UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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Form 10-K
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| ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | ||||||||
| For the fiscal year ended | ||||||||
| OR | ||||||||
| TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | ||||||||
| For the transition period from to | ||||||||
Commission file number: 001-33492
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |||||||
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of Each Class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered | ||||||
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☑ No ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☑
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☑ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☑ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| ☑ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | |||||||||||||
| Smaller reporting company | Emerging growth company | ||||||||||||||||
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm prepared or issued its audit report. ☑
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. o
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to § 240.10D-1(b). o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☑
At June 30, 2022, the aggregate market value of the voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $983 million based upon the closing price of its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange Composite tape. As of February 17, 2023, there were 100,530,599 shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding.
Documents Incorporated By Reference
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CVR Energy, Inc.
Annual Report on Form 10-K
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| PART II | PART IV | |||||||||||||||||||
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December 31, 2022 | 1
GLOSSARY OF SELECTED TERMS
The following are definitions of certain terms used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 (this “Report”).
2-1-1 crack spread — The approximate gross margin resulting from processing two barrels of crude oil to produce one barrel of gasoline and one barrel of distillate. The 2-1-1 crack spread is expressed in dollars per barrel and is a proxy for the per barrel margin that a sweet crude oil refinery would earn assuming it produced and sold the benchmark production of gasoline and distillate.
Ammonia — Ammonia is a direct application fertilizer and is primarily used as a building block for other nitrogen products for industrial applications and finished fertilizer products.
Biodiesel — A domestically produced, renewable fuel that can be manufactured from vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled restaurant grease for use in diesel vehicles or any equipment that operates on diesel fuel and has physical properties similar to those of petroleum diesel.
Blendstocks — Various compounds that are combined with gasoline or diesel from the crude oil refining process to make finished gasoline and diesel fuel; these may include natural gas liquids, ethanol, or reformate, among others.
Bpd — Abbreviation for barrels per day.
Bulk sales — Volume sales through third-party pipelines, in contrast to tanker truck quantity rack sales.
Capacity — Capacity is defined as the throughput a process unit is capable of sustaining, either on a calendar or stream day basis. The throughput may be expressed in terms of maximum sustainable, nameplate or economic capacity. The maximum sustainable or nameplate capacities may not be the most economical. The economic capacity is the throughput that generally provides the greatest economic benefit based on considerations such as crude oil and other feedstock costs, product values, regulatory compliance costs and downstream unit constraints.
Catalyst — A substance that alters, accelerates, or instigates chemical changes, but is neither produced, consumed nor altered in the process.
Corn belt —The primary corn producing region of the United States, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Condensate — A mixture of light liquid hydrocarbons, similar to a very light crude oil. It is typically separated out of a natural gas stream at the point of production when the temperature and pressure of the gas is dropped to atmospheric conditions.
Crack spread — A simplified calculation that measures the difference between the price for light products and crude oil.
Distillates — Primarily diesel fuel, kerosene and jet fuel.
Ethanol — A clear, colorless, flammable oxygenated hydrocarbon. Ethanol is typically produced chemically from ethylene, or biologically from fermentation of various sugars from carbohydrates found in agricultural crops and cellulosic residues from crops or wood. It is used in the United States as a gasoline octane enhancer and oxygenate.
Feedstocks — Petroleum products, such as crude oil or fluid catalytic cracking unit gasoline, that are processed and blended into refined products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel during the refining process.
Group 3 — A geographic subset of the PADD II region comprising refineries in the midcontinent portion of the United States, specifically Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Light crude oil — A relatively expensive crude oil characterized by low relative density and viscosity. Light crude oils require lower levels of processing to produce high value products such as gasoline and diesel fuel.
December 31, 2022 | 2
Liquid volume yield — A calculation of the total liquid volumes produced divided by total throughput.
MMBtu — One million British thermal units, or Btu: a measure of energy. One Btu of heat is required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
Petroleum coke (pet coke) — A coal-like substance that is produced during the refining process.
Product pricing at gate — Product pricing at gate represents net sales less freight revenue divided by product sales volume in tons. Product pricing at gate is also referred to as netback.
Rack sales — Sales which are made at terminals into third-party tanker trucks or railcars.
RBOB — Reformulated blendstocks for oxygenate blending.
Renewable diesel — An advanced biofuel that is made from the same renewable resources as biodiesel but using a process that involves heat, pressure and hydrogen to create a cleaner fuel that’s chemically identical to petroleum diesel.
Refined products — Petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel, that are produced by a refinery.
Sour crude oil — A crude oil that is relatively high in sulfur content, requiring additional processing to remove the sulfur. Sour crude oil is typically less expensive than sweet crude oil.
Southern Plains — Primarily includes Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico.
Spot market — A market in which commodities are bought and sold for cash and delivered immediately.
Sweet crude oil — A crude oil that is relatively low in sulfur content, requiring less processing to remove the sulfur. Sweet crude oil is typically more expensive than sour crude oil.
Throughput — The quantity of crude oil and other feedstocks processed at a refinery measured in barrels per day.
Turnaround — A periodically performed standard procedure to inspect, refurbish, repair, and maintain the refinery or nitrogen fertilizer plant assets. This process involves the shutdown and inspection of major processing units and occurs every four to five years for the refineries and every two to three years for the nitrogen fertilizer facilities. A turnaround will typically extend the operating life of a facility and return performance to desired operating levels.
UAN — An aqueous solution of urea and ammonium nitrate used as a fertilizer.
ULSD — Ultra low sulfur diesel.
Utilization — Measurement of the annual production of UAN and ammonia expressed as a percentage of each facilities nameplate production capacity.
WCS —Western Canadian Select crude oil, a medium to heavy, sour crude oil, characterized by an American Petroleum Institute gravity (“API gravity”) of between 20 and 22 degrees and a sulfur content of approximately 3.3 weight percent.
WTI — West Texas Intermediate crude oil, a light, sweet crude oil, characterized by an API gravity between 39 and 41 degrees and a sulfur content of approximately 0.4 weight percent that is used as a benchmark for other crude oils.
WTL — West Texas Light crude oil, a light, sweet crude oil, characterized by an API gravity between 44 and 50 degrees and a sulfur content of approximately 0.4 weight percent that is used as a benchmark for other crude oils with a slightly heavier grade than WTI.
Yield — The percentage of refined products that is produced from crude oil and other feedstocks.
December 31, 2022 | 3
Important Information Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including, but not limited to, those under Item 1. Business, Item 1A. Risk Factors, and Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. These forward looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements regarding future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, growth, capital projects, stock or unit repurchases, impacts of legal proceedings, projected costs, prospects, plans, and objectives of management are forward looking statements. The words “could,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “continue,” “predict,” “potential,” “project,” and similar terms and phrases are intended to identify forward looking statements.
Although we believe our assumptions concerning future events are reasonable, a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors could cause actual results and trends to differ materially from those projected or forward looking. Forward looking statements, as well as certain risks, contingencies or uncertainties that may impact our forward looking statements, include but are not limited to the following:
•volatile margins in the refining industry and exposure to the risks associated with volatile crude oil, refined product and feedstock prices;
•the availability of adequate cash and other sources of liquidity for the capital needs of our businesses;
•the severity, magnitude, duration, and impact of the novel coronavirus 2019 and any variant thereof (collectively, “COVID-19”) pandemic, or any future pandemic or breakout of infectious disease, and of businesses’ and governments’ responses to such pandemic on our operations, personnel, commercial activity, and supply and demand across our and our customers’ and suppliers’ business;
•the effects arising out of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including with respect to impacts to commodity prices and other markets;
•changes in market conditions and market volatility, including crude oil and other commodity prices, demand for those commodities, storage and transportation capacities, and the impact of such changes on our operating results and financial position;
•the ability to forecast our future financial condition, results of operations, revenues and expenses;
•the effects of transactions involving forward or derivative instruments;
•changes in laws, regulations and policies with respect to the export of crude oil, refined products, other hydrocarbons or renewable feedstocks or products including, without limitation, the actions of the Biden Administration that impact oil and gas operations in the United States;
•interruption in pipelines supplying feedstocks or distributing the petroleum business’ products;
•competition in the petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer businesses, including potential impacts of domestic and global supply and demand and/or domestic or international duties, tariffs, or similar costs;
•capital expenditures;
•changes in our or our segments’ credit profiles;
•the cyclical and seasonal nature of the petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer businesses;
•the supply, availability and price levels of essential raw materials and feedstocks;
•our production levels, including the risk of a material decline in those levels;
•accidents or other unscheduled shutdowns or interruptions affecting our facilities, machinery, or equipment, or those of our suppliers or customers;
•existing and future laws, regulations or rulings, including but not limited to those relating to the environment, climate change, renewables, safety, security and/or the transportation of production of hazardous chemicals like ammonia, including potential liabilities or capital requirements arising from such laws, regulations or rulings;
•potential operating hazards from accidents, fire, severe weather, tornadoes, floods, or other natural disasters;
•the impact of weather on commodity supply and/or pricing and on the nitrogen fertilizer business including our ability to produce, market or sell fertilizer products profitability or at all;
•rulings, judgments or settlements in litigation, tax or other legal or regulatory matters;
•the dependence of the nitrogen fertilizer business on customers and distributors including to transport goods and equipment;
•the reliance on, or the ability to procure economically or at all, pet coke our nitrogen fertilizer business purchases from Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing, LLC (“CRRM”), a subsidiary of CVR Refining, LP, and third-party suppliers or the natural gas, electricity, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur processing and compressed dry air and other products purchased from third parties by the nitrogen fertilizer and petroleum businesses;
•risks associated with third party operation of or control over important facilities necessary for operation of our refineries and nitrogen fertilizer facilities;
•risks of terrorism, cybersecurity attacks, and the security of chemical manufacturing facilities and other matters beyond our control;
December 31, 2022 | 4
•our lack of diversification of assets or operating and supply areas;
•the petroleum business’ and nitrogen fertilizer business’ dependence on significant customers and the creditworthiness and performance by counterparties;
•the potential loss of the nitrogen fertilizer business’ transportation cost advantage over its competitors;
•the potential inability to successfully implement our business strategies at all or on time and within our anticipated budgets, including significant capital programs or projects, turnarounds or renewable or carbon reduction initiatives at our refineries and fertilizer facilities, including pretreater, carbon sequestration, segregation of our renewables business and other projects;
•our ability to continue to license the technology used for our operations;
•our petroleum business’ purchase of, or ability to purchase, renewable identification numbers (“RINs”) on a timely and cost effective basis or at all;
•the impact of refined product demand, declining inventories, and Winter Storm Uri on refined product prices and crack spreads;
•Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ and its allies’ (“OPEC+”) production levels and pricing;
•the impact of RINs pricing, our blending and purchasing activities and governmental actions, including by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) on our RIN obligation, open RINs positions, small refinery exemptions, and our estimated consolidated cost to comply with our Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”) obligations;
•operational upsets or changes in laws that could impact the amount and receipt of credits under Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;
•our businesses’ ability to obtain, retain or renew environmental and other governmental permits, licenses or authorizations necessary for the operation of its business;
•existing and proposed laws, regulations or rulings, including but not limited to those relating to climate change, alternative energy or fuel sources, and existing and future regulations related to the end-use of our products or the application of fertilizers;
•refinery and nitrogen fertilizer facilities’ operating hazards and interruptions, including unscheduled maintenance or downtime and the availability of adequate insurance coverage;
•risks related to services provided by or competition among our subsidiaries, including conflicts of interests and control of CVR Partners, LP’s general partner;
•instability and volatility in the capital and credit markets;
•risks related to the potential spin-off of our nitrogen fertilizer segment, including that the process of exploring the transaction and potentially completing the transaction, including the costs thereof, could disrupt or adversely affect our business, financial results and results of operations, that the transaction may not achieve some or all of any anticipated benefits, and that the transaction may not be completed in accordance with our expected plans, or at all;
•restrictions in our debt agreements;
•asset impairments and impacts thereof;
•the variable nature of CVR Partners, LP’s distributions, including the ability of its general partner to modify or revoke its distribution policy, or to cease making cash distributions on its common units;
•changes in tax and other laws, regulations and policies, including, without limitation, actions of the Biden Administration that impact conventional fuel operations or favor renewable energy projects in the U.S.;
•changes in CVR Partners’ treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income or state tax purposes; and
•our ability to recover under our insurance policies for damages or losses in full or at all.
All forward looking statements contained in this Report only speak as of the date of this Report. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date of this Report, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except to the extent required by law.
Information About Us
Investors should note that we make available, free of charge on our website at www.CVREnergy.com, our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. We also post announcements, updates, events, investor information and presentations on our website in addition to copies of all recent news releases. We may use the Investor Relations section of our website to communicate with investors. It is possible that the financial and other information posted there could be deemed to be material information. Documents and information on our website are not incorporated by reference herein.
The SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, including us, that file electronically with the SEC.
December 31, 2022 | 5
Risk Factors Summary
This summary of risks below is intended to provide an overview of the risks we face and should not be considered a substitute for the more fulsome risk factors discussed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Risks Related to Our Entire Business
•Certain developments in the global oil markets have had, and may continue to have, material adverse impacts on the Company or its customers, suppliers, and other counterparties.
•Our petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer businesses are, and commodity prices are, cyclical and highly volatile, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
•Petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer businesses face intense competition.
•Our businesses are geographically concentrated, creating exposure to regional economic downturns and seasonal variations, which may affect our production levels, transportation costs, and inventory and working capital levels.
•Both the Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer Segments depend on significant customers, the loss of which may have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
•Any previous or future pandemic may impact our business, financial condition, liquidity or results of operations.
•If licensed technology were no longer available, our business may be adversely affected.
•Compliance with and changes in environmental laws and regulations, including those related to climate change and the ongoing “energy transition,” may adversely affect our business.
•Unplanned or emergency partial or total plant shutdowns could cause property damage and a material decline in production which may not be fully insured, which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
•We could incur significant costs in cleaning up contamination at our facilities.
•Regulations concerning the transportation, storage, and handling of hazardous chemicals and materials, risks of terrorism, and the security of refineries and chemical manufacturing facilities could result in higher operating costs.
•Adverse weather conditions or other unforeseen developments may negatively affect our business.
•If our access to transportation on which we rely for the supply of our feedstocks and the distribution of our products is interrupted, our inventory and costs may increase and we may be unable to efficiently distribute our products.
•We may be unable to obtain or renew permits or approvals necessary for our operations.
•Failure to comply with laws and regulations regarding employee and process safety could adversely affect our business.
•A portion of our workforce is unionized, and we are subject to the risk of labor disputes, shutdowns or strikes.
•We are subject to cybersecurity risks and may experience cyber incidents resulting in disruption to our businesses.
•An increase in inflation could have adverse effects on our results of operations.
Risks Related to the Petroleum Segment
•If our Petroleum Segment is required to obtain its crude oil supply without the benefit of a crude oil supply agreement and significant crude oil gathering in the regions in which we operate, our exposure to the risks associated with volatile crude oil prices may increase, crude oil transportation costs could increase and our liquidity may be reduced.
•Compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
•Changes in our credit profile could have a material adverse effect on our business.
•The Petroleum Segment’s commodity derivative contracts may involve certain risks.
•If we are unable to complete capital projects at their expected costs and/or in a timely manner, or if the market conditions assumed in project economics deteriorate, our business could be adversely affected.
•Investor and market sentiment related to Environmental, Social and Governance matters could adversely affect our business.
Risks Related to the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment
•Any decline in U.S. agricultural production or limitations on the use of nitrogen fertilizer for agricultural purposes could have a material adverse effect on sales, and on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
•Failure of our Coffeyville Refinery to continue to supply our Nitrogen Fertilizer Coffeyville plant with pet coke could negatively impact the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment’s results of operations.
•The market for natural gas has been volatile, and fluctuations in natural gas prices could affect our competitive position.
December 31, 2022 | 6
•Any interruption in the supply of natural gas to our East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
•Our operations are dependent on third-party suppliers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
•Any liability for accidents causing severe damage could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Risks Related to Our Capital Structure
•Instability and volatility in the capital, credit, and commodity markets could negatively impact our business.
•Our indebtedness may increase and have a material adverse effect on our business.
•Covenants in our debt agreements could limit our ability to run our business.
•We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service existing indebtedness.
•We are authorized to issue up to a total of 350 million shares of our common stock and 50 million shares of preferred stock, potentially diluting equity ownership of current holders and the share price of our common stock.
•An increase in interest rates will cause our debt service obligations to increase.
Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure
•The Company’s reorganization of its entities and assets could trigger increased costs, complexity and risks.
•We are a holding company and depend upon our subsidiaries for our cash flow.
•Mr. Carl C. Icahn’s interests may conflict with the interests of the Company’s other stockholders.
•Our stock price may decline due to sales of shares by Mr. Carl C. Icahn.
•We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NYSE rules and, as a result, qualify for, and are relying on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.
•We have various mechanisms in place to discourage takeover attempts, which may reduce or eliminate our stockholders’ ability to sell their shares for a premium in a change of control transaction.
•Compliance with and changes in the tax laws could adversely affect our performance.
Risks Related to Our Ownership in CVR Partners
•If CVR Partners were to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes or if it becomes subject to entity-level taxation for state tax purposes, the value of the common units held by us could be substantially reduced.
•We may have liability to repay distributions that are wrongfully distributed to us.
•The general partner of CVR Partners owes a duty of good faith to public unitholders, which could cause them to manage their respective businesses differently than if there were no public unitholders.
•CVR Partners is managed by the executive officers of its general partner, who are employed by and also serve as part of the senior management team of the Company. Conflicts of interest could arise as a result of this arrangement.
•The potential spin-off of our interest in the nitrogen fertilizer business may involve significant expense, disrupt or adversely affect the consolidated or separate businesses, including relationships with our customers, and may not be completed or achieve the intended results.
•If the potential spin-off does not qualify as a transaction that is generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the potential spin-off could result in substantial tax liability.
General Risks Related to CVR Energy
•The acquisition, expansion and investment strategy of our businesses involves significant risks.
•We are subject to the risk of becoming an investment company.
•Internally generated cash flows and other sources of liquidity may not be adequate for the capital needs of our businesses.
•Our ability to pay dividends on our common stock is subject to market conditions and numerous other factors.
December 31, 2022 | 7
PART I
Part I should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” in Part II, Item 7, and our consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto in Part II, Item 8 of this Report.
Item 1. Business
Overview
CVR Energy, Inc. is a diversified holding company, formed in September 2006, primarily engaged in the petroleum refining and marketing industry (the “Petroleum Segment”) and the nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing industry through its interest in CVR Partners, LP, a publicly traded limited partnership (the “Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment” or “CVR Partners”), and also produces and markets renewable diesel. The Petroleum Segment refines and markets high value transportation fuels. CVR Partners produces and markets nitrogen fertilizers primarily in the form of UAN and ammonia. As used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the terms “CVR Energy”, the “Company”, “we”, “us”, or “our” generally include the Company’s subsidiaries, including CVR Partners and its subsidiaries, as consolidated subsidiaries of the Company, unless otherwise noted. Refer to “Petroleum” and “Nitrogen Fertilizer” below for further details on our two reportable segments.
Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “CVI,” and CVR Partners’ common units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “UAN.”
As of December 31, 2022, Icahn Enterprises L.P. and its affiliates (“IEP”) owned approximately 71% of our outstanding common stock. As of December 31, 2022, we owned the general partner and approximately 37% of the outstanding common units representing limited partner interests in CVR Partners, with the public owning the remaining outstanding common units of CVR Partners.
Our History
The following graphic depicts the Company’s history and key events that have occurred since the Company’s formation.
Company Transformation
During 2022, the Company advanced its renewables initiatives. In April 2022, we completed a project at our Wynnewood Refinery by converting the refinery’s hydrocracker to a renewable diesel unit (“RDU”) capable of producing approximately 100 million gallons of renewable diesel per year at a total cost of $179 million. The renewable diesel facility has a name plate capacity of 7,500 bpd; it is also capable of being returned to hydrocarbon service primarily through a catalyst change. In November 2021, CVR Energy’s board of directors (the “Board”) approved the renewable feedstock pretreater project at the Wynnewood Refinery, which is currently expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2023 at an estimated cost of $95 million. Throughout 2022, the Company also advanced its renewables focus with its effort to transform its business to segregate its renewable business, and in February 2023, completed this effort, which included the formation of new CVR Energy indirect subsidiaries, the transfer of certain assets to such new subsidiaries, and execution of new intercompany agreements, among other actions.
In connection with our renewables business, we face competition from renewable fuel producers and other refiners that have been offering or might offer products with lower emissions. In connection with the sourcing of our renewable feedstocks, we face not only competition from consumers in the energy sector, such as renewable fuel producers, but also from non-energy related consumers, such as food producers. This increased competition from non-traditional food producers creates a unique dynamic of competing priorities for food versus fuel. Our renewables business is also highly dependent upon government
December 31, 2022 | 8
subsidies, including tax and carbon credits. Our renewable diesel operations are not part of our reportable segments discussed below.
Petroleum
Our Petroleum Segment is composed of the assets and operations of two refineries located in Coffeyville, Kansas and Wynnewood, Oklahoma and supporting logistics assets in the region.
Facilities
Coffeyville Refinery - We operate a complex full coking, medium-sour crude oil refinery in southeast Kansas, approximately 100 miles from Cushing, Oklahoma (“Cushing”) with a name plate crude oil capacity of 132,000 bpd (the “Coffeyville Refinery”). The major operations of the Coffeyville Refinery include fractionation, catalytic cracking, hydrotreating, reforming, coking, isomerization, alkylation, sulfur recovery, and propane and butane recovery operating units. The Coffeyville Refinery benefits from significant refining unit redundancies, which include two crude oil distillation, two vacuum towers, two sulfur recovery units, and five hydrotreating units. These redundancies allow the Coffeyville Refinery to continue to receive and process crude oil even if one tower requires maintenance without having to shut down the entire refinery.
Wynnewood Refinery - We operate a complex crude oil refinery in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, approximately 65 miles south of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and approximately 130 miles from Cushing. The Wynnewood Refinery has a name plate crude oil capacity of 74,500 bpd capable of processing 20,000 bpd of light sour crude oil (the “Wynnewood Refinery” and together with the Coffeyville Refinery, the “Refineries”) with major operations including fractionation, fluid catalytic cracking, hydrotreating, reforming, alkylation, sulfur recovery, and propane and butane recovery. Similar to the Coffeyville Refinery, the Wynnewood Refinery benefits from unit redundancies, including two crude oil distillation and two vacuum towers as well as four hydrotreating units.
Throughput by Refinery
| Year Ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||||||||||
| (in bpd) | Coffeyville | Wynnewood | Total | ||||||||||||||
| Total crude throughput | 127,626 | 62,981 | 190,607 | ||||||||||||||
| All other feedstock and blendstock | 11,556 | 3,125 | 14,681 | ||||||||||||||
| Total throughput | 139,182 | 66,106 | 205,288 | ||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2021 | |||||||||||||||||
| (in bpd) | Coffeyville | Wynnewood | Total | ||||||||||||||
| Total crude throughput | 121,514 | 73,386 | 194,900 | ||||||||||||||
| All other feedstock and blendstock | 10,788 | 3,396 | 14,184 | ||||||||||||||
| Total throughput | 132,302 | 76,782 | 209,084 | ||||||||||||||
Production by Refinery
| Year Ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||||||||||
| (in bpd) | Coffeyville | Wynnewood | Total | ||||||||||||||
| Gasoline | 72,478 | 35,027 | 107,505 | ||||||||||||||
| Diesel fuels | 58,104 | 23,690 | 81,794 | ||||||||||||||
| Other refined products | 9,489 | 5,723 | 15,212 | ||||||||||||||
| Total production | 140,071 | 64,440 | 204,511 | ||||||||||||||
December 31, 2022 | 9
| Year Ended December 31, 2021 | |||||||||||||||||
| (in bpd) | Coffeyville | Wynnewood | Total | ||||||||||||||
| Gasoline | 71,070 | 39,858 | 110,928 | ||||||||||||||
| Diesel fuels | 53,441 | 31,662 | 85,103 | ||||||||||||||
| Other refined products | 8,727 | 2,883 | 11,610 | ||||||||||||||
| Total production | 133,238 | 74,403 | 207,641 | ||||||||||||||
Supply
The Coffeyville Refinery has the capability to process a variety of crude oils ranging from heavy sour to light sweet crude oil. Currently, the Coffeyville Refinery crude oil slate consists of a blend of mid-continent domestic grades and various Canadian medium and heavy sours and other similarly sourced crudes. Other blendstocks and intermediates include ethanol, biodiesel, normal butane, natural gasoline, alkylation feeds, naphtha, gas oil, and vacuum tower bottoms. The Wynnewood Refinery has the capability to process a variety of crude oils ranging from medium sour to light sweet crude oil. Isobutane, gasoline components, and normal butane blendstocks are also typically used.
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In addition to the use of third-party pipelines, we have an extensive gathering system consisting of logistics assets that are owned, leased, or part of a joint venture operation. These assets include the following:
| As of December 31, 2022 | |||||||||||||||||
| Pipeline Segment | Length (miles) | Capacity (bpd) | |||||||||||||||
| Joint Ventures: | |||||||||||||||||
Midway Pipeline LLC (“Midway JV”) (1) | 99 | 131,000 | |||||||||||||||
Enable South Central Pipeline (“Enable JV”) (1) | 26 | 20,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Owned Pipelines: | |||||||||||||||||
East Tank Farm to Refinery 16” (2) | 2 | 156,000 | |||||||||||||||
Broome to East Tank Farm 16” (2) | 19 | 168,000 | |||||||||||||||
Broome to East Tank Farm 12” (2) | 19 | 28,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Enable to Cushing 8” & 10” (Red River) | 108 | 41,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Maysville to Springer 8” (Red River) | 45 | 17,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Springer to Cushing 6” & 8” | 125 | 23,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Hooser to Broome 8” | 43 | 12,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Brothers to Hooser 8” | 20 | 7,000 | |||||||||||||||
| CapturePoint to Shidler 6” | 3 | 16,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Madill to Springer 6” | 32 | 18,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Maysville to Lawyer 6” & 8” | 124 | 12,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Velma to Maysville 6” & 8” | 29 | 13,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Plainville to Natoma 6” | 11 | 7,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Shidler to Hooser 4” | 23 | 7,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Phillipsburg to Plainville 6” | 36 | 8,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Enville to Wynnewood 4” & 6” | 74 | 6,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Leased Pipelines: | |||||||||||||||||
| Kelly to Caney Jct. 8” | 66 | 13,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Humboldt to Broome 8” | 63 | 6,000 | |||||||||||||||
(1)Through our subsidiaries, we own a 50% interest in the Midway JV and a 40% interest in the Enable JV. While we have the ability to exercise influence through its participation on the board of directors of each of the Midway JV and the Enable JV, we do not serve as the day-to-day operator. We have determined that these entities should not be consolidated and are accounted for under the equity method. Refer to Part II, Item 8, Note 3 (“Equity Method Investments”) of this Report for further discussion of these investments.
(2)In support of our Coffeyville Refinery, we operate a tank storage facility in close proximity to the Coffeyville Refinery (the “East Tank Farm”).
For the acquisition of crude oil within close proximity of the Refineries, we operate a fleet of 112 trucks and have contracts with third-party trucking fleets to acquire and deliver crude oil to our pipeline systems or directly to the Refineries for consumption or resale. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the gathering system, which includes the pipelines outlined above and our trucking operations, supplied approximately 53% and 93% of the Coffeyville and Wynnewood Refineries’ crude oil demand, respectively. Regionally sourced crude oils delivered to the Refineries usually have a transportation cost advantage compared to other domestic or international crudes given the Refineries’ proximity to the producing areas. However, sometimes slightly heavier and more sour crudes may offer improved economics to the Refineries, notwithstanding the higher transportation costs. The regionally-sourced crude oils we purchase are light and sweet enough to allow the Refineries to blend higher percentages of lower cost crude oils, such as heavy Canadian sour, to optimize economics within operational constraints.
Crude oils sourced outside of our gathering system are delivered to Cushing by various third-party pipelines, including the Keystone and Spearhead pipelines, on which we can be subject to proration, and subsequently to the Broome Station facility via the Midway JV pipeline. From the Broome Station facility, crude oil is delivered to the Coffeyville Refinery via the Petroleum Segment’s 170,000 bpd proprietary pipeline system. Crude oils are delivered to the Wynnewood Refinery through third-party
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and joint venture pipelines and received into storage tanks at terminals located within or near the refinery. We also lease tank storage totaling 2.2 million barrels, including 2.0 million barrels at Cushing.
In February 2021, we acquired pipelines from Blueknight Energy Partners, LP (the “BKEP / CRCT Pipeline System”), which complemented the Petroleum Segment’s existing refineries and pipeline systems. The BKEP / CRCT Pipeline System is based in the Wynnewood area and consists of gathering pipelines, which provide the ability to deliver local crude oil to the Wynnewood Refinery. In addition to the gathering capability, the BKEP / CRCT Pipeline System also provides the optionality to deliver and/or receive crude oil from Cushing on two separate lines.
The Coffeyville Refinery is connected to the mid-continent natural gas liquid commercial hub at Conway, Kansas by the inbound Enterprise Pipeline Blue Line, through which natural gas liquid blendstocks, such as butanes and natural gasoline, are sourced and delivered directly into the refinery. In addition, the Coffeyville Refinery’s proximity to Conway, Kansas provides access to natural gas liquid and liquid petroleum gas fractionation and storage capabilities.
Through the crude oil and other feedstock supply operations outlined above, and the associated markets available to us, we are able to source and refine crude oils from different locations and of different compositions when it is economically advantageous for us to do so. The tables below present the total crude throughput by refinery for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
| Year Ended December 31, 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in bpd) | Coffeyville | Wynnewood | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regional Crude | 53,237 | 42 | % | 46,159 | 73 | % | 99,396 | 52 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WTI | 38,265 | 30 | % | — | — | % | 38,265 | 20 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WTL | 407 | — | % | 2,323 | 4 | % | 2,730 | 2 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WTS | 462 | — | % | 143 | — | % | 605 | — | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Midland WTI | 642 | 1 | % | 1,073 | 2 | % | 1,715 | 1 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Condensate | 12,159 | 10 | % | 13,283 | 21 | % | 25,442 | 13 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Heavy Canadian | 6,847 | 5 | % | — | — | % | 6,847 | 4 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DJ Basin | 15,607 | 12 | % | — | — | % | 15,607 | 8 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total crude throughput | 127,626 | 100 | % | 62,981 | 100 | % | 190,607 | 100 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in bpd) | Coffeyville | Wynnewood | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regional Crude | 28,270 | 23 | % | 60,287 | 82 | % | 88,557 | 46 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WTI | 62,695 | 52 | % | — | — | % | 62,695 | 32 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WTL | 511 | — | % | 3,430 | 5 | % | 3,941 | 2 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WTS | — | — | % | 202 | — | % | 202 | — | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Midland WTI | 452 | — | % | 2,107 | 3 | % | 2,559 | 1 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Condensate | 7,911 | 7 | % | 7,360 | 10 | % | 15,271 | 8 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Heavy Canadian | 3,695 | 3 | % | — | — | % | 3,695 | 2 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DJ Basin | 17,980 | 15 | % | — | — | % | 17,980 | 9 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total crude throughput | 121,514 | 100 | % | 73,386 | 100 | % | 194,900 | 100 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Marketing and Distribution
Our Coffeyville product marketing efforts are focused in the central mid-continent area through rack marketing, which is the supply of product through tanker trucks and railcars directly to customers located in close geographic proximity to the refinery and to customers at terminals on third-party refined products distribution systems; and bulk sales into the mid-continent markets and other destinations utilizing third-party product pipeline networks.
The Wynnewood Refinery ships its finished product via pipeline, railcar, and truck, focusing its efforts in Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas, as well as eastern Missouri. The pipeline system used by the Wynnewood Refinery is capable of multi-directional flow, providing access to Texas markets as well as adjoining states with pipeline connections. Jet fuel produced at the Wynnewood Refinery is sold to the U.S. Department of Defense via the segregated truck rack at the Wynnewood Refinery.
Customers
Customers for the Refineries’ petroleum products primarily include retailers, railroads, farm cooperatives, and other refiners/marketers in Group 3 of the PADD II region because of their relative proximity to the Refineries and pipeline access. We typically sell bulk products to long-standing customers at spot market prices based on a Group 3 basis differential to prices quoted on the New York Mercantile Exchange (“NYMEX”) subject to other terms or adjustments, which are reported by industry market-related indices such as Platts and Oil Price Information Service (“OPIS”).
Rack sales are at posted prices that are influenced by the competitive forces in Group 3 of the PADD II region among other factors. In addition, we sell hydrogen and by-products of our refining operations in Coffeyville, Kansas, such as pet coke, to an affiliate, Coffeyville Resources Nitrogen Fertilizer, LLC (“CRNF”), which is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of CVR Partners. The Petroleum Segment’s top two customers represented 25% and 26% of its net sales for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2020, respectively, and its top customer represented 16% of its net sales for the year ended December 31, 2021.
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Competition
Our Petroleum Segment competes primarily on the basis of price, reliability of supply, availability of multiple grades of products, and location. The principal competitive factors affecting its refining operations are cost of crude oil and other feedstocks, refinery complexity, refinery efficiency, refinery product mix, product distribution and transportation costs, and costs of compliance with government regulations, including the Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”). The locations of the Refineries provides us with a reliable supply of crude oil and a transportation cost advantage over our competitors. We primarily compete against CHS Inc.’s McPherson Refinery; HF Sinclair Corporation’s (formerly known as HollyFrontier Corporation) El Dorado and Tulsa Refineries; Phillips 66 Company’s Ponca Refinery; and Valero Energy Corporation’s Ardmore Refinery in the mid-continent region. In addition to these refineries, we compete against trading companies, as well as other refineries located outside the region that are linked to the mid-continent market through product pipeline systems, including those near the Gulf Coast, the Great Lakes, and the Texas panhandle regions.
Seasonality
Our Petroleum Segment operations experience seasonal fluctuations as demand for gasoline products is generally higher during the summer months than during the winter months due to seasonal increases in highway traffic and road construction work. Demand for diesel fuel is higher during the planting and harvesting seasons. As a result, our results of operations for the Petroleum Segment for the first and fourth calendar quarters are generally lower compared to our results for the second and third calendar quarters. In addition, unseasonably cool weather in the summer months and/or unseasonably warm weather in the winter months in the markets in which we sell petroleum products can impact the demand for gasoline and diesel fuel.
Nitrogen Fertilizer
Our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment is composed of the assets and operations of CVR Partners, including two nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing facilities located in Coffeyville, Kansas and East Dubuque, Illinois.
Facilities
Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility - We own and operate a nitrogen fertilizer production facility in Coffeyville, Kansas that includes a gasifier complex having a capacity of 89 million standard cubic feet per day of hydrogen, a 1,300 ton per day capacity ammonia unit and a 3,100 ton per day capacity UAN unit (the “Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility”). The Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility is the only nitrogen fertilizer plant in North America that utilizes a pet coke gasification process to produce nitrogen fertilizer. The Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility’s largest raw material cost used in the production of ammonia is pet coke, which it purchases from our Coffeyville Refinery and third parties. For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility purchased approximately $22 million, $23 million, and $18 million, respectively, of pet coke, which equaled an average cost per ton of $52.88, $44.69, and $35.25, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, we upgraded approximately 94%, 87%, and 87%, respectively, of our ammonia production into UAN, a product that generated greater profit per ton than ammonia for both 2022 and 2021, but not for 2020. When the economics are favorable, we expect to continue upgrading substantially all of our ammonia production into UAN.
East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility - We own and operate a nitrogen fertilizer production facility in East Dubuque, Illinois that includes a 1,075 ton per day capacity ammonia unit and a 950 ton per day capacity UAN unit (the “East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility”). The East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility has the flexibility to vary its product mix, thereby enabling it to upgrade a portion of its ammonia production into varying amounts of UAN, nitric acid, and liquid and granulated urea, depending on market demand, pricing, and storage availability. The East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility’s largest raw material cost used in the production of ammonia is natural gas, which it purchases from third parties. For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, the East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility incurred approximately $46 million, $32 million, and $20 million for feedstock natural gas used in production, respectively, which equaled an average cost of $6.66, $3.95, and $2.31 per MMBtu, respectively.
Commodities
The nitrogen products we produce are globally traded commodities and are subject to price competition. The customers for CVR Partners’ products make their purchasing decisions principally on the basis of delivered price and, to a lesser extent, on
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customer service and product quality. The selling prices of its products fluctuate in response to global market conditions, feedstock costs, and changes in supply and demand.
Agriculture
Nutrients are depleted in soil over time and, therefore, must be replenished through fertilizer application. Nitrogen is the most quickly depleted nutrient and must be replenished every year, whereas phosphate and potassium can be retained in soil for up to three years. Plants require nitrogen in the largest amounts, and it accounts for approximately 56% of primary fertilizer consumption on a nutrient ton basis, per the International Fertilizer Association (“IFA”).
The three primary forms of nitrogen fertilizer used in the United States are ammonia, urea, and UAN. Unlike ammonia and urea, UAN can be applied throughout the growing season and can be applied in tandem with pesticides and herbicides, providing farmers with flexibility and cost savings. As a result of these factors, UAN typically commands a premium price to urea and ammonia, on a nitrogen equivalent basis. However, during 2020, UAN commanded a discount price to urea and premium to ammonia, on a nitrogen equivalent basis.
Demand
Global demand for fertilizers is driven primarily by grain demand and prices, which, in turn, are driven by population growth, farmland per capita, dietary changes in the developing world and increased consumption of bio-fuels. According to the IFA, from 1976 to 2020, global fertilizer demand grew 2% annually. Global fertilizer use, consisting of nitrogen, phosphate and potash, is projected to increase by 3% through 2023 to meet global food demand according to a study funded by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Currently, the developed world uses fertilizer more intensively than the developing world, but sustained economic growth in emerging markets is increasing food demand and fertilizer use. In addition, populations in developing countries are shifting to more protein-rich diets as their incomes increase, with such consumption requiring more grain for animal feed. As an example, China’s wheat and coarse grains production is estimated to have increased 40% between 2011 and 2022, but still failed to keep pace with increases in demand, prompting China to grow its wheat and coarse grain imports by more than 1,307% over the same period, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”).
The United States is the world’s largest exporter and producer of coarse grains, accounting for 24% of world exports and 25% of world production for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, according to the USDA. A substantial amount of nitrogen is consumed in production of these crops to increase yield. Based on Fertecon Limited’s (“Fertecon”) 2022 estimates, the United States is the world’s third largest consumer and importer of nitrogen fertilizer. Fertecon is an agency which provides market information and analysis on fertilizers and fertilizer raw materials for fertilizer and related industries, as well as international agencies. Fertecon estimates indicate that the United States represented 11% of total global nitrogen fertilizer consumption for 2022, with China and India as the top consumers representing 22% and 17% of total global nitrogen fertilizer consumption, respectively.
North American nitrogen fertilizer producers predominantly use natural gas as their primary feedstock. Over the last five years, U.S. oil and natural gas reserves have increased significantly due to, among other factors, advances in extracting shale oil and gas, as well as relatively high oil and gas prices. During February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, tightening global supply conditions for nitrogen fertilizers as economies began to recover from the global COVID-19 pandemic. Following the invasion of Ukraine, Russia also began restricting supplies of natural gas to Europe in response to European sanctions against Russia. As a result, costs for natural gas as a feedstock in Europe increased significantly and caused multiple fertilizer plant shut-ins. Certain European countries also curtailed industrial natural gas usage, resulting in deteriorated economics for producing fertilizers in the region. In addition, China and Russia restricted exports of fertilizers for much of 2022 in order to ensure domestic availability. In North America, natural gas prices also increased throughout 2022, but decreased in January 2023. However, higher nitrogen fertilizer prices more than offset the rise in natural gas costs throughout 2022. As a result, North America continues to be a low-cost region for nitrogen fertilizer production.
Raw Material Supply
Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility - During the past five years, approximately 44% of the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility’s pet coke requirements on average were supplied by our adjacent Coffeyville Refinery pursuant to the Coffeyville Master Services Agreement (the “Coffeyville MSA”). Historically, the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility has obtained the remainder of its pet coke
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requirements through third-party contracts typically priced at a discount to the spot market. In 2022, 2021, and 2020, our supply of pet coke from the Coffeyville Refinery was approximately 47%, 43%, and 33%, respectively. We have contracts with several vendors to supply third-party pet coke, which could be delivered by truck, railcar or barge.
Additionally, our Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility relies on a third-party air separation plant at its location that provides contract volumes of oxygen, nitrogen, and compressed dry air to the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility gasifiers. The reliability of the air separation plant can have a significant impact on our Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility’s operations. In 2020, we executed a new product supply agreement that obligates the counterparty to invest funds to upgrade its facility to reduce downtime over the next several years. Should the oxygen volume fall below a specified level, the on-site vendor is contractually obligated to provide excess oxygen through its own mechanism or through third-party purchases.
East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility - The East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility uses natural gas to produce nitrogen fertilizer. We are generally able to purchase natural gas at competitive prices due to the facility’s connection to the Northern Natural Gas interstate pipeline system, which is within one mile of the facility, and a third-party owned and operated pipeline. The pipelines are connected to a third-party distribution system at the Chicago Citygate receipt point and at the Hampshire interconnect from which natural gas is transported to the East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility. As of December 31, 2022, we had commitments to purchase approximately 1 million MMBtus of natural gas supply for planned use in our East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility in both January and February of 2023 at a weighted average rate per MMBtu of approximately $9.50 and $9.72, respectively, exclusive of transportation costs.
Marketing and Distribution
Our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment primarily markets UAN products to agricultural customers and ammonia products to agricultural and industrial customers. UAN and ammonia, including freight, accounted for approximately 70% and 24%, respectively, of our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment’s total net sales for the year ended December 31, 2022.
UAN and ammonia are primarily distributed by truck or railcar. If delivered by truck, products are most commonly sold on a free-on-board (“FOB”) shipping point basis, and freight is normally arranged by the customer. We also utilize a fleet of railcars for use in product delivery. If delivered by railcar, products are most commonly sold on a FOB destination point basis, and we typically arrange the freight.
The nitrogen fertilizer products leave the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility either in railcars for destinations located principally on the Union Pacific or Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroads or in trucks for direct shipment to customers. The East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility primarily sells product to customers located within 200 miles of the facility. In most instances, customers take delivery of nitrogen products at the East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility and arrange to transport them to their final destinations by truck. Additionally, the East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility has direct access to a barge dock on the Mississippi River, as well as a nearby rail spur serviced by the Canadian National Railway Company, both of which are used from time to time to sell and distribute our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment’s products.
Customers
Retailers and distributors are the main customers for UAN and, more broadly, the industrial and agricultural sectors are the primary recipients of our ammonia products. Given the nature of our nitrogen fertilizer business, and consistent with industry practice, we sell our products on a wholesale basis under a contract or by purchase order. Contracts with customers generally contain fixed pricing and have terms of less than one year. The Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment’s top two customers represented 30% and 26% of its net sales for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2020, respectively, and its top customer represented 13% of its net sales for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Competition
Our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment produces globally traded commodities and has competitors in every region of the world. The industry is dominated by price considerations, which are driven by raw material and transportation costs, currency fluctuations, trade barriers, and regulators. Our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment has experienced, and expects to continue to experience, significant levels of competition from domestic and foreign nitrogen fertilizer producers, many of whom have significantly greater financial and other resources. Farming activities intensify in the United States during the spring and fall fertilizer application periods, and geographic proximity to these activities is also a significant competitive advantage for
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domestic producers. We manage our manufacturing and distribution operations to best serve our customers during these critical periods.
Subject to location and other considerations, our major competitors in the nitrogen fertilizer business generally includes CF Industries Holdings, Inc., which sells significantly more nitrogen fertilizers in the United States than other industry participants; Nutrien Ltd.; Koch Fertilizer Company, LLC; OCI N.V.; and LSB Industries, Inc. Domestic customers generally demonstrate sophisticated buying tendencies that include a focus on cost and service. We also encounter competition from producers of fertilizer products manufactured in foreign countries, including the threat of increased production capacity. In certain cases, foreign producers of fertilizer that export to the United States may be subsidized by their respective governments.
Seasonality
Because the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment primarily sells agricultural commodity products, its business is exposed to seasonal fluctuations in demand for nitrogen fertilizer products in the agricultural industry. In addition, the demand for fertilizers is affected by the aggregate crop planting decisions and fertilizer application rate decisions of individual farmers who make planting decisions based largely on the prospective profitability of a harvest. The specific varieties and amounts of fertilizer they apply depend on factors like crop prices, farmers’ current liquidity, soil conditions, weather patterns, and the types of crops planted. The Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment typically experiences higher net sales in the first half of the calendar year, which is referred to as the planting season, and its net sales tend to be lower during the second half of each calendar year, which is referred to as the fill season.
Environmental Matters
Our petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer businesses are subject to extensive and frequently changing federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations governing the emission and release of regulated substances into the environment, the transportation, storage, and disposal of waste, the treatment and discharge of wastewater and stormwater, the storage, handling, use, and transportation of petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer products, and the characteristics and composition of gasoline, diesel fuels, UAN, and ammonia. These laws and regulations and the enforcement thereof impact our segments and their operations by imposing:
•restrictions on operations or the need to install enhanced or additional control and monitoring equipment;
•liability for the investigation and remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater at current and former facilities (if any) and for off-site waste disposal locations; and
•specifications for the products marketed by the Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer Segments, primarily gasoline, diesel fuel, UAN, and ammonia.
Our operations require numerous permits, licenses, and authorizations. Failure to comply with these permits or environmental laws and regulations could result in fines, penalties, or other sanctions or a revocation of our permits, licenses, or authorizations. In addition, the laws and regulations to which we are subject are often evolving and many of them have or could become more stringent or have or could become subject to more stringent interpretation or enforcement by federal or state agencies. These laws and regulations could result in increased capital, operating, and compliance costs.
The Federal Clean Air Act (“CAA”)
The CAA and its implementing regulations, as well as state laws and regulations governing air emissions, affect the Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer Segments both directly and indirectly. Direct impacts may occur through the CAA’s permitting requirements and/or emission control and monitoring requirements relating to specific air pollutants, as well as the requirement to maintain a risk management program to help prevent accidental releases of certain regulated substances. The CAA affects the Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer Segments by extensively regulating the air emissions of sulfur dioxide (“SO2”), volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, and other substances, including those emitted by mobile sources, which are direct or indirect users of our products. Some or all of the regulations promulgated pursuant to the CAA, or any future promulgations of regulations, may require the installation of controls or changes to the Refineries and/or the nitrogen fertilizer facilities (collectively referred to as the “Facilities”) to maintain compliance. If new controls or changes to operations are needed, the costs could be material.
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The regulation of air emissions under the CAA requires that we obtain various construction and operating permits and incur capital expenditures for the installation of certain air pollution control devices at our operations. Various standards and programs specific to our operations have been implemented, such as the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants, the New Source Performance Standards, and the New Source Review.
The Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) regulates greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions under the CAA. In October 2009, the EPA finalized a rule requiring certain large emitters of GHGs to inventory and report their GHG emissions to the EPA. In accordance with the rule, our Facilities monitor and report our GHG emissions to the EPA. In May 2010, the EPA finalized the “Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule,” which established GHG emissions thresholds that determine when stationary sources, such as the Refineries and the Facilities, must obtain permits under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (“PSD”) and Title V programs of the CAA. Under the rule, facilities already subject to the PSD and Title V programs that increase their emissions of GHGs by a significant amount are required to undergo PSD review and to evaluate and implement air pollution control technology, known as “best available control technology,” to reduce GHG emissions.
The Biden Administration has signaled that it will take steps intended to address climate change. On January 20, 2021, the White House issued its Executive Order titled “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis,” as well as a formal notification re-accepting entry of the United States into the Paris Agreement. On January 27, 2021, the White House issued another climate-related Executive Order, titled “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” On April 22, 2021, the Biden Administration announced a new target for the United States to achieve a 50 to 52 percent reduction from 2005 levels in economy-wide net GHG emissions in 2030.
The EPA’s approach to regulating GHG emissions may change, including under future administrations. Therefore, the impact on our Facilities due to GHG regulation is unknown.
Recent Greenhouse Gas Footprint Reduction Efforts
In October 2020, the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment announced that it generated its first carbon offset credits from voluntary nitrous oxide abatement at its Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility. The Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment has similar nitrous oxide abatement efforts at its East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility. According to the EPA, nitrous oxide represents approximately 7% of carbon dioxide-equivalent (“CO2e”) emissions in the United States.
The Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment previously entered into a Joint Development Agreement with ClimeCo, a developer of emission-reduction projects for nitric acid plants, to jointly design, install and operate a tertiary abatement system at one of its nitric acid plants in Coffeyville. The system was designed to abate 94% of all N2O in the unit while preventing the release of approximately 450,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent on an annualized basis. The N2O abatement systems at the East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility’s two nitric acid plants have abated, on average, the annual release of approximately 265,000 metric tons of CO2e during the past five years.
CVR Partners’ N2O abatement projects are registered with the Climate Action Reserve (the “Reserve”), a carbon offset registry for the North American market. The Reserve employs high-quality standards and an independent third-party verification process to issue its carbon credits, known as Climate Reserve Tonnes.
The Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment also sequesters carbon dioxide that is not utilized for urea production at its Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility by capturing and purifying the CO2 as part of its manufacturing process and then transfers it to CapturePoint LLC, an unaffiliated third-party (“CapturePoint”), which then compresses and ships the CO2 for sequestration through Enhanced Oil Recovery (“EOR”). We believe that certain carbon oxide capture and sequestration activities conducted at or in connection with the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility qualify under the Internal Revenue Service safe harbor described in Revenue Procedure 2020-12 for certain tax credits available to joint ventures under Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Section 45Q Credits”). In January 2023, we entered into a series of agreements with CapturePoint and certain unaffiliated third-party investors intended to qualify under the Internal Revenue Service safe harbor described in Revenue Procedure 2020-12 for certain joint ventures that are eligible to claim Section 45Q Credits and to allow us to monetize Section 45Q Credits we expect to generate from January 6, 2023 until March 31, 2030. In January 2023, we received an initial upfront payment, net of expenses, of approximately $18 million and could receive up to an additional $60 million in payments through March 31, 2030, if certain carbon oxide capture and sequestration milestones are met, subject to the terms of the applicable agreements. The foregoing summaries of the applicable agreements do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their
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entirety by the terms of the relevant agreements, which will be filed with our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2023.
Combining our nitrous oxide abatement and CO2 sequestration activities should reduce our CO2e footprint by an average of over 1 million metric tons per year. In addition, our Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility is uniquely qualified to produce hydrogen and ammonia that could be certified ‘blue’ to a market that is increasingly demanding reduced carbon footprints. These greenhouse gas footprint reduction efforts support our core Values of Environment and Continuous Improvement, and our goal of continuing to produce nitrogen fertilizers that produce crops that help to feed the world’s growing population in the most environmentally responsible way possible.
Renewable Fuel Standard
Pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (“EISA”), the EPA has promulgated the RFS, which requires obligated parties, defined by the EPA as refiners or importers of transportation fuels, to either blend “renewable fuels,” such as ethanol and biofuels, into their transportation fuels or purchase renewable fuel credits, known as renewable identification numbers (“RINs”), in lieu of blending. Under the RFS, the volume of renewable fuels that obligated parties like Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing, LLC (“CRRM”) and Wynnewood Refining Company, LLC (“WRC,” and together with CRRM, the “obligated-party subsidiaries”) are obligated to blend into their finished transportation fuel is adjusted annually by the EPA based on expected fuel demand and other conditions to meet the statutory mandates that increase annually, but which may be waived by the EPA under certain conditions. The volume of renewable fuels required by EISA increased from 9 billion gallons in 2008 to 36 billion gallons in 2022. The Petroleum Segment’s obligated-party subsidiaries (like many refiners) are not able to meet their annual renewable volume obligation (“RVO”) through blending, so have had to purchase RINs on the open market as well as obtain cellulosic waiver credits from the EPA in order to comply with the RFS, unless their RVO is waived or exempted by the EPA. Additionally, CRRM purchases RINs generated from the Company’s renewable diesel operations, whose operating results are not currently included in either of our reportable segments, to partially satisfy its RFS obligations. The cost of purchasing RINs and cellulosic waiver credits fluctuates and can be significant. The price of RINs became extremely volatile when the EPA’s proposed renewable fuel volume mandates approached and exceeded the “blend wall.” The blend wall refers to the point at which the amount of ethanol required to be blended into the gasoline supply exceeds the level at which most engines can safely run on gasoline blended with ethanol. The blend wall is generally considered to be reached when more than 10 percent ethanol by volume (“E10”) is blended into gasoline. The volatility of RIN prices also increased significantly in response to a number of uncertainties regarding the implementation of the RFS program in 2020, 2021, 2022 and has continued into 2023.
In 2019, the EPA finalized regulatory changes to allow gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol (“E15”) to take advantage of a waiver during the summer months that previously only applied to E10, which meant that E15 could be sold year-round rather than just eight months of the year. However, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia Circuit (“D.C. Circuit”) overturned the E15 rule in July 2021, and in January 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the D.C. Circuit’s decision. While that ruling prevents EPA from granting year-round E15 sales by extending a nationally-applicable seasonal waiver to E15, a group of Midwestern governors petitioned EPA in April 2022 to allow summertime sales of E15 in their states, including Kansas, under different Clean Air Act authority. EPA sent a proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) in December 2022, which is expected to approve the individual state requests. OMB has not yet completed its review of the proposal. Once OMB’s review is complete, the proposed rule likely will be released for public comment. Biofuels groups have separately joined the American Petroleum Institute (API) in support of legislation to authorize E15 fuel nationwide.
Additionally, our costs to comply with the RFS depend on the consistent and timely application of the program by the EPA, such as timely establishment of the annual RVO. RIN prices have been highly volatile and remain high due in large part to the EPA’s unlawful failure to establish the 2021, 2022, and 2023 RVOs by their respective statutory deadlines, unlawful delay in issuing decisions on pending small refinery hardship petitions, and subsequent denial thereof. The price of RINs has also been impacted by market factors as well as the depletion of the carryover RIN bank, as demand destruction during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in reduced ethanol blending and RIN generation that did not keep pace with mandated volumes, requiring carryover RINs from the RIN bank to be used to settle blending obligations. As a result, our costs to comply with RFS (excluding the impacts of any exemptions or waivers to which the Petroleum Segment’s obligated-party subsidiaries may be entitled) increased significantly throughout 2020, 2021, and remained significant in 2022.
On February 2, 2022, the EPA issued a final rule to extend the 2019 RFS compliance deadline for small refineries and the 2020 and 2021 RFS compliance deadlines for all obligated parties. The EPA also issued a new method for determining RFS
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compliance deadlines for 2022 and beyond, under which the deadlines would automatically be extended in the event the EPA fails to promulgate the annual renewable fuel volumes by the deadline provided in the CAA. Unless vacated by the D.C. Circuit, this rule alters the deadlines by which CRRM and, unless exempted, WRC must comply with its RFS obligations. CRRM and WRC, among others, filed a Petition for Review of this final rule with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on February 4, 2022. The D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments on January 19, 2023. WRC and CRRM are awaiting the court’s decision, which is expected later in 2023. On September 2, 2022, the EPA issued a final rule providing an optional RFS compliance schedule for small refineries for the 2020 compliance year. WRC, among others, filed a Petition for Review of this final rule with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in June 2022.
In April 2022, the EPA denied 36 small refinery exemptions (“SRE”) for the 2018 compliance year, many of which had been previously granted by the EPA, including the SRE to WRC, and also issued an alternative compliance demonstration approach for certain small refineries (the “Alternate Compliance Ruling”) under which they would not be required to purchase or redeem additional RINs as a result of the EPA’s denial. In June 2022, the EPA announced its revision of the 2020 RVO and finalized the 2021 and 2022 RVOs. Also in June 2022, the EPA denied 69 petitions from small refineries seeking SREs, including those submitted by WRC for 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2021, and applied the Alternate Compliance Ruling to three such petitions. The price of RINs remained elevated following the EPA announcements, and as a result, we continue to expect significant volatility in the price of RINs during 2023, which volatility could have material impacts on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.
The EPA has statutory authority to determine RFS volumes for 2023 and beyond. On December 30, 2022, the EPA proposed the applicable volumes and percentage standards for 2023 through 2025. In the proposal, the EPA intends to set the implied conventional volume requirement at 15 billion gallons - beyond the blend wall - and is, for the first time, proposing to establish a cellulosic biofuel standard without utilizing the cellulosic waiver and issuing cellulosic waiver credits.
The EPA also proposed significant changes to the RFS program including regulations governing the generation of qualifying renewable electricity (eRINs) in December 2022. These changes, if finalized, would impact CRRM and WRC’s obligations under the RFS.
The Federal Clean Water Act (“CWA”)
The CWA and its implementing regulations, as well as state laws and regulations that govern the discharge of pollutants into the water, affect the Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer Segments. The CWA’s permitting requirements establish discharge limitations that may be based on technology standards, water quality standards, and restrictions on the total maximum daily load of pollutants allowed to enter a particular water body based on its use. In addition, water resources are becoming more scarce, and many refiners, including us, are subject to use restrictions in the event of low availability conditions. Our Refineries and the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility have contracts in place to receive water during certain water shortage conditions, but these conditions could change over time depending on the scarcity of water.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (“EPCRA”)
The release of hazardous substances or extremely hazardous substances into the environment is subject to release reporting requirements under federal and state environmental laws. Our Facilities also periodically experience releases of hazardous and extremely hazardous substances from their equipment and periodically have excess emission events. From time to time, the EPA has conducted inspections and issued information requests to us with respect to our compliance with reporting requirements under the CERCLA and the EPCRA. If we fail to timely or properly report a release, or if a release violates the law or our permits, we could become the subject of a governmental enforcement action or third-party claims. Government enforcement or third-party claims relating to releases of hazardous or extremely hazardous substances could result in significant expenditures and liability.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (“RCRA”)
Our Refineries are subject to the RCRA requirements for the generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes. When feasible, RCRA-regulated materials are recycled instead of being disposed of on-site or off-site. RCRA establishes standards for the management of solid and hazardous wastes. Besides governing current waste disposal
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practices, RCRA also addresses the environmental effects of certain past waste disposal practices, the recycling of wastes, and the regulation of underground storage tanks containing regulated substances.
Impacts of Past Manufacturing - In March 2004, two of our subsidiaries entered into a Consent Decree (“2004 Consent Decree”) with the EPA and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (the “KDHE”) that required us to assume two RCRA corrective action orders issued to Farmland, the prior owner of the Coffeyville Refinery. Until January 21, 2021, we were subject to a 1994 EPA administrative order related to investigation of possible past releases of hazardous materials to the environment at the Coffeyville Refinery. In accordance with the order, we have conducted the required investigation and interim remediation projects and documented existing soil and groundwater conditions. In June 2017, the Coffeyville Refinery submitted an amended RCRA post-closure permit application to the KDHE to complete closure of former hazardous waste management units at the Coffeyville Refinery and to perform corrective action at the site. The KDHE approved the post-closure permit application in July 2019, and the RCRA permit was issued on December 16, 2020. The EPA terminated the 1994 administrative order on January 21, 2021. On January 13, 2021, the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility entered into an agreement with the KDHE to address certain historical releases of UAN located on property held by CRNF that comingled with legacy groundwater contamination from the adjacent Coffeyville Refinery. The cleanup provisions of the agreement with the KDHE are held in abeyance so long as the Coffeyville Refinery conducts corrective action for these comingled historical releases in accordance with CRRM’s RCRA permit. The now-closed Phillipsburg terminal is subject to a 1996 EPA administrative order related to investigation of releases of hazardous materials to the environment at the Phillipsburg terminal, which operated as a refinery until 1991. The Phillipsburg terminal investigation is complete and corrective measures are in place implementing the EPA’s Statement of Basis and Final Remedy Decision issued in July 2018. The Wynnewood Refinery operates under a RCRA permit. A RCRA facility investigation has been completed in accordance with the terms of the permit. Based on the facility investigation and other available information, WRC entered into a consent order with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (the “ODEQ”) requiring further investigations of groundwater conditions and enhancements of existing remediation systems. We have completed the groundwater investigation at the Wynnewood Refinery and the ODEQ has approved our ongoing corrective actions. The consent order was terminated by the ODEQ in July 2019.
Financial Assurance - We are required under the 2004 Consent Decree, as modified by a 2010 agreement between CRRM, Coffeyville Resources Terminal, LLC (“CRT”), the EPA, and the KDHE, to establish financial assurance to secure the current projected clean-up cost for the now-closed Phillipsburg terminal. This financial assurance is currently provided by a bond in the amount of $2 million. The $2 million bond amount is reduced each year based on actual expenditures for corrective actions. Additional financial assurance of approximately $4 million and $3 million is required to meet our RCRA financial obligations for the Coffeyville Refinery and Phillipsburg terminal, respectively. Current RCRA financial assurance requirements for the Wynnewood Refinery includes less than $1 million for hazardous waste storage tank closure. Beginning in 2023, ODEQ will require financial assurance in the amount of $3 million for the post-closure monitoring of a closed storm water retention pond and the projected clean-up costs at the Wynnewood Refinery. These RCRA financial assurance obligations are currently being satisfied by a surety bond. The Company’s financial assurance mechanisms are re-evaluated and adjusted on an annual basis.
Waste Management - There are fourteen closed hazardous waste units at the Coffeyville Refinery. There is one closed hazardous waste unit and one active hazardous waste storage tank at the Wynnewood Refinery. In addition, 30 years of long-term post-closure care was completed at one closed, interim status, hazardous waste landfarm located at the now-closed Phillipsburg terminal and is no longer subject to monitoring.
Environmental Remediation
As is the case with all companies engaged in similar industries, we face potential exposure from claims and lawsuits involving environmental matters, including soil and water contamination and personal injury or property damage allegedly caused by crude oil or hazardous substances that we processed, handled, used, stored, transported, spilled, disposed of, or released. There is no assurance that we will not become involved in future proceedings related to the release of hazardous or extremely hazardous substances or crude oil for which we have potential liability or that, if we were held responsible for damages in any existing or future proceedings, such costs would be covered by insurance or would not be material.
Environmental Insurance
We are covered by a site pollution legal liability insurance policies, which include business interruption coverage. The policies insure any location owned, leased, rented, or operated by the Company, including the Refineries and the Facilities. The
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policies insure certain pollution conditions at or migrating from a covered location, certain waste transportation and disposal activities, and business interruption.
In addition to the site pollution legal liability insurance policy, we maintain umbrella and excess casualty insurance policies which include sudden and accidental pollution coverage. This insurance provides coverage due to named perils for claims involving pollutants where the discharge is sudden and accidental and first commences at a specific day and time during the policy period.
The site pollution legal liability policy and the pollution coverage provided in the casualty insurance policies are subject to retentions and deductibles and contain discovery requirements, reporting requirements, exclusions, definitions, conditions, and limitations that could apply to a particular pollution claim, and there can be no assurance such claim will be adequately insured for all potential damages.
Health, Safety and Security Matters
We are subject to a number of federal and state laws and regulations related to safety, including the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) and comparable state statutes, the purposes of which are to protect the health and safety of workers. We are also subject to OSHA Process Safety Management regulations, which are designed to prevent or minimize the consequences of catastrophic releases of toxic, reactive, flammable, or explosive chemicals. We are committed to safe, reliable operations of our facilities to protect the health and safety of our employees, our contractors, and the communities in which we operate. Our health and safety management system provides a comprehensive approach to injury, illness and incident prevention, risk assessment and mitigation, and emergency management. Despite our efforts to achieve excellence in our health and safety performance, there can be no assurances that there will not be accidents resulting in injuries or even fatalities. We periodically audit our programs and seek to continually improve our management systems.
Our Refineries and Facilities are subject to the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (“CFATS”), a regulatory program designed to ensure facilities have security measures in place to reduce the risk that certain hazardous chemicals are weaponized by terrorists. In addition, the East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility is regulated under the Maritime Transportation Security Act (the “MTSA”). We implement and maintain comprehensive security programs designed to comply with regulatory requirements and protect our assets and employees.
We periodically assess risk and conduct audits of our programs and seek to continually improve our health, safety, and security management systems.
Human Capital
Core Values
At CVR Energy, our core Values define the way we do business every day. We put Safety first, care for our Environment and require high business ethics and Integrity consistent with our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct. We are proud members of and good neighbors to the communities where we operate, and are committed to Corporate Citizenship. We believe in Continuous Improvement for individuals to achieve their maximum potential through teamwork, diversity and personal development. Our employees provide the energy behind our core Values to achieve excellence for all our key stakeholders – employees, communities and stockholders. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” in Part II, Item 7 of this Report for further discussion on our core Values.
Workforce & Benefits
As of December 31, 2022, CVR Energy had 1,470 employees, all of which are located in the United States. Of these, 589 employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements with various labor unions. We may engage independent contractors from time to time based on our business needs.
We believe that our future success largely depends upon our continued ability to attract and retain highly skilled employees. We are committed to providing wages and benefits that are competitive with a market-based, pay-for-performance compensation philosophy. We provide paid time off and paid holidays, a 401(k) Company match program, a remote work
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program for eligible employees, dependent care flexible spending accounts, and an employee assistance program. In furtherance of our core Value of continuous improvement, we also offer programs for tuition reimbursement and dependent scholarships. We also offer a remote work policy for eligible employees to provide our employees with the flexibility that is key to a work-life balance. We encourage all employees to live our core Value of corporate citizenship by making a positive impact in our communities by taking advantage of our volunteerism policy pursuant to which eligible employees are provided paid time off from work to volunteer at 501(c)(3) non-profit entities.
Diversity & Inclusion
We are an equal opportunity employer and strive to maintain a diverse and inclusive work environment free from harassment and discrimination regardless of race, religion, color, age, gender, disability, minority, sexual orientation or any other protected class. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion helps us attract and retain the best talent, enables employees to realize their full potential, and drives high performance through innovation and collaboration. We offer diversity training that focuses on unconscious bias where employees learn to recognize and address the effects thereof by encouraging diversity of experience and opinion. Also, our Diversity & Inclusion Committee fosters innovative actions and promotes inclusiveness throughout our organization.
Health & Safety
We have an unwavering commitment to providing as safe and healthy of a workplace as possible for all employees. We accomplish this through strict compliance with applicable laws and regulations regarding workplace safety, engaging employee input, and maintaining robust training and emergency response and disaster recovery plans. We monitor and assess our safety performance by measuring and evaluating injuries, process safety incidents, environmental events, and other events, as well as by performing compliance audits and risk assessments. We believe these efforts reinforce our safety culture; promote a safe workplace, accountability, and stronger community relations; and reduce impact to personal safety, process safety, and the environment.
Available Information
Our website address is www.CVREnergy.com. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports, filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are available free of charge through our website under “Investor Relations,” as soon as reasonably practicable after the electronic filing or furnishing of these reports is made with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) at www.sec.gov. In addition, our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Codes of Ethics and Business Conduct, and the charters of the Audit Committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Environmental, Health and Safety Committee of the Board of Directors are available on our website. These guidelines, policies, and charters are also available in print without charge to any stockholder requesting them. Information on our website is not a part of, and is not incorporated into, this Report or any other report we may file with or furnish to the SEC, whether before or after the date of this Report and irrespective of any general incorporation language therein.
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Item 1A. Risk Factors
Risk Factors
The following risks should be considered together with the other information contained in this Report and all of the information set forth in our filings with the SEC. If any of the following risks or uncertainties develops into actual events, our petroleum and/or nitrogen fertilizer businesses, financial conditions, or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. References to “CVR Energy”, the “Company”, “we”, “us”, and “our” may refer to consolidated subsidiaries of CVR Energy, including CVR Partners, as the context may require.
Risks Related to Our Entire Business
Certain developments in the global oil markets have had, and may continue to have, material adverse impacts on the operations, business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations of the Company or its customers, suppliers, and other counterparties.
Although there has been discussions among members of OPEC+ to stabilize oil prices, declines in the market prices of crude oil and certain other petroleum products below the carrying cost of such commodities in the Company’s inventory have required, and may continue to require, the Company to adjust the value of, and record a loss on, certain inventories, which has had, and may continue to have a negative impact on our operating income; adversely impact our ability to profitably operate our facilities, and our results of operations, such as revenues and cost of sales; could result in significant financial constraints on certain producers from which we acquire our crude oil; and could result in an increased risk that customers, lenders, and other counterparties may be unable to fulfill their obligations in a timely manner, or at all. Further, if general economic conditions continue to remain uncertain for an extended period of time, our liquidity and ability to repay our outstanding debt may be harmed and the trading price of our common stock, which has seen recent volatility, may decline.
Our petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer businesses are, and commodity prices are, cyclical and highly volatile, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Our Petroleum Segment’s financial results are primarily affected by margin between refined product prices and prices for crude oil and other feedstocks. Historically, refining margins have been volatile and vary by region, and we believe they will continue to be volatile in the future. Our cost to acquire feedstocks and the price at which we can ultimately sell refined products depend upon several factors beyond our control, including regional and global supply of and demand for crude oil, gasoline, diesel, and other feedstocks and refined products. These in turn depend on, among other things, the availability and quantity of imports, the production levels of U.S. and international suppliers, levels of refined petroleum product inventories, productivity and growth (or the lack thereof) of U.S. and global economies, U.S. relationships with foreign governments, political affairs, and the extent of governmental regulation. Profitability of some of our products, like renewable diesel, are also dependent upon government subsidies including carbon and tax credits, which may be reduced or eliminated.
We do not produce crude oil and must purchase all of the crude oil we refine long before we refine it and sell the refined products to our customers. Price level changes during the period between purchasing feedstocks and selling the refined petroleum products from these feedstocks could have a significant effect on our financial results. A decline in market prices in these feedstocks may negatively impact the carrying value of our inventories. Price level changes during the period between purchasing feedstocks and selling the refined petroleum products from these feedstocks could have a significant effect on our financial results. A decline in market prices in these feedstocks may negatively impact the carrying value of our inventories. Our Petroleum Segment profitability is also impacted by the ability to purchase crude oil at a discount to benchmark crude oils, such as WTI. Crude oil differentials can fluctuate significantly based upon overall economic and crude oil market conditions. Adverse changes in crude oil differentials can adversely impact our refining margins, earnings and cash flows. In addition, the Petroleum Segment’s purchases of crude oil, although based on WTI prices, have historically been at a discount to WTI because of the proximity of the Refineries to the sources, existing logistics infrastructure, and quality differences. Any changes to these factors could result in a reduction of the discount to WTI and may result in a reduction of the Petroleum Segment’s cost advantage.
Our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment is exposed to fluctuations in nitrogen fertilizer demand in the agricultural industry. These fluctuations historically have had, and could in the future have, significant effects on prices across all nitrogen fertilizer products and, in turn, our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Nitrogen fertilizer products are commodities,
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the price of which can be highly volatile. The prices of nitrogen fertilizer products depend on a number of factors, including general economic conditions, cyclical trends in end-user markets, supply and demand imbalances, governmental policies, and weather conditions, which have a greater relevance because of the seasonal nature of fertilizer application. If seasonal demand exceeds the projections on which we base our production levels, customers may acquire nitrogen fertilizer products from competitors, and our profitability may be negatively impacted. If seasonal demand is less than expected, we may be left with excess inventory that will have to be stored or liquidated.
The international market for nitrogen fertilizers is influenced by such factors as the relative value of the U.S. dollar and its impact upon the cost of importing nitrogen fertilizers, foreign agricultural policies, the existence of, or changes in, import or foreign currency exchange barriers in certain foreign markets, changes in the hard currency demands of certain countries, and other regulatory policies of foreign governments, as well as the laws and policies of the U.S. affecting foreign trade and investment. Supply is affected by available capacity and operating rates, raw material costs, government policies, and global trade. A decrease in nitrogen fertilizer prices would have a material adverse effect on our nitrogen fertilizer business and cash flow, including CVR Partners’ ability to make distributions.
Petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer businesses face intense competition.
The refining industry is highly competitive with respect to both crude oil and other feedstock supply and refined petroleum product markets. We compete with many companies for available supplies of crude oil and other feedstocks and for sites for our refined petroleum products. Our Petroleum Segment may be unable to compete effectively with competitors within and outside of the industry, which could result in reduced profitability. In contrast to many of our competitors, we do not have a retail business and therefore are dependent upon others for outlets for our refined products, and we do not have arrangements exceeding a twelve-month period for much of our petroleum output and thus cannot offset losses from refining operations with profits from retail operations and may be less able to withstand periods of depressed refining margins or feedstock shortages. Some of our competitors also have materially greater financial and other resources than us and a greater ability to bear the economic risks inherent in our industry. In addition, our Petroleum Segment competes with other industries that provide alternative means to satisfy the energy and fuel requirements of its industrial, commercial, and individual customers. There are presently significant governmental incentives and consumer pressures to increase the use of alternative fuels in the United States. The more successful these alternatives become as a result of governmental incentives or regulations, technological advances, consumer demand, improved pricing, or otherwise, the greater the negative impact on pricing and demand for our products and profitability.
Our renewables business faces competition from other renewable fuel producers. In recent years, there has been an increase in renewable fuel capacity and production as new renewables projects have come online, which impacts the prices at which we are able to sell renewable fuel. With an increase in renewable fuel projects in recent years, we also face competition for renewable feedstocks. The prices at which we sell renewable fuel and buy renewable feedstock are therefore volatile and beyond our control and could adversely affect our renewables margin and results.
Our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment is subject to intense price competition from both U.S. and foreign sources. With little or no product differentiation, customers make their purchasing decisions principally on the basis of delivered price and availability of the product. Increased global supply or decreases in transportation costs for foreign sources of fertilizer may put downward pressure on fertilizer prices. We compete with a number of U.S. producers and producers in other countries, including state-owned and government-subsidized entities that may have greater total resources and are less dependent on earnings from fertilizer sales, which make them less vulnerable to industry downturns and better positioned to pursue new expansion and development opportunities. In addition, imports of fertilizer from other countries may be unfairly subsidized, as was found to be the case on November 30, 2021 by the U.S. Department of Commerce (the “USDOC”) with respect to UAN imports from Russia and Trinidad. An inability to compete successfully could result in a loss of customers, which could adversely affect our sales, profitability, and cash flows, and therefore, have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Our businesses are geographically concentrated, creating exposure to regional economic downturns and seasonal variations, which may affect our production levels, transportation costs, and inventory and working capital levels.
Our Refineries are both located in the southern portion of Group 3 of the PADD II region, and we primarily market refined products in a relatively limited geographic area. As a result, our Petroleum Segment is more susceptible to regional economic conditions than the operations of more geographically diversified competitors, and any unforeseen circumstances that affect our
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operating area could also materially adversely affect our revenues and cash flows. These factors include, among other things, changes in the economy, weather conditions, demographics and population, increased supply of refined products from competitors, and reductions in the supply of crude oil. In addition, if we deliver refined products to customers outside of the region, we may incur considerably higher transportation costs, resulting in lower refining margins, if any.
Our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment’s sales to agricultural customers are concentrated in the Great Plains and Midwest states, and nitrogen fertilizer demand is seasonal. Our quarterly results may vary significantly from one year to the next due to weather-related shifts in planting schedules and purchase patterns. Because we build inventory during low demand periods, the accumulation of inventory to be available for seasonal sales creates significant seasonal working capital and storage capacity requirements. The degree of seasonality can change significantly from year-to-year due to conditions in the agricultural industry and other factors. As a consequence of this seasonality, distributions by our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment of available cash, if any, may be volatile and may vary quarterly and annually.
Public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic have had, and may continue to have, adverse impacts on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity.
The economic effects from the COVID-19 pandemic on our business were and may again be significant. Although there has been a recovery since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, there continues to be uncertainty and unpredictability about the lingering impacts to the worldwide economy that could negatively affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity in future periods. The extent to which the pandemic and its effects may adversely impact our future business, financial, and operating results, and for what duration and magnitude, depends on factors that are continuing to evolve, are difficult to predict and, in many instances, are beyond our control. The ultimate outcome of these and other factors may result in many adverse consequences including, but not limited to, reduced availability of critical staff, disruption or delays to supply chains for critical equipment or feedstock, inflation, increased interest rates, reduced economic activity that negatively impacts demand for our products, and increased administrative, compliance, and operational costs. In addition, future public health crises could also result in significant economic disruption and other effects that adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity in future periods in ways similar to the COVID-19 pandemic. The adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic had, and may continue to have, the effect of precipitating or heightening many of the other risks described in this section.
Both the Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer Segments depend on significant customers, the loss of which may have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer Segments both have a significant concentration of customers. The two largest customers of our Petroleum Segment represented 25% of its net sales for the year ended December 31, 2022. The two largest customers of the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment represented approximately 30% of its net sales for the same period. Given the nature of our businesses, and consistent with industry practice, we do not have long-term minimum purchase contracts with our customers. The loss of one or more of these significant customers, or a significant reduction in purchase volume by any of them, for any reason including, but not limited to, a desire to purchase competing products with lower emissions, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
If licensed technology were no longer available, our business may be adversely affected.
We have licensed, and may in the future license, a combination of patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property rights of third parties for use in our plant operations. If our use of technology on which our operations rely were to be terminated or face infringement claims, licenses to alternative technology may not be available, may only be available on terms that are not commercially reasonable or acceptable, or in the case of infringement may result in substantial costs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Compliance with and changes in environmental laws and regulations, including those related to climate change and the ongoing “energy transition,” could result in increased operating costs and capital expenditures and changes in demand for the products we produce.
Our operations are subject to extensive federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment, including those governing the emission or discharge of pollutants into the environment, climate change and the ongoing energy transition, product use and specifications, and the generation, treatment, storage, transportation,
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disposal, and remediation of solid and hazardous wastes. Violations of applicable environmental laws and regulations or of the conditions of permits issued thereunder can result in substantial penalties, injunctive orders compelling installation of additional controls or other injunctive relief, civil and criminal sanctions, operating restrictions, permit revocations, and/or facility shutdowns, which may have a material adverse effect on our ability to operate our facilities and accordingly our financial performance.
In addition, new environmental laws and regulations, including as a result of climate change and the ongoing energy transition efforts, new interpretations of existing laws and regulations, or increased governmental enforcement of laws and regulations, could require us to make additional unforeseen expenditures. It is unclear the impact the Biden Administration will have on the laws and regulations applicable to us, however, measures to address climate change and reduce GHG emissions (including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides) are in various phases of discussion or implementation and could affect our operations by requiring increased operating and capital costs and/or increasing taxes on GHG emissions. There also have been international efforts seeking legally binding reductions in GHG emissions.
More aggressive efforts by governments and non-governmental organizations to put in place laws requiring or otherwise driving reductions in GHG emissions appear likely and any such future laws and regulations could result in increased compliance costs or additional operating restrictions applicable to our customers and/or us, and any increase in the prices of refined products resulting from such increased costs, GHG cap-and-trade programs or taxes on GHGs, could results in reduced demand for our refined petroleum products. For example, in August 2022, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “Inflation Reduction Act”), which imposes a charge on methane emissions from certain petroleum system facilities and could have an indirect impact on demand for the goods and services of our Petroleum Segment. Our business could also be impacted by governmental initiatives to incentivize the conservation of energy or the use of alternative energy sources. These initiatives to reduce energy consumption or incentivize a shift away from fossil fuels could reduce demand for hydrocarbons, thereby reducing demand for the products of our Petroleum Segment, and adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
There is also increased agency interest in polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS. In September 2022, the EPA proposed to designate two PFAS compounds as hazardous substances. If PFAS compounds are designated as hazardous substances, the EPA and states could have the ability to order remediation of those compounds and cost recovery at clean-up sites. The EPA and states could also have the authority to reopen closed sites which are shown to be impacted by these PFAS compounds. This could lead to increased monitoring obligations and potential liability related thereto. If we are unable to maintain sales of our products at a price that reflects such increased costs, or could result in reduced demand for our fertilizer and hydrocarbon products, there could be a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our facilities face significant risks due to physical damage hazards, environmental liability risk exposure, and unplanned or emergency partial or total plant shutdowns which could cause property damage and a material decline in production which may not be fully insured.
If any of our facilities, logistics assets, or key suppliers sustain a catastrophic loss and operations are shutdown or significantly impaired, it would have a material adverse impact on our operations, financial condition and cash flows. Examples of unforeseen events and circumstances, which may not be within our control, include: (i) major unplanned maintenance requirements; (ii) catastrophic events caused by mechanical breakdown, electrical injury, pressure vessel rupture, explosion, contamination, fire, or natural disasters, including floods, windstorms, and other similar events; (iii) labor supply shortages or labor difficulties that result in a work stoppage or slowdown; (iv) cessation or suspension of a plant or specific operations dictated by environmental authorities; (v) acts of terrorism or other deliberate malicious acts; and (vi) an event or incident involving a large clean-up, decontamination, or the imposition of laws and ordinances regulating the cost and schedule of demolition or reconstruction, which can cause significant delays in restoring property to its pre-loss condition.
We are insured under casualty, environmental, property, and business interruption insurance policies. The property and business interruption policies insure our real and personal property. These policies are subject to limits, sub-limits, retention (financial and time-based), and deductibles. The application of these and other policy conditions could materially impact insurance recoveries and potentially cause us to assume losses which could impair earnings. There is potential for a common occurrence to impact both our Coffeyville Refinery and Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility, in which case the insurance limits and applicable sub-limits would apply to all damages combined.
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There is finite capacity in the commercial insurance industry engaged in underwriting energy industry risk, and factors impacting cost and availability include: (i) losses in our industries, (ii) natural disasters (which could be exacerbated by climate change), (iii) specific losses incurred by us, and (iv) inadequate investment returns earned by the insurance industry. If the supply of commercial insurance is curtailed or if commercial insurance companies decline to underwrite companies in the energy industry, we may not be able to continue our present limits of insurance coverage or obtain sufficient insurance capacity to adequately insure our risks.
We could incur significant costs in cleaning up contamination at our facilities.
Our businesses handle petroleum and hazardous substances, and as a result, spills, discharges, or other releases of petroleum or hazardous substances into the environment may occur. Past or future spills related to any of our current or former operations and solid or hazardous waste disposal may give rise to liability (including for personal injury and property damage, penalties, strict liability and potential cleanup responsibility) to governmental entities or private parties under federal, state, or local environmental laws, as well as under common law. For example, we could be held strictly liable under CERCLA and similar state statutes for past or future spills without regard to fault or whether our actions were in compliance with the law at the time of the spills, including in connection with contamination associated with our current and former facilities, and facilities to which we transported or arranged for the transportation of wastes or byproducts containing hazardous substances for treatment, storage, or disposal. Such liability could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows and may not be covered by insurance.
Remedial activities to address known environmental contamination are underway at three of our facilities, including the Coffeyville Refinery, the now-closed Phillipsburg terminal (which operated as a refinery until 1991), and the Wynnewood Refinery. We also have assumed the previous owner’s responsibilities under certain administrative orders under RCRA related to contamination at or that originated from the Coffeyville Refinery and the Phillipsburg terminal. We continue to work with the applicable governmental authorities to implement remediation of these three sites on a timely basis. As of December 31, 2022, we have established an accrual of approximately $22 million for probable and reasonably estimable obligations associated with these sites.
Regulations concerning the transportation, storage, and handling of hazardous chemicals and materials, risks of terrorism, and the security of refineries and chemical manufacturing facilities could result in higher operating costs.
Our crude oil gathering division that operates as a motor carrier is subject to regulation by federal and various state agencies and possible regulatory and legislative changes that may affect the economics of the industry. Some of these possible changes include increasingly stringent fuel-economy environmental regulations, limits on vehicle weight and size, and increases to federal, state or local taxes, including taxes on motor fuels, which may increase our costs or adversely impact the recruitment of drivers.
Critical infrastructure such as petroleum refining and chemical manufacturing facilities may be at greater risk of terrorist attacks than other businesses in the United States. As a result, the petroleum and chemical industries are subject to security regulations relating to physical and cyber security. The costs of compliance therewith may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Adverse weather conditions or other unforeseen developments could damage our facilities or logistics assets and impair our ability to produce and deliver our refined petroleum or nitrogen fertilizer products.
The regions in which our facilities are located and in which our customers operate are susceptible to severe storms, including hurricanes, thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, extended periods of rain, ice storms and snow, some of which we or our customers have experienced in recent years. Such inclement weather conditions or other unforeseen developments could damage our facilities or logistics assets. If such weather conditions prevail near our facilities or logistics assets, they could interrupt or undermine our ability to produce and transport products or to manage our business. Regional occurrences, such as energy shortages or increases in commodity prices, and natural disasters, could also have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The physical effects of adverse weather conditions have the potential to directly affect our operations and result in increased costs related to our operations. Since climate change may change weather patterns and the severity of weather events, any such changes could consequently materially adversely affect our revenues and cash flows and the demand for our products by our customers. However, because the nature and timing of changes in extreme
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weather events (such as increased frequency, duration, and severity) are uncertain, it is not possible for us to estimate reliably the future financial risk to our operations caused by these potential physical risks.
If our access to transportation on which we rely for the supply of our feedstocks and the distribution of our products is interrupted, our inventory and costs may increase and we may be unable to efficiently distribute our products.
If one of the pipelines on which either of the Refineries relies for supply of crude oil or for distribution of fuel becomes inoperative, the Petroleum Segment would be required to use alternative pipelines or other transportation methods or increase inventory, which could increase its costs and result in lower production levels and profitability. Our Nitrogen Fertilizer business relies on railroad, trucking and barge companies to ship finished products to customers. Factors that could negatively impact transportation availability and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and ability to pay dividends include extreme weather conditions, work stoppages, delays, spills, and derailments, new regulations restricting movements or increasing costs. The limited number of companies available for ammonia transport may also impact the availability of transportation for our Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment’s products.
We may be unable to obtain or renew permits or approvals necessary for our operations, which could inhibit our ability to do business.
Our businesses hold numerous environmental and other governmental permits and approvals authorizing operations at our facilities and future expansion of our operations is predicated upon the ability to secure approvals therefore. A decision by a government agency to deny or delay issuing a new or renewed material permit or approval, or to revoke or substantially modify an existing permit or approval, could have a material adverse effect on our ability to continue operations and on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We are subject to strict laws and regulations regarding employee and process safety, and failure to comply with these laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and profitability.
We are subject to the requirements of OSHA and comparable state statutes that regulate the protection of the health and safety of workers, the proper design, operation, and maintenance of our equipment, and require us to provide information about hazardous materials used in our operations. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in significant fines or compliance costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
A portion of our workforce is unionized, and we are subject to the risk of labor disputes, slowdowns or strikes, which may disrupt our business and increase our costs.
As of December 31, 2022, approximately 43% and 29% of our Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment employees, respectively, were represented by labor unions under collective bargaining agreements. We may not be able to renegotiate our collective bargaining agreements when they expire on satisfactory terms or at all. A failure to do so may increase our costs. In addition, our existing labor agreements may not prevent a strike or work stoppage at any of our facilities in the future, and any work stoppage could negatively affect our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
In addition, there continues to be a tight labor market. Increases in remote work opportunities have also amplified the competition for employees and contractors. An inability to recruit, train, and retain adequate personnel, or the loss or departure of personnel with key skills or deep institutional knowledge for whom we are unable to find adequate replacements, may negatively impact our business. Inflation has also caused and may in the future cause increases in employee-related costs, both due to higher wages and other compensation.
We are subject to cybersecurity risks and may experience cyber incidents resulting in disruption to our businesses.
We depend on internal and third-party information technology systems to manage and support our operations, and we collect, process, and retain sensitive and confidential customer information in the normal course of business. To protect our facilities and systems against and mitigate cyber risk, we have implemented several programs including externally performed cyber risk monitoring, audits and penetration testing and an information security training program, and we are actively engaged in evaluating the implementation of applicable Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency security standard guidelines. On an as needed basis, but no less than quarterly, we brief the Audit Committee of the Board on information security matters. Despite these measures (or those we may implement in the future), our facilities and these systems could be vulnerable to
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security breaches, computer viruses, lost or misplaced data, programming errors, human errors, acts of vandalism, or other events. A breach could also originate from or compromise third-party networks outside of our control that could impact our business and operations. Although we implement controls on third-party connectivity to our systems, we have limited control in ensuring their systems consistently enforce strong cybersecurity controls. Any disruption of these systems or security breach or event resulting in the misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, whether by us directly or our third-party service providers, could damage our reputation, expose us to the risks of litigation and liability, disrupt our business, or otherwise affect our results of operations.
An increase in inflation could have adverse effects on our results of operations.
Inflation in the United States increased beginning in the second half of 2021 and has continued into 2023, due to a substantial increase in money supply, a stimulative fiscal policy, a significant rebound in consumer demand as COVID-19 restrictions were relaxed, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and worldwide supply chain disruptions resulting from the economic contraction caused by COVID-19 and lockdowns followed by a rapid recovery. Inflation rose from 5.4% in June 2021 to 7.0% in December 2021 to 8.2% in September 2022. As of December 31, 2022, inflation was at 6.5%. An increase in inflation rates could negatively affect our profitability and cash flows, due to higher wages, higher operating costs, higher financing costs, and/or higher supplier prices. We may be unable to pass along such higher costs to our customers. In addition, inflation may adversely affect our customers’ financing costs, cash flows, and profitability, which could adversely impact their operations and our ability to offer credit and collect receivables.
Risks Related to the Petroleum Segment
If our Petroleum Segment is required to obtain its crude oil supply without the benefit of a crude oil supply agreement and significant crude oil gathering in the regions in which we operate, our exposure to the risks associated with volatile crude oil prices may increase, crude oil transportation costs could increase and our liquidity may be reduced.
Our Petroleum Segment obtains substantially all of its crude oil supply through crude oil gathering operations in Kansas and Oklahoma or through the crude oil intermediation agreement with Vitol Inc. The agreement, which currently extends through December 31, 2023, minimizes the amount of in-transit inventory and mitigates crude oil pricing risk by ensuring pricing takes place close to the time the crude oil is refined and the yielded products are sold. If we were required to obtain our crude oil supply without the benefit of crude oil located near the Refineries or through a supply intermediation agreement, our Petroleum Segment’s exposure to crude oil pricing risk may increase, despite any hedging activity in which we engage (such as futures and swaps), crude oil transportation costs could increase and our liquidity could be negatively impacted due to increased inventory, potential need to post letters of credit, and negative impacts of market volatility. There is no assurance that our crude oil gathering operations will remain at current levels or that we will be able to renew or extend the Vitol agreement beyond December 31, 2023. Crude oil production disruptions could have a material impact on the Petroleum Segment because in such an event, we may be unable to obtain an adequate supply of crude oil, or we may only be able to obtain crude oil at unfavorable prices and we may experience a reduction in liquidity and our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
Compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”) could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The EPA has promulgated and implemented the RFS pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the EISA. Under the RFS program, a RIN is assigned to each gallon of renewable fuel produced in or imported into the United States. The RFS program sets annual mandates for the volume of renewable fuels (such as ethanol and biodiesel) that must be blended into a refiner’s transportation fuels. If a refiner of petroleum-based transportation fuels is unable to meet its renewable fuel mandate through blending and is not otherwise exempt from compliance, it must purchase RINs in the open market to meet its obligations under the RFS program.
Our Petroleum Segment’s obligated-party subsidiaries are exposed to the volatility in the market price of RINs, which can be extreme. We cannot predict the future prices of RINs. RIN prices are dependent upon a variety of factors, including EPA regulations, the availability of RINs for purchase, levels of transportation fuels produced, the mix of the petroleum business’ petroleum products, our purchasing as well as the fuel blending performed at the Refineries and downstream terminals, all of which can vary significantly from period to period. RIN prices may also be impacted by the timing and content of the EPA’s actions or inactions relating to the RFS and communications relating thereto, as well as the actions of market participants, such as non-obligated parties. We may also be adversely impacted by the timing by which we purchase RINs, either ratably or at all.
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Also, we believe WRC, as a small refinery, should be entitled to exemptions from the RFS, and we may carry a RIN deficit while we pursue such exemptions in court. If sufficient RINs are unavailable for purchase, if the Petroleum Segment has to pay a significantly higher price for RINs, if our legal actions relating to WRC’s small refinery exemptions are not decided in our favor, or if our obligated-party subsidiaries are otherwise unable to meet the EPA’s RFS mandates or is unable to participate in programs or receive exemptions relieving compliance with RFS obligations, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
Changes in our credit profile may affect our relationship with our suppliers, which could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and ability to operate the Refineries at full capacity.
Changes in our credit profile may affect the way crude oil suppliers view our ability to make payments and may induce them to shorten the payment terms for purchases or require us to post security. Given the large dollar amounts and volume of our crude oil and other feedstock purchases, a burdensome change in payment terms may have a material adverse effect on liquidity and our ability to make payments to suppliers. This, in turn, could cause us to be unable to operate the Refineries at full capacity. A failure to operate at full capacity could adversely affect our profitability and cash flows.
The Petroleum Segment’s commodity derivative contracts may limit potential gains, exacerbate potential losses, and involve other risks.
We may enter into both short- and long-term commodity derivatives contracts to mitigate crack spread risk with respect to a portion of expected refined products production. However, hedging arrangements, if we are able to procure them, may fail to fully achieve this objective for a variety of reasons, including its failure to have adequate hedging contracts, if any, in effect at any particular time and the failure of hedging arrangements to produce the anticipated results. Moreover, such transactions may limit our ability to benefit from favorable changes in margins. In addition, our hedging activities may expose us to the risk of financial loss in certain circumstances, including instances in which the volumes of our actual use of crude oil or production of the applicable refined products is less than the volumes subject to the hedging arrangement; accidents, interruptions in transportation, inclement weather, or other events cause unscheduled shutdowns or otherwise adversely affect a refinery, suppliers, or customers; the counterparties to our futures contracts fail to perform under the contracts; or a sudden, unexpected event materially impacts the commodity or crack spread subject to the hedging arrangement. As a result, the effectiveness of our risk mitigation strategy could have a material adverse impact on our financial results and cash flows.
If we are unable to complete capital projects at their expected costs and/or in a timely manner, or if the market conditions assumed in project economics deteriorate, our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows could be adversely affected.
Equipment, even when properly maintained, may require significant capital expenditures and expenses to keep operating at optimum efficiency. Our facilities and equipment have been in operation for many years and may be subject to unscheduled downtime for unanticipated maintenance or repairs that are more frequent than our planned turnaround for facilities and equipment. In addition, our planned turnarounds for facilities and equipment reduce our revenues during the period of time that such assets are not operating and may take longer than anticipated to complete. Delays or cost increases beyond our control related to the engineering and construction of new facilities or improvements and repairs to existing facilities and equipment caused by delays in or denials of permits, disruptions to transportation, labor disagreements resulting in work stoppage, non-performance of vendors, or increases in financing costs, could have a significant impact on our petroleum business. If we are unable to make up for the delays or to recover the related costs, or if market conditions change, we could materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
One of the ways we may grow our business is through the conversion or expansion of our existing facilities, such as the conversion of the Wynnewood Refinery’s hydrocracker to an RDU and the conversion of a hydrotreater to renewable diesel service at the Coffeyville Refinery. If we are unable to complete capital projects at their expected costs or in a timely manner, our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows could be materially and adversely affected. Delays in making required changes or upgrades to our facilities could subject us to fines or penalties and also affect our ability to supply certain products we make. Moreover, we may construct facilities to capture anticipated future growth in demand for refined products or renewable diesel in a region in which such growth does not materialize, and our revenue may not increase immediately upon the expend of funds on a particular project. In addition, the long-term success of our Petroleum Segment depends on our ability to effectively address energy transition matters, which will require that we continue to adapt our existing facilities to potentially
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changing government requirements, among other things. As a result, new capital investments may not achieve our expected investment return, which could materially and adversely affect our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Investor and market sentiment towards climate change, fossil fuels, GHG emissions, environmental justice, and other Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) matters could adversely affect our business, cost of capital, and the price of our common stock and debt securities.
There have been efforts in recent years aimed at the investment community, including investment advisors, sovereign wealth funds, public pension funds, universities, and other groups, to promote the divestment of securities of companies in the energy industry, as well as to pressure lenders and other financial services companies to limit or curtail activities with companies in the energy industry. As a result, some financial intermediaries, investors, and other capital markets participants have reduced or ceased lending to, or investing in, companies that operate in industries with higher perceived environmental exposure, such as the energy industry. Pension funds at both the United States state and municipal level, as well other countries and jurisdictions across the world, particularly in Europe, have announced plans to divest holdings in companies engaged in fossil fuels activities. If these or similar divestment efforts are continued, the price of our common stock or debt securities, and our ability to access capital markets or to otherwise obtain new investment or financing, may be negatively impacted.
Members of the investment community are also increasing their focus on ESG practices and disclosures, including those related to climate change, GHG emissions targets, business resilience under demand-constraint scenarios, and net-zero ambitions in the energy industry in particular, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, political activities, and governance standards among companies more generally. As a result, we may face negative publicity, increasing pressure regarding our ESG practices and disclosures, and demands for ESG-focused engagement commenced by investors, stakeholders, and other interested parties. This could result in higher costs, disruption and diversion of management attention, an increased strain on company resources, and the implementation of certain ESG practices or disclosures that may present a heightened level of legal and regulatory risk, or that threaten our credibility with other investors and stakeholders. Investors, stakeholders, and other interested parties are also increasingly focusing on issues related to environmental justice. This may result in increased scrutiny, protests, and negative publicity with respect to our business and operations, and those of our counterparties, which could in turn result in the cancellation or delay of projects, the revocation of permits, termination of contracts, lawsuits, regulatory action, and policy change that may adversely affect our business strategy, increase our costs, and adversely affect our reputation and performance.
Additionally, members of the investment community may screen companies such as ours for ESG performance and climate-related practices to limit GHG emissions before investing in our common stock or debt securities, or lending to us. Credit ratings agencies are also increasingly using ESG as a factor in assigning their ratings, which could impact our cost of capital or access to financing. There has also been an acceleration in investor demand for ESG investing opportunities, and many institutional investors have committed to increasing the percentage of their portfolios that are allocated towards ESG-focused investments. As a result, there has been a proliferation of ESG-focused investment funds, and market participants seeking ESG-oriented investment products. There has also been an increase in third-party providers of company ESG ratings, and more ESG-focused voting policies among proxy advisory firms, portfolio managers and institutional investors. Some investors and stakeholders are also increasingly focused on pursuing strategies centered on ESG-related activism. In addition, such climate-related trends may lead to decreased demand for products that produce significant GHG emissions and increased demand for products that result in lower emissions than fossil fuel-based products, and our business could be adversely affected.
If we are unable to meet the ESG standards or investment, lending, ratings, or voting criteria and policies set by these parties, we may lose investors, investors may allocate a portion of their capital away from us, we may become a target for ESG-focused activism, our cost of capital may increase, the price of our securities may be negatively impacted, and our reputation may also be negatively affected.
Risks Related to the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment
Any decline in U.S. agricultural production or limitations on the use of nitrogen fertilizer for agricultural purposes could have a material adverse effect on the sales, and on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Conditions in the U.S. agricultural industry significantly impact our operating results. The U.S. agricultural industry can be affected by a number of factors, including weather patterns and field conditions, current and projected grain inventories and
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prices, domestic and international population changes, demand for U.S. agricultural products, U.S., state and foreign policies regarding trade in agricultural products, and changes in governmental regulations and incentives for ethanol production that could affect future corn-based ethanol demand and production, including the RFS program. Developments in crop technology could also reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and adversely affect the demand for nitrogen fertilizer. All of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Failure by our Coffeyville Refinery to continue to supply our Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility with pet coke could negatively impact the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment’s results of operations.
Unlike our competitors, whose primary costs are related to the purchase of natural gas and whose costs are therefore largely variable, our Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility uses a pet coke gasification process to produce nitrogen fertilizer. Our profitability is directly affected by the price and availability of pet coke obtained from our Coffeyville Refinery under the Coffeyville MSA. Our Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility obtained 47% of its pet coke from our Coffeyville Refinery in 2022. Should our Coffeyville Refinery fail to perform in accordance with the existing agreement or to the extent pet coke from the Coffeyville Refinery is insufficient, we would need to purchase pet coke from third parties on the open market, which could negatively impact our results of operations to the extent third-party pet coke is unavailable or available only at higher prices. Currently, we purchase 100% of the pet coke our Coffeyville Refinery produces. However, we are still required to procure additional pet coke at fixed prices from third parties to maintain our production rates. We have contracts for 233,500 tons of third-party supply of pet coke through December 2023.
The market for natural gas has been volatile, and fluctuations in natural gas prices could affect our competitive position.
Low natural gas prices benefit our competitors that rely on natural gas as their primary feedstock and disproportionately impact our operations at our Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility by making us less competitive with natural gas-based nitrogen fertilizer manufacturers. Low natural gas prices could result in nitrogen fertilizer pricing reductions and impair the ability of the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility to compete with other nitrogen fertilizer producers who use natural gas as their primary feedstock, which, therefore, would have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
The East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility uses natural gas as its primary feedstock, and as such, the profitability of operating the East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility is significantly dependent on the cost of natural gas. An increase in natural gas prices, without a corresponding increase to nitrogen fertilizer pricing, could make the East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility less competitive with producers who do not use natural gas as their primary feedstock. In addition, an increase in natural gas prices in the United States relative to prices of natural gas paid by foreign nitrogen fertilizer producers may negatively affect our competitive position in the corn belt, and such changes could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.
Any interruption in the supply of natural gas to our East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Operations at our East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility depends on the availability of natural gas. We have two agreements for pipeline transportation of natural gas with expiration dates in 2023 and 2025. We typically purchase natural gas from third parties on a spot basis and, from time to time, may enter into fixed-price forward purchase contracts. Upon expiration of the agreements, we may be unable to extend the service under the terms of the existing agreements or renew the agreements on satisfactory terms, or at all, necessitating construction of a new connection that could be costly and disruptive. Any disruption in the supply of natural gas to our East Dubuque Facility could restrict our ability to continue to make products at the facility and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Our operations are dependent on third-party suppliers, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Operations of our Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility depend in large part on the performance of third-party suppliers, including the adjacent third-party air separation plant and a third-party electric supplier. Our East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility operations also depend in large part on the performance of third-party suppliers, including for the purchase of electricity. Should these, or any of our other third-party suppliers fail to perform in accordance with existing contractual arrangements, or should we otherwise lose the service of any third-party suppliers, our operations (or a portion thereof) could be forced to halt. Alternative
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sources of supply could be difficult to obtain. Any shutdown of our operations (or a portion thereof), even for a limited period, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
Any liability for accidents involving ammonia or other products we produce or transport that cause severe damage to property or injury to the environment and human health could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
Our business manufactures, processes, stores, handles, distributes and transports ammonia, which can be very volatile and extremely hazardous. Major accidents or releases involving ammonia could cause severe damage or injury to property, the environment, and human health, as well as a possible disruption of supplies and markets. Such an event could result in civil lawsuits, fines, penalties and regulatory enforcement proceedings, all of which could lead to significant liabilities. Any damage or injury to persons, equipment or property or other disruption of our ability to produce or distribute products could result in a significant decrease in operating revenues and significant additional costs to replace or repair and insure our assets, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
In addition, we may incur significant losses or increased costs relating to the operation of railcars used for the purpose of carrying various products, including ammonia. Due to the dangerous and potentially hazardous nature of the cargo we carry, in particular ammonia, a railcar accident may result in fires, explosions, and releases of material which could lead to sudden, severe damage or injury to property, the environment, and human health. In the event of contamination, under environmental law, we may be held responsible even if we are not at fault, and we complied with the laws and regulations in effect at the time of the accident. Litigation arising from accidents involving ammonia and other products we produce or transport may result in us being named as a defendant in lawsuits asserting claims for substantial damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and ability to pay dividends.
Risks Related to Our Capital Structure
Instability and volatility in the capital, credit, and commodity markets in the global economy could negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our business, financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted by difficult conditions and volatility in the capital, credit, and commodities markets and in the global economy. For example, there can be no assurance that funds under our credit facilities will be available or sufficient, and in such a case, we may not be able to successfully obtain additional financing on favorable terms, or at all; market volatility could exert downward pressure on the price of CVR Partners’ common units, which may make it more difficult for us to raise additional capital and thereby limit its ability to grow, which could in turn cause CVR Energy’s stock and/or CVR Partners’ unit price to drop; or customers experiencing financial difficulties may fail to meet their financial obligations when due because of bankruptcy, lack of liquidity, operational failure, or other reasons could result in decreased sales and earnings for us.
Our indebtedness may increase and affect our ability to operate our businesses, and have a material adverse effect on our financial flexibility, financial condition and results of operations.
Although existing credit facilities contain restrictions on the occurrence of additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions and, under certain circumstances, additional indebtedness incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial and secured. The level of indebtedness could have important consequences, including the following: (i) limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund working capital needs, capital expenditures, debt service requirements, acquisitions, general corporate, or other purposes; (ii) requiring us to utilize a significant portion of cash flows to service indebtedness, thereby reducing our funds available for operations, future business opportunities, and distributions to us and public common unitholders of CVR Partners; (iii) limiting our ability to use operating cash flow in other areas of our business because we must dedicate a substantial portion of these funds to service debt; (iv) limiting our ability to compete with other companies who are not as highly leveraged, as we may be less capable of responding to adverse economic and industry conditions; (v) limiting our ability to make certain payments on debt that is subordinated or secured on a junior basis; (vi) restricting the way in which we conduct business because of financial and operating covenants, including regarding borrowing additional funds, disposing of assets, and in the case of certain indebtedness of subsidiaries, restricting the ability of subsidiaries to pay dividends or make distributions; (vii) limiting our ability to enter into certain transactions with our affiliates; (viii) limiting our ability to designate our subsidiaries as unrestricted subsidiaries; (ix) exposing us to potential events of default (if not cured or waived) under financial and operating covenants contained in their or their
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respective subsidiaries’ debt instruments; (x) increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions or adverse pricing of products; (xi) increasing the likelihood for a reduction in the borrowing base under CVR Refining L.P.’s (“CVR Refining”) Amended and Restated ABL Credit Facility following a periodic redetermination could require us to repay a portion of our then-outstanding bank borrowings; and (xii) limiting our ability to react to changing market conditions in our industries and in respective customers’ industries.
Covenants in our debt agreements could limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness and engage in certain transactions, as well as limit operational flexibility, which could adversely affect our liquidity and ability to pursue our business strategies.
Our debt facilities and instruments contain, and any instruments governing future indebtedness would likely contain, a number of covenants that impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us and our subsidiaries and may limit our ability to engage in acts that may be in our long-term best interest, including restrictions on the ability, among other things, to: incur, assume, or guarantee additional indebtedness or issue redeemable or preferred stock; pay dividends or distributions in respect of equity securities or make other restricted payments; prepay, redeem, or repurchase certain debt; enter into agreements that restrict distributions from restricted subsidiaries; make certain payments on debt that is subordinated or secured on a junior basis; make certain investments; sell or otherwise dispose of assets, including capital stock of subsidiaries; create liens on certain assets; consolidate, merge, sell, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all assets; enter into certain transactions with affiliates; and designate subsidiaries as unrestricted subsidiaries.
Any of these restrictions could limit our ability to plan for or react to market conditions and could otherwise restrict operating activities. Any failure to comply with these covenants could result in a default under existing debt facilities and instruments. Upon a default, unless waived, the lenders under such debt facilities and instruments would have all remedies available to a secured lender and could elect to terminate their commitments, cease making further loans, institute foreclosure proceedings against assets, and force bankruptcy or liquidation, subject to any applicable intercreditor agreements. In addition, a default under existing debt facilities and instruments would trigger a cross default under other agreements and could trigger a cross default under the agreements governing future indebtedness. Our operating segments’ results may not be sufficient to service existing indebtedness or to fund other expenditures, and we may not be able to obtain financing to meet these requirements.
We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service existing indebtedness and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy debt obligations that may not be successful.
Our ability to satisfy existing debt obligations will depend upon, among other things: future financial and operating performance, which will be affected by prevailing economic conditions and financial, business, regulatory, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control; future ability to borrow under CVR Refining’s Amended and Restated ABL Credit Facility and CVR Partners’ ABL Credit Facility, the availability of which depends on, among other things, complying with the covenants in the applicable facility; and future ability to obtain other financing.
We cannot offer any assurance that our businesses will generate sufficient cash flow from operations, or that we will be able to draw under our credit facilities or from other sources of financing, in an amount sufficient to fund respective liquidity needs. In addition, our board of directors may in the future elect to pursue other strategic options including acquisitions of other businesses or asset purchases, which would reduce cash available to service our debt obligations.
If cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to service existing indebtedness, we may be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell assets, seek additional capital, restructure or refinance existing indebtedness, or seek bankruptcy protection. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit the meeting of scheduled debt service and other obligations. Our ability to restructure or refinance debt will depend on the condition of the capital markets and our financial condition, including that of our operating segments, at such time. Any refinancing of existing debt could be at higher interest rates and may require compliance with more onerous covenants, which could further restrict business operations.
The borrowings under our credit facilities bear interest at variable rates and other debt we or they incur could likewise be variable-rate debt. If market interest rates increase, variable-rate debt will create higher debt service requirements, which could adversely affect our cash flow and/or distributions to us. Although we may enter into agreements limiting exposure to higher interest rates, any such agreements may not offer complete protection from this risk.
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We are authorized to issue up to a total of 350 million shares of our common stock and 50 million shares of preferred stock, potentially diluting equity ownership of current holders and the share price of our common stock.
Our board of directors may authorize us to issue the available authorized shares of common stock or preferred stock without notice to, or further action by, our stockholders, unless stockholder approval is required by law or the rules of the NYSE. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or preferred stock may significantly dilute the equity ownership of the current holders of our common stock.
An increase in interest rates will cause our debt service obligations to increase.
Since March 2022, the Federal Reserve has raised its target range for the federal funds rate seven times, including by 25 basis points in March 2022, by 50 basis points in May 2022, by 75 basis points in each of June 2022, July 2022, September 2022 and November 2022 and by 50 basis points in December 2022. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve has signaled that additional rate increases are likely to occur for the foreseeable future. An increase in the interest rates associated with our floating rate debt would increase our debt service costs and affect our results of operations and cash flow available for payments of our debt obligations. In addition, an increase in interest rates could adversely affect our future ability to obtain financing or materially increase the cost of any additional financing.
Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure
The Company’s reorganization of its entities and assets could trigger increased costs, complexity and risks.
In February 2023, the Company completed the transformation of its business to segregate its renewables business, which included the transfer of assets into multiple newly formed entities and the execution of contractual arrangements among the Company’s subsidiaries. Such reorganization could subject the Company to increased costs and operational complexity and other risks. The reorganization may not be successful for many reasons, including but not limited to adverse legal and regulatory developments that may affect particular business lines. Failure to manage risks relating to the reorganization could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
We are a holding company and depend upon our subsidiaries for our cash flow.
We are a holding company, and our subsidiaries conduct substantially all of our operations and own substantially all of our assets. Consequently, our cash flow and our ability to meet our obligations or to pay dividends or make other distributions in the future will depend upon the cash flow of our subsidiaries and the payment of funds by our subsidiaries to us in the form of distributions.
Mr. Carl C. Icahn exerts significant influence over the Company, and his interests may conflict with the interests of the Company’s other stockholders.
Mr. Carl C. Icahn indirectly controls approximately 71% of the voting power of our common stock and, by virtue of such stock ownership, is able to control or exert substantial influence over the Company, including the election and appointment of directors; business strategy and policies; mergers or other business combinations; acquisition or disposition of assets; future issuances of common stock, common units, or other securities; occurrence of debt or obtaining other sources of financing; and the payment of dividends on the Company’s common stock and distributions on the common units of CVR Partners. The existence of a controlling stockholder may have the effect of making it difficult for, or may discourage or delay, a third-party from seeking to acquire a majority of the Company’s outstanding common stock, which may adversely affect the market price of the Company’s common stock.
Mr. Icahn’s interests may not always be consistent with the Company’s interests or with the interests of the Company’s other stockholders. Mr. Icahn and entities controlled by him may also pursue acquisitions or business opportunities in industries in which we compete, and there is no requirement that any additional business opportunities be presented to us. We also have and may in the future enter into transactions to purchase goods or services with affiliates of Mr. Icahn. To the extent that conflicts of interest may arise between the Company and Mr. Icahn and his affiliates, those conflicts may be resolved in a manner adverse to the Company or its other stockholders.
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In addition, in the event of a sale or transfer of some or all of Mr. Icahn’s interests in us to an unrelated party or group, a change of control could be deemed to have occurred under the terms of the indenture governing CVR Energy’s 5.250% and 5.750% Senior Notes and under the indenture governing CVR Partners’ 6.125% Senior Secured Notes, which, in each case, could require the issuers to offer to repurchase all outstanding notes at 101% of their principal amount plus accrued interest to the date of repurchase, and an event of default could be deemed to have occurred under CVR Refining’s Amended and Restated ABL Credit Facility and under CVR Partners’ ABL Credit Facility, which, in each case, could allow lenders to accelerate indebtedness owed to them. If such an event were to occur, it is possible that we will not have sufficient funds at the time of the change of control to make the required repurchase of notes or repay amounts outstanding under CVR Refining’s Amended and Restated ABL Credit Facility or CVR Partners’ ABL Credit Facility, if any.
Our stock price may decline due to sales of shares by Mr. Carl C. Icahn.
Sales of substantial amounts of the Company’s common stock, or the perception that these sales may occur, may adversely affect the price of the Company’s common stock and impede its ability to raise capital through the issuance of equity securities in the future. Mr. Icahn could elect in the future to request that the Company file a registration statement to sell shares of the Company’s common stock. If Mr. Icahn were to sell a large number of shares into the public markets, Mr. Icahn could cause the price of the Company’s common stock to decline.
We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NYSE rules and, as a result, qualify for, and are relying on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements.
A company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, a group, or another company is a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NYSE rules and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements of the NYSE, including the requirements that a majority of our board of directors consist of independent directors; we have a nominating/corporate governance committee that is composed entirely of independent directors; and we have a compensation committee that is composed entirely of independent directors. We are relying on all of these exemptions as a controlled company. Accordingly, our stockholders may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the NYSE. In addition, CVR Partners is relying on exemptions from the same NYSE corporate governance requirements described above.
We have various mechanisms in place to discourage takeover attempts, which may reduce or eliminate our stockholders’ ability to sell their shares for a premium in a change of control transaction.
Various provisions of our amended certificate of incorporation and second amended and restated bylaws and of Delaware corporate law may discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control or takeover attempt of our Company by a third-party. Public stockholders who might desire to participate in such a transaction may not have the opportunity to do so. These anti-takeover provisions could substantially impede the ability of public stockholders to benefit from a change of control or change in our management and board of directors. These provisions include preferred stock that could be issued by our board of directors to make it more difficult for a third-party to acquire, or to discourage a third-party from acquiring, a majority of our outstanding voting stock; limitations on the ability of stockholders to call special meetings of stockholders; limitations on the ability of stockholders to act by written consent in lieu of a stockholders’ meeting; and advance notice requirements for nominations of candidates for election to our board of directors or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by our stockholders at stockholder meetings.
Compliance with and changes in the tax laws could adversely affect our performance.
We are subject to extensive tax liabilities, including U.S. and state income taxes and transactional taxes such as excise, sales/use, payroll, franchise, and withholding taxes. New tax laws and regulations are continuously being enacted or proposed that could result in increased expenditures for tax liabilities in the future.
In August 2022, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act. This law imposes, among other things, a 15% corporate alternative minimum tax on adjusted financial statement income, and a 1% excise tax on certain corporate stock repurchases occurring after December 31, 2022. While we do not expect any material impacts from these provisions, it is unclear how they will be implemented by the U.S. Department of Treasury and what, if any, impact they will have on our tax rate. We will continue to evaluate the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act as further information becomes available.
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Risks Related to Our Ownership in CVR Partners
If CVR Partners were to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes or if it becomes subject to entity-level taxation for state tax purposes, its cash available for distribution to its common unitholders, including to us, would be substantially reduced, likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of its common units, including the common units held by us.
The anticipated after-tax economic benefit of an investment in common units of CVR Partners depends largely on it being treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Despite the fact that CVR Partners is organized as a limited partnership under Delaware law, it would be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes unless it satisfies a “qualifying income” requirement. CVR Partners may not find it possible to meet this qualifying income requirement, may inadvertently fail to meet this qualifying income requirement, or a change in current law could cause CVR Partners to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes or otherwise subject CVR Partners to entity-level taxation. If CVR Partners were to be treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it would pay U.S. federal income tax on all of its taxable income at the corporate tax rate. Distributions to its common unitholders (including us) would generally be taxed again as corporate distributions, and no income, gains, losses, or deductions would flow through to such common unitholders. Because a tax would be imposed upon CVR Partners as a corporation, its cash available for distribution to its common unitholders would be substantially reduced. Therefore, treatment of CVR Partners as a corporation would result in a material reduction in the anticipated cash flow and after-tax return to its common unitholders (including us), likely causing a substantial reduction in the value of such common units.
We may have liability to repay distributions that are wrongfully distributed to us.
Under certain circumstances, we may, as a holder of common units in CVR Partners, have to repay amounts wrongfully returned or distributed to us. Under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, a partnership may not make distributions to its unitholders if the distribution would cause its liabilities to exceed the fair value of its assets. Delaware law provides that for a period of three years from the date of an impermissible distribution, limited partners who received the distribution and who knew at the time of the distribution that it violated Delaware law will be liable to the company for the distribution amount.
Public investors own approximately 63% of the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment through CVR Partners. Although we own the general partner of CVR Partners, the general partner owes a duty of good faith to public unitholders, which could cause them to manage their respective businesses differently than if there were no public unitholders.
Public investors own approximately 63% of CVR Partners’ common units. We are not entitled to receive all of the cash generated by CVR Partners or freely transfer money to finance operations at the Petroleum Segment. Furthermore, although we own the general partner of CVR Partners, the general partner is subject to certain fiduciary duties, which may require the general partner to manage its business in a way that may differ from our best interests.
CVR Partners is managed by the executive officers of its general partner, who are employed by and also serve as part of the senior management team of the Company. Conflicts of interest could arise as a result of this arrangement.
CVR Partners is managed by the executive officers of its general partner, who are employed by and also serve as part of the senior management team of the Company. Furthermore, although CVR Partners has entered into a service agreement with the Company under which it compensates the Company for the services of its management, our management is not required to devote any specific amount of time to the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment and may devote a substantial majority of their time to other business of the Company. Moreover, the Company may terminate the services agreement with CVR Partners at any time, subject to a 90-day notice period. In addition, key executive officers of the Company, including its president and chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and general counsel, will face conflicts of interest if decisions arise in which CVR Partners and the Company have conflicting points of view or interests.
The potential spin-off of our interest in the nitrogen fertilizer business could involve significant time and expense and management attention, could disrupt or adversely affect the consolidated or separate businesses, results of operations and financial condition and may not be completed in accordance with the expected terms or anticipated timelines, or at all and may not achieve the intended results.
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On November 21, 2022, we announced that our Board authorized management to explore a potential spin-off of our interest in the nitrogen fertilizer business, which is owned by CVR Energy through the general and limited partner interests we hold in CVR Partners. Such a transaction would likely involve creating a new and independent, publicly traded company (“SpinCo”) through a tax-free distribution to our stockholders of stock in SpinCo. Unanticipated developments could delay, prevent or otherwise adversely affect the potential spin-off, including but not limited to disruptions in general market conditions or potential problems or delays in obtaining various regulatory and tax approvals or clearances. In addition, consummation of the potential spin-off would be subject to certain conditions, including, among others, final approval of our Board, the receipt of a favorable opinion with respect to the tax-free nature of the transaction, and the effectiveness of a Form 10 registration statement with the SEC. There can be no assurance that the potential spin-off transaction will be completed in the manner described, or at all, and we have not set a timetable for completion of any such transaction.
We expect that the process of continuing to explore and, if approved, completing the potential spin-off, will be time-consuming and involve significant expenses. In addition, completion of the potential spin-off would require significant amounts of management’s time and effort which may divert management’s attention from other aspects of our business operations. The potential spin-off would also require modifications to our systems and processes used to operate our business. We may experience delays, increased costs and other difficulties related to these modifications which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Following the potential spin-off, we would be a smaller, less diversified company with a narrower business focus and may be more vulnerable to changing market conditions, which could adversely affect our operating results. We may also experience increased difficulties in attracting, retaining and motivating employees during the pendency of the potential spin-off and following its completion, which could harm our business.
Further, if the potential spin-off is completed, the anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction, strategic and competitive advantages of each company, and future growth and other opportunities for each company may not be realized within the expected time periods or at all. Failure to implement the potential spin-off effectively could also result in a lower value to our company and our stockholders.
The potential spin-off may result in disruptions to, and negatively impact our relationships with, our customers and other business partners.
Parties with which we do business may experience uncertainty associated with the potential spin-off, including with respect to current or future business relationships with us. Our business relationships may be subject to disruption as customers, vendors and others may attempt to negotiate changes in existing business relationships or consider entering into business relationships with parties other than us. These disruptions could adversely affect our business, including adversely affecting our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the potential spin-off.
If the potential spin-off does not qualify as a transaction that is generally tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the potential spin-off could result in substantial tax liability.
If we pursue the potential spin-off, we intend to obtain an opinion as to the tax-free nature of the spin-off under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The opinion would be based, among other things, on various factual assumptions and representations we would make. If any of these assumptions or representations are, or become, inaccurate or incomplete, reliance on the opinion and ruling may be jeopardized. If the potential spin-off would not qualify for tax-free treatment for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the resulting tax liability to us and to SpinCo stockholders could be substantial.
General Risks Related to CVR Energy
The acquisition, expansion and investment strategy of our businesses involves significant risks.
From time to time, we may consider pursuing acquisitions and expansion projects to continue to grow and increase profitability. We also may make investments in other entities. There can be no assurance that we will be able to consummate any acquisitions or expansions, successfully integrate acquired businesses or entities, or generate positive cash flow at any acquired company or expansion project. Challenges that may lead to failed consummation of an expansion/acquisition include intense competition for suitable acquisition targets, the potential unavailability of financial resources necessary, difficulties in securing sufficiently favorable terms, and the failure to obtain requisite regulatory or other governmental approvals or the approval of equity holders of the entities in which we have invested. In addition, any future acquisitions, expansions or
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investments may entail significant transaction costs and risks associated with entry into new markets and lines of business, including but not limited to new regulatory obligations and risks, and integration challenges such as disruption of operations; failure to achieve financial or operating objectives contributing to the accretive nature of an acquisition; strain on controls, procedures and management; the need to modify systems or to add management resources; the diversion of management time from the operation of our business; customer and personnel retention; assumption of unknown material liabilities or regulatory non-compliance issues; amortization of acquired assets, which would reduce future reported earnings; and possible adverse short-term effects on our cash flows or operating results. Also, our investments may not be successful for many reasons, including, but not limited to, lack of control; worsening of general economic and market conditions; or adverse legal and regulatory developments that may affect particular businesses. Failure to manage these acquisition, expansion and investment risks could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Our joint ventures involve similar risks.
We are subject to the risk of becoming an investment company.
From time to time, we may own less than a 50% interest in other public companies, which exposes us to the risk of inadvertently becoming an investment company required to register under the Investment Company Act (“ICA”). Events beyond our control, including significant appreciation or depreciation in the market value of certain of our publicly traded holdings or adverse developments, could result in our inadvertently becoming an investment company required to register under the ICA and subject to extensive, restrictive and potentially adverse regulations relating to, among other things, operating methods, management, capital structure, dividends and transactions with affiliates, and could also be subject to monetary penalties or injunctive relief for failure to register as such.
Internally generated cash flows and other sources of liquidity may not be adequate for the capital needs of our businesses.
Our businesses are capital intensive, and working capital needs may vary significantly over relatively short periods of time. For instance, crude oil price volatility can significantly impact working capital on a week-to-week and month-to-month basis. If we cannot generate adequate cash flow or otherwise secure sufficient liquidity to meet our working capital needs or support our short-term and long-term capital requirements, we may be unable to meet our debt obligations, pursue our business strategies, or comply with certain environmental standards, which would have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Our ability to pay dividends on our common stock is subject to market conditions and numerous other factors.
Dividends are subject to change at the discretion of the board of directors and may change from quarter to quarter and may not be paid at historical rates or at all. Our ability to continue paying dividends is subject to our ability to continue to generate sufficient cash flow from our operating segments, and the amount of dividends we are able to pay each year may vary, possibly substantially, based on market conditions, crack spreads, our capital expenditure and other business needs, covenants contained in any debt agreements we may enter into in the future, covenants contained in existing debt agreements, and the amount of distributions we receive from CVR Partners. If the amount of our dividends decreases, the trading price of our common stock could be materially adversely affected as a result.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 2. Properties
Refer to Part I, Item 1, “Petroleum” and “Nitrogen Fertilizer” of this Report for more information on our core business properties. We also lease property for our executive and marketing offices in Sugar Land, Texas and Kansas City, Kansas, respectively.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
In the ordinary course of business, we may become party to lawsuits, administrative proceedings, and governmental investigations, including environmental, regulatory, and other matters. Large, and sometimes unspecified, damages or penalties may be sought from us in some matters and certain matters may require years to resolve. Refer to Part II, Item 8, Note 11
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(“Commitments and Contingencies”), Contingencies of this Report for further discussion on current litigation matters. Although we cannot provide assurance, we believe that an adverse resolution of the matters described therein would not have a material impact on our liquidity, consolidated financial position, or consolidated results of operations.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
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PART II
Item 5. Market For Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Performance Graph
The performance graph below compares the cumulative total return of our common stock to (a) the cumulative total return of the S&P 500 Composite Index and (b) a composite peer group (“Peer Group”) consisting of Delek US Holdings, Inc., HF Sinclair Corporation (formerly known as HollyFrontier Corporation), Marathon Petroleum Corp., Par Pacific Holdings, Inc, PBF Energy Inc. and Valero Energy Corporation. The graph assumes that the value of the investment in common stock and each index was $100 on December 31, 2017 and that all dividends were reinvested. Investment is weighted on the basis of market capitalization.
The share price performance shown on the graph is not necessarily indicative of future price performance. Information used in the graph was obtained from Yahoo! Finance (finance.yahoo.com). The performance graph above is furnished and not filed for purposes of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act. The performance graph is not soliciting material subject to Regulation 14A.
Market Information
Our common stock is listed under the symbol “CVI” on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). The Company has 113 holders of record of the outstanding shares as of December 31, 2022.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer
On October 23, 2019, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) authorized a stock repurchase program (the “Stock Repurchase Program”). The Stock Repurchase Program would enable the Company to repurchase up to $300 million of the Company’s common stock. Repurchases under the Stock Repurchase Program may be made from time-to-time through open market transactions, block trades, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise in accordance with applicable securities laws. The timing, price and amount of repurchases (if any) will be made at the discretion of management and are subject to market conditions as well as corporate, regulatory and other considerations. While the Stock Repurchase Program currently has a duration of four years, it does not obligate the Company to acquire any stock and may be terminated by the Board at any time.
We have not repurchased any of our common stock since inception of the Stock Repurchase Program.
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Item 6. [Reserved]
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition, results of operations and cash flow should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes and with the statistical information and financial data included elsewhere in this Report. References to “CVR Energy”, “CVR”, the “Company”, “we”, “us”, and “our” may refer to consolidated subsidiaries of CVR Energy, including CVR Partners, as the context may require.
This discussion and analysis covers the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 and discusses year-to-year comparisons between such periods. The discussions of the year ended December 31, 2020 and year-to-year comparisons between the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 that are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 filed on February 23, 2022, and such discussions are incorporated by reference into this Report.
Reflected in this discussion and analysis is how management views the Company’s current financial condition and results of operations along with key external variables and management’s actions that may impact the Company. Understanding significant external variables, such as market conditions, weather, and seasonal trends, among others, and management actions taken to manage the Company, address external variables, among others, which will increase users’ understanding of the Company, its financial condition and results of operations. This discussion may contain forward looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates and beliefs. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to those discussed below and elsewhere in this Report.
Company Overview
CVR Energy is a diversified holding company primarily engaged in the petroleum refining and marketing industry (the “Petroleum Segment”) and the nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing industry through its interest in CVR Partners, LP, a publicly traded limited partnership (the “Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment” or “CVR Partners”). The Petroleum Segment does not have crude oil exploration or production operations (an “independent petroleum refiner”) and is a marketer of high value transportation fuels primarily in the form of gasoline and diesel fuels. CVR Partners produces and markets nitrogen fertilizers primarily in the form of urea ammonium nitrate (“UAN”) and ammonia. We also produce and market renewable diesel. Our renewable diesel operations are not part of our reportable segments discussed below.
We operate under two reportable segments: petroleum and nitrogen fertilizer, which are referred to in this document as our “Petroleum Segment” and our “Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment,” respectively.
Renewables Business
Effective February 1, 2023, in connection with our growing focus on decarbonization, we transformed our business to segregate our renewables business. As part of this transformation, in the first quarter of 2022, we formed 16 new indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries (“NewCos”) of CVR Energy. In addition, in April 2022, in connection with our Corporate Master Service Agreement effective January 1, 2020, by and among our wholly-owned subsidiary, CVR Services, LLC (“CVR Services”), and certain other of our subsidiaries, including but not limited to CVR Partners and its subsidiaries, pursuant to which CVR Services provides the service recipients thereunder with management and other professional services (the “Corporate MSA”), the NewCos were joined as service recipients under the Corporate MSA. The Company also transferred certain assets to these NewCos to, among other purposes, better align our organizational structure with management, financial reporting, and our goal to maximize our renewables focus.
Potential Spin-Off of Nitrogen Fertilizer Business
On November 21, 2022, we announced that CVR Energy’s board of directors (the “Board”) had authorized management to explore a potential spin-off of our interest in the nitrogen fertilizer business into a newly created and separately traded public
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company. If completed, upon effectiveness of the potential spin-off transaction, CVR Energy stockholders would own shares of both CVR Energy, holding the refinery and renewables businesses, and a holding company, holding CVR Energy’s current ownership of the general partner interest in, and approximately 37% of the common units (representing limited partner interests) of CVR Partners. If we proceed with the spin-off, it would be intended to be structured as a tax-free, pro-rata distribution to all of CVR Energy’s stockholders as of a record date to be determined by the Board. Completion of any potential spin-off would be subject to various conditions, including final approval of our Board, and there can be no assurance that the potential spin-off will be completed in the manner described above, or at all.
We expect to incur significant costs in connection with exploring the potential spin-off transaction of our nitrogen fertilizer business into a newly created and separately traded public company. Spin-off exploration costs include legal, accounting, and advisory fees, implementation and integration costs, duplicative costs for subscriptions and information technology systems, employee and contractor costs, and other incremental separation costs related to the potential spin-off of the nitrogen fertilizer business. The potential spin-off transaction results in operating expenses that would not otherwise have been incurred by us in the normal course of our organic business operations, and we expect to incur additional spin-off exploration costs in future periods.
Strategy and Goals
The Company has adopted Mission and Values, which articulate the Company’s expectations for how it and its employees do business each and every day.
Mission and Core Values
Our Mission is to be a top tier North American renewable fuels, petroleum refining, and nitrogen-based fertilizer company as measured by safe and reliable operations, superior performance and profitable growth. The foundation of how we operate is built on five core Values:
•Safety - We always put safety first. The protection of our employees, contractors and communities is paramount. We have an unwavering commitment to safety above all else. If it’s not safe, then we don’t do it.
•Environment - We care for our environment. Complying with all regulations and minimizing any environmental impact from our operations is essential. We understand our obligation to the environment and that it’s our duty to protect it.
•Integrity - We require high business ethics. We comply with the law and practice sound corporate governance. We only conduct business one way—the right way with integrity.
•Corporate Citizenship - We are proud members of the communities where we operate. We are good neighbors and know that it’s a privilege we can’t take for granted. We seek to make a positive economic and social impact through our financial donations and the contributions of time, knowledge and talent of our employees to the places where we live and work.
•Continuous Improvement - We believe in both individual and team success. We foster accountability under a performance-driven culture that supports creative thinking, teamwork, diversity and personal development so that employees can realize their maximum potential. We use defined work practices for consistency, efficiency and to create value across the organization.
Our core Values are driven by our people, inform the way we do business each and every day and enhance our ability to accomplish our mission and related strategic objectives.
Strategic Objectives
We have outlined the following strategic objectives to drive the accomplishment of our mission:
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Environmental, Health & Safety (“EH&S”) - We aim to achieve continuous improvement in all EH&S areas through ensuring our people’s commitment to environmental, health and safety comes first, the refinement of existing policies, continuous training, and enhanced monitoring procedures.
Reliability - Our goal is to achieve industry-leading utilization rates at our facilities through safe and reliable operations. We are focusing on improvements in day-to-day plant operations, identifying alternative sources for plant inputs to reduce lost time due to third-party operational constraints, and optimizing our commercial and marketing functions to maintain plant operations at their highest level.
Market Capture - We continuously evaluate opportunities to improve the facilities’ realized pricing at the gate and reduce variable costs incurred in production to maximize our capture of market opportunities.
Financial Discipline - We strive to be as efficient as possible by maintaining low operating costs and disciplined deployment of capital.
Achievements
From the beginning of the fiscal year through the date of filing, we successfully executed a number of achievements in support of our strategic objectives shown below:
| Safety | Reliability | Market Capture | Financial Discipline | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Corporate: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Achieved reduction in total recordable incident rate of 63% compared to 2021 | ü | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.50 per share for the fourth quarter of 2022, bringing total dividends declared, including special dividends, to date of $5.30 per share related to 2022 | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Completed plan to transform our business to segregate our renewables operations | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Safely completed the conversion of the Wynnewood hydrocracker to renewable diesel service | ü | ü | ü | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Began the exploration of a potential spin-off of our Nitrogen Fertilizer business | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Published our first external ESG Report for 2021 | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Petroleum Segment: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Achieved a reduction in total recordable incident rate of 20% and maintained a level number of environmental events compared to 2021 | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Operated our refineries safely and reliably | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||||
Safely completed the planned turnaround at the refinery in Wynnewood, Oklahoma (the “Wynnewood Refinery”) on time and on budget | ü | ü | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||
| Completed an amendment and extension of the CVR Refining, LP (“CVR Refining”) Asset Based Credit Agreement in June 2022 | ü | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Achieved record truck-gathered crude oil volumes in the third quarter of 2022 | ü | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Achieved reductions in process safety management tier 1 incidents and total recordable incident rate of 37% and 86%, respectively, compared 2021 | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Safety | Reliability | Market Capture | Financial Discipline | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Safely completed the planned turnarounds at both fertilizer facilities on time and on budget, as well as inspected, repaired and replaced major equipment as necessary during this downtime | ü | ü | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||
Achieved record UAN production volumes at the Coffeyville Fertilizer Facility in March 2022 | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||||
Achieved record ammonia production at the East Dubuque Fertilizer Facility in December 2022 | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||||
Completed transaction intended to monetize 45Q tax credits and received an initial upfront payment, net of expenses, of $18 million in January 2023 | ü | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Declared cash distribution of $10.50 per common unit for the fourth quarter of 2022, bringing cumulative distributions declared to date of $24.58 per common unit related to 2022 | ü | ü | |||||||||||||||||||||
Achieved average reduction in CO2e emissions of over 1 million metric tons per year since 2020 for CVR Partners | ü | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Completed CVR Partners’ targeted $95 million debt reduction plan with the repayment of the remaining $65 million balance of its 9.25% Senior Secured Notes, due 2023 (the “2023 UAN Notes”) in the first quarter of 2022 for a total reduction in annual cash interest expense of approximately $9 million | ü | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Repurchased over 111,000 CVR Partners common units for $12 million | ü | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Environmental, Social & Governance (“ESG”) Highlights
In the past year, we achieved numerous milestones through our commitment to sustainability, including environmental and safety stewardship, diversity and inclusion, community outreach and sound corporate governance. In December 2022, we published our first public report based on the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board standards. Our 2021 Environmental, Social & Governance Report (“2021 ESG Report”) is available at CVR Energy’s website at www.CVREnergy.com. Our 2021 ESG Report does not constitute a part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this Annual Report on Form 10-K or any other report we file with (or furnish to) the SEC, whether made before or after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Industry Factors and Market Indicators
General Business Environment
Russia-Ukraine Conflict and Global Market Conditions - In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, disrupting the global oil, fertilizer, and agriculture markets, and leading to heightened uncertainty in the worldwide economy recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, many countries have formally or informally adopted sanctions on a number of Russian exports, including Russian oil and natural gas, and individuals affiliated with Russian government leadership. These sanctions resulted in oil price volatility and elevated natural gas prices during 2022, and should continue to impact commodity prices in the near-term, which could have a material effect on our financial condition, cash flows, or results of operations. A global recession stemming from market volatility and higher price levels could result in demand destruction. The ultimate outcome of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and any associated market disruptions, as well as the potential for high inflation and/or economic recession, are difficult to predict and may materially affect our business, operations, and cash flows in unforeseen ways.
COVID-19 - The economic effects from the COVID-19 pandemic on our business were and may again be significant. Although our business has recovered since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, there continues to be uncertainty and unpredictability about the lingering impacts to the worldwide economy, including in connection with the spread of variants of COVID-19 and resulting restrictions, that could negatively affect our business, financial condition, results of operations , and liquidity in future periods.
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Petroleum Segment
The earnings and cash flows of the Petroleum Segment are primarily affected by the relationship between refined product prices and the prices for crude oil and other feedstocks that are processed and blended into refined products together with the cost of refinery compliance. The cost to acquire crude oil and other feedstocks and the price for which refined products are ultimately sold depends on factors beyond the Petroleum Segment’s 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, driving habits, weather conditions, domestic and foreign political affairs, production levels, the availability or permissibly of imports and exports, the marketing of competitive fuels and the extent of government regulation. Because the Petroleum Segment applies first-in first-out accounting to value its inventory, crude oil price movements may impact net income because of changes in the value of its unhedged inventory. The effect of changes in crude oil prices on the Petroleum Segment’s results of operations is partially influenced by the rate at which the processing of refined products adjusts to reflect these changes.
The prices of crude oil and other feedstocks and refined products are also affected by other factors, such as product pipeline capacity, system inventory, local and regional market conditions, inflation, and the operating levels of other refineries. Crude oil costs and the prices of refined products have historically been subject to wide fluctuations. Widespread expansion or upgrades of third-party facilities, price volatility, international political and economic developments, and other factors 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 refining industry typically experiences seasonal fluctuations in demand for refined products, such as increases in the demand for gasoline during the summer driving season and for volatile seasonal exports of diesel from the United States Gulf Coast. Specific factors impacting the Company’s operations are outlined below:
Current Market Outlook
•After substantial declines in demand for gasoline and diesel due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the combination of improving demand, declining inventories, loss of domestic and foreign operating refining capacities, and conversions to renewable diesel facilities led to an increase in refined products prices and crack spreads during 2021 and 2022. While the refining market has largely recovered, refined product demand declined 5% nationwide in January 2023 from the 2022 average. However, distillate crack spreads have remained elevated to date in 2023.
•Warmer winter weather in Europe has significantly reduced natural gas prices in the region from December 2022 to January 2023, which has flattened the global cost curve and has hurt U.S. refiners’ advantage.
•Contributing to the ultra-low sulfur diesel (“ULSD”) supply constraints is the International Maritime Organization’s new limit on the sulfur content in the fuel oil used on board ships (“bunker fuel”) effective January 1, 2020, which lowered the sulfur limit of bunker fuel from 3.5% to 0.5% (the “IMO 2020 Regulations”), which necessitated blending ULSD into bunker fuel to meet the new specifications. The resulting reduction of supply for traditional ULSD demand was initially muted by the pandemic-induced demand contraction.
•Due to the IMO 2020 Regulations, heavy crude differentials have widened, particularly for WCS. However, the expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline currently expected to be completed in 2023 should potentially narrow this differential going forward.
•Shale oil production continues to increase in the shale oil basins, including the Anadarko Basin. Crude oil exports peaked in the fourth quarter of 2022 at over 5 million bpd, and we believe the Petroleum Segment benefits from these exports through the Brent crude differential to WTI, as well as all refineries in PADD II.
•Drilled but uncompleted wells inventory in the United States has decreased significantly as a result of decreased drilling activity in 2022.
•Significant capacity additions are expected in 2023, headlined by major projects scheduled to start up in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Some of the capacity additions could be offset with a likely economic rebound in China amid easing COVID-19 restrictions but refined product consumption is slowing in the United States and remains weak in Europe.
•The Russia-Ukraine conflict creates additional uncertainty, as sanctions on Russian oil exports, specifically diesel exports, have significantly influenced commodity markets in 2022 and into 2023. Resolution of this conflict could continue to affect markets going forward. Based on these factors, current inventory levels have remained low, particularly for distillate, with the days of supply for distillate and jet fuel at approximately 3.8 and 6.1 days,
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respectively, below the seasonally adjusted five-year averages. Furthermore, planned and unplanned outages at domestic refineries are continuing to contribute to further inventory tightening and volatility.
Regulatory Environment
•We continue to be impacted by significant volatility and excessive RIN prices related to compliance requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”), proposed climate change laws, and regulations. Coffeyville Resources & Marketing, LLC (“CRRM”) and Wynnewood Refining Company, LLC (“WRC” and, together with CRRM, the “obligated-party subsidiaries”), are subject to the RFS, which, each year, absent exemptions or waivers, requires blending “renewable fuels” with transportation fuels or purchasing renewable identification numbers (“RINs”), in lieu of blending, or otherwise be subject to penalties. Our cost to comply with the RFS is dependent upon a variety of factors, which include the availability of ethanol and biodiesel for blending at our refineries and downstream terminals or RINs for purchase, the price at which RINs can be purchased, transportation fuel and renewable diesel production levels, and the mix of our products, all of which can vary significantly from period to period, as well as certain waivers or exemptions to which we may be entitled. Our costs to comply with the RFS depend on the consistent and timely application of the program by the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), such as timely establishment of the annual renewable volume obligation (“RVO”). RIN prices have been highly volatile and remain high due in large part to the EPA’s unlawful failure to establish the 2021, 2022, and 2023 RVOs by their respective statutory deadlines, the EPA’s delay in issuing decisions on pending small refinery hardship petitions, and subsequent denial thereof. The price of RINs has also been impacted by market factors and the depletion of the carryover RIN bank, as demand destruction during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in reduced ethanol blending and RIN generation that did not keep pace with mandated volumes, requiring carryover RINs from the RIN bank to be used to settle blending obligations. As a result, our costs to comply with RFS (excluding the impacts of any exemptions or waivers to which the Petroleum Segment’s obligated-party subsidiaries may be entitled) increased significantly throughout 2021 and remained significant in 2022.
•In April 2022, the EPA denied 36 small refinery exemptions (“SRE”) for the 2018 compliance year, many of which had been previously granted by the EPA, and also issued an alternative compliance demonstration approach for certain small refineries (the “Alternate Compliance Ruling”) under which they would not be required to purchase or redeem additional RINs as a result of the EPA’s denial. On June 3, 2022, the EPA revised the 2020 RVO and finalized the 2021 and 2022 RVOs. The EPA also denied 69 petitions from small refineries seeking SREs, including those submitted by WRC for 2017 through 2021, and applied the Alternate Compliance Ruling to three such petitions. The price of RINs did not respond to the EPA announcement and continues to remain elevated, and as a result, we continue to expect significant volatility in the price of RINs during 2023 and such volatility could have material impacts on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
•In December 2022, the EPA announced proposed RVO’s for 2023, 2024, and 2025 which mandated biodiesel RINs production to comply with ethanol RINs mandates.
Company Initiatives
•In April 2022, we completed the renewable diesel project at our Wynnewood Refinery by converting the Wynnewood Refinery’s hydrocracker to a RDU, at a total cost of $179 million, which is capable of producing approximately 100 million gallons of renewable diesel per year and generating approximately 170 to 180 million RINs annually. The production of renewable diesel is expected to significantly reduce our future net exposure to the RFS. Further, the RDU has enabled us to capture additional benefits associated with the existing blenders’ tax credit, which has been extended to the end of 2024, and growing Low Carbon Fuel Standard (“LCFS”) programs across the country, with programs in place in California and Oregon and new programs anticipated to be implemented over the coming years.
•In November 2021, the Board approved the pretreater project at the Wynnewood Refinery, which is currently expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2023 at an estimated cost of $95 million. The pretreatment unit should enable us to process a wider variety of renewable diesel feedstocks at the Wynnewood Refinery, most of which have a lower carbon intensity than soybean oil and generate additional LCFS credits. When completed, the collective renewable diesel efforts could effectively mitigate a substantial majority, if not all, of our future RFS exposure, assuming we receive SREs for our Wynnewood Refinery which we believe we are legally entitled to and are pursuing in the courts. However, impacts from recent climate change initiatives under the Biden Administration, actions taken by the courts, resulting administration actions under the RFS, and market conditions, could significantly impact the amount by which our renewable diesel business mitigates our costs to comply with the RFS, if at all.
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As of December 31, 2022, we have an estimated open position (excluding the impacts of any exemptions or waivers to which we may be entitled) under the RFS for 2020, 2021 and 2022 of approximately 397 million RINs, excluding approximately 34 million of net open, fixed-price commitments to purchase RINs, resulting in a potential liability of $692 million. The Company’s open RFS position, which does not consider open commitments expected to settle in future periods, is marked-to-market each period and thus significant market volatility, as experienced in late 2021 and 2022, could impact our RFS expense from period to period. We recognized expense of approximately $435 million, net of the RINs generated from our renewable diesel operations of $103 million, and $435 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, for the Company’s obligated-party subsidiaries compliance with the RFS. The increase in 2022 compared to 2021 was driven by an increase in RINs pricing through the fourth quarter of 2022. Of the expense recognized during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, an expense of $135 million and $63 million relates to the revaluation of our net RVO position as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The revaluation represents the summation of the prior period obligation and current period commercial activities, marked at the period end market price. Based upon recent market prices of RINs in January 2023, current estimates related to other variable factors, including our anticipated blending and purchasing activities, and the impact of the open RFS positions and resolution thereof, our estimated consolidated cost to comply with the RFS (without regard to any SREs the obligated-party subsidiaries may receive) is $230 to $240 million for 2023, net of the estimated RINs generation from our renewable diesel operations of $240 to $250 million.
Market Indicators
NYMEX WTI crude oil is an industry wide benchmark that is utilized in the market pricing of a barrel of crude oil. The pricing differences between other crudes and WTI, known as differentials, show how the market for other crude oils such as WCS, White Cliffs (“Condensate”), Brent Crude (“Brent”), and Midland WTI (“Midland”) are trending. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and, in each case, actions taken by governments and others in response thereto, refined product prices have experienced extreme volatility. As a result of the current environment, refining margins have been and will continue to be volatile.
As a performance benchmark and a comparison with other industry participants, we utilize NYMEX and Group 3 crack spreads. These crack spreads are a measure of the difference between market prices for crude oil and refined products and are a commonly used proxy within the industry to estimate or identify trends in refining margins. Crack spreads can fluctuate significantly over time as a result of market conditions and supply and demand balances. The NYMEX 2-1-1 crack spread is calculated using two barrels of WTI producing one barrel of NYMEX RBOB Gasoline (“RBOB”) and one barrel of NYMEX NY Harbor ULSD (“HO”). The Group 3 2-1-1 crack spread is calculated using two barrels of WTI crude oil producing one barrel of Group 3 sub-octane gasoline and one barrel of Group 3 ultra-low sulfur diesel.
Both NYMEX 2-1-1 and Group 3 2-1-1 crack spreads increased during 2022 compared to 2021. The NYMEX 2-1-1 crack spread averaged $42.60 per barrel in 2022 compared to $19.45 per barrel in 2021. The Group 3 2-1-1 crack spread averaged $38.18 per barrel in 2022 compared to $18.14 per barrel in 2021.
Average monthly prices for RINs increased 12.4% during 2022 compared to 2021. On a blended barrel basis (calculated using applicable RVO percentages), RINs approximated $7.54 per barrel during 2022 compared to $6.71 per barrel during 2021.
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The tables below are presented, on a per barrel basis, by month through December 31, 2022:
Crude Oil Differentials against WTI (1)(2) | ||
NYMEX Crack Spreads (2) | ||
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PADD II Group 3 Product Crack Spread and RIN Pricing (2)(3) ($/bbl) | Group 3 Differential against NYMEX WTI (1)(2) ($/bbl) | |||||||
(1)The change over time in NYMEX - WTI, as reflected in the charts above, is illustrated below.
| (in $/bbl) | Average 2020 | Average December 2020 | Average 2021 | Average December 2021 | Average 2022 | Average December 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WTI | $ | 39.34 | $ | 47.07 | $ | 68.11 | $ | 71.69 | $ | 94.41 | $ | 76.52 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
(2)Information used within these charts was obtained from reputable market sources, including the New York Mercantile Exchange (“NYMEX”), Intercontinental Exchange, and Argus Media, among others.
(3)PADD II is the Midwest Petroleum Area for Defense District (“PADD”), which includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment
Within the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment, earnings and cash flows from operations are primarily affected by the relationship between nitrogen fertilizer product prices, utilization, and operating costs and expenses, including pet coke and natural gas feedstock costs.
The price at which nitrogen fertilizer products are ultimately sold depends on numerous factors, including the global supply and demand for nitrogen fertilizer products which, in turn, depends on, among other factors, world grain demand and production levels, inflation, global supply disruptions, changes in world population, the cost and availability of fertilizer transportation infrastructure, local market conditions, operating levels of competing facilities, weather conditions, the availability of imports, the availability and price of feedstocks to produce nitrogen fertilizer, impacts of foreign imports and foreign subsidies thereof, and the extent of government intervention in agriculture markets. 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.
As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Black Sea, a major export point for nitrogen fertilizer and grains from these countries, has been closed to exports, which prompted tightening global supply conditions for nitrogen fertilizer in advance of spring planting and wheat and corn availability, two major exports from this region. Further, while fertilizers have not been formally sanctioned by countries, many customers are either unwilling to purchase Russian fertilizers or logistics make it too costly to import these fertilizers. Additionally, natural gas supplied from Russia to Western Europe has been constrained, and natural gas prices have remained elevated since September 2021, causing a significant portion of European nitrogen fertilizer production capacity to be curtailed or costs to be elevated compared to competitors in other regions of the world. Overall, these events have caused grain and fertilizer prices to rise, and we currently expect these conditions to persist through the spring of 2023.
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Market Indicators
While there is risk of shorter-term volatility given the inherent nature of the commodity cycle, the Company believes the long-term fundamentals for the U.S. nitrogen fertilizer industry remain intact. The Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment views the anticipated combination of (i) increasing global population, (ii) decreasing arable land per capita, (iii) continued evolution to more protein-based diets in developing countries, (iv) sustained use of corn and soybeans as feedstock for the domestic production of ethanol and other renewable fuels, and (v) positioning at the lower end of the global cost curve should provide a solid foundation for nitrogen fertilizer producers in the United States over the longer term.
Corn and soybeans are two major crops planted by farmers in North America. Corn crops result in the depletion of the amount of nitrogen within the soil in which it is grown, which in turn, results in the need for this nutrient to be replenished after each growing cycle. Unlike corn, soybeans are able to obtain most of their own nitrogen through a process known as “N fixation.” As such, upon harvesting of soybeans, the soil retains a certain amount of nitrogen which results in lower demand for nitrogen fertilizer for the following corn planting cycle. Due to these factors, nitrogen fertilizer consumers generally operate a balanced corn-soybean rotational planting cycle as evident by the chart presented below for 2022, 2021, and 2020.
The relationship between the total acres planted for both corn and soybeans has a direct impact on the overall demand for nitrogen products, as the market and demand for nitrogen increases with increased corn acres and decreases with increased soybean acres. Additionally, an estimated 11.6 billion pounds of soybean oil is expected to be used in producing cleaner renewables in marketing year 2022/2023. Multiple refiners have announced renewable diesel expansion projects for 2023 and beyond, which will only increase the demand for soybeans and potentially for corn and canola.
The United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) estimates that in spring 2022 farmers planted 88.6 million acres of corn, representing a decrease of 5.1% in corn acres planted as compared to 93.4 million corn acres in 2021. Planted soybean acres were estimated to be 87.5 million acres, representing a 0.3% increase in soybean acres planted as compared to 87.2 million soybean acres in 2021. The estimated combined corn and soybean planted acres of 176.1 million in 2022 is a 2.5% decrease from the total acreage planted in 2021, which was the highest in history. Due to higher input costs for corn planting and increased demand for soybeans, particularly for renewable diesel production, it was more favorable for farmers to plant soybeans compared to corn. The lower planted corn acres in 2022 and lower corn production are expected to be supportive of corn prices for 2023.
Ethanol is blended with gasoline to meet renewable fuel standard requirements and for its octane value. Since 2006, ethanol production has consumed approximately 36% of the U.S. corn crop, so demand for corn generally rises and falls with ethanol demand, as evidenced in the charts below.
U.S. Plant Production of Fuel Ethanol (1) | Corn and Soybean Planted Acres (2) | |||||||
(1)Information used within this chart was obtained from the EIA through December 31, 2022.
(2)Information used within this chart was obtained from the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Services, as of December 31, 2022.
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Weather continues to be a critical variable for crop production. Even with high planted acres and trendline yields per acre in the United States, inventory levels for corn and soybeans remain below historical levels and prices have remained elevated. With tight grain and fertilizer inventory levels driven by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, prices for grains and fertilizers are expected to remain elevated through the spring of 2023. While the weather conditions were difficult early in spring 2022, farmers were able to complete the crop planting later than normal. Demand for nitrogen fertilizer, as well as other crop inputs, was strong for the spring 2022 planting season. During the summer 2022 growing season, severe drought conditions were experienced in Asia, Europe, and parts of the U.S. As a result, crop yields are projected to be below expectations and grain inventories are projected to be at the low end of historical levels, causing grain prices to rise. We expect tight grain inventories to positively impact planted acreage for the spring of 2023 and boost the demand for nitrogen fertilizer.
On June 30, 2021, CF Industries Nitrogen, L.L.C., Terra Nitrogen, Limited Partnership, and Terra International (Oklahoma) LLC filed petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce (“USDOC”) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (the “ITC”) requesting the initiation of antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on imports of UAN from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago (“Trinidad”). On July 18, 2022, the ITC made a negative final injury determination concerning its investigation of imports from Russia and Trinidad despite USDOC’s final determination in June that UAN is subsidized and dumped in the U.S. market by producers in both countries. Since the decision in July 2022, we have observed minimal impact on the supply or demand for nitrogen fertilizer as a result of these actions.
The charts below show relevant market indicators for the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment by month through December 31, 2022:
Ammonia and UAN Market Pricing (1) | Natural Gas and Pet Coke Market Pricing (1) | |||||||
(1)Information used within these charts was obtained from various third-party sources including Green Markets (a Bloomberg Company), Pace Petroleum Coke Quarterly, and the EIA, amongst others.
Results of Operations
Consolidated
The following sections should be read in conjunction with the information outlined within the previous sections of this Part II, Item 7 and the consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto in Part II, Item 8 of this Report. Our consolidated results of operations include renewable fuels, certain other unallocated corporate activities, and the elimination of intercompany transactions and therefore do not equal the sum of the operating results of the Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer Segments.
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Consolidated Financial Highlights
Operating Income (Loss) | Net Income (Loss) Attributable to CVR Energy Stockholders | |||||||
Earnings (Loss) per Share | EBITDA (1) | |||||||
(1)See “Non-GAAP Reconciliations” section below for reconciliations of the non-GAAP measure shown above.
Overview - The Company’s operating income and net income were $963 million and $644 million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2022, increases of $876 million and $570 million, respectively, compared to operating income and net income of $87 million and $74 million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2021. These increases were driven by an improvement in operating income of $746 million within the Petroleum Segment and $186 million within the Nitrogen Fertilizer Segment for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to December 31, 2021. Refer to our discussion of each segment’s results of operations below for further information.
Investment Income on Marketable Securities - On June 10, 2021, the Company distributed substantially all of its holdings in Delek US Holdings, Inc. (“Delek”) (NYSE: DK), of which the Company was the largest stockholder holding approximately 14.3% of Delek’s outstanding common stock, as part of a special dividend. On January 18, 2022, the Company divested its remaining nominal holdings in Delek, and as of December 31, 2022, the Company did not hold an investment in other marketable securities of Delek. There was no dividend income received during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. The Company did not recognize a gain or loss on the investment during the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to a recognized gain of $81 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
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Other Income (Expense), Net - The Company’s Other (expense) income, net, was an expense of $77 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to income of $15 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The change was primarily attributable to the settlement of litigation. Refer to Part II, Item 8, Note 11 (“Commitments and Contingencies”) of this Report for further discussion of this settlement.
Income Tax Expense (Benefit) - The income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $157 million, or 19.6% of income before income taxes, as compared to income tax benefit for the year ended December 31, 2021 of $8 million, or (12.4)% of income before income taxes. The fluctuation in income tax expense was due primarily to an increase in overall pretax earnings and state income tax expense. In addition, the change in the effective tax rate was due primarily to the changes in pretax earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests and an increase in state income tax expense.
Petroleum Segment
The Petroleum Segment utilizes certain inputs within its refining operations. These inputs include crude oil, butanes, natural gasoline, ethanol, and bio-diesel (these are also known as “throughputs”).
Refining Throughput and Production Data by Refinery
| Throughput Data | Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| (in bpd) | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | ||||||||||||||
| Coffeyville | |||||||||||||||||
| Regional crude | 53,237 | 28,270 | 34,652 | ||||||||||||||
| WTI | 38,265 | 62,695 | 51,656 | ||||||||||||||
| WTL | 407 | 511 | — | ||||||||||||||
| WTS | |||||||||||||||||