ammonium nitrate or UAN). These solutions contain 32% nitrogen

70



and are easy to store, transport and provide the farmer with the most flexibility in tailoring fertilizer, pesticide and fungicide applications.

    Global Ammonia Market

        Historical global ammonia supply and demand is presented in the table below, on the basis of thousands of tons per year of nitrogen. Global ammonia demand totaled 121.7 million tons of nitrogen in 2003, which represented 2.5% growth over 2002 demand. Ammonia demand is largely driven by nitrogen fertilizer demand. Demand fell in the early 1990s, primarily due to the collapse of the former Soviet Union, but began to recover in 1993. Ammonia growth in demand continued through 2000 and more recently, and consequently, such that nitrogen fertilizer demand grew by approximately 8.2 million tons of nitrogen between 1995 and 2000. Global food supplies were extremely tight during this period, and grain inventories fell to the lowest level in twenty years. Despite grain utilization exceeding production for the third consecutive year, agricultural commodity prices remained low and world grain production fell 1.7% to 2.0 billion tons of nitrogen in 2003. Global nitrogen fertilizer demand growth averaged 1.0% between the years 1990 to 2003.

Global Ammonia Supply and Demand Balance
(thousand tons of nitrogen)

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Average Annual
Growth Rate (%)

 
  1998
  1999
  2000
  2001
  2002
  2003
  1998-2003
Ammonia Nominal Capacity   138,020   141,477   144,970   145,910   147,652   149,802   1.7%
Effective Utilization Rate   82 % 83 % 83 % 79 % 80 % 79 % NM
Ammonia Production   113,800   117,307   119,819   115,709   118,427   118,281   0.8%
Non Ammonia Nitrogen   672   694   717   717   717   772   2.8%
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total Production   114,472   118,001   120,536   116,426   119,144   119,053   0.8%
Ammonia Industrial Use   16,204   16,535   16,755   16,755   16,755   17,023   1.0%
Processing and Distribution Loss   9,673   9,972   10,184   9,835   10,066   10,054   0.8%
Stock Changes   (893 ) 1,133   4,035   (346 ) (338 ) (3,419 ) NM
Nitrogen Fertilizer Consumption   89,488   90,361   89,562   90,182   92,661   95,395   1.3%
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total Consumption   114,472   118,001   120,536   116,426   119,144   119,053   0.8%

Source: Nexant/Chemsystems

71


        The figure below shows regional ammonia trade in 2003. Latin America is a large ammonia exporter to North America, but North America also imports additional supplies, primarily from the Middle East and the former Soviet Union, which are large exporters. Nexant/Chemsystems' projected global ammonia supply and demand outlook is presented in the table below, on the basis of millions of tons per annum of nitrogen. Beyond 2003, Ammonia demand is expected to continue to be largely driven by nitrogen fertilizer demand. Globally, ammonia demand is projected to increase 1.0% per year from 121.7 million tons of nitrogen in 2003 to 130.6 million tons of nitrogen by 2010.

Global Ammonia Net Trade, 2003
(thousand tons of nitrogen)

GRAPHIC

Source: Nexant/ChemSystems.

72


Global Ammonia Supply and Demand Balance
(thousand tons of nitrogen)

 
   
   
   
   
  Average Annual
Growth Rate (%)

 
  2003
  2004
  2005
  2010
  2003-2010
Ammonia Nominal Capacity   149,802   150,470   152,111   169,575   1.8%
Effective Utilization Rate   79 % 82 % 82 % 77 % NM
Ammonia Production   118,281   123,072   125,252   130,571   1.4%
Non Ammonia Nitrogen   772   882   772   882   1.9%
   
 
 
 
 
Total Production   119,053   123,954   126,024   131,453   1.4%
Ammonia Industrial Use   17,023   17,295   17,572   19,024   1.6%
Processing and Distribution Loss   10,054   10,461   10,646   11,098   1.4%
Stock Changes   (3,419 ) 1     1   NM
Nitrogen Fertilizer Consumption   95,395   96,197   97,806   101,330   0.9%
   
 
 
 
 
Total Consumption   119,053   123,954   126,024   131,453   1.4%
   
 
 
 
 

Source: Nexant/ChemSystems.

        Global nitrogen fertilizer demand rebounded by growing 3% in 2002 and continued at a more robust pace in 2003. However, demand growth is projected to revert to historical levels and continue along a more moderate growth pattern of 0.9% per year through 2010, comparable to long-term historical growth between 1990 and 2003. This demand is being driven by a recovery in global economic growth and population growth, which is expected to continue. Despite the rebound in demand growth in 2002 and 2003, the average global capacity utilization rate remains at approximately 80% through 2005. This reflects two fundamental circumstances: (1) with high U.S. natural gas prices, many U.S. Gulf Coast plants are effectively "swing plants" which commence or cease production based on profitability which is primarily dependent on natural gas prices; and (2) globally, some plants are limited by seasonal gas demands on gas for fuel or electric power, or by limitations on gas supplies as fields tend to decline in natural gas production capability.

    Pricing of Fertilizer Products

        The nitrogen fertilizer industry is cyclical, reflecting the commodity nature of ammonia and the major finished fertilizer products (e.g., urea). In the normal course of business, industry participants are exposed to fluctuations in supply and demand, which can have significant effects on prices across all participants' commodity business areas and products and, in turn, their operating results and profitability. Changes in supply can result from capacity additions or reductions and from changes in inventory levels. Demand for fertilizer products is dependent on demand for crop nutrients by the global agricultural industry, which, in turn, depends on, among other things, weather conditions in particular geographical regions. Periods of high demand, high capacity utilization and increasing operating margins tend to result in new plant investment, higher crop pricing and increased production until supply exceeds demand, followed by periods of declining prices and declining capacity utilization, until the cycle is repeated.

        Prices of nitrogen-based fertilizers are relatively volatile because this segment of the industry is affected by raw material cost swings. However, sales volumes of nitrogen-based fertilizers vary relatively little from one fertilizer season to the next, because nitrogen must be applied every year to maintain crop yields. The global nitrogen fertilizer industry has been undergoing a period of considerable change during recent years. In addition to the normal issues of weather and climate that cause disruptions in the usage of fertilizer, the industry has mainly been influenced globally by the volatility in feedstock prices. These are primarily related to natural gas prices, but oil prices are a factor as well.

73



        In the U.S., volatile and generally rising natural gas prices over the last five years have fundamentally changed the U.S. nitrogen fertilizer industry outlook. Combined with the demand for natural gas that has developed during the last 10 to 20 years, in particular, the use of natural gas for base load electricity production in the U.S., it is generally believed that the outlook for the next five years will be characterized by historically high natural gas prices. In addition to high natural gas prices, the supply of crude oil is now tight globally. This is primarily attributed to rapid growth in economic development in Asia and elsewhere, combined with sustained economic growth in the most significant developed economies, has resulted in growing crude oil demand. The recent pattern of U.S. natural gas prices and U.S. and global crude oil prices is detailed in the table below.

Historical Average Energy Prices

Year

  Natural Gas
($/million btu)

  WTI
($/bbl)

  Ammonia
($/ton)

1990   1.78   24.53   105
1991   1.53   21.55   106
1992   1.73   20.57   95
1993   2.11   18.43   109
1994   1.94   17.16   191
1995   1.69   18.38   207
1996   2.50   22.01   189
1997   2.48   20.59   173
1998   2.16   14.43   120
1999   2.32   19.26   108
2000   4.32   30.28   169
2001   4.06   25.92   182
2002   3.39   26.19   137
2003   5.49   31.03   243
First Quarter 2004   5.72   35.22   286
Second Quarter 2004   6.16   38.29   241
Third Quarter 2004   5.58   43.85   270
Fourth Quarter 2004   6.38   48.23   303

Source: Bloomberg and Chemical Marketing Associates, Inc.

        Most important to U.S. nitrogen fertilizer producers are the prices of natural gas. We believe the recent gas prices of over $5.00 per million Btu are especially significant for two reasons. First, U.S. nitrogen fertilizer producers that employ natural gas as feedstock to produce ammonia and urea (which, does not include our nitrogen fertilizer plant) become generally uneconomical at prices of between $3.50 and $5.00 per million Btu. Determination these uneconomical prices depends on many factors, such as the level of oil prices, cost and availability of ocean transport for ammonia, and the supply/demand and seasonal dynamics in the fertilizer and agricultural sectors. The level of energy prices, primarily natural gas, has been the single most important variable in U.S. nitrogen fertilizer prices.

        We also believe the prevailing level of natural gas prices is significant, because economic and energy supply fundamentals are now pointing to higher gas prices for the foreseeable future, as evidenced by the current futures market for U.S. natural gas contracts.

74


NYMEX Forward Natural Gas Prices—Henry Hub
($/million Btu)

GRAPHIC

Source: Bloomberg (as of January 25, 2005).

    Farm Belt Nitrogen Market

        The volumes of ammonia and UAN sold into the markets set forth in the table below are as follows:

Current U.S. Ammonia and UAN Demand in Selected Mid-continent Areas
(thousand tons per year)

State

  Ammonia
Quantity

  UAN
Quantity

Texas   2,430   940
Oklahoma   125   150
Kansas   460   750
Missouri   240   180
Iowa   600   920
Nebraska   400   965
Minnesota   325   185

        According to Blue Johnson & Associates Inc., approximately 38.9% and 17.9% of the total U.S. supply of ammonia and UAN, respectively, for 2003 were imported.

    Sales and Distribution of Nitrogen Fertilizers

        Sales of nitrogen fertilizer products to end users are generally made through independent retailers, resellers, farmer cooperatives, affiliated dealer organizations and brokers. Markets for nitrogen fertilizer products are seasonal within a given geographical market, with the timing of application determined by the overall cycle of crop growth, local weather conditions, soil conditions and the type of agricultural activity.

        The agricultural ammonia market is seasonal and dependent on proper weather and soil moisture for maximum demand. Most ammonia storage is held at the manufacturer or wholesale distributor level. Dealers typically have small storage capacities relative to their annual demand.

        The UAN market is characterized by large storage capacities at the dealer and reseller levels. Most customers choose to purchase products and fill their storage during the summer, fall and winter in preparation for the spring demand. Typically there is a higher cash market price in the spring for UAN, so customers are motivated to fill storage in the off-season. This off-season fill constitutes over three-fourths of the total annual demand.

75



BUSINESS

Overview

        We are one of the largest independent high complexity petroleum refiners and marketers in the mid-continental U.S. and the lowest cost producer and marketer of upgraded nitrogen fertilizer products in North America. Our operations are organized into two business segments: petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer. Our petroleum business includes a complex oil refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas, a crude oil gathering system throughout Kansas and Northern Oklahoma, and storage and terminalling facilities for asphalt and refined fuels in Phillipsburg, Kansas. Our refinery operates in close proximity to our primary customer base and benefits from favorable crude oil supply and product distribution logistics. Our nitrogen fertilizer business in Coffeyville, Kansas, includes a petroleum coke gasification plant that produces high purity hydrogen that is converted to ammonia at our ammonia plant and upgraded to urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) at our UAN plant. We operate the only nitrogen fertilizer plant in North America utilizing a coke gasification process to generate hydrogen feedstock that is further converted to ammonia for the production of nitrogen fertilizers. This currently provides us with a significant competitive advantage due to the high prevailing and volatile natural gas prices. On a pro forma basis, we generated revenue of $1.3 billion during 2003 and $1.2 billion during the nine months ended September 30, 2004, increases of 42% and 31%, respectively, compared to the corresponding prior periods. On a forma basis for the same periods, net income was $21.8 million and $51.0 million, respectively and our earnings before net interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), was $43.4 million and $86.3 million, respectively.

Petroleum Business

        We operate one of the seven fuels refineries located in the mid-continental U.S. We produce at a throughput of 100,000 bpd, which accounts for approximately 15% of those fuels refineries' production. Our cracking/coking refinery has a modified Solomon complexity of approximately 8.8 and Nelson complexity of approximately 9.7, making ours one of the most complex refineries in our region. Our refinery's high level of complexity allows us to process heavier, less expensive, crude oil compared to competitors with less complex facilities, and still produce a high percentage of high-value, clean transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel. The current excess availability of heavy crude oil in world markets provides us a significant cost advantage over our less complex peers. During the nine months ended September 30, 2004, our heavy and medium sour crude processing capacity was approximately 40% to 50% of our throughput, and high-value products represented approximately a 94% product yield on a crude oil basis.

        We primarily target a diverse customer base in the Midwestern states where regional demand for petroleum products has exceeded regional refining production. As a result of our geographic location, we do not incur the high cost of transporting refined products to customers in the Midwest compared to refiners located outside the Midwest. Consequently, we estimate our region's refining margins have exceeded Gulf Coast refining margins by approximately $1.93 per barrel on average for the last four years. All of our non-gathered crude is purchased through a credit intermediation agreement, which mitigates crude pricing risks and allows us to reduce our inventory position. We also derive additional revenue by leasing storage and charging for terminalling services at Phillipsburg, Kansas, on a throughput basis to third parties in need of asphalt and refined fuels.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Business

        We operate the only nitrogen fertilizer plant in North America utilizing a coke gasification process to generate hydrogen feedstock that is further converted to ammonia for the production of nitrogen fertilizers. By using petroleum coke rather than natural gas as a raw material, we currently have a significant cost advantage over other North American natural gas based fertilizer producers. In

76



addition, we benefit economically from high prevailing natural gas prices because fertilizer prices tend to rise with natural gas prices. We estimate that our cost advantage over natural gas based fertilizer producers is realized when natural gas prices are in the range of $1.50 to $2.50 per million Btu and above. This level is generally low by historical industry prices and our cost advantage is more pronounced at current natural gas prices, which have generally fluctuated between $5.00 and $8.00 per million Btu since the end of 2003.

        We obtain approximately 80% of the petroleum coke we use at our nitrogen fertilizer plant from our adjacent refinery. The use of coke as a raw material in our fertilizer plant also provides a superior value to our refinery's coke, which would otherwise be sold at significantly lower economic value, as is the current practice in the industry. Any coke not obtained from our oil refinery is readily available and purchased on the open market. Our plant produces 370,000 tons per annum of ammonia. We upgrade approximately two-thirds of our ammonia into 638,000 tons per annum of high value UAN, bringing salable tonnage to 755,000 tons per annum of finished product. As the largest single train UAN production facility in North America, our UAN production represents 5.6% of U.S. demand. Our nitrogen products are delivered by trucks and our own fleet of rail cars to retailers and distributors in the mid-continental agricultural and industrial markets and to certain locations served by the Union Pacific (UP) railroad. Our nitrogen fertilizer customers are located in close proximity to us, enabling us to avoid intermediate, transfer, storage, barge freight, or pipeline freight charges. As a result, we believe we enjoy a freight advantage over U.S. Gulf Coast ammonia importers of approximately $65 per ton and over U.S. Gulf Coast UAN importers of approximately $37 per ton. Such cost differentials represent a significant portion of the market price of these commodities. For example, since the end of 2003, ammonia prices have fluctuated between $268 and $329 per ton, and UAN prices have fluctuated between $156 and $195 per ton.

Market Trends

        We have identified several key factors we believe lead to a favorable outlook for the refining and nitrogen fertilizer industries for the next several years.

        For the refining industry, these factors include:

    The supply and demand fundamentals of the domestic refining industry have improved since the 1990s, and are expected to continue as the demand for refined products continue to exceed increases in refining capacity in the U.S.

    Continued excess availability of lower cost sour and heavy sour crude oil is expected to continue to provide a cost advantage to complex refiners with the ability to process these crude oils.

    Increasing reliance on imports to satisfy refined products demand, especially gasoline, and lower ability to deliver refined products due in part to varying product specifications from state to state will favor regional refiners with transportation cost advantages.

    More products based on new and evolving fuel specifications, including ultra-low sulfur content, reduced vapor pressure, and the addition of oxygenates such as ethanol, will require refiners to blend and process these boutique fuels and exert pressure on product availability.

    High capital costs, excess capacity, and environmental regulatory requirements have limited the construction of new refineries in the U.S. over the past thirty to forty years. No new major refinery has been built in the U.S. since 1976. More than 150 small and unsophisticated refineries, however, have been shut down in recent years.

        For the nitrogen fertilizer industry, these factors include:

    Persistently high natural gas prices, a deficit in natural gas supply and increased demand for natural gas in North America as an environmentally friendly fuel are expected to result in

77


      reduced production of natural gas based nitrogen fertilizer products in the U.S. Imports of nitrogen fertilizer product will only partially address this shortfall due to the lack of surplus of natural gas and a shortage of fertilizer transportation infrastructure, such as terminals, pipelines, barges and railcars. These factors will help maintain high nitrogen fertilizer prices in the central Midwestern U.S., or the U.S. farm belt, the largest market for nitrogen fertilizer products in the U.S.

    The combined impact of a growing world population, improving diets, and low grain inventories will drive grain prices and productions worldwide and consequently drive high nitrogen and nitrogen-based fertilizer prices in order to stimulate increased grain production.

    Continued high prices of petroleum and natural gas will result in a cost preferential position for coke gasification technology.

Competitive Strengths

    Strong Oil Refining Industry Fundamentals

        We believe attractive demand and supply dynamics for refined products favor us because of our ability to receive and process crude efficiently, produce high-value products, and transport our refined products cost-effectively to our customers. Throughout the U.S., expected annual increases in demand continue to exceed estimated increases in refining capacity. There has also been a shortage of refined products as evidenced by inventories of refined products, especially gasoline, below their historical averages. These nationwide trends are more pronounced in our marketing region, where demand for refined products has exceeded refining production by approximately 38% since 1997.

    Strong Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Fundamentals

        The combined impact of growing world population and low grain inventories results in rising grain prices and strong projections for acres of corn and wheat planted in North America, which we believe will drive the demand for nitrogen fertilizer. Consequently, we expect high nitrogen fertilizer prices to prevail in North America for the foreseeable future. This projection is further supported by strong natural gas prices, a deficit in North American ammonia and UAN production and a shortage of infrastructure, such as pipelines, barges, and railcars that are needed to transport imported products into the mid-continent market where nitrogen fertilizer is primarily consumed. The total UAN capacity of our nitrogen fertilizer business is well suited to reach into premium agricultural markets in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Texas.

    Regional Focus and Strategic Location

        As one of the seven fuels refineries in the Midwest, we are located in close proximity to our customers and we benefit from favorable crude oil supply and product distribution logistics, including access to pipelines. As a result, we do not incur high transportation costs. We believe our low transportation costs enable us to capture higher margins than similar refineries outside the Midwest. We have ready and economical access to international crudes available in the U.S. Gulf Coast through the Seaway pipeline, which currently has excess capacity available, and potentially in Canada through a proposed future pipeline connection. In addition, our favorable plant location relative to end users of ammonia and UAN, as well as high product demand relative to production volume allow us to target freight-advantaged destinations in the U.S. farm belt.

    Efficient, Modern Asset Base

        Since 1994, approximately $188 million has been invested to modernize our oil refinery to make it one of the most advanced in our region and to meet environmental regulations. Similarly, between 1999

78



and 2002, approximately $370 million was invested to create our coke gasification facility. Our nitrogen fertilizer plant's gasification process uses less than 1% of natural gas used by natural gas based nitrogen fertilizer plants and emits significantly less pollutants during normal operations compared to other nitrogen fertilizer facilities.

    Low Input and Operational Costs

        Our refinery is capable of processing a broad array of crude oils from both foreign and domestic sources, with approximately 40% to 50% of its feedstock comprised of heavy and medium sour crude. As a result, we believe we are well positioned to benefit from the increasing share of global crude oil production represented by heavy sour crude oil, which tends to be less expensive than lighter, sweeter types of crudes and contributes to higher margins. In addition, we estimate that our fertilizer plant, which has lower feedstock costs and capital requirements than natural gas based fertilizer plants, retains its competitive advantage at natural gas prices in the range of $1.50 to $2.50 per million Btu and above. This price level is generally low by historical industry standards and our cost advantage is more pronounced at current natural gas prices, which have generally fluctuated between $5.00 and $8.00 per million Btu since the end of 2003.

    Experienced Management Team

        We have a highly experienced management team, each with an average of over 23 years of industry experience. Our management compensation is directly tied to achieving certain performance objectives. Under the leadership of our chief executive officer, Philip L. Rinaldi, we have made significant operational improvements, which have reduced operating costs and increased stockholder value.

Our Business Strategy

        Our goal is to continue to be a premier independent refiner and marketer of high-value, clean transportation fuels and producer of ammonia and UAN. We believe that this offering will strengthen our ability to execute the following strategic objectives:

    We intend to continue to take advantage of favorable supply and demand dynamics in the Midwest by capitalizing on our position as one of the largest refiners in the mid-continental U.S. and growing organically.

    We intend to improve our competitive position in our refining and fertilizer operations by selectively investing in high-return projects that enhance our operating efficiency and expand our capacity while rigorously controlling costs.

    We intend to increase our sales and supply capabilities of boutique fuels, UAN, and other high-value products, while finding cheaper sources of raw materials, such as crude oil from Canada.

    We intend to maximize our location and transportation cost advantages and continue to focus on being a reliable, low-cost supplier of our products to our existing customers and identify new commercial customers.

    We intend to continue to devote significant time and resources toward improving the reliability, safety and environmental performance of our operations and build on our status as a premier employer in Southeastern Kansas, serving as a beneficial economic presence in our communities and with our employees.

79


Our History

        Prior to March 3, 2004, our assets were operated as a small component of Farmland Industries, Inc. (Farmland), an agricultural cooperative. Farmland filed for bankruptcy protection on May 31, 2002. Coffeyville Resources, LLC a subsidiary of Coffeyville Group Holdings, LLC, won the bankruptcy court auction for Farmland's petroleum business and a nitrogen fertilizer plant and completed the purchase of these assets on March 3, 2004. Throughout this prospectus we refer to this purchase as the Transaction. Prior to consummation of the Transaction, we expended significant time and money preparing for our proposed post-closing implementation of several key strategic initiatives that we believed would significantly enhance our competitive position and improve our financial and operational following the Transaction. Specifically, the following initiatives were implemented:

    We contracted to construct a crude pipeline which would enable us to control our crude oil supply chain from Cushing, Oklahoma, a major mid-continental hub, to Coffeyville, at a favorable economic cost to us.

    We negotiated new collective bargaining agreements with the existing unions which would enable us to improve the overall work force and reward our employees for increasing productivity and diversifying their skills.

    We negotiated new agreements with respect to potential environmental liabilities with the EPA and the KDHE and significant insurance coverage for certain historical and potential future liabilities.

    We negotiated a long-term electric supply agreement with the City of Coffeyville.

    We renegotiated a number of key supplier contracts on favorable terms.

    We identified a new management team, consisting of experienced non-Farmland industry managers as well as certain key Farmland employees.

        Following the consummation of the Transaction, we significantly improved our coke gasifiers' performance and optimized operations at our nitrogen fertilizer plant, enabling us to be one of the top performers in our industry. We have also reduced operating costs at our refinery.

Petroleum Business

        Our petroleum business includes an oil refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas, crude oil gathering system throughout Kansas, and terminalling facilities in Phillipsburg, Kansas:

    Oil Refinery. Our oil refinery is located on approximately 440 acres in Southeast Kansas. It is a catalytic cracking/delayed coking refinery that processes crude oil from a broad array of sources and produces fuel products such as gasoline, diesel and propane. The oil refinery has undergone numerous expansions and upgrades over the last 10 years, with aggregate non-maintenance capital expenditures of approximately $187.0 million. The oil refinery converts its feedstock into higher value products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and petrochemicals, representing approximately a 94% product yield on a crude oil basis. Other products include slurry, light cycle oil, vacuum tower bottom (VTB), reformer feeds, gas oil, petroleum coke and sulfur. All of our petroleum coke byproduct is consumed by our adjacent nitrogen fertilizer business, thus providing the fertilizer plant a superior economic value, because the coke is utilized in lieu of high priced natural gas.

    Crude Oil Gathering System. We own and operate a 25,000 bpd crude oil gathering system comprised of over 300 miles of feeder and truck pipelines and 18 trucks for gathering light, sweet Kansas and Oklahoma crude oils as purchased from independent crude producers.

80


    Phillipsburg Terminal. We own storage and terminalling facilities for asphalt and refined fuels at Phillipsburg, Kansas. The asphalt facilities are leased to third parties on a throughput basis.

    Modern, Strategically-Located Midwest Refinery

        Our oil refinery is one of only seven fuels refineries located in the mid-continental U.S. The strategic location of our oil refinery provides it with access to markets in our region for petroleum products, where demand for products has exceeded refining production by approximately 38% since 1997. The Seaway pipeline provides additional supply from the U.S. Gulf Coast and has excess capacity availability. Also, we are an initial subscriber in a potential pipeline project that will supply Canadian crude to the Cushing, Oklahoma distribution hub. We are not aware of any other new pipeline construction projects. Our oil refinery is capable of capturing higher margins than similar refineries outside our operating region because it does not incur the high cost of transporting refined products via pipelines to the Midwest. Because of its higher complexity, it is also capable of processing cheaper, more readily available heavier crude oil relative to less complex refineries located both within and outside our refinery region. In addition, it is uniquely positioned to benefit from the aforementioned potential crude oil pipeline connections from Canada.

        On average, based on an assumed typical regional crude slate composed of 50% of West Texas Sour and 50% WTI, the oil refineries in our region (PADD II, Group 3) have generated higher crack spreads than Gulf Coast refineries by $0.83 over the last 17 years, $1.20 over the last 10 years, $1.54 over the last six years, $1.70 over the last five years and $1.93 over the last four years.

        Our region typically enjoys a higher product price than the Gulf Coast due the aforementioned supply and demand imbalance to the tariff of $2.43 per gallon on the Explorer pipeline for transportation from the Gulf Coast to region. Additionally, we process a broad array of crudes which are purchased at a discount to WTI. This is because our refinery's crude slate is in general heavier and less sweet and therefore less expensive compared to WTI. This situation is enhanced by the fact that the gasoline and heating oil prices are often higher given the different supply and demand dynamics of our marketing region, PADD II, Group 3, rather than New York Harbor NYMEX. The chronic product shortage in this region, approximately 40% of demand, means that the product shortfall has to be made up by imports from the Gulf Coast, virtually all of which come into the region on the Explorer Pipeline. This line runs at capacity, and small demand spikes and/or small pipeline supply interruptions generally translate into higher product prices in the region as demand competition drives up the price of the scarce barrel.

    Raw Material Supply

        Our oil refinery has the capability to process a blend of heavy sour crudes and light sweet crudes. Our refinery processes crude from a broad array of sources, approximately one-third domestic and two-thirds foreign. We purchase foreign crudes originally from Latin America, South America, the Middle East, West Africa and the North Sea. We purchase domestic crudes that meet pipeline specifications from Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and offshore wells in the U.S. Gulf Coast.

        All of our non-gathered crude is purchased through a credit intermediation agreement, which reduces our inventory position and mitigates crude pricing risks. We obtain the rest of our crude from independent producers in Kansas and northern Oklahoma through our associated 25,000 bpd gathering system. In the nine months ended September 30, 2004, our gathering system collected approximately 17% of our crude oil feedstock, providing a substantial cost advantage over our competitors. Given our refinery's ability to process a wide variety of crudes and ready access to multiple sources of crude, we have never had to stop production due to lack of crude access.

81



        Generally, we select crude oil approximately 35 to 50 days in advance of the time the related refined products are to be marketed. To ensure quality of purchase, oil is tested for basic sediment and water, temperature and gravity at stock tanks.

        Below is a summary of our historical inputs:

 
   
   
   
   
   
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 
  Year Ended December 31,
(in barrels)

  1999
  2000
  2001
  2002
  2003
  2003
  2004
Crude oil   32,037,813   31,286,728   30,880,860   27,172,830   31,207,718   23,399,662   24,948,332
Natural gasoline   1,223,988   766,228   694,552   1,093,629   483,362   428,627   147,460
Normal butane               205,134
Isobutane   885,080   924,875   1,142,098   1,037,855   1,627,989   1,192,316   1,262,025
Vacuum tower bottom   134,304   53,453   32,951   98,371   109,974   75,885   84,233
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Total Inputs   34,281,185   33,031,284   32,750,461   29,402,685   33,429,043   25,096,490   26,647,184
   
 
 
 
 
 
 

        We own and lease a 145,000 bpd proprietary pipeline that connects Caney, Kansas and our oil refinery. The bulk of our crude is delivered by common carrier pipelines to the Enbridge Terminal in Cushing, Oklahoma, where it is blended. The Cushing to Chicago Pipeline (CCPS) pipeline then runs from Cushing, Oklahoma to Caney, Kansas. In early 2005, a new Cushing to Coffeyville crude pipeline is expected to be completed and dedicated to Coffeyville service. The following table provides the pipelines used by the oil refinery for its inputs and its suppliers' delivery capacity:

Delivery

  Capacity (bpd)
Seaway Pipeline from U.S. Gulf Coast to Cushing, Oklahoma   350,000
CCPS Pipeline from Cushing to Caney, Kansas   300,000
Coffeyville Crude Oil Pipeline System from Caney, Kansas to Oil Refinery   145,000
Coffeyville Crude Oil Gathering and Trucking System   25,000
Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Connection from Conway, Kansas through MAPCO   15,000
Plains Cushing to Caney, Kansas (expected in 2005)   80,000

    Petroleum Products

    Gasoline . Gasoline typically accounts for approximately 50% of our refinery's production. Our oil refinery produces various grades of gasoline, ranging from 84 sub-octane regular unleaded to 91 octane premium unleaded and uses a computerized component blending system to optimize gasoline blending.

    Distillates . Kerosene, diesel and off-road diesel typically account for approximately 40% of the refinery's production. The majority of the diesel fuel we produce is low-sulfur.

    By-Products . Liquid by-products such as propane, slurry, light cycle oil, VTB, reformer feed and gas oils typically account for approximately 10% of the refinery's production. On the other hand, solid by- products such as coke and sulfur account for approximately 4% of production. The majority of the coke produced is supplied to the adjacent Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant for conversion to ammonia and UAN.

        Our oil refinery's long-term capacity utilization has steadily improved over the years. To further enhance capacity utilization, we are constantly striving for improved crude slate flexibility, inbound NGL pipeline capacity, strategic initiatives regarding raw materials and in-process feedstock and capital investments to improve processes.

82



Oil Refinery Yields

 
   
   
   
   
   
  Nine Months Ended
September 30,

 
 
  Year Ended December 31,
 
(in barrels)

 
  1999
  2000
  2001
  2002
  2003
  2003
  2004
 
Gasoline:                              
  Regular unleaded   14,736,180   14,783,990   15,118,607   14,071,304   16,531,362   12,127,626   12,132,248  
  Premium unleaded   867,045   430,648   423,898   306,334   298,789   262,845   184,489  
  Suboctane unleaded   415,815   673,512   803,590   754,264   773,831   638,414   865,470  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total gasoline   16,019,040   15,888,150   16,346,095   15,131,902   17,603,982   13,028,885   13,182,207  

Distillate:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Kerosene   33,671   29,360   25,675   26,085   25,149   16,755   9,520  
  Jet fuel       97,354          
  No. 1 distillate   608,408   331,342   278,325   124,741   342,363   50,870   81,734  
  No. 2 low sulfur distillate   6,078,762   6,571,959   6,708,536   6,526,883   7,899,132   5,967,735   6,117,250  
  No. 2 high sulfur distillate   3,569,207   3,000,458   3,138,236   2,268,116   3,017,785   2,247,996   2,983,295  
  Diesel   3,448,477   2,563,976   2,105,709   1,923,370   1,258,279   1,032,950   1,107,133  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total distillate   13,738,525   12,497,095   12,353,835   10,869,195   12,542,708   9,316,306   10,298,932  

Liquid by-products:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  LNG (propane, butane)   531,853   543,204   676,753   583,095   734,737   749,718   936,957  
  Slurry   442,912   492,577   507,407   445,784   532,236   463,340   379,323  
  Light cycle oil sales   172,463   201,078   214,504   84,146   42,571   42,571    
  VTB sales   446,382   132,022   188,684   8,212   26,438   26,438   73,189  
  Reformer feed sales   72,153   424,015   207,154         79,906  
  Gas oil sales   200,538       84,673        
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total liquid by-products   1,866,301   1,792,896   1,794,502   1,205,910   1,335,982   1,282,067   1,469,375  

Solid by-products:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  Coke   2,309,563   2,349,863   2,751,298   2,068,031   1,956,619   1,439,627   1,773,839  
  Sulfur   75,511   84,508   92,918   74,226   131,137   78,143   62,434  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total solid by-products   2,385,074   2,434,371   2,844,216   2,142,257   2,087,756   1,517,770   1,836,273  

NGL production

 

343,545

 

86,463

 

226,159

 

52,682

 

(8,539

)


 


 
In process change   (321,444 ) 218,532   (347,599 ) 114,945   (120,122 ) (53,537 ) 10,939  
Produced fuel   1,537,362   1,527,404   1,369,413   1,268,388   1,489,030   1,121,345   1,241,510  
Processing loss (gain)   (1,287,218 ) (1,413,627 ) (1,836,160 ) (1,382,594 ) (1,501,754 ) (1,116,346 ) (1,392,052 )
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Total yields   34,281,185   33,031,284   32,750,461   29,402,685   33,429,043   25,096,490   26,647,184  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

83


    Storage

        The following table summarizes storage capacity at the oil refinery:

Product

  Capacity (barrels)
Gasoline   716,000
Distillates   1,005,000
Intermediates   900,000
Crude oil(1)   1,250,000
NGL Connection to Conway, Kansas through MAPCO   12,000
Truck Loading Rack Delivery System   40,000
(1)
Crude oil storage consists of 730,000 barrels of refinery storage capacity and 520,000 barrels of field storage capacity.

        Our storage capacity is sufficient for our current needs.

    Distribution Pipelines and Product Terminals

        We can distribute all of our petroleum products into the Magellan, Enterprise, Kaneb Products and Chase pipelines and we can also distribute gasoline and diesel fuel by truck. A Magellan pipeline transports products to Kansas City and other northern cities. The Kaneb Products and Chase pipelines are also accessible via Magellan and Enterprise pipelines.

        Below is a detailed summary of our distribution pipelines and their capacities:

    Oil Refinery Offtake

Pipeline

  Capacity (bpd)
Magellan Pipeline #1 Line (from Coffeyville to northern cities via Caney, Kansas)   24,000
Magellan Pipeline #2 Line (from Coffeyville to northern cities via Barnsdall, Oklahoma)   95,000
Chase Pipeline (accessible via Enterprise Pipeline at El Dorado, Kansas)   12,000
Kaneb Products Pipeline (accessible via Enterprise Pipeline at El Dorado, Kansas)   12,000
Truck Loading Rack Delivery System   40,000

        Our modern, three-bay, bottom-loading fuels loading rack has been in service since July 1998 with a maximum delivery capability of 225 trucks per day or 40,000 bpd of finished gasoline and diesel fuels. The loading rack has averaged over 14,400 bpd of actual volume over the last three years. The terminal includes one spot propane facility that can load approximately 30 trucks per day. Heavy oil loading is available for truck and rail cars. Shipments of NGL products are loaded from four connections with a capacity of approximately 60 trucks per day. The daily loading rates for propane have averaged over 1,200 bpd over the last three years.

        Costs for using the Magellan and Kaneb pipelines are identified in the tariffs published by each pipeline. We decide how much to ship in the pipeline; typically all production that is not sold at the Coffeyville truck terminal is shipped through these pipelines. We can control how much volume is sold through the truck terminal and there is insignificant incremental cost to selling more volume at the truck terminal.

84



        The following map depicts part of the Magellan pipeline, which the oil refinery uses for the majority of its distribution:

GRAPHIC

Source: Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P.

    Crude Oil Gathering System

        We own and operate a 25,000 bpd crude oil gathering and trucking system that feeds our refinery. This gathering system provides approximately 17% of our refinery's feedstock at a substantially lower price than other equivalent crudes. We obtain our North Central Kansas crude from a crude oil purchase agreement with National Cooperative Refinery Association (NCRA) and Oklahoma and Southeast Kansas crude from independent producers.

        Our agreement with NCRA covering 46 counties in central Kansas provides us with a 33.7% share of all the crude oil NCRA gathered in those counties. Currently this makes approximately 12,000 bpd of central Kansas crude available to us for processing or resale. This agreement's initial term lasts through December 31, 2005, with an evergreen provision, unless cancelled by either party with six months prior notice. This contract provides that we will retain a pro rata share of the gathered crude in that region if and when the agreement is terminated.

        We are the direct first purchaser from leases in Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma. This provides 6,500 bpd of crude to the refinery. Additional volumes, which had been lost due to the Farmland bankruptcy, are expected to return to our crude oil gathering system based on our superior service.

85



    Phillipsburg Terminal

        We own storage and terminalling facilities in Phillipsburg, Kansas. We lease this storage and charge for the terminalling services performed for third parties who use these facilities. The truck terminal includes three loading locations with a capacity of approximately 72 trucks per day.

        Asphalt.     In 2003, our terminal delivered 432,000 barrels of roofing flux and 90,000 barrels of tar to the Tamko Asphalt Products, Inc. plant adjacent to the terminal. Approximately 105,000 barrels of road asphalt moved through the terminal in 2003. Total storage capacity for asphalt is 420,000 barrels.

        We have an agreement with Sinclair Oil Corporation pursuant to which Sinclair uses our asphalt terminalling facilities on a non-exclusive basis to unload and store roll saturate and roofing flux and have the products delivered offsite. We have allocated 150,000 barrels of roofing flux storage and 25,000 barrels of roll saturate storage to Sinclair. Sinclair pays us a fee of $125,000 per month, plus $200.00 for each $0.01/million Btu that the Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company natural gas index price exceeds $2.50. Either party may terminate the agreement with 90 days notice.

        Refined Fuels.     The Phillipsburg rack receives refined fuels from the Kaneb pipeline system. A new, automated, bottom loading fuels loading rack became operable in February 1999. Total throughput volumes at the Phillipsburg rack averaged 1.6 million barrels over the last two years with a capacity of up to 144 trucks per day, or approximately 27,000 bpd. Storage capacity for refined fuels at the Phillipsburg facility is approximately 380,000 barrels.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Business

        We operate the largest single train UAN production facility in North America, with annual capacity of 638,000 tons per annum. Economies of scale provide significant advantages in labor, maintenance, and energy unit costs. Consequently, our plant benefits from a UAN cash conversion cost among the lowest in the industry.

    Low Cost Producer

        Our nitrogen fertilizer plant's gasification process uses less than 1% of the natural gas relative to other nitrogen-based fertilizer facilities that are heavily dependent upon natural gas and thus heavily impacted by natural gas price swings. This is due to the fact that our fertilizer plant uses petroleum coke produced at our adjacent refinery as a raw material for our gasification process. We estimate that our plant retains its competitive advantage over Gulf Coast ammonia producers at natural gas prices in the range of $1.50 to $2.50 per million Btu and above. Our nitrogen fertilizer plant has higher operating costs but lower feedstock costs and lower capital expenditure levels. Because we use petroleum coke, our nitrogen fertilizer plant increases confidence levels of our customers that we will be a more reliable supplier and will not be subject to a production shutdown. After years of stability, natural gas prices have become more volatile and have significantly increased over the past few years, thus impacting the profitability of several U.S. nitrogen producers.

        The advantage of our nitrogen fertilizer plant compared to conventional, natural gas-based U.S. Gulf Coast ammonia plants is composed of three major components: (1) significantly lower raw material costs as a result of using coke rather than natural gas as a feedstock, (2) substantial product transportation costs savings resulting from proximity to the consuming marketplace, and (3) higher product prices resulting from the upgrading of two-thirds of our ammonia production to UAN.

86



        The following example is provided to illustrate this comparative advantage of our nitrogen fertilizer plant relative to a highly efficient, U.S. Gulf Coast ammonia producer.


Relative Costs of Ammonia Production: Gulf Coast Natural Gas Based Facility vs. Coffeyville
(Per ton of ammonia, except as indicated)

Natural Gas Based (Located in the Gulf Coast)

   
Natural Gas Consumption (million Btu)(1)     33
Illustrative Natural Gas Price (dollars per million Btu)(2)   $ 6.00
Natural Gas Component of Ammonia Cost   $ 198
Other Production Costs     22
Transportation Costs (from Gulf Coast to Corn belt)     60
   
  Total Estimated Delivered Cash Cost to Gulf Coast Based Manufacturer   $ 280
   

Comparable Cost incurred by Coffeyville(3)

 

$

175
Coffeyville Cash Advantage   $ 105
   
Incremental Cost Advantage due to Upgrading Ammonia Into UAN(4)     49
   
  Total Coffeyville Cost Advantage   $ 154
   

(1)
Represents our estimate of typical natural gas consumption required to produce one ton of ammonia.

(2)
Represents prevailing cost of natural gas in recent years. Since the end of 2003, natural gas prices have generally fluctuated between $5.00 and $8.00 per million Btu.

(3)
Consists of production cost of $150 per ton and transportation cost of $25 per ton.

(4)
Converting ammonia into UAN generally commands a premium for every pound of nitrogen contained in ammonia. For the purpose of this illustration, we have assumed a UAN premium of $0.06 per pound of contained nitrogen. This premium has historically ranged between $0.03 and $0.08 per pound of contained nitrogen; for the most recently completed month of January 2005, the UAN premium was $0.12 per pound of contained nitrogen.

        If our overall advantage of $154 per ton of ammonia were to be expressed entirely in terms of natural gas consumed at a Gulf Coast plant, this advantage would be approximately $4.67 per million Btu of gas ($154 per ton divided by 33 mmBtu/ton), meaning that at a $0.06 per pound nitrogen UAN premium, our plant would retain its competitive advantage even if natural gas prices were to drop precipitously to $1.33 per million Btu ($6.00 minus $4.67 advantage). This comparative advantage cross-over point would be higher or lower to the extent that the UAN premium were to be higher or lower than 6 cents per pound of nitrogen. Therefore, at the most recently observed UAN premium of $0.12 per pound of nitrogen, we believe our competitive advantage is realized at substantially lower prices for natural gas.

    Strategic Location with Transportation Advantage

        We believe that selling products to customers in close proximity to our UAN plant and reducing transportation costs are key to maintaining our profitability. Due to our favorable location relative to end users and high product demand relative to production volume all product shipments are targeted to freight advantaged destinations located in the farm belt. The available ammonia production at our nitrogen fertilizer plant is small and easily sold into truck and rail delivery points with optimal price return to the plant. Our products leave the plant either in trucks for direct shipment to customers or in

87



railcars for principally UP Railroad destinations. We do not incur any intermediate transfer, storage, barge freight, or pipeline freight charges. Consequently, our plant enjoys a freight advantage over U.S. Gulf Coast ammonia importers of approximately $65 per ton and over U.S. Gulf Coast UAN importers of approximately $37 per ton. Such cost differentials represent a significant portion of the market price of these commodities. For example, since the end of 2003, ammonia prices have fluctuated between $268 and $329 per ton, and UAN prices have fluctuated between $156 and $195 per ton.

    High and Increasing Capacity Utilization

        Our facility uses a gasification process licensed from General Electric to convert petroleum coke to high purity hydrogen for subsequent conversion to ammonia. It uses between 925 to 1,000 tons per day of petroleum coke from the refinery and another 150 to 300 tons per day from third-party sources and converts it all to 1,175 tons per day of ammonia. A portion of the ammonia is converted to 1,850 tons per day of UAN. Capacity utilization has increased steadily over the first three years of operation and was 93% for the UAN plant in calendar year 2003. The gasifier on-stream factor (a measure of how long the gasifier has been operational over a period) from the beginning of 2004 through September 2004 is above 95% when adjusted for turnaround in the third quarter of 2004.

 
  Year Ended December 31,
  Nine Months Ended
 
  2001
  2002
  2003
  Sept. 30, 2004
Gasifier on-stream   66.8%   78.6%   90.1%   91.2%
Ammonia capacity utilization (1)   49.5%   66.0%   83.6%   77.3%
UAN capacity utilization (2)   52.3%   79.4%   93.3%   92.1%

(1)
Based on nameplate capacity of 1,100 tons per day.
(2)
Based on nameplate capacity of 1,500 tons per day.

        Our nitrogen fertilizer business employs 106 people and the nitrogen fertilizer plant operates seven days per week, 24 hours per day with two twelve-hour shifts (including regular maintenance).

    Raw Material Supply

        Our nitrogen fertilizer facility's primary input is petroleum coke, approximately 80% of which is supplied by our adjacent oil refinery at market prices. Historically we have obtained a small amount of coke from third parties. We have had a reliable and sufficient supply of third-party coke from other Midwestern refineries at spot prices. We believe that optimization of the use of our oil refinery's coker would eliminate any need for third-party coke. If necessary, the gasifier can also operate on low grade coal, which provides an additional raw material source. There are significant supplies of low grade coal within a 60 mile radius of the plant.

        The BOC Group owns, operates, and maintains the air separation plant that provides contract volumes of oxygen, nitrogen, and compressed dry air to the gasifier for a monthly fee. We provide and pay for all utilities required for operation of the air separation unit. The air separator plant has not experienced any long term operating problems. The nitrogen fertilizer plant is covered for business insurance for up to $300 million in case of any interruption in the supply of oxygen from The BOC Group. Our agreement with The BOC Group expires in 2020.

        We import start-up steam for the fertilizer plant from our adjacent oil refinery, and then export steam back to the oil refinery once all units are in service. Monthly charges and credits are booked with steam valued at the gas price for the month.

88



    Production

        Our nitrogen fertilizer plant uses approximately 1,125 to 1,300 tons per day of petroleum coke from the oil refinery and third-party sources and converts it to 1,125 to 1,300 tons per day of ammonia. It uses a gasification process licensed from General Electric to convert the coke to high purity hydrogen for subsequent conversion to ammonia. A portion of the ammonia is converted to 1,850 tons per day of UAN.

        Our fertilizer plant is based on the relocation and refurbishment of the gasification section of the Cool Water Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Demonstration Program. The relocation and re-use of this equipment required a significant modification of the existing design with the objective of increasing throughput and increasing sulfur-handling capacity, all with the additional objective of containing the capital cost. New units were added to convert carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and to purify the hydrogen product.

        Petroleum coke is first ground and blended with water and a fluxant to form a slurry that is then pumped into the partial oxidation gasifier. The slurry is then contacted with oxygen from an air separation unit (ASU). Partial oxidation reactions take place and the synthesis gas (syngas), consisting predominantly of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, is formed. The mineral residue from the slurry is a molten slag and flows along with the syngas into a quench chamber. The syngas and slag are rapidly cooled and the syngas is separated from the slag.

Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant Process Flow Chart

GRAPHIC

        The slag becomes a by-product of the process. The syngas is scrubbed and saturated with moisture. The syngas next flows through a shift unit where the carbon monoxide in the syngas is reacted with the moisture to form hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The heat from this reaction generates saturated steam. This steam is combined with steam produced in the ammonia unit and the excess steam not consumed by the process is sent to the adjacent oil refinery.

        After additional heat recovery, the high-pressure syngas is cooled and processed in the acid gas removal (AGR) unit, which operates in two stages. The first-stage selectively removes the hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) to very low levels in the product syngas. The bulk of the carbon dioxide is removed from the syngas in the second stage and a portion is sent to the UAN unit for use as feed to the urea reaction. The syngas is then fed to a pressure swing absorption (PSA) unit, where the remaining

89



impurities are extracted. The PSA reduces residual carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide levels to trace levels, and the moisture-free, high-purity hydrogen is sent directly to the ammonia synthesis loop.

        The hydrogen is reacted with nitrogen from the ASU in the ammonia unit to form the ammonia product. A portion of the ammonia is converted to UAN. This unit is designed to produce 1,850 tons per day of UAN. The UAN plant is the largest of its kind in North America, with 638,000 tons per annum produced.

        Our UAN capacity utilization has increased steadily over the first three years of operation and was 93% for calendar year 2003 and 97% for the nine months ending September 30, 2004 after adjusting for a recent turnaround. We expect that efficiency of the plant will improve with operator training, replacement of unreliable equipment, and reduced dependence on contract maintenance.

        Our nitrogen fertilizer business' ongoing sustaining capital expenditure is projected to be modest at $2.0 million per year. We currently operate one of our two gasifier units at a time. Our UAN plant is also cycled every 10 weeks for catalyst replacement. Consequently, while the plant anticipates a turnaround every two years for the air separation plant, at an approximate cost of $1.0 million per turnaround, little work is actually done in the gasifier and UAN facilities during these turnarounds. The next scheduled turnaround is in October 2006.

        Critical equipment is set up on routine maintenance schedules using our own maintenance technicians. Completion of sustaining capital projects will eliminate high maintenance equipment, reducing repair costs and increasing reliability. We have a Technical Services Agreement with General Electric who licensed the gasification technology to us. Under this agreement, General Electric experts provide technical advise and technological updates from their ongoing research as well as other licensees operating experiences.

    Distribution

        Ammonia and UAN are distributed by truck or by railcar. If delivered by truck, products are sold on a freight-on-board basis, and freight is normally arranged by the customer. We also own and lease a fleet of railcars. We also negotiate with distributors that have their own leased railcars to utilize these assets to deliver products. We own all of the truck and rail loading equipment at our facility. We operate two truck loading and eight rail loading racks for ammonia and UAN.

Sales and Marketing

        Petroleum Business.     We focus our marketing efforts on the Midwestern states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa for the sale of our petroleum products because of their relative proximity to our oil refinery and their pipeline access. Our refinery produces approximately 100,000 bpd of gasoline and distillates, approximately 10% of the market demand for gasoline and distillates in our target states in 2004.

        Nitrogen Fertilizer Business.     The primary geographic markets for our fertilizer products are Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, and Texas. We market our ammonia products to industrial and agricultural customers and our UAN products to agricultural customers. The direct application agricultural demand from our nitrogen fertilizer plant occurs in three main use periods. The summer wheat pre-plant occurs in August and September. The fall pre-plant occurs in late October and November. The largest ammonia demand occurs in the spring pre-plant period, from March through May. There are also small fill volumes that move in the off-season to fill the available storage at the dealer level.

        We currently sell approximately 30% of our agricultural products through Agriliance, LLC, a farm cooperative system which resells our products to retailers. We are currently aggressively pursuing sales

90



directly to retail customers. We market our agricultural products to destinations that produce the best margins for our business. These markets are primarily located on the UP railroad. We are also aggressively pursuing the truck business, which will enable us to capture a larger margin and allow us to better control our product distribution. In the first half of 2004, we added two members to our sales staff who have a combined 30 years of experience in the trade to assist in the sales process. Most of our agricultural sales are made on a competitive spot basis. We also offer products on a prepay basis for in-season demand. The heavy in-season demand periods are spring and fall in the corn belt and summer in the wheat belt. Some of our industrial sales are spot sales, but most are on annual or multiyear contracts. Industrial demand for ammonia provides ratable sales and allows us to better manage inventory control and generate consistent cash flow.

Customers

        Petroleum Business.     Customers for our petroleum products include refiners, convenience store companies, railroads and farm cooperatives. We have bulk term contracts in place with most of these customers, which typically extend from a few months to one year in length. Our sales to these customers are typically in the 10,000 to 60,000 barrel range (420,000 to 2,250,000 gallons) and are delivered by pipeline. We enter into these types of contracts in order to lock in a committed volume at market prices to ensure an outlet for our refinery production. For the nine months ended September 30, 2004, QuickTrip Corporation, GROWMARK, Inc., CHS Inc., and SemFuel, L.P. accounted for 21%, 16%, 15% and 10% of our petroleum business sales, respectively. We sell bulk products on industry market related indexes such as Platt's or NYMEX related Group Market (Midwest) prices.

        Our longer term, target customers include truck rack customers such as convenience store companies, petroleum jobbers, truck stops, industrial and commercial end users, railroads, and farm cooperatives that buy in truckload quantities. We will sell truck terminal deliveries at rack prices, based on competitor prices and spot market prices. Rack prices are typically higher than bulk contract prices.

        To maximize profits, our marketing staff is closely coordinated with our production and crude purchasing staff. The feedstock purchases and the refining process are optimized to produce outputs that respond to seasonal market demand.

        Nitrogen Fertilizer Business.     We sell ammonia to agricultural and industrial customers. We sell approximately 70% of the ammonia we produce to agricultural customers, such as farmers in the mid-continental area between North Texas and Canada, and approximately 30% to industrial customers. Our agricultural customers include distributors such as Missouri Farmers Association, United Suppliers, Inc., Brandt Consolidated Inc., Interchem, GROWMARK, Inc., Royster-Clark, Inc., Mid West Fertilizer Inc., DeBruce Grain, Inc., and Agriliance, LLC. Our industrial customers include Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc., Lyondell Chemical Company, Huntsman LLC, and Truth Industries Inc. We sell UAN products to retailers and distributors. For the nine months ended September 30, 2004, our top five ammonia customers represented 68.1% of our ammonia sales, and our top five UAN customers represented 57.0% of our UAN sales. During that period, Brandt Consolidated Inc. and Missouri Farmers Association accounted for 23.3% and 15.9% of our ammonia sales, respectively, and Agriliance and Conagra accounted for 35.7% and 5.9% of our UAN sales, respectively.

Competition

        We compete in markets that are intensely competitive and rapidly evolving. We have experienced and expect to continue to experience intense competition from current and potential competitors, many of which have significantly greater financial and other resources.

91



        Petroleum Business.     Our oil refinery is located in Coffeyville, Kansas and ranks third in processing capacity and fourth in refinery complexity among the seven mid-continent fuels refineries. The following table presents certain information about us and the six other major mid-continent fuel oil refineries with which we compete:

Company

  Location
  Crude Capacity
(barrels per calendar day)

  Nelson
Complexity
Index

ConocoPhillips   Ponca City, OK   194,000   11.6
Frontier Oil   El Dorado, KS   110,000   12.9
Coffeyville   Coffeyville, KS   100,000 (1) 9.7
Valero   Ardmore, OK   85,000   10.3
NCRA   McPherson, KS   79,000   12.3
Gary Williams Energy   Wynnewood, OK   53,000   8.1
Sinclair   Tulsa, OK   50,000   7.5
       
   
  Mid-continent Total:       671,000    
       
   

(1)
While the Coffeyville refinery has crude oil distillation capacity of 120,000 barrels per day we have a run rate capacity of 100,000 barrels per day, as presented above.

Source:    Turner, Mason & Company. A Sunoco refinery located in Tulsa, Oklahoma was excluded from this table because it is not a stand-alone fuels refinery.

        The principal competitive factors affecting our refining operations are costs of crude oil and other feedstock costs, refinery complexity, refinery efficiency, refinery product mix and product distribution and transportation costs. In the mid-continent region, ConocoPhillips has the only materially larger refinery and as a result, may have lower per barrel costs or higher margins per barrel of throughput than we do. We believe the location of our refinery provides us with a secure supply of crude oil and a transportation cost advantage over some of our competitors since pipeline tariffs to certain terminals in Missouri, Kansas and Iowa are substantially lower than those to which some of our competitors are subject. We also believe that our marketing costs are significantly below those of our branded competitors.

        Our primary unbranded competitor is Flint Hill Resources, LP. The main competitive advantage of its Gulf coast refinery is the economies of scale resulting from the operation of a large refinery. The main competitive advantage of its Minneapolis refinery is its proximity to customers and suppliers in that region. Our other competitors include trading companies such as Seminole, Western, Center Oil and Transmontigne. In addition to competing refineries located in the mid-continental U.S., our oil refinery also competes with other refineries located outside the region that are linked to the mid-continent market through an extensive product pipeline system. These competitors include refineries located near the U.S. Gulf Coast and the Texas Panhandle region.

        Our oil refinery's competitors also include branded, integrated and independent oil refining companies such as BP, Shell/Texaco, ConocoPhillips, Valero and Citgo, whose strengths are their size and access to capital. Their branded stations give them a stable outlet for refinery production. We believe their weaknesses include their lack of mobility due to size and branded marketing structure. The branded strategy requires more working capital and a much more expensive marketing organization.

        Nitrogen Fertilizer Business.     Competition in the nitrogen fertilizer industry is dominated by price considerations. However, during the spring and fall application seasons, farming activities intensify and delivery capacity is a significant competitive factor. We invest capital in our distribution assets and make a seasonal investment in inventory to enhance our manufacturing and distribution operations.

92


        Domestic competition, mainly from regional cooperatives and integrated multinational fertilizer companies, is intense due to customers' sophisticated buying tendencies and production strategies that focus on cost and service. Also, foreign competition exists from producers of fertilizer products manufactured in countries with lower cost natural gas supplies (the principal raw material in nitrogen-based plant foods). In certain cases, foreign producers of fertilizer who export to the U.S. may be subsidized by their respective governments. Our major competitors include Koch Nitrogen, Terra and CF Industries, among others.

        Our nitrogen fertilizer plant's main competition in ammonia marketing are Koch's plants at Beatrice, Nebraska, Dodge City, Kansas and Enid, Oklahoma, as well as Terra's plants