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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 6, 2017
Registration No. 333-            

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

FORM S-3
 REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Antero Midstream Partners LP
 (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

					
Delaware 
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)	 	4922 
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)	 	46-4109058 
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)	
1615 Wynkoop Street
Denver, Colorado 80202
(303) 357-7310 
(Address, including zip code and telephone number, of Registrant's principal executive offices)

Glen C. Warren, Jr.
1615 Wynkoop Street
Denver, Colorado 80202
(303) 357-7310 
(Name, address, including zip code and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

			
Copies to:	

Douglas E. McWilliams
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P
1001 Fannin, Suite 2500
Houston, Texas 77002
(713) 758-2222	
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
          If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box:     o
          If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box:     ý
          If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.     o
          If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.     o
          If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.     ý
          If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.     o
          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.

Large accelerated filer ý	 	Accelerated filer o	 	Non-accelerated filer o
 (Do not check if a
smaller reporting company)	 	 Smaller reporting company o
Emerging growth company o	
          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 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.     o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	
Title of Each Class of Securities
to be Registered	 	Amount to be
Registered	 	Proposed Maximum
Offering Price per
Unit	 	Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price	 	Amount of
Registration Fee 2	
 	
Common units representing limited partnership interests 1	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	
1
There is being registered hereunder such indeterminate number of common units of the registrant as may be sold in an offering pursuant to this Registration Statement.

2
In reliance on Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant hereby defers payment of the registration fee required in connection with this Registration Statement.

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The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 6, 2017
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

Antero Midstream Partners LP
10,000,000 Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests

The selling unitholder, Antero Resources Corporation, is selling 10,000,000 of our common units representing limited partnership interests in this offering. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the common units by the selling unitholder in this offering.
Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AM." The last reported trading price of our common units on the New York Stock Exchange on September 5, 2017 was $33.57 per unit.
The selling unitholder has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,500,000 additional common units on the same terms and conditions set forth above.

 	 	Per Unit	 	Total	
Price to public	 	$                        	 	$                        	
Underwriting discounts and commissions 1	 	$                        	 	$                        	
Proceeds to selling unitholder (before expenses)	 	$                        	 	$                      	

1
We refer you to "Underwriting" beginning on page 57 of this prospectus for additional information regarding underwriting compensation.

Investing in our common units involves risks. Please read "Risk Factors" beginning on page 4 of this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Delivery of the common units will be made on or about September     , 2017.

			
Barclays	 	Wells Fargo Securities	
    
Prospectus dated                           , 2017

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS	 	 	ii	 	
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION	 	 	iii	 	
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS	 	 	iv	 	
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY	 	 	1	 	
RISK FACTORS	 	 	4	 	
USE OF PROCEEDS	 	 	5	 	
PRICE RANGE OF COMMON UNITS AND DISTRIBUTIONS	 	 	6	 	
CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES	 	 	7	 	
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS	 	 	15	 	
HOW WE MAKE DISTRIBUTIONS TO OUR PARTNERS	 	 	17	 	
THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT	 	 	27	 	
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES	 	 	41	 	
SELLING UNITHOLDER	 	 	56	 	
UNDERWRITING	 	 	57	 	
LEGAL MATTERS	 	 	63	 	
EXPERTS	 	 	63	 	
        You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Neither we nor the selling unitholder have authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the securities to which it relates and is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation in that jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of this prospectus, or that the information contained in any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of such document, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.
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 ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
        Additional information, including our financial statements and the notes thereto, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our reports filed with the SEC. Please read "Where You Can Find More Information" below. You are urged to read this prospectus carefully, including "Risk Factors," "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements," and the documents incorporated by reference in their entirety before investing in our securities.
        Unless the context requires otherwise or unless otherwise noted, all references in this prospectus to:
•
"the Partnership," "we," "our," "us" or like terms refer to Antero Midstream Partners LP and its subsidiaries; 

•
"AMGP" refer to Antero Midstream GP LP, the owner of our general partner; 

•
"Antero" refer to Antero Resources Corporation; 

•
"our general partner" or "AMP GP" refer to Antero Midstream Partners GP LLC.
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 WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
        We file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file at the SEC's public reference room located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. You may also access the information we file electronically with the SEC through our website at www.anteromidstream.com. We have not incorporated by reference into this prospectus the information included on, or linked from, our website, and you should not consider it to be a part of this prospectus. You may also inspect reports, proxy statements and other information about Antero Resources Corporation at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), 20 Broad Street, New York, NY 10005.
        We "incorporate by reference" information into this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is current as of any date other than the date on the cover page of this prospectus. You should not assume that the information contained in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the respective dates of such documents.
        We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after the date of this prospectus and before the termination of this offering (excluding any information furnished and not filed with the SEC).
•
our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016; 

•
our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and June 30, 2017; 

•
our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on February 6, 2017, February 8, 2017, February 10, 2017, April 11, 2017, April 18, 2017 and May 11, 2017 (excluding any information furnished and not filed pursuant to Item 2.02 or 7.01 or corresponding information furnished under Item 9.01 or included as an exhibit); and 

•
the description of our common units included in our Form 8-A (File No. 001-36719), filed with the Commission on November 3, 2014, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating, changing or otherwise modifying such description.
        You can obtain copies of any of these documents without charge upon written or oral request by requesting them in writing or by telephone at:
Antero Midstream Partners LP
1615 Wynkoop Street
Denver, Colorado 80202
(303) 357-7310
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 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
        Some of the information in this prospectus and incorporated by reference into this prospectus may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations, contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition, or forecasts of future events. Words such as "may," "assume," "forecast," "position," "predict," "strategy," "expect," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "project," "budget," "potential," or "continue," and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements. They can be affected by assumptions used or by known or unknown risks or uncertainties. Consequently, no forward-looking statements can be guaranteed. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus. Actual results may vary materially. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. You should also understand that it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors and should not consider the following list to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by such forward-looking statements include:
•
Antero's expected production and ability to meet its drilling and development plan; 

•
our ability to execute our business strategy; 

•
our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of investing in unconsolidated affiliates; 

•
natural gas, natural gas liquids ("NGLs") and oil prices; 

•
competition and government regulations; 

•
actions taken by third-party producers, operators, processors and transporters; 

•
legal or environmental matters; 

•
costs of conducting our gathering and compression operations; 

•
general economic conditions; 

•
credit markets; 

•
operating hazards, natural disasters, weather-related delays, casualty losses and other matters beyond our control; 

•
uncertainty regarding our future operating results; and 

•
plans, objectives, expectations and intentions contained in this prospectus that are not historical.
        We caution you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control, incidental to our business. These risks include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility, inflation, environmental risks, drilling and completion and other operating risks, regulatory changes, the uncertainty inherent in projecting future rates of production, cash flow and access to capital, the timing of development expenditures, and the other risks described under "Risk Factors" in this prospectus and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and June 30, 2017, which are incorporated by reference herein, and our other reports filed with the SEC.
        Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this prospectus occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.
        All forward-looking statements, expressed or implied, included in this prospectus are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This cautionary statement should also be
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considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that we or persons acting on our behalf may issue.
        Except as otherwise required by applicable law, we disclaim any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this prospectus.
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 PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
         This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference. It does not contain all of the information you should consider before making an investment decision. You should read this entire prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 (including the section entitled "Risk Factors" therein), before investing in our common units in this offering.
         Except as the context otherwise indicates, the information in this prospectus assumes no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional common units from the selling unitholder.

 Antero Midstream Partners LP
 Overview
        We are a growth-oriented master limited partnership formed by Antero Resources Corporation (NYSE: AR) to own, operate and develop midstream energy assets to service Antero's increasing production. Our assets consist of gathering pipelines, compressor stations, and interests in processing and fractionation plants that collect and process natural gas, NGLs and oil from Antero's wells in the Marcellus and Utica Shales in West Virginia and Ohio. Our assets also include two independent fresh water delivery systems that deliver fresh water from the Ohio River, several regional waterways, and wastewater handling services for well completion operations in Antero's operating areas. These fresh water delivery systems consist of permanent buried pipelines, surface pipelines and fresh water storage facilitates, as well as pumping stations and impoundments to transport the fresh water throughout the pipelines. The wastewater handling services consist of wastewater transportation, disposal, and treatment, including a water treatment facility currently under construction.
 Risk Factors
        An investment in our common units involves risks associated with our business, our partnership structure and the tax characteristics of our common units. Because of our relationship with Antero, adverse developments or announcements concerning Antero could materially adversely affect our business. Please read "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements."
 Partnership Information
        Our principal executive offices are located at 1615 Wynkoop Street, Denver, Colorado 80202, and our telephone number is (303) 357-7310. Our website is located at www.anteromidstream.com. We make available our periodic reports and other information filed with or furnished to the SEC free of charge through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports and other information are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information on our website is not incorporated by reference herein and does not constitute a part of this prospectus.
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 The Offering

Common Units Offered by the Selling Unitholder	 	10,000,000 common units (11,500,000 common units if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full).	

Units Outstanding Before and After the Offering	
 	
186,596,898 common units.	

Option to Purchase Additional Shares from the Selling Unitholder	
 	
The selling unitholder has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,500,000 additional common units.	

 	
Antero currently owns 108,870,335 common units. Upon completion of the offering, Antero will own 98,870,335 common units (or 97,370,335 common units if the underwriters exercises their option to purchase additional common units in full).	

Use of Proceeds	
 	
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of common units by the selling unitholder in this offering. Antero has informed us that it intends to use the proceeds from this offering to repay borrowings under its credit facility. See "Use of Proceeds."	

Cash Distributions	
 	
Our board of directors has adopted a cash distribution policy pursuant to which we intend to distribute at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.17 per unit ($0.68 per unit on an annualized basis) on all of our units to the extent we have sufficient cash after the establishment of cash reserves and the payment of expenses, including payments to our general partner and its affiliates.	

 	
On August 16, 2017, we paid a cash distribution of $0.32 per unit to unitholders of record as of the close of business on August 3, 2017.	

Issuance of Additional Units	
 	
Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional common units without the approval of unitholders. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Issuance of Additional Interests."	

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Voting Rights	 	We are managed and operated by our general partner. Unlike the holders of common stock in a corporation, our unitholders have only limited voting rights on matters affecting our business. Our unitholders have no right to elect our general partner or its directors on an annual or other continuing basis. Our general partner may not be removed except for cause by a vote of the holders of at least 66 2 / 3 % of the outstanding units, including any units owned by our general partner and its affiliates, voting together as a single class. Upon consummation of this offering, Antero will own an aggregate of 53.0% of our outstanding units (or 52.2% of our outstanding units, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units in full). As such, Antero has the ability to prevent the removal of our general partner. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Voting Rights."	

Risk Factors	
 	
You should consider carefully the information under the heading "Risk Factors" beginning on page 4 of this prospectus and all other information contained or incorporated by reference herein before deciding to invest in our common units.	

Material Federal Income Tax Consequences	
 	
For a discussion of the material federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States, please read "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences."	

Exchange Listing	
 	
Our common units are traded on the NYSE under the symbol "AM."	
        The information above excludes 7,653,204 unissued common units reserved for issuance under the Antero Midstream Partners LP Long-Term Incentive Plan.
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 RISK FACTORS
        Limited partner interests are inherently different from the capital stock of a corporation, although many of the business risks to which we are subject are similar to those that would be faced by a corporation engaged in a similar business. You should carefully consider those risk factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and June 30, 2017, which are incorporated by reference herein, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference, including the matters addressed under "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements," in evaluating an investment in our common units.
        If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash available for distribution could be materially adversely affected. In that case, we may not be able to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on our common units, the trading price of our common units could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.
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 USE OF PROCEEDS
        All of the common units covered by this prospectus are being sold by the selling unitholder. Please read "Selling Unitholder." We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of our common units by the selling unitholder. Antero has informed us that it intends to use the proceeds from this offering to repay borrowings under its credit facility. We will pay certain expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, associated with the sale of our common units by the selling unitholder. This offering will not dilute existing unitholders.
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 PRICE RANGE OF COMMON UNITS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
        Our common units are listed and traded on the NYSE under the symbol "AM." Our common units began trading on November 5, 2014 at an initial public offering price of $25.00 per common unit. The following table shows the low and high sales prices per common unit, as reported by the NYSE, for the periods indicated. Distributions are shown in the quarter for which they were paid.

 	 	Sales Price	 	 	 	
 			 	Cash
Distribution
per Unit	 	
 	 	High	 	Low			 	
2015:	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
First Quarter	 	 $	27.75	 	 $	20.50	 	 $	0.18	 	
Second Quarter	 	 $	29.76	 	 $	24.10	 	 	0.19	 	
Third Quarter	 	 $	29.36	 	 $	16.47	 	 	0.205	 	
Fourth Quarter	 	 $	26.00	 	 $	17.65	 	 	0.22	 	
2016:	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
First Quarter	 	 $	27.01	 	 $	17.00	 	 $	0.235	 	
Second Quarter	 	 $	27.96	 	 $	20.52	 	 $	0.25	 	
Third Quarter	 	 $	28.72	 	 $	24.61	 	 $	0.265	 	
Fourth Quarter	 	 $	31.39	 	 $	25.93	 	 $	0.28	 	
2017:	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
First Quarter	 	 $	35.74	 	 $	30.45	 	 $	0.30	 	
Second Quarter	 	 $	35.55	 	 $	29.62	 	 $	0.32	 	
Third Quarter (through September 5, 2017)	 	 $	35.10	 	 $	30.48	 	 	—	1	

1
As of September 5, 2017, a distribution in respect of the third quarter of 2017 has not yet been declared. Please read "How We Make Distributions to Our Partners—General—Cash Distribution Policy."
        On September 5, 2017, the last sales price of our common units as reported on the NYSE was $33.57 per unit.
        As of September 5, 2017, there were 8 holders of record of our common units.
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 CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS AND FIDUCIARY DUTIES
 Conflicts of Interest
        Conflicts of interest exist and may arise in the future as a result of the relationships between our general partner and its directors, officers, affiliates (including Antero) and owners, on the one hand, and us and our limited partners, on the other hand. Conflicts may arise as a result of the duties of our general partner and its directors and officers to act for the benefit of its owners, which may conflict with our interests and the interests of our public unitholders. We are managed and operated by the board of directors and officers of our general partner, AMP GP, which is owned by AMGP. Certain of our officers and directors are also officers or directors of AMGP GP LLC, the general partner of AMGP ("AMGP GP"), and Antero. Affiliates of Warburg Pincus LLC ("Warburg"), Yorktown Partners LLC ("Yorktown"), Paul M. Rady and Glen C. Warren, Jr. serve as members of the board of directors of our general partner, the board of directors of AMGP GP and the board of directors of Antero. Mr. Rady, Mr. Warren and certain investment funds affiliated with Warburg and Yorktown (collectively, the "Sponsors") also own the membership interests in AMGP GP, a majority of the common units and other interests in AMGP and a significant portion of the shares of common stock of Antero. As a result of their investments in AMGP and its general partner and Antero, the Sponsors may have conflicting interests with other holders of our common units.
        Although our general partner has a contractual duty to manage us in a manner that it believes is not adverse to our interests, the directors and officers of our general partner have a fiduciary duty to manage our general partner in a manner that is beneficial to AMGP. Our directors and officers who are also directors and officers of Antero have a fiduciary duty to manage Antero in a manner that is beneficial to Antero and its shareholders, and our directors and officers who are also directors and officers of AMGP GP have a fiduciary duty to manage AMGP GP in a manner that is beneficial to AMGP GP and its owners. Our partnership agreement specifically defines the remedies available to unitholders for actions taken that, without these defined liability standards, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty under applicable Delaware law. The Delaware Act provides that Delaware limited partnerships may, in their partnership agreements, expand, restrict or eliminate the fiduciary duties otherwise owed by the general partner to the limited partners and the partnership.
        Whenever a conflict arises between our general partner or its owners and affiliates, on the one hand, and us or our limited partners, on the other hand, the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved by us and all our limited partners and shall not constitute a breach of our partnership agreement, of any agreement contemplated thereby or of any duty, if the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict of interest is:
•
approved by the conflicts committee of our general partner, although our general partner is not obligated to seek such approval; or 

•
approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding any such units owned by our general partner or any of its affiliates.
        Our general partner may, but is not required to, seek the approval of such resolutions or courses of action from the conflicts committee of its board of directors or from the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units as described above. If our general partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee or from holders of common units as described above and the board of directors of our general partner approves the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, the board of directors of our general partner acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of us or any of our unitholders, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption and proving that such decision was not in good faith. Unless the resolution of a conflict is specifically provided for in our partnership agreement, the board of directors of our general
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partner or the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner may consider any factors they determine in good faith to consider when resolving a conflict. An independent third party is not required to evaluate the resolution. Under our partnership agreement, a determination, other action or failure to act by our general partner, the board of directors of our general partner or any committee thereof (including the conflicts committee) will be deemed to be "in good faith" unless our general partner, the board of directors of our general partner or any committee thereof (including the conflicts committee) believed such determination, other action or failure to act was adverse to the interest of the partnership.
        Conflicts of interest could arise in the situations described below, among others:
 Actions taken by our general partner may affect the amount of cash available to pay distributions to unitholders.
        The amount of cash that is available for distribution to unitholders is affected by decisions of our general partner regarding such matters as:
•
amount and timing of asset purchases and sales; 

•
cash expenditures; 

•
borrowings; 

•
entry into and repayment of current and future indebtedness; 

•
issuance of additional units; and 

•
the creation, reduction or increase of reserves in any quarter.
        In addition, borrowings by us and our affiliates do not constitute a breach of any duty owed by our general partner to our unitholders, including borrowings that have the purpose or effect of enabling our general partner or its affiliates to receive distributions on the incentive distribution rights.
        In addition, our general partner may use an amount, initially equal to $75.0 million, which would not otherwise constitute operating surplus, in order to permit the payment of distributions on the incentive distribution rights. All of these actions may affect the amount of cash or equity distributed to our unitholders and our general partner. Please read "How We Make Distributions To Our Partners."
        For example, in the event we have not generated sufficient cash from our operations to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on our common units, our partnership agreement permits us to borrow funds, which would enable us to make such distribution on all outstanding units. Please read "How We Make Distributions To Our Partners—Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus—Operating Surplus."
        The directors and officers of our general partner have a fiduciary duty to make decisions in the best interests of AMP GP, and the directors and officers of AMGP GP have a fiduciary duty to make decisions in the best interests of the owners of AMGP GP, each of which may be contrary to our interests.
        The officers and directors of our general partner that are also officers and directors of Antero or AMGP GP have fiduciary duties to Antero and AMGP GP, as applicable, that may cause them to pursue business strategies that disproportionately benefit Antero or AMGP or which otherwise are not in our best interests.
        Our general partner is allowed to take into account the interests of parties other than us, such as AMGP and Antero, in exercising certain rights under our partnership agreement.
        Our partnership agreement contains provisions that replace the standards to which our general partner would otherwise be held by state fiduciary duty law. For example, our partnership agreement
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permits our general partner to make a number of decisions in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner. This entitles our general partner to consider only the interests and factors that it desires, and it has no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of, or factors affecting, us, our affiliates or any limited partner. Examples include the exercise of its call right, its voting rights with respect to any units it owns, its registration rights and its determination whether or not to consent to any merger or consolidation or amendment of the partnership agreement.
 Our partnership agreement limits the liability of, and replaces the duties owed by, our general partner and also restricts the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that, without the limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty.
        In addition to the provisions described above, our partnership agreement contains provisions that restrict the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that might otherwise constitute breaches of fiduciary duty. For example, our partnership agreement provides that:
•
our general partner will not have any liability to us or our unitholders for decisions made in its capacity as general partner so long as it acted in good faith, meaning it believed that the decision was not adverse to the interest of the partnership, and, with respect to criminal conduct, did not act with the knowledge that its conduct was unlawful; 

•
our general partner and its officers and directors will not be liable for monetary damages or otherwise to us or our limited partners for any acts or omissions unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that such losses or liabilities were the result of the conduct of our general partner or such officer or director engaged in by it in bad faith or, with respect to any criminal conduct, with the knowledge that its conduct was unlawful; and 

•
in resolving conflicts of interest, it will be presumed that in making its decision our general partner, the board of directors of our general partner or the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or us, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption and proving that such decision was not in good faith.
        By purchasing a common unit, a common unitholder will agree to become bound by the provisions in our partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above. Please read "—Duties."
 Common unitholders have no right to enforce obligations of our general partner and its affiliates under agreements with us.
        Any agreements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, will not grant to the unitholders, separate and apart from us, the right to enforce the obligations of our general partner and its affiliates in our favor.
        Contracts between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other, are not and will not be the result of arm's-length negotiations.
        Neither our partnership agreement nor any of the other agreements, contracts and arrangements between us and our general partner and its affiliates are or will be the result of arm's-length negotiations. Our general partner will determine, in good faith, the terms of any of such future transactions.
        Except in limited circumstances, our general partner has the power and authority to conduct our business without unitholder approval.
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        Under our partnership agreement, our general partner has full power and authority to do all things, other than those items that require unitholder approval, necessary or appropriate to conduct our business including, but not limited to, the following actions:
•
expending, lending, or borrowing money, assuming, guaranteeing, or otherwise contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, issuing evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into our securities, and incurring any other obligations; 

•
preparing and transmitting tax, regulatory and other filings, periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over our business or assets; 

•
acquiring, disposing, mortgaging, pledging, encumbering, hypothecating or exchanging our assets or merging or otherwise combining us with or into another person; 

•
negotiating, executing and performing contracts, conveyance or other instruments; 

•
distributing cash; 

•
selecting or dismissing employees and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and determining their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring; 

•
maintaining insurance for our benefit; 

•
forming, acquiring an interest in, and contributing property and loaning money to, any further limited partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, limited liability companies or other relationships; 

•
controlling all matters affecting our rights and obligations, including bringing and defending actions at law or in equity or otherwise litigating, arbitrating or mediating, and incurring legal expense and settling claims and litigation; 

•
indemnifying any person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law; 

•
purchasing, selling or otherwise acquiring or disposing of our partnership interests, or issuing additional options, rights, warrants, appreciation rights, phantom or tracking interests relating to our partnership interests; and 

•
entering into agreements with any of its affiliates to render services to us or to itself in the discharge of its duties as our general partner.
        Please read "The Partnership Agreement" for information regarding the voting rights of unitholders.
 Common units are subject to our general partner's call right.
        If at any time our general partner and its affiliates (including Antero) own more than 80% of the common units, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign to any of its affiliates or to us, but not the obligation, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the common units held by unaffiliated persons at the market price calculated in accordance with the terms of our partnership agreement. As a result, you may be required to sell your common units at an undesirable time or price and may not receive any return on your investment. You may also incur a tax liability upon a sale of your units. Our general partner is not obligated to obtain a fairness opinion regarding the value of the common units to be repurchased by it upon exercise of the call right. There is no restriction in our partnership agreement that prevents our general partner from issuing additional common units and exercising its call right. Our general partner may use its own discretion, free of fiduciary duty restrictions, in determining whether to exercise this right. As a result, a common unitholder may have his common units purchased from him at an undesirable time or price. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Limited Call Right."
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        We may not choose to retain separate counsel for ourselves or for the holders of common units.
        The attorneys, independent accountants and others who perform services for us have been retained by our general partner. Attorneys, independent accountants and others who perform services for us are selected by our general partner or the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner and may perform services for our general partner and its affiliates. We may retain separate counsel for ourselves or the conflict committee in the event of a conflict of interest between our general partner and its affiliates, on the one hand, and us or the holders of common units, on the other, depending on the nature of the conflict, although we may choose not to do so.
        Our general partner's affiliates may compete with us, and neither our general partner nor its affiliates have any obligation to present business opportunities to us.
        Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner is restricted from engaging in any business other than guaranteeing debt of its affiliates and those activities incidental to its ownership of interests in us.
        However affiliates of our general partner are not prohibited from engaging in other businesses or activities, including those that might be in direct competition with us, and AMGP or its affiliates may acquire, construct or dispose of assets in the future without any obligation to offer us the opportunity to acquire those assets. In addition, under our partnership agreement, the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine, will not apply to our general partner and its affiliates. As a result, neither our general partner nor any of its affiliates have any obligation to present business opportunities to us.
        The holder or holders of our incentive distribution rights may elect to cause us to issue common units to it in connection with a resetting of incentive distribution levels without the approval of our unitholders. This election may result in lower distributions to our common unitholders in certain situations.
        The holder or holders of a majority of our incentive distribution rights have the right, at any time when they have received incentive distributions at the highest level to which they are entitled (50%) for each of the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters, to reset the initial target distribution levels at higher levels based on our cash distribution levels at the time of the exercise of the reset election. Following a reset election, a baseline distribution amount will be calculated equal to an amount equal to the prior cash distribution per common unit for the fiscal quarter immediately preceding the reset election (such amount is referred to as the "reset minimum quarterly distribution"), and the target distribution levels will be reset to correspondingly higher levels based on percentage increases above the reset minimum quarterly distribution.
        We anticipate that the holders of our incentive distribution rights would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate acquisitions or internal growth projects that would not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per unit without such conversion. However, the holders of our incentive distribution rights may transfer the incentive distribution rights at any time. It is possible that the holders of our incentive distribution rights or a transferee could exercise this reset election at a time when we are experiencing declines in our aggregate cash distributions or at a time when the holders of the incentive distribution rights expect that we will experience declines in our aggregate cash distributions in the foreseeable future. In such situations, the holders of the incentive distribution rights may be experiencing, or may expect to experience, declines in the cash distributions it receives related to the incentive distribution rights and may therefore desire to be issued our common units, which are entitled to specified priorities with respect to our distributions and which therefore may be more advantageous for them to own in lieu of the right to receive incentive distribution payments based on target distribution levels that are less certain to be achieved. As a result, a reset election may cause our common unitholders to experience dilution in the amount of cash distributions that they would have
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otherwise received had we not issued new common units to the holders of the incentive distribution rights in connection with resetting the target distribution levels. Please read "How We Make Distributions To Our Partners—Incentive Distribution Rights."
 Duties
        Duties owed to unitholders by our general partner are prescribed by law and in our partnership agreement. The Delaware Act provides that Delaware limited partnerships may, in their partnership agreements, expand, restrict or eliminate the fiduciary duties otherwise owed by the general partner to limited partners and the partnership.
        Our partnership agreement contains various provisions that eliminate and replace the fiduciary duties that might otherwise be owed by our general partner. We have adopted these provisions to allow our general partner or its affiliates to engage in transactions with us that otherwise might be prohibited by state law fiduciary standards and to take into account the interests of other parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. We believe this is appropriate and necessary because the board of directors of our general partner has a duty to manage our partnership in good faith and a duty to manage our general partner in a manner beneficial to its owner. Without these modifications, our general partner's ability to make decisions involving conflicts of interest would be restricted. Replacing the fiduciary duty standards in this manner benefits our general partner by enabling it to take into consideration all parties involved in the proposed action. Replacing the fiduciary duty standards also strengthens the ability of our general partner to attract and retain experienced and capable directors. Replacing the fiduciary duty standards represents a detriment to our public unitholders because it restricts the remedies available to our public unitholders for actions that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty, as described below, and permits our general partner to take into account the interests of third parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interests.
        The following is a summary of the fiduciary duties imposed on general partners of a limited partnership by the Delaware Act in the absence of partnership agreement provisions to the contrary, the contractual duties of our general partner contained in our partnership agreement that replace the
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fiduciary duties that would otherwise be imposed by Delaware laws on our general partner and the rights and remedies of our unitholders with respect to these contractual duties:

State law fiduciary duty standards	 	Fiduciary duties are generally considered to include an obligation to act in good faith and with due care and loyalty. The duty of care, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally require a general partner to act for the partnership in the same manner as a prudent person would act on his own behalf. The duty of loyalty, in the absence of a provision in a partnership agreement providing otherwise, would generally require that any action taken or transaction engaged in be entirely fair to the partnership.	

Partnership agreement modified standards	
 	
Our partnership agreement contains provisions that waive or consent to conduct by our general partner and its affiliates that might otherwise raise issues as to compliance with fiduciary duties or applicable law. For example, our partnership agreement provides that when our general partner is acting in its capacity as our general partner, as opposed to in its individual capacity, it must act in "good faith," meaning that it believed its actions or omissions were not adverse to the interest of the partnership, and will not be subject to any other standard under applicable law. In addition, when our general partner is acting in its individual capacity, as opposed to in its capacity as our general partner, it may act without any fiduciary obligation to us or the unitholders whatsoever. These contractual standards replace the obligations to which our general partner would otherwise be held.	

 	
If our general partner does not obtain approval from the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner or our common unitholders, excluding any such units owned by our general partner or its affiliates, and the board of directors of our general partner approves the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest, then it will be presumed that, in making its decision, its board, which may include board members affected by the conflict of interest, acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by or on behalf of any limited partner or the partnership, the person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding will have the burden of overcoming such presumption and proving that such decision was not in good faith. These standards replace the obligations to which our general partner would otherwise be held.	

Rights and remedies of unitholders	
 	
The Delaware Act generally provides that a limited partner may institute legal action on behalf of the partnership to recover damages from a third party where a general partner has refused to institute the action or where an effort to cause a general partner to do so is not likely to succeed. These actions include actions against a general partner for breach of its duties or of our partnership agreement. In addition, the statutory or case law of some jurisdictions may permit a limited partner to institute legal action on behalf of himself and all other similarly situated limited partners to recover damages from a general partner for violations of its fiduciary duties to the limited partners.	
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        By purchasing our common units, each common unitholder automatically agrees to be bound by the provisions in our partnership agreement, including the provisions discussed above. This is in accordance with the policy of the Delaware Act favoring the principle of freedom of contract and the enforceability of partnership agreements. The failure of a limited partner to sign a partnership agreement does not render the partnership agreement unenforceable against that person.
        Under our partnership agreement, we must indemnify our general partner and its officers, directors, managers and certain other specified persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against liabilities, costs and expenses incurred by our general partner or these other persons. We must provide this indemnification unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that such losses or liabilities were the result of the conduct of our general partner or such officer or director engaged in by it in bad faith or, with respect to any criminal conduct, with the knowledge that its conduct was unlawful. Thus, our general partner could be indemnified for its negligent acts if it meets the requirements set forth above. To the extent these provisions purport to include indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is contrary to public policy and, therefore, unenforceable. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Indemnification."
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 DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMON UNITS
 The Units
        The common units are a class of limited partner interests in us. Unitholders are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and exercise the rights or privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of the relative rights and preferences of unitholders in and to partnership distributions, please read this section and "How We Make Distributions To Our Partners." For a description of other rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read "The Partnership Agreement."
 Transfer Agent and Registrar
 Duties
        American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC serves as the registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units except the following, which must be paid by our common unitholders:
•
surety bond premiums to replace lost or stolen certificates, taxes and other governmental charges; 

•
special charges for services requested by a holder of a common unit; and 

•
other similar fees or charges.
        There is no charge to our unitholders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We will indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.
 Resignation or Removal
        The transfer agent may resign, by notice to us, or be removed by us. The resignation or removal of the transfer agent will become effective upon our appointment of a successor transfer agent and registrar and its acceptance of the appointment. If no successor is appointed or has not accepted its appointment within 30 days of the resignation or removal, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.
 Transfer of Common Units
        Upon the transfer of a common unit in accordance with our partnership agreement, the transferee of the common unit shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission are reflected in our books and records. Each transferee:
•
represents that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to become bound by our partnership agreement; 

•
automatically becomes bound by the terms and conditions of our partnership agreement; and 

•
gives the consents, waivers and approvals contained in our partnership agreement.
        Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.
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        We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder's rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.
        Common units are securities and any transfers are subject to the laws governing the transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a substituted limited partner in our partnership for the transferred common units.
        Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the common unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.
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 HOW WE MAKE DISTRIBUTIONS TO OUR PARTNERS
 General
 Cash Distribution Policy
        While our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will make a determination as to whether to make a distribution, our partnership agreement does not require us to pay distributions at any time or in any amount. Instead, the board of directors of our general partner has adopted a cash distribution policy that sets forth our general partner's intention with respect to the distributions to be made to unitholders. Pursuant to our cash distribution policy, within 60 days after the end of each quarter, we intend to distribute to the holders of common units on a quarterly basis at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.17 per unit, or $0.68 on an annualized basis, to the extent we have sufficient cash after establishment of cash reserves and payment of fees and expenses, including payments to our general partner and its affiliates.
        The board of directors of our general partner may change our distribution policy at any time and from time to time, and even if our cash distribution policy is not modified or revoked, the amount of distributions paid under our distribution policy and the decision to make any distribution is determined by our general partner. Our partnership agreement does not contain a requirement for us to pay distributions to our unitholders, and there is no guarantee that we will pay the minimum quarterly distribution, or any distribution, on the units in any quarter. However, our partnership agreement does contain provisions intended to motivate our general partner to make steady, increasing and sustainable distributions over time.
        As described in further detail below, we may make distributions out of either operating surplus or capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus. To the extent that we make distributions from capital surplus, they will be made pro rata to all unitholders, but the holder of the incentive distribution rights would generally not participate in any capital surplus distributions with respect to those incentive rights. Finally, holders of our incentive distribution rights will generally only participate in distributions from operating surplus above certain threshold distribution levels.
        Set forth below is a summary of the significant provisions of our partnership agreement that relate to cash distributions.
 Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus
 General
        Any distributions we make are characterized as made from "operating surplus" or "capital surplus." Distributions from operating surplus are made differently than cash distributions that we would make from capital surplus. Operating surplus distributions will be made to our unitholders and, if we make quarterly distributions above the first target distribution level described below, to the holder of our incentive distribution rights. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus. In such an event, however, any capital surplus distribution would be made pro rata to all unitholders, but the holder of the incentive distribution rights would generally not participate in any capital surplus distributions with respect to those rights.
 Operating Surplus
        We define operating surplus as:
•
$75.0 million (as described below); plus
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•
all of our cash receipts after the closing of our initial public offering (our "IPO"), excluding cash from interim capital transactions (as defined below) provided that cash receipts from the termination of any hedge contract prior to its stipulated settlement or termination date will be included in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such hedge contract had it not been terminated; plus 

•
cash distributions paid in respect of equity issued (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights), other than equity issued in our IPO, to finance all or a portion of expansion capital expenditures in respect of the period from such financing until the earlier to occur of the date the asset commences commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of; plus 

•
cash distributions paid in respect of equity issued (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights), other than equity issued in our IPO, to pay the construction period interest on debt incurred, or to pay construction period distributions on equity issued, to finance the expansion capital expenditures referred to above, in each case, in respect of the period from such financing until the earlier to occur of the date the asset commences commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of; less 

•
all of our operating expenditures (as defined below) after our IPO; less 

•
the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner to provide funds for future operating expenditures; less 

•
all working capital borrowings not repaid within twelve months after having been incurred, or repaid within such twelve-month period with the proceeds of additional working capital borrowings; less 

•
any cash loss realized on disposition of an investment capital expenditure.
        Disbursements made, cash received (including working capital borrowings) or cash reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of a period but on or before the date on which cash or cash equivalents will be distributed with respect to such period shall be deemed to have been made, received, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining operating surplus, within such period if our general partner so determines. Furthermore, cash received from an interest in an entity for which we account using the equity method will not be included to the extent it exceeds our proportionate share of that entity's operating surplus (calculated as if the definition of operating surplus applied to such entity from the date of our acquisition of such an interest without any basket similar to described in the first bullet above). Operating surplus does not reflect cash generated by our operations. For example, it includes a basket of $75.0 million that will enable us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus cash we receive in the future from non-operating sources such as asset sales, issuances of securities and long-term borrowings that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. In addition, the effect of including, as described above, certain cash distributions on equity interests in operating surplus will be to increase operating surplus by the amount of any such cash distributions. As a result, we may also distribute as operating surplus up to the amount of any such cash that we receive from non-operating sources.
        The proceeds of working capital borrowings increase operating surplus, and repayments of working capital borrowings are generally operating expenditures, as described below, and thus reduce operating surplus when made. However, if a working capital borrowing is not repaid during the twelve-month period following the borrowing, it will be deemed repaid at the end of such period, thus decreasing operating surplus at such time. When such working capital borrowing is in fact repaid, it will be excluded from operating expenditures because operating surplus will have been previously reduced by the deemed repayment.
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        We define operating expenditures in our partnership agreement, and it generally means all of our cash expenditures, including, but not limited to, taxes, reimbursement of expenses to our general partner or its affiliates, payments made under interest rate hedge agreements or commodity hedge agreements (provided that (1) with respect to amounts paid in connection with the initial purchase of an interest rate hedge contract or a commodity hedge contract, such amounts will be amortized over the life of the applicable interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract and (2) payments made in connection with the termination of any interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract prior to the expiration of its stipulated settlement or termination date will be included in operating expenditures in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract), officer compensation, repayment of working capital borrowings, interest on indebtedness and maintenance capital expenditures (as discussed in further detail below). However, operating expenditures do not include:
•
repayment of working capital borrowings deducted from operating surplus pursuant to the penultimate bullet point of the definition of operating surplus above when such repayment actually occurs; 

•
payments (including prepayments and prepayment penalties and the purchase price of indebtedness that is repurchased and cancelled) of principal of and premium on indebtedness, other than working capital borrowings; 

•
expansion capital expenditures; 

•
investment capital expenditures; 

•
payment of transaction expenses relating to interim capital transactions; 

•
distributions to our partners (including distributions in respect of our incentive distribution rights); 

•
repurchases of equity interests except to fund obligations under employee benefit plans; or 

•
any other expenditures or payments made with the proceeds from our IPO and described under "Use of Proceeds" in our IPO prospectus.
 Capital Surplus
        Capital surplus is defined in our partnership agreement as any cash distributed in excess of our operating surplus. Accordingly, capital surplus would generally be generated only by the following (which we refer to as "interim capital transactions"):
•
borrowings other than working capital borrowings; 

•
sales of our equity interests and long-term borrowings; and 

•
sales or other dispositions of assets for cash, other than inventory, accounts receivable and other assets sold in the ordinary course of business or as part of normal retirement or replacement of assets.
 Characterization of Cash Distributions
        Our partnership agreement provides that we treat all cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all cash distributed since the closing of our IPO equals the operating surplus from the closing of our IPO. However, operating surplus includes a basket of $75.0 million that enables us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus cash we receive from non-operating sources such as asset sales, issuances of securities and long-term borrowings that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. Our partnership agreement provides that we treat any amount distributed in excess of
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operating surplus, regardless of its source, as distributions of capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.
 Capital Expenditures
        Maintenance capital expenditures reduce operating surplus, but expansion capital expenditures and investment capital expenditures do not. Maintenance capital expenditures are cash expenditures (including expenditures for the construction or development of new capital assets or the replacement, improvement or expansion of existing capital assets) made to maintain, over the long term, our operating capacity or revenue. Examples of maintenance capital expenditures are expenditures to repair, refurbish and replace pipelines, to connect new wells to maintain gathering and compression throughput to maintain equipment reliability, integrity and safety and to address environmental laws and regulations. Our business, facilities and equipment are currently not subject to major turnaround, overhaul or rebuilds. Cash expenditures made solely for investment purposes will not be considered maintenance capital expenditures.
        Expansion capital expenditures are cash expenditures to construct new midstream infrastructure and those expenditures incurred in order to extend the useful lives of our assets, reduce costs, increase revenues or increase system throughput or capacity from current levels, including well connections that increase existing system throughput. Examples of expansion capital expenditures include the construction, development or acquisition of additional gathering pipelines or compressor stations, in each case to the extent such capital expenditures are expected to expand our operating capacity or our operating income. In the future, if we make acquisitions that increase system throughput or capacity, the associated capital expenditures may also be considered expansion capital expenditures. Expenditures made solely for investment purposes are not considered expansion capital expenditures.
        Investment capital expenditures are those capital expenditures, including transaction expenses, that are neither maintenance capital expenditures nor expansion capital expenditures. Investment capital expenditures largely consist of capital expenditures made for investment purposes. Examples of investment capital expenditures include traditional capital expenditures for investment purposes, such as purchases of securities, as well as other capital expenditures that might be made in lieu of such traditional investment capital expenditures, such as the acquisition of an asset for investment purposes or development of assets that are in excess of the maintenance of our operating capacity or revenue, but which are not expected to expand, for more than the short term, operating capacity or revenue.
        As described above, neither investment capital expenditures nor expansion capital expenditures are operating expenditures, and thus do not reduce operating surplus. Losses on disposition of an investment capital expenditure reduce operating surplus when realized and cash receipts from an investment capital expenditure are treated as a cash receipt for purposes of calculating operating surplus only to the extent the cash receipt is a return on principal.
        Cash expenditures that are made in part for maintenance capital purposes, investment capital purposes or expansion capital purposes are allocated as maintenance capital expenditures, investment capital expenditures or expansion capital expenditures by our general partner.
 Distributions from Operating Surplus
        If we make distributions of cash from operating surplus for any quarter, our partnership agreement requires that we make the distribution in the following manner:
•
first , to all common unitholders, pro rata, until we distribute for each common unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and 

•
thereafter , in the manner described in "—Incentive Distribution Rights" below.
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 General Partner Interest
        Our general partner owns a non-economic general partner interest in us, which does not entitle it to receive cash distributions. However, an affiliate of our general partner owns the incentive distribution rights and it or our general partner may in the future own common units or other equity interests in us and will be entitled to receive distributions on any such interests.
 Incentive Distribution Rights
        Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive increasing percentages (15%, 25% and 50%) of quarterly distributions from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved.
        If for any quarter:
•
we have distributed cash from operating surplus to the common unitholders in an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution; and 

•
we have distributed cash from operating surplus on outstanding common units in an amount necessary to eliminate any cumulative arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution;
then we will make additional distributions from operating surplus for that quarter among the unitholders and the holders of the incentive distribution rights in the following manner:
•
first , to all unitholders, pro rata, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.1955 per unit for that quarter (the "first target distribution"); 

•
second , 85% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to the holders of our incentive distribution rights, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.2125 per unit for that quarter (the "second target distribution"); 

•
third , 75% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 25% to the holders of our incentive distribution rights, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.2550 per unit for that quarter (the "third target distribution"); and 

•
thereafter , 50% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 50% to the holders of our incentive distribution rights.
 Percentage Allocations of Distributions from Operating Surplus
        The following table illustrates the percentage allocations of distributions from operating surplus between the unitholders and the holders of our incentive distribution rights based on the specified target distribution levels. The amounts set forth under the column heading "Marginal Percentage Interest in Distributions" are the percentage interests of the holders of our incentive distribution rights and the unitholders in any distributions from operating surplus we distribute up to and including the corresponding amount in the column "Total Quarterly Distribution Per Unit." The percentage interests shown for our unitholders and the holders of our incentive distribution rights for the minimum quarterly distribution are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the
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minimum quarterly distribution. The percentage interests set forth below assume there are no arrearages on common units.

 	 	 	 	Marginal Percentage
Interest in Distributions	 	
 	 	Total Quarterly Distribution Per Unit	 	Unitholders	 	IDR Holders	 	
Minimum Quarterly Distribution	 	up to $0.1700	 	 	100	%	 	—	%	
First Target Distribution	 	above $0.1700 up to $0.1955	 	 	100	%	 	—	%	
Second Target Distribution	 	above $0.1955 up to $0.2125	 	 	85	%	 	15	%	
Third Target Distribution	 	above $0.2125 up to $0.2550	 	 	75	%	 	25	%	
Thereafter	 	above $0.2550	 	 	50	%	 	50	%	
 Right to Reset Incentive Distribution Levels
        An affiliate of our general partner, as the holder of our incentive distribution rights, has the right under our partnership agreement to elect to relinquish the right to receive incentive distribution payments based on the initial target distribution levels and to reset, at higher levels, the target distribution levels upon which the incentive distribution payments would be set. If the holder of our incentive distribution rights transfers all or a portion of the incentive distribution rights in the future, then the holder or holders of a majority of our incentive distribution rights will be entitled to exercise this right. The following discussion assumes that an affiliate our general partner holds all of the incentive distribution rights at the time that a reset election is made.
        The right to reset the target distribution levels upon which the incentive distributions are based may be exercised, without approval of our unitholders, at any time when we have made cash distributions to the holders of the incentive distribution rights at the highest level of incentive distribution for the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters. The reset target distribution levels will be higher than the target distribution levels prior to the reset such that there will be no incentive distributions paid under the reset target distribution levels until cash distributions per unit following the reset event increase as described below. We anticipate that the holder of our incentive distribution rights would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate acquisitions or internal growth projects that would otherwise not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per common unit, taking into account the existing levels of incentive distribution payments being made.
        In connection with the resetting of the target distribution levels and the corresponding relinquishment by the holder of our incentive distribution rights of incentive distribution payments based on the target cash distributions prior to the reset, such holder will be entitled to receive a number of newly issued common units based on the formula described below that takes into account the "cash parity" value of the cash distributions related to the incentive distribution rights for the quarter prior to the reset event as compared to the cash distribution per common unit in such quarter.
        The number of common units to be issued in connection with a resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels would equal the quotient determined by dividing (x) the amount of cash distributions received in respect of the incentive distribution rights for the fiscal quarter ended immediately prior to the date of such reset election by (y) the amount of cash distributed per common unit with respect to such quarter.
        Following a reset election, a baseline minimum quarterly distribution amount will be calculated as an amount equal to the cash distribution amount per unit for the fiscal quarter immediately preceding the reset election (which amount we refer to as the "reset minimum quarterly distribution") and the
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target distribution levels will be reset to be correspondingly higher such that we would make distributions from operating surplus for each quarter thereafter as follows:
•
first , to all common unitholders, pro rata, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 115% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; 

•
second , 85% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to the holders of our incentive distribution rights, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 125% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter; 

•
third , 75% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 25% to the holders of our incentive distribution rights, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 150% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter; and 

•
thereafter , 50% to all common unitholders, pro rata, and 50% to the holders of our incentive distribution rights.
        The holders of our incentive distribution rights are entitled to cause the target distribution levels to be reset on more than one occasion. There are no restrictions on the ability of holders of our incentive distribution rights to exercise the reset right multiple times, but the requirements for exercise must be met each time. Because one of the requirements is that we make cash distributions in excess of the then-applicable third target distribution for the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters, a minimum of four quarters must elapse between each reset.
 Distributions from Capital Surplus
 How Distributions From Capital Surplus Will Be Made
        Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:
•
first , to all common unitholders, pro rata, until the minimum quarterly distribution is reduced to zero, as described below; 

•
second , to the common unitholders, pro rata, until we distribute for each common unit an amount from capital surplus equal to any unpaid arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units; and 

•
thereafter , we will make all distributions from capital surplus as if they were from operating surplus.
 Effect of a Distribution From Capital Surplus
        Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price from our IPO, which is a return of capital. Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced in the same proportion as the distribution of capital surplus to the fair market value of the common units prior to the announcement of the distribution. Because distributions of capital surplus will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels after any of these distributions are made, it may be easier for the holder of our incentive distribution rights to receive incentive distributions. However, any distribution of capital surplus before the minimum quarterly distribution is reduced to zero cannot be applied to the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution or any arrearages.
        Once we reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to zero, all future distributions will be made such that 50% is paid to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50% is paid to the holder or holders of incentive distribution rights, pro rata.
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 Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels
        In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our common units into fewer common units or subdivide our common units into a greater number of common units, our partnership agreement specifies that the following items will be proportionately adjusted:
•
the minimum quarterly distribution; 

•
the target distribution levels; 

•
the initial unit price, as described below under "—Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation"; and 

•
the per unit amount of any outstanding arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units.
        For example, if a two-for-one split of the common units should occur, the minimum quarterly distribution, the target distribution levels and the initial unit price would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level. We will not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.
        In addition, if, as a result of a change in law or interpretation thereof, we or any of our subsidiaries is treated as an association taxable as a corporation or is otherwise subject to additional taxation as an entity for U.S. federal, state, local or non-U.S. income or withholding tax purposes, our general partner may, in its sole discretion, reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels for each quarter by multiplying each distribution level by a fraction, the numerator of which is cash for that quarter (after deducting our general partner's estimate of our additional aggregate liability for the quarter for such income and withholdings taxes payable by reason of such change in law or interpretation) and the denominator of which is the sum of (1) cash for that quarter, plus (2) our general partner's estimate of our additional aggregate liability for the quarter for such income and withholding taxes payable by reason of such change in law or interpretation thereof. To the extent that the actual tax liability differs from the estimated tax liability for any quarter, the difference will be accounted for in distributions with respect to subsequent quarters.
 Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation
 General
        If we dissolve in accordance with the partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to the unitholders and the holders of the incentive distribution rights, in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.
        The allocations of gain and loss upon liquidation are intended, to the extent possible, to entitle the holders of units to a repayment of the initial value contributed by unitholders for their units, which we refer to as the "initial unit price" for each unit, plus the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which liquidation occurs plus any unpaid arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units. However, there may not be sufficient gain upon our liquidation to enable the common unitholders to fully recover all of these amounts. Any further net gain recognized upon liquidation will be allocated in a manner that takes into account the incentive distribution rights.
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 Manner of Adjustments for Gain
        The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in the partnership agreement. We will generally allocate any gain to the partners in the following manner:
•
first , to our general partner to the extent of certain prior losses specially allocated to our general partner; 

•
second , to the common unitholders, pro rata, until the capital account for each common unit is equal to the sum of: (1) the initial unit price and (2) the amount of the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which our liquidation occurs; 

•
third, to all unitholders, pro rata, until we allocate under this bullet an amount per unit equal to: (1) the sum of the excess of the first target distribution per unit over the minimum quarterly distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less (2) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions from operating surplus in excess of the minimum quarterly distribution per unit that we distributed to the unitholders, pro rata, for each quarter of our existence; 

•
fourth , 85% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to the holders of our incentive distribution rights, until we allocate under this bullet an amount per unit equal to: (1) the sum of the excess of the second target distribution per unit over the first target distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less (2) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions from operating surplus in excess of the first target distribution per unit that we distributed 85% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 15% to the holders of our incentive distribution rights for each quarter of our existence; 

•
fifth , 75% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25% to the holders of our incentive distribution rights, until we allocate under this bullet an amount per unit equal to: (1) the sum of the excess of the third target distribution per unit over the second target distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less (2) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions from operating surplus in excess of the second target distribution per unit that we distributed 75% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 25% to the holders of our incentive distribution rights for each quarter of our existence; and 

•
thereafter , 50% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50% to holders of our incentive distribution rights.
 Manner of Adjustments for Losses
        We will generally allocate any loss to our general partner and the unitholders in the following manner:
•
first , to the holders of common units in proportion to the positive balances in their capital accounts, until the capital accounts of the common unitholders have been reduced to zero; and 

•
thereafter , 100% to our general partner.
 Adjustments to Capital Accounts
        Our partnership agreement requires that we make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units. In this regard, our partnership agreement specifies that we allocate any unrealized and, for federal income tax purposes, unrecognized gain resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and the holders of our incentive distribution rights in the same manner as we allocate gain upon liquidation. In the event that we make positive adjustments to the capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units, our partnership agreement requires that we generally allocate any later negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from the issuance of additional units or upon our
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liquidation in a manner that results, to the extent possible, in the partners' capital account balances equaling the amount that they would have been if no earlier positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made. In contrast to the allocations of gain, and except as provided above, we generally will allocate any unrealized and unrecognized loss resulting from the adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units to the unitholders and the holders of our incentive distribution rights based on their respective percentage ownership of us. If we make negative adjustments to the capital accounts as a result of such loss, future positive adjustments resulting from the issuance of additional units will be allocated in a manner designed to reverse the prior negative adjustments, and special allocations will be made upon liquidation in a manner that results, to the extent possible, in our unitholders' capital account balances equaling the amounts they would have been if no earlier adjustments for loss had been made.
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 THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
        The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. We will provide investors and prospective investors with a copy of our partnership agreement upon request at no charge.
        We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:
•
with regard to distributions of cash available for distribution, please read "How We Make Distributions To Our Partners"; 

•
with regard to the transfer of common units, please read "Description of the Common Units—Transfer of Common Units"; and 

•
with regard to allocations of taxable income and taxable loss, please read "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences."
 Organization and Duration
        We were organized in September 2013 as a Delaware limited liability company and converted into a Delaware limited partnership—Antero Midstream Partners LP—in connection with the contribution of Antero Midstream LLC to us at the completion of our IPO. We will have a perpetual existence unless terminated pursuant to the terms of our partnership agreement.
 Purpose
        Our purpose, as set forth in our partnership agreement, is limited to any business activity that is approved by our general partner and that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law; provided that our general partner shall not cause us to take any action that the general partner determines would be reasonably likely to cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes.
        Although our general partner has the ability to cause us and our subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the midstream business, our general partner may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or in the best interests of us or the limited partners. Our general partner is generally authorized to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.
 Cash Distributions
        Our partnership agreement does not require us to pay distributions at any time or in any amount. Instead, the board of directors of our general partner has adopted a cash distribution policy that sets forth our general partner's intention with respect to the distributions to be made to unitholders.
        Our partnership agreement specifies the manner in which we will make cash distributions to holders of our common units and other partnership securities as well as to the holder of our incentive distribution rights. For a description of these cash distribution provisions, please read "How We Make Distributions To Our Partners."
 Capital Contributions
        Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under "—Limited Liability."
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 Voting Rights
        The following is a summary of the unitholder vote required for approval of the matters specified below. Matters that require the approval of a "unit majority" require the approval of a majority of the common units
        In voting their common units, our general partner and its affiliates will have no duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in the best interests of us or the limited partners.
        The incentive distribution rights may be entitled to vote in certain circumstances.

Issuance of additional units	 	No approval right.	

Amendment of the partnership agreement	
 	
Certain amendments may be made by our general partner without the approval of the unitholders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a unit majority. Please read "—Amendment of the Partnership Agreement."	

 	
Merger of our partnership or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets Unit majority in certain circumstances. Please read "—Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets."	

Dissolution of our partnership	
 	
Unit majority. Please read "—Dissolution."	

Continuation of our business upon dissolution	
 	
Unit majority. Please read "—Dissolution."	

Withdrawal of our general partner	
 	
No approval right. Please read "—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner."	

Removal of our general partner	
 	
Not less than 66 2 / 3 % of the outstanding units, voting as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, for cause. Please read "—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner."	

Transfer of our general partner interest	
 	
No approval right. Please read "—Transfer of General Partner Interest."	

Transfer of incentive distribution rights	
 	
No approval right. Please read "—Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights."	

Transfer of ownership interests in our general partner	
 	
No approval right. Please read "—Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner."	
        If any person or group other than our general partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to Antero or to any person or group that acquires the units from our general partner or its affiliates and any transferees of that person or group approved by our general partner or to any person or group who acquires the units with the specific prior approval of our general partner.
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 Applicable Law; Forum, Venue and Jurisdiction
        Our partnership agreement is governed by Delaware law. Our partnership agreement requires that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings:
•
arising out of or relating in any way to the partnership agreement (including any claims, suits or actions to interpret, apply or enforce the provisions of the partnership agreement or the duties, obligations or liabilities among limited partners or of limited partners to us, or the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the limited partners or us); 

•
brought in a derivative manner on our behalf; 

•
asserting a claim of breach of a duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of us or our general partner, or owed by our general partner, to us or the limited partners; 

•
asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Act; or 

•
asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine
shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, any other court located in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction), regardless of whether such claims, suits, actions or proceedings sound in contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or other grounds, or are derivative or direct claims. By purchasing a common unit, a limited partner is irrevocably consenting to these limitations and provisions regarding claims, suits, actions or proceedings and submitting to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or such other court) in connection with any such claims, suits, actions or proceedings.
 Reimbursement of Partnership Litigation Costs
        Our partnership agreement provides that if a limited partner or any person holding a beneficial interest in us files a claim, suit, action or proceeding against us and does not obtain a judgment on the merits that substantially achieves, in substance and amount, the full remedy sought in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding, then such partner or person will be obligated to reimburse us and our affiliates for all fees, costs and expenses of every kind and description, including but not limited to all reasonable attorneys' fees and other litigation expenses, that the parties may incur in connection with such claim, suit, action or proceeding. By purchasing a common unit, a limited partner is irrevocably consenting to these reimbursement obligations as set forth in the partnership agreement.
 Limited Liability
        Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Act and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of the partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital he is obligated to contribute to us for his common units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets. However, if it were determined that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group:
•
to remove or replace our general partner; 

•
to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement; or 

•
to take other action under our partnership agreement;
constituted "participation in the control" of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as our general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business
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with us under the reasonable belief that the limited partner is a general partner. Neither our partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against our general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of our general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for this type of a claim in Delaware case law.
        Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership, except that the fair value of property that is subject to a liability for which the recourse of creditors is limited is included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds that liability. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years.
        Our subsidiary conducts business in several states and we may have subsidiaries that conduct business in other states or countries in the future. Maintenance of our limited liability as owner of our operating subsidiaries may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the operating subsidiaries conduct business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there.
        Limitations on the liability of members or limited partners for the obligations of a limited liability company or limited partnership have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our ownership interest in our subsidiaries or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any jurisdiction without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace our general partner, to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement, or to take other action under our partnership agreement constituted "participation in the control" of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as our general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that our general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.
 Issuance of Additional Interests
        Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership interests for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our general partner without the approval of the unitholders.
        It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other partnership interests. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing common unitholders in our distributions. In addition, the issuance of additional common units or other partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing common unitholders in our net assets.
        In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership interests that, as determined by our general partner, may have rights to distributions or special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled. In addition, our
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partnership agreement does not prohibit our subsidiaries from issuing equity interests, which may effectively rank senior to the common units.
        Our general partner will have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units or other partnership interests whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue partnership interests to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the percentage interest of our general partner and its affiliates, including such interest represented by common units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. The common unitholders will not have preemptive rights under our partnership agreement to acquire additional common units or other partnership interests.
 Amendment of the Partnership Agreement
 General
        Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in the best interests of us or the limited partners. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, our general partner is required to seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or to call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a unit majority.
 Prohibited Amendments
        No amendment may be made that would:
•
enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without his consent, unless approved by at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests so affected; or 

•
enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by us to our general partner or any of its affiliates without the consent of our general partner, which consent may be given or withheld in its sole discretion.
        The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in the clauses above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates). Before giving effect to this offering, Antero owns approximately 58.3% of our outstanding units.
 No Unitholder Approval
        Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner to reflect:
•
a change in our name, the location of our principal place of business, our registered agent or our registered office; 

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

•
a change that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to qualify or continue our qualification as a limited partnership or other entity in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that neither we nor any of our
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subsidiaries will be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed);
•
an amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of our counsel, to prevent us or our general partner or its directors, officers, agents or trustees from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 or "plan asset" regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"), whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed; 

•
an amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the creation, authorization or issuance of additional partnership interests or the right to acquire partnership interests; 

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

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

•
any amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation by us of, or our investment in, any corporation, partnership or other entity, as otherwise permitted by our partnership agreement; 

•
a change in our fiscal year or taxable year and related changes; 

•
conversions into, mergers with or conveyances to another limited liability entity that is newly formed and has no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of the conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it receives by way of the conversion, merger or conveyance; or 

•
any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described in the clauses above.
        In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement, without the approval of any limited partner, if our general partner determines that those amendments:
•
do not adversely affect the limited partners, considered as a whole, or any particular class of partnership interests as compared to other classes of partnership interests in any material respect; 

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

•
are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of limited partner interests or to comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any securities exchange on which the limited partner interests are or will be listed for trading; 

•
are necessary or appropriate for any action taken by our general partner relating to splits or combinations of units under the provisions of our partnership agreement; or 

•
are required to effect the intent expressed in this prospectus or the intent of the provisions of our partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by our partnership agreement.
 Opinion of Counsel and Unitholder Approval
        Any amendment that our general partner determines adversely affects in any material respect one or more particular classes of limited partners, and is not permitted to be adopted by our general partner without limited partner approval, will require the approval of at least a majority of the class or
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classes so affected, but no vote will be required by any class or classes of limited partners that our general partner determines are not adversely affected in any material respect. Any such amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any such amendment that would reduce the voting percentage required to take any action other than to remove the general partner or call a meeting of unitholders is required to be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced. Any such amendment that would increase the percentage of units required to remove the general partner or call a meeting of unitholders must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the percentage sought to be increased. For amendments of the type not requiring unitholder approval, our general partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will neither result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners nor result in our being treated as a taxable entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments. No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class, unless we first obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners.
 Merger, Consolidation, Conversion, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets
        A merger, consolidation or conversion of us requires the prior consent of our general partner. However, our general partner will have no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in the best interest of us or the limited partners.
        In addition, our partnership agreement generally prohibits our general partner, without the prior approval of the holders of a unit majority, from causing us to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation or other combination. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without such approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without such approval. Finally, our general partner may consummate any merger without the prior approval of our unitholders if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters, the transaction would not result in a material amendment to the partnership agreement (other than an amendment that the general partner could adopt without the consent of other partners), each of our units will be an identical unit of our partnership following the transaction and the partnership interests to be issued do not exceed 20% of our outstanding partnership interests (other than incentive distribution rights) immediately prior to the transaction.
        If the conditions specified in our partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner may convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey all of our assets to, a newly formed entity, if the sole purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity, we have received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters and the governing instruments of the new entity provide the limited partners and our general partner with the same rights and obligations as contained in our partnership agreement. Our unitholders are not entitled to dissenters' rights of appraisal under our partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets or any other similar transaction or event.
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 Dissolution
        We will continue as a limited partnership until dissolved under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:
•
the election of our general partner to dissolve us, if approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority; 

•
there being no limited partners, unless we are continued without dissolution in accordance with applicable Delaware law; 

•
the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of our partnership; or 

•
the withdrawal or removal of our general partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be our general partner other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with our partnership agreement or its withdrawal or removal following the approval and admission of a successor.
        Upon a dissolution under the last clause above, the holders of a unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement by appointing as a successor general partner an entity approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that:
•
the action would not result in the loss of limited liability under Delaware law of any limited partner; and 

•
neither our partnership nor any of our subsidiaries would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of that right to continue (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).
 Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
        Upon our dissolution, unless our business is continued, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner that are necessary or appropriate, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as described in "How We Make Distributions To Our Partners—Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation." The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners.
 Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner
        Our general partner may withdraw as general partner in compliance with our partnership agreement after giving 90 days' written notice to our unitholders.
        Upon withdrawal of our general partner under any circumstances, other than as a result of a transfer by our general partner of all or a part of its general partner interest in us, the holders of a unit majority may select a successor to that withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within a specified period after that withdrawal the holders of a unit majority agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner. Please read "—Dissolution."
        Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is for cause and is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 66 2 / 3 % of the outstanding units, voting together as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the
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approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, voting as a class. The ownership of more than 33 1 / 3 % of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates gives them the ability to prevent our general partner's removal. Before giving effect to this offering, Antero owns approximately 58.3% of our outstanding units.
        In the event of the removal of our general partner or withdrawal of our general partner where that withdrawal violates our partnership agreement, a successor general partner will have the option to purchase the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights of the departing general partner and its affiliates for a cash payment equal to the fair market value of those interests. Under all other circumstances where our general partner withdraws, the departing general partner will have the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest and the incentive distribution rights of the departing general partner and its affiliates for fair market value. In each case, this fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing general partner and the successor general partner. If no agreement is reached, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the departing general partner and the successor general partner will determine the fair market value. Or, if the departing general partner and the successor general partner cannot agree upon an expert, then an expert chosen by agreement of the experts selected by each of them will determine the fair market value.
        If the option described above is not exercised by either the departing general partner or the successor general partner, the departing general partner's general partner interest and all its and its affiliates' incentive distribution rights will automatically convert into common units equal to the fair market value of those interests as determined by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected in the manner described in the preceding paragraph.
        In addition, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due the departing general partner, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred as a result of the termination of any employees employed for our benefit by the departing general partner or its affiliates.
 Transfer of General Partner Interest
        At any time, our general partner may transfer all or any of its general partner interest to another person without the approval of our common unitholders. As a condition of this transfer, the transferee must, among other things, assume the rights and duties of our general partner, agree to be bound by the provisions of our partnership agreement and furnish an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters.
 Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner
        At any time, the owner of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part of its ownership interests in our general partner to an affiliate or third party without the approval of our unitholders.
 Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights
        By transfer of incentive distribution rights in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of incentive distribution rights will be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the incentive distribution rights transferred when such transfer and admission is reflected in our books and records. Each transferee:
•
represents that the transferee has the capacity, power and authority to become bound by our partnership agreement; 

•
automatically becomes bound by the terms and conditions of our partnership agreement; and
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•
gives the consents, waivers and approvals contained in our partnership agreement, such as the approval of all transactions and agreements we entered into in connection with our formation and our IPO.
        Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.
        We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of incentive distribution rights as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder's rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.
        Incentive distribution rights are securities and any transfers are subject to the laws governing transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to become a limited partner for the transferred incentive distribution rights.
        Until an incentive distribution right has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit or right as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law.
 Change of Management Provisions
        Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove Antero Midstream Partners GP LLC as our general partner or from otherwise changing our management. Please read "—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner" for a discussion of certain consequences of the removal of our general partner. If any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group that acquires the units from our general partner or its affiliates or any transferees of that person or group who are notified by our general partner that they will not lose their voting rights or to any person or group who acquires the units with the prior approval of the board of directors of our general partner. Please read "—Meetings; Voting."
 Limited Call Right
        If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80% of the then-issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the limited partner interests of the class held by unaffiliated persons, as of a record date to be selected by our general partner, on at least 10, but not more than 60, days' notice.
        The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:
•
the highest price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for any limited partner interests of the class purchased within the 90 days preceding the date on which our general partner first mails notice of its election to purchase those limited partner interests; and 

•
the average of the daily closing prices of the partnership securities of such class over the 20 trading days preceding the date that is three days before the date the notice is mailed.
        As a result of our general partner's right to purchase outstanding limited partner interests, a holder of limited partner interests may have his limited partner interests purchased at an undesirable time or at a price that may be lower than market prices at various times prior to such purchase or lower than a unitholder may anticipate the market price to be in the future. The tax consequences to a unitholder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unitholder of his common units in the market. Please read "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Disposition of Units."
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 Non-Taxpaying Holders; Redemption
        To avoid any adverse effect on the maximum applicable rates chargeable to customers by us or any of our future subsidiaries, or in order to reverse an adverse determination that has occurred regarding such maximum rate, our partnership agreement provides our general partner the power to amend our partnership agreement. If our general partner, with the advice of counsel, determines that our not being treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes, coupled with the tax status (or lack of proof thereof) of one or more of our limited partners (or their owners, to the extent relevant), has, or is reasonably likely to have, a material adverse effect on the maximum applicable rates chargeable to customers by us or our subsidiaries, then our general partner may adopt such amendments to our partnership agreement as it determines necessary or advisable to:
•
obtain proof of the federal income tax status of our limited partners (and their owners, to the extent relevant); and 

•
permit us to redeem the units held by any person whose tax status has or is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the maximum applicable rates or who fails to comply with the procedures instituted by our general partner to obtain proof of such person's federal income tax status. The redemption price in the case of such a redemption will be the average of the daily closing prices per unit for the 20 consecutive trading days immediately prior to the date set for redemption.
 Non-Citizen Assignees; Redemption
        If our general partner, with the advice of counsel, determines we are subject to federal, state or local laws or regulations that, in the reasonable determination of our general partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property that we have an interest in because of the nationality, citizenship or other related status of any limited partner (or its owners, to the extent relevant), then our general partner may adopt such amendments to our partnership agreement as it determines necessary or advisable to:
•
obtain proof of the nationality, citizenship or other related status of our limited partners (or their owners, to the extent relevant); and 

•
permit us to redeem the units held by any person whose nationality, citizenship or other related status creates substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property or who fails to comply with the procedures instituted by the general partner to obtain proof of the nationality, citizenship or other related status. The redemption price in the case of such a redemption will be the average of the daily closing prices per unit for the 20 consecutive trading days immediately prior to the date set for redemption.
 Meetings; Voting
        Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, record holders of units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited.
        Our general partner does not anticipate that any meeting of our unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the unitholders may be taken either at a meeting of the unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of the unitholders may be called by our general partner or by unitholders owning at least 20% of the outstanding units of the class for which a meeting is proposed. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units
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of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum, unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage. Our general partner may postpone any meeting of unitholders one or more times for any reason by giving notice to the unitholders entitled to vote at such meeting. Our general partner may also adjourn any meeting of unitholders one or more times for any reason, including the absence of a quorum, without a vote of the unitholders.
        Each record holder of a unit has a vote according to his percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Please read "—Issuance of Additional Interests." However, if at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of our general partner or its affiliates and purchasers specifically approved by our general partner, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the units may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes. Common units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise.
        Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record common unitholders under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.
 Voting Rights of Incentive Distribution Rights
        If a majority of the incentive distribution rights are held by our general partner and its affiliates, the holders of the incentive distribution rights will have no right to vote in respect of such rights on any matter, unless otherwise required by law, and the holders of the incentive distribution rights shall be deemed to have approved any matter approved by our general partner.
        If less than a majority of the incentive distribution rights are held by our general partner and its affiliates, the incentive distribution rights will be entitled to vote on all matters submitted to a vote of unitholders, other than amendments and other matters that our general partner determines do not adversely affect the holders of the incentive distribution rights in any material respect. On any matter in which the holders of incentive distribution rights are entitled to vote, such holders will vote together with the common units as a single class, and such incentive distribution rights shall be treated in all respects as common units when sending notices of a meeting of our limited partners to vote on any matter (unless otherwise required by law), calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes under our partnership agreement. The relative voting power of the holders of the incentive distribution rights and common units will be set in the same proportion as cumulative cash distributions, if any, in respect of the incentive distribution rights for the four consecutive quarters prior to the record date for the vote bears to the cumulative cash distributions in respect of such class of units for such four quarters.
 Status as Limited Partner
        By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission are reflected in our books and records. Except as described under "—Limited Liability," the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions.
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 Indemnification
        Under our partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:
•
our general partner; 

•
any departing general partner; 

•
any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partner or any departing general partner; 

•
any person who is or was a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of our partnership, our subsidiaries, our general partner, any departing general partner or any of their affiliates; 

•
any person who is or was serving as a manager, managing member, general partner, director, officer, employee, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another person owing a fiduciary duty to us or our subsidiaries; 

•
any person who controls our general partner or any departing general partner; and 

•
any person designated by our general partner.
        Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless our general partner otherwise agrees, it will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our partnership agreement.
 Reimbursement of Expenses
        Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our general partner in connection with operating our business. Our partnership agreement does not set a limit on the amount of expenses for which our general partner and its affiliates may be reimbursed. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. Our general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.
 Books and Reports
        Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books of our business at our principal offices. These books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.
        We will furnish or make available to record holders of our common units, within 105 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 50 days after the close of each quarter. We will be deemed to have made any such report available if we file such report with the SEC on EDGAR or make the report available on a publicly available website that we maintain.
        We will furnish each record holder with information reasonably required for federal and state tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is expected to be furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be
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avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to our unitholders will depend on their cooperation in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining his federal and state tax liability and in filing his federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with the necessary information.
 Right to Inspect Our Books and Records
        Our partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:
•
a current list of the name and last known address of each record holder; and 

•
copies of our partnership agreement, our certificate of limited partnership, related amendments and powers of attorney under which they have been executed.
        Under our partnership agreement, however, each of our limited partners and other persons who acquire interests in our partnership interests, do not have rights to receive information from us or any of the persons we indemnify as described above under "—Indemnification" for the purpose of determining whether to pursue litigation or assist in pending litigation against us or those indemnified persons relating to our affairs, except pursuant to the applicable rules of discovery relating to the litigation commenced by the person seeking information.
        Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our general partner determines is not in our best interests or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential. Our partnership agreement limits the rights to information that a limited partner would otherwise have under Delaware law.
 Registration Rights
        Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws any common units or other limited partner interests proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates or their assignees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available. These registration rights continue for two years following any withdrawal or removal of our general partner. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts.
        In addition, in connection with the completion of our IPO, we entered into a registration rights agreement with Antero. Pursuant to the registration rights agreement, we are required to file a registration statement to register the common units issued to Antero upon request of Antero. Pursuant to the registration rights agreement and our partnership agreement, we may be required to undertake a future public or private offering and use the proceeds (net of underwriting or placement agency discounts, fees and commissions, as applicable) to redeem an equal number of common units from them. In addition, the registration rights agreement gives Antero "piggyback" registration rights under certain circumstances. The registration rights agreement also includes provisions dealing with holdback agreements, indemnification and contribution and allocation of expenses. These registration rights are transferable to affiliates of Antero and, in certain circumstances, to third parties.
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 MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
        This section summarizes the material federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders and is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), existing and proposed Treasury Regulations thereunder (the "Treasury Regulations"), and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Changes in these authorities may cause the federal income tax consequences to a prospective unitholder to vary substantially from those described below, possibly on a retroactive basis. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to "we" or "us" are references to Antero Midstream Partners LP and its subsidiaries.
        Legal conclusions contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and are based on the accuracy of representations made by us to them for this purpose. However, this section does not address all federal income tax matters that affect us or our unitholders, such as the application of the alternative minimum tax . This section also does not address local taxes, state taxes, non-U.S. taxes, or other taxes that may be applicable, except to the limited extent that such tax considerations are addressed below under "—State Local and Other Tax Considerations." Furthermore, this section focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States (for federal income tax purposes), who have the U.S. dollar as their functional currency, who use the calendar year as their taxable year, and who hold units as capital assets (generally, property that is held for investment). This section has limited applicability to corporations, partnerships, (including entities treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes), estates, trusts, non-resident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, non-U.S. persons, individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"), employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts or mutual funds. Accordingly, we encourage each unitholder to consult the unitholder's own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences particular to that unitholder resulting from ownership or disposition of units and potential changes in applicable tax laws.
        We have requested and received a private letter ruling from the IRS to the effect that certain of our income constitutes qualifying income, as described further below. In addition, we are relying on opinions and advice of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. with respect to the matters described herein. An opinion of counsel represents only that counsel's best legal judgment and does not bind the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") or a court. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any such contest of the matters described herein may materially and adversely impact the market for units and the prices at which our units trade. In addition, our costs of any contest with the IRS will be borne indirectly by our unitholders because the costs will reduce our cash available for distribution. Furthermore, the tax consequences of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions, which may be retroactively applied.
        For the reasons described below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following federal income tax issues:
•
the treatment of a unitholder whose units are the subject of a securities loan (e.g., a loan to a short seller to cover a short sale of units) (please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction—Treatment of Securities Loans"); 

•
whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read "—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees"); and 

•
whether our method for taking into account Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction—Section 754 Election" and "—Uniformity of Units").
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 Taxation of the Partnership
 Partnership Status
        We expect to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, subject to the discussion below under "—Administrative Matters—Information Returns and Audit Procedures," generally will not be liable for entity-level federal income taxes. Instead, as described below, each of our unitholders will take into account its respective share of our items of income, gain, loss and deduction in computing its federal income tax liability as if the unitholder had earned such income directly, even if we make no cash distributions to the unitholder. Distributions we make to a unitholder will not give rise to income or gain taxable to such unitholder, unless the amount of cash distributed exceeds the unitholder's adjusted tax basis in its units. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Distributions" and "—Disposition of Units").
        Section 7704 of the Code generally provides that publicly-traded partnerships will be treated as corporations for federal income tax purposes. However, if 90% or more of a partnership's gross income for every taxable year it is publicly-traded consists of "qualifying income," the partnership may continue to be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes (the "Qualifying Income Exception"). Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the exploration, development, production, transportation, storage, processing and marketing of certain natural resources, including crude oil, natural gas and products thereof, as well as other types of income such as interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 2% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time.
        Based upon factual representations made by us and our general partner, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that we will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and each of our limited liability company subsidiaries will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied in rendering its opinion include, without limitation:
        (a)   Neither we nor any of our limited liability company subsidiaries has elected or will elect to be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes; and
        (b)   For each taxable year since and including the year of our initial public offering, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income of a character that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined is "qualifying income" within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code.
        We believe that these representations are true and will be true in the future.
        If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as transferring all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation and then as distributing that stock to our unitholders in liquidation. This deemed contribution and liquidation should not result in the recognition of taxable income by our unitholders or us so long as our liabilities do not exceed the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.
        The present federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our common units may be modified by administrative or legislative action or judicial interpretation at any time. For example, from time to time, members of the U.S. Congress and the
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President propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships, including the elimination of the Qualifying Income Exception upon which we rely for our treatment as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
        In addition, on January 24, 2017, final regulations regarding which activities give rise to qualifying income (the "Final Regulations") were published in the Federal Register. The Final Regulations are effective as of January 19, 2017, and apply to taxable years beginning on or after January 19, 2017. We do not believe the Final Regulations affect our ability to qualify as a publicly traded partnership.
        At the state level, several states have been evaluating ways to subject partnerships to entity-level taxation through the imposition of state income, franchise, or other forms of taxation. Imposition of a similar tax on us in the jurisdictions in which we operate or in other jurisdictions to which we may expand could substantially reduce our cash available for distribution to our unitholders.
        It is possible that a change in law could affect us and may be applied retroactively. Any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our units. If for any reason we are taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be taken into account by us in determining the amount of our liability for federal income tax, rather than being passed through to our unitholders. Our taxation as a corporation would materially reduce the cash available for distribution to unitholders and thus would likely substantially reduce the value of our units. Any distribution made to a unitholder at a time we are treated as a corporation would be (i) a taxable dividend to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, then (ii) a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the unitholder's tax basis in its units, and thereafter (iii) taxable capital gain.
        The remainder of this discussion is based on the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. that we will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
 Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership
 Limited Partner Status
        Unitholders who are admitted as limited partners of the partnership, as well as unitholders whose units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of units, will be treated as partners of the partnership for federal income tax purposes. For a discussion related to the risks of losing partner status as a result of securities loans, please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction—Treatment of Securities Loans." Unitholders who are not treated as partners in us as described above are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences applicable to them under their particular circumstances.
 Flow-Through of Taxable Income
        Subject to the discussion below under "—Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes" and "—Administrative Matters—Information Returns and Audit Procedures" with respect to payments we may be required to make on behalf of our unitholders, we will not pay any federal income tax. Rather, each unitholder will be required to report on its federal income tax return each year its share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year or years ending with or within its taxable year. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if that unitholder has not received a cash distribution.
 Basis of Units
        A unitholder's tax basis in its units initially will be the amount paid for those units increased by the unitholder's initial allocable share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis generally will be
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(i) increased by the unitholder's share of our income and any increases in such unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and (ii) decreased, but not below zero, by the amount of all distributions to the unitholder, the unitholder's share of our losses, and any decreases in the unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities and its share of our expenditures that are neither deductible nor required to be capitalized. The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all of those interests.
 Treatment of Distributions
        Distributions made by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder, unless such distributions exceed the unitholder's tax basis in its units, in which case the unitholder generally will recognize gain taxable in the manner described below under "—Disposition of Units."
        Any reduction in a unitholder's share of our "nonrecourse liabilities" (liabilities for which no partner bears the economic risk of loss) will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that unitholder. A decrease in a unitholder's percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional units may decrease the unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities. For purposes of the foregoing, a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities generally will be based upon that unitholder's share of the unrealized appreciation (or depreciation) in our assets, to the extent thereof, with any excess liabilities allocated based on the unitholder's share of our profits. Please read "—Disposition of Units."
        A non-pro rata distribution of money or property (including a deemed distribution as a result of the reallocation of our liabilities described above) may cause a unitholder to recognize ordinary income, if the distribution reduces the unitholder's share of our "unrealized receivables," including depreciation recapture and substantially appreciated "inventory items," both as defined in Section 751 of the Code ("Section 751 Assets"). To the extent of such reduction, the unitholder would be deemed to receive its proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and exchange such assets with us in return for a portion of the non-pro rata distribution. This deemed exchange generally will result in the unitholder's recognition of ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the unitholder's tax basis (generally zero) in the Section 751 Assets deemed to be relinquished in the exchange.
 Limitations on Deductibility of Losses
        A unitholder may not be entitled to deduct the full amount of loss we allocate to it because its share of our losses will be limited to the lesser of (i) the unitholder's tax basis in its units, and (ii) in the case of a unitholder that is an individual, estate, trust or certain types of closely-held corporations, the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be "at risk" with respect to our activities. In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of its tax basis in its units, reduced by (1) any portion of that basis attributable to the unitholder's share of our liabilities, (2) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or similar arrangement and (3) any amount of money the unitholder borrows to acquire or hold its units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to another unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholder subject to the at risk limitation must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions (including distributions deemed to result from a reduction in a unitholder's share of nonrecourse liabilities) cause the unitholder's at risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year.
        Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of the basis or at risk limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction in a later year to the extent that the unitholder's tax basis or at risk amount, whichever is the limiting factor, is subsequently increased. Upon a taxable disposition of units, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously
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suspended by the at risk limitation but not losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at risk limitation in excess of that gain can no longer be used, and will not be available to offset a unitholder's salary or active business income.
        In addition to the basis and at risk limitations, a passive activity loss limitation generally limits the deductibility of losses incurred by individuals, estates, trusts, some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations from "passive activities" (generally, trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate). The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly-traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will be available to offset only passive income generated by us. Passive losses that exceed a unitholder's share of passive income we generate may be deducted in full when the unitholder disposes of all of its units in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss rules generally are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at risk and basis limitations.
 Limitations on Interest Deductions
        The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer's "investment interest expense" generally is limited to the amount of that taxpayer's "net investment income." Investment interest expense includes:
•
interest on indebtedness allocable to property held for investment; 

•
interest expense allocated against portfolio income; and 

•
the portion of interest expense incurred to purchase or carry an interest in a passive activity to the extent allocable against portfolio income.
        The computation of a unitholder's investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a unit. Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income. Net investment income generally does not include qualified dividend income (if applicable) or gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment. A unitholder's share of a publicly-traded partnership's portfolio income and, according to the IRS, net passive income will be treated as investment income for purposes of the investment interest expense limitation.
 Entity-Level Collections of Unitholder Taxes
        If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax on behalf of any current or former unitholder or our general partner, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution of cash to the relevant unitholder or general partner. Where the tax is payable on behalf of all unitholders or we cannot determine the specific unitholder on whose behalf the tax is payable, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of a unitholder, in which event the unitholder may be entitled to claim a refund of the overpayment amount. Please read "—Administrative Matters—Information Returns and Audit Procedures." Unitholders are urged to consult their tax advisors to determine the consequences to them of any tax payment we make on their behalf.
 Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction
        Our items of income, gain, loss and deduction generally will be allocated amongst our unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that we make incentive distributions, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of these distributions.
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        Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated under Section 704(c) of the Code (or the principles of Section 704(c) of the Code) to account for any difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time such assets are contributed to us and at the time of any subsequent offering of our units (a "Book-Tax Disparity"). As a result, the federal income tax burden associated with any Book-Tax Disparity immediately prior to an offering generally will be borne by our partners holding interests in us prior to such offering. In addition, items of recapture income will be specially allocated to the extent possible to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to that recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by other unitholders.
        An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required by the Code to eliminate a Book-Tax Disparity, will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner's share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has "substantial economic effect." In any other case, a partner's share of an item will be determined on the basis of the partner's interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including (i) the partner's relative contributions to us, (ii) the interests of all the partners in profits and losses, (iii) the interest of all the partners in cash flow and (iv) the rights of all the partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in "—Section 754 Election" and "—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees," allocations of income, gain, loss or deduction under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes.
 Treatment of Securities Loans
        A unitholder whose units are loaned (for example, a loan to "short seller" to cover a short sale of units) may be treated as having disposed of those units. If so, such unitholder would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period (i) any of our income, gain, loss or deduction allocated to those units would not be reportable by the lending unitholder, and (ii) any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units may be treated as ordinary taxable income.
        Due to a lack of controlling authority, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder that enters into a securities loan with respect to its units. Unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of income recognition from a loan of their units are urged to consult their own tax advisors and to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing and lending their units. The IRS has announced that it is studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."
 Tax Rates
        Under current law, the highest marginal federal income tax rates for individuals applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains (generally, gains from the sale or exchange of certain investment assets held for more than one year) are 39.6% and 20%, respectively. These rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.
        In addition, a 3.8% net investment income tax ("NIIT") applies to certain net investment income earned by individuals, estates, and trusts. For these purposes, net investment income generally includes a unitholder's allocable share of our income and gain realized by a unitholder from a sale of units. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) the unitholder's net investment income from all investments, or (ii) the amount by which the unitholder's modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000
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(if married filing separately) or $200,000 (if the unitholder is unmarried or in any other case). In the case of an estate or trust, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (i) undistributed net investment income, or (ii) the excess adjusted gross income over the dollar amount at which the highest income tax bracket applicable to an estate or trust begins.
 Section 754 Election
        We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Code that permits us to adjust the tax bases in our assets as to specific purchasers of our units under Section 743(b) of the Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. The Section 743(b) adjustment separately applies to each purchaser of units based upon the values and bases of our assets at the time of the relevant purchase, and the adjustment will reflect the purchase price paid. The Section 743(b) adjustment does not apply to a person who purchases units directly from us.
        Under our partnership agreement, we are authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of units even if that position is not consistent with applicable Treasury Regulations. A literal application of Treasury Regulations governing a 743(b) adjustment attributable to properties depreciable under Section 167 of the Code may give rise to differences in the taxation of unitholders purchasing units from us and unitholders purchasing from other unitholders. If we have any such properties, we intend to adopt methods employed by other publicly traded partnerships to preserve the uniformity of units, even if inconsistent with existing Treasury Regulations, and Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not opined on the validity of this approach. Please read "—Uniformity of Units."
        The IRS may challenge our positions with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we take to preserve the uniformity of units due to lack of controlling authority. Because a unitholder's tax basis for its units is reduced by its share of our items of deduction or loss, any position we take that understates deductions will overstate a unitholder's basis in its units, and may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss." If a challenge to such treatment were sustained, the gain from the sale of units may be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
        The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and will be made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment we allocated to our assets subject to depreciation to goodwill or nondepreciable assets. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure any unitholder that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS or that the resulting deductions will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different tax basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of units may be allocated more income than it would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.
 Tax Treatment of Operations
 Accounting Method and Taxable Year
        We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in its tax return its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for each taxable year ending within or with its taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of its units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of its taxable year must include its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for its taxable year, with the result that it will be required to include in income for its taxable year its share of more than one year of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees."
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 Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization
        The tax basis of our assets will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of those assets. If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation deductions previously taken, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of its interest in us. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction."
        The costs we incur in offering and selling our units (called "syndication expenses") must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon our termination. While there are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us, the underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses. Please read "Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss."
 Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties
        The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values and the tax bases of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates and tax basis determinations ourselves. These estimates and determinations of tax basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deduction previously reported by unitholders could change, and unitholders could be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.
 Disposition of Units
 Recognition of Gain or Loss
        A unitholder will be required to recognize gain or loss on a sale of units equal to the difference between the unitholder's amount realized and tax basis in the units sold. A unitholder's amount realized generally will equal the sum of the cash and the fair market value of other property it receives plus its share of our nonrecourse liabilities with respect to the units sold. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.
        Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder on the sale or exchange of a unit held for more than one year generally will be taxable as long-term capital gain or loss. However, gain or loss recognized on the disposition of units will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Code to the extent attributable to Section 751 Assets, such as depreciation recapture and our "inventory items," regardless of whether such inventory item is substantially appreciated in value. Ordinary income attributable to Section 751 Assets may exceed net taxable gain realized on the sale of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and capital gain or loss upon a sale of units. Net capital loss may offset capital gains and, in the case of individuals, up to $3,000 of ordinary income per year. Both ordinary income and capital gain recognized may be subject to the NIIT in certain circumstances. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction—Tax Rates."
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        For purposes of calculating gain or loss on the sale of units, the unitholder's adjusted tax basis will be adjusted by its allocable share of our income or loss in respect of its units for the year of the sale. Furthermore, as described above, the IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all of those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an "equitable apportionment" method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner's tax basis in its entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner's entire interest in the partnership.
        Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling discussed in the paragraph above, a unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, it may designate specific units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of the units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of our units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional units or a sale of units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult its tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.
        Specific provisions of the Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an "appreciated" financial position, including a partnership interest with respect to which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, in the event the taxpayer or a related person enters into:
•
a short sale; 

•
an offsetting notional principal contract; or 

•
a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest or substantially identical property.
        Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to issue Treasury Regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.
 Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees
        In general, our taxable income or loss will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month (the "Allocation Date"). However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets or, in the discretion of the general partner, any other extraordinary item of income, gain, loss or deduction will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which such income, gain, loss or deduction is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.
        Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, existing Treasury Regulations do not specifically authorize the use of the proration method we have adopted. Accordingly, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferee
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and transferor unitholders. If the IRS determines that this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations our taxable income or losses could be reallocated among our unitholders. Under our partnership agreement, we are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferee and transferor unitholders, as well as among unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under the Treasury Regulations.
        A unitholder who disposes of units prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to the month of disposition but will not be entitled to receive a cash distribution for that period.
 Notification Requirements
        A unitholder who sells or purchases any of its units is generally required to notify us in writing of that transaction within 30 days after the transaction (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the transaction in the case of a seller). Upon receiving such notifications, we are required to notify the IRS of that transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a transfer of units may, in some cases, lead to the imposition of penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.
 Technical Termination
        We will be considered to have technically terminated our partnership for federal income tax purposes upon the sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of measuring whether the 50% threshold is reached, multiple sales of the same unit are counted only once. A technical termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than the calendar year, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in such unitholder's taxable income for the year of termination.
        A technical termination occurring on a date other than December 31 generally would require that we file two tax returns for one fiscal year thereby increasing our administration and tax preparation costs. However, pursuant to an IRS relief procedure the IRS may allow a technically terminated partnership to provide a single Schedule K-1 for the calendar year in which a termination occurs. Following a technical termination, we would be required to make new tax elections, including a new election under Section 754 of the Code, and the termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation and thus increase the taxable income allocable to unitholders. A technical termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred.
        Moreover, a technical termination may either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the technical termination that would not otherwise have been applied to us as a continuing partnership as opposed to a terminating partnership.
 Uniformity of Units
        Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units and other reasons, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the units to a purchaser of these units. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements. Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the units. Please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction—Section 754 Election."
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        Our partnership agreement permits our general partner to take positions in filing our tax returns that preserve the uniformity of our units. These positions may include reducing the depreciation, amortization or loss deductions to which a unitholder would otherwise be entitled or reporting a slower amortization of Section 743(b) adjustments for some unitholders than that to which they would otherwise be entitled. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine as to the validity of such filing positions.
        A unitholder's basis in units is reduced by its share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individual income tax return) so that any position that we take that understates deductions will overstate the unitholder's basis in its units, and may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss" above and "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction—Section 754 Election" above. The IRS may challenge one or more of any positions we take to preserve the uniformity of units. If such a challenge were sustained, the uniformity of units might be affected, and, under some circumstances, the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
 Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
        Ownership of units by employee benefit plans and other tax-exempt organizations as well as by non-resident alien individuals, non-U.S. corporations and other non-U.S. persons (collectively, "Non-U.S. Unitholders") raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. Prospective unitholders that are tax-exempt entities or Non-U.S. Unitholders should consult their tax advisors before investing in our units.
        Employee benefit plans and most other tax-exempt organizations, including IRAs and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to a tax-exempt unitholder.
        Non-U.S. Unitholders are taxed by the United States on income effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business ("effectively connected income") and on certain types of U.S.-source non-effectively connected income (such as dividends), unless exempted or further limited by an income tax treaty will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of their ownership of our units. Furthermore, is it probable that they will be deemed to conduct such activities through permanent establishments in the United States within the meaning of applicable tax treaties. Consequently, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax on their share of our net income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, distributions to Non-U.S. Unitholders are subject to withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Each Non-U.S. Unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes.
        In addition, because a Non-U.S. Unitholder classified as a corporation will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the U.S. branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation's "U.S. net equity" to the extent reflected in the corporation's effectively connected earnings and profits. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is a "qualified resident." In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Code.
        A Non-U.S. Unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a unit will be subject to federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively
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connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. Unitholder. Although a court recently reviewed the IRS position and rejected it as unpersuasive, under a ruling published by the IRS interpreting the scope of "effectively connected income," gain recognized by a non-U.S. person from the sale of its interest in a partnership that is engaged in a trade or business in the United States will be considered to be effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. Thus, part or all of a Non-U.S. Unitholder's gain from the sale or other disposition of its units may be treated as effectively connected with a unitholder's indirect U.S. trade or business constituted by its investment in us.
        Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, as long as our partnership units continue to be regularly traded on an established securities market, a Non-U.S. Unitholder generally will only be subject to federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a unit if at any time during the shorter of the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition or the Non-U.S. Unitholder's holding period for the unit (i) such Non-U.S. Unitholder owned (directly or indirectly constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our units and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of our real property interests and other assets used or held for use in a trade or business consisted of U.S. real property interests (which include U.S. real estate, including land, improvements, and associated personal property, and interests in certain entities holding U.S. real estate). If our units were not considered to be regularly traded on an established securities market, such Non-U.S. Unitholder (regardless of the percentage of units owned) would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a taxable disposition of our units, and a 15% withholding tax would apply to the gross proceeds from such disposition (as described in the preceding paragraph). More than 50% of our assets may consist of U.S. real property interests. Therefore, each Non-U.S. Unitholder may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of its units.
 Administrative Matters
 Information Returns and Audit Procedures
        We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each taxable year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes its share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each unitholder's share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure our unitholders that those positions will yield a result that conforms to all of the requirements of the Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS.
        The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Neither we nor Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. can assure prospective unitholders that the IRS will not successfully challenge the positions we adopt, and such a challenge could adversely affect the value of the units. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year's tax liability and may result in an audit of the unitholder's own return. Any audit of a unitholder's return could result in adjustments unrelated to our returns.
        Publicly traded partnerships generally are treated as entities separate from their owners for purposes of federal income tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings of the partners. The Code requires that one partner be designated as the "Tax Matters Partner" for these purposes, and our partnership agreement designates our general partner.
        The Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner
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may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review may go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate in that action.
        A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on its federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.
        Pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, if the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns, it may assess and collect any taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment directly from us, unless we elect to have our general partner and unitholders take any audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the taxable year under audit. Similarly, for such taxable years, if the IRS makes audit adjustments to income tax returns filed by an entity in which we are a member or partner, it may assess and collect any taxes (including penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment directly from such entity. Generally, we expect to elect to have our general partner and unitholders take any such audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the taxable year under audit, but there can be no assurance that such election will be effective in all circumstances. With respect to audit adjustments as to an entity in which we are a member or partner, the Joint Committee of Taxation has stated that we would not be able to have our general partner and our unitholders take such audit adjustment into account. If we are unable to have our general partner and our unitholders take such audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the taxable year under audit, our then current unitholders may bear some or all of the tax liability resulting from such audit adjustment, even if such unitholders did not own our units during the taxable year under audit. If, as a result of any such audit adjustment, we are required to make payments of taxes, penalties, and interest, our cash available for distribution to our unitholders might be substantially reduced. These rules are not applicable for taxable years beginning on or prior to December 31, 2017. Congress has proposed changes to the Bipartisan Budget Act, and we anticipate that amendments may be made. Accordingly, the manner in which these rules may apply to us in the future is uncertain.
        Additionally, pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, the Code will no longer require that we designate a Tax Matters Partner. Instead, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, we will be required to designate a partner, or other person, with a substantial presence in the United States as the partnership representative ("Partnership Representative"). The Partnership Representative will have the sole authority to act on our behalf for purposes of, among other things, federal income tax audits and judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS. If we do not make such a designation, the IRS can select any person as the Partnership Representative. We currently anticipate that we will designate our general partner as the Partnership Representative. Further, any actions taken by us or by the Partnership Representative on our behalf with respect to, among other things, federal income tax audits and judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS, will be binding on us and all of the unitholders.
 Additional Withholding Requirements
        Withholding taxes may apply to certain types of payments made to "foreign financial institutions" (as specially defined in the Code) and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on interest, dividends and other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits and income from sources within the United States ("FDAP Income"), or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any property of a type which can produce interest or dividends from
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sources within the United States ("Gross Proceeds") paid to a foreign financial institution or to a "non-financial foreign entity" (as specially defined in the Code), unless (i) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting, (ii) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in clause (i) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on payments to noncompliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States governing these requirements may be subject to different rules.
        These rules generally apply to payments of FDAP Income currently and generally will apply to payments of relevant Gross Proceeds made on or after January 1, 2019. Thus, to the extent we have FDAP Income or we have Gross Proceeds on or after January 1, 2019 that are not treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business (please read "—Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors"), a unitholder who is foreign financial institution or certain other non-U.S. entity, or a person that hold its units through such foreign entities, may be subject to withholding on distributions they receive from us, or its distributive share of our income, pursuant to the rules described above.
 Each prospective unitholder should consult its own tax advisors regarding the potential application of these withholding provisions to its investment in our units.Nominee Reporting
        Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:
        (1)   the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;
        (2)   a statement regarding whether the beneficial owner is:
        (a)   a non-U.S. person;
        (b)   a non-U.S. government, an international organization or any wholly-owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or
        (c)   a tax-exempt entity;
        (3)   the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and
        (4)   specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales.
        Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are U.S. persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $250 per failure, up to a maximum of $3 million per calendar year, is imposed by the Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the units with the information furnished to us.
 Accuracy-Related Penalties
        Certain penalties may be imposed as a result of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial
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understatements of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for the underpayment of that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding the underpayment of that portion. We do not anticipate that any accuracy-related penalties will be assessed against us.
 State, Local and Other Tax Considerations
        In addition to federal income taxes, unitholders may be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangibles taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we conduct business or own property now or in the future or in which the unitholder is a resident. We currently conduct business or own property in Colorado, West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania, each of which imposes a personal income tax on individuals. In addition, we may also own property or do business in other states in the future that impose income or similar taxes on nonresident individuals, corporations and other entities. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on its investment in us.
        Although you may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some jurisdictions because your income from that jurisdiction falls below the filing and payment requirement, you will be required to file income tax returns and to pay income taxes in many of these jurisdictions in which we do business or own property and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. Some of the jurisdictions may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the jurisdiction. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder's income tax liability to the jurisdiction, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Our counsel has not rendered an opinion on the foreign, state or local tax consequences of an investment in our common units.
         It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of his investment in us. We strongly recommend that each prospective unitholder consult, and depend upon, its own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local and non-U.S., as well as U.S. federal tax returns that may be required of it. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state, local, alternative minimum tax or non-U.S. tax consequences of an investment in us.
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 SELLING UNITHOLDER
        All of the common units covered by this prospectus are being sold by Antero Resources Corporation, the selling unitholder. The common units to be sold by the selling unitholder were acquired by the selling unitholder in connection with our corporate reorganization and IPO, in connection with the selling unitholder's contribution of water assets to us on September 23, 2015, both of which were exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act under Section 4(a)(2) thereof, and in the connection with the expiration of the subordination period, pursuant to which the selling unitholder's subordinated units converted to common units on a one-for-one basis. We are registering these securities in order to satisfy our obligations under a registration rights agreement we entered into with the selling unitholder.
        We will pay certain expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, associated with the sale of units by the selling unitholder. In addition, we have agreed to indemnify the selling unitholder against certain liabilities in connection with offerings of the common units.
        Because the selling unitholder is our affiliate, it may be deemed an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and, as a result, may be deemed to be offering securities, indirectly, on our behalf. If Antero Resources Corporation is deemed to be an underwriter, it may be subject to certain statutory liabilities under the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
        The following table sets forth information relating to the selling unitholder based on information supplied to us by the selling unitholder at or prior to the time of the filing of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Assuming that the selling unitholder sells all of the common units owned or beneficially owned by them that are offered by this prospectus and does not acquire any additional common units following this offering, the selling unitholder will not own any common units other than those appearing in the column entitled "Units Owned After Offering." In addition, the selling unitholder may have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, or may sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, at any time and from time to time, common units in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 after the date as of which the information is set forth on the table below.
        The selling unitholder has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,500,000 additional common units. The information in the table below does not give effect to any exercise of the underwriters' option.

 	 	 	 	 	 	Units Owned After
Offering	 	
Selling Unitholder 	 	Common Units
Owned Prior to
Offering	 	Common Units
Being Offered	 	Number
of
Units	 	Percentage	 	
Antero Resources Corporation	 	 	108,870,335	 	 	10,000,000	 	 	98,870,335	 	 	53.0%	1	

1
Based on 186,596,898 common units outstanding as of September 5, 2017.
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 UNDERWRITING
        Barclays Capital Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as joint book-running managers of this offering. Under the terms of an underwriting agreement, which we will file as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K, which will be incorporated by reference in this prospectus, each of the underwriters named below has severally agreed to purchase from us the number of common units shown opposite its name below:

Underwriters 	 	Number of
Common Units	 	
Barclays Capital Inc. 	 	 	 	 	
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC	 	 	 	 	
 ​	​	​ 	​ 	​	
Total	 	 	10,000,000	 	
 ​	​	​ 	​ 	​	
 ​	​	​	​	​	
 ​	​	​ 	​ 	​	
        The underwriting agreement will provide that the underwriters' obligation to purchase common units depends on the satisfaction of the conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, including:
•
the obligation to purchase all of the common units offered hereby (other than those common units covered by its option to purchase additional common units as described below), if any of the common units are purchased; 

•
the representations and warranties made by us and the selling unitholder to the underwriters being true; 

•
there having been no material change in our business or the financial markets; and 

•
our and the selling unitholder's delivery of customary closing documents to the underwriters.
 Commissions and Expenses
        The following table summarizes the underwriting discounts and commissions the selling unitholder will pay to the underwriters. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional units. The underwriting fee is the difference between the price to the public and the amount the underwriters pay to the selling unitholder for the units.

 	 	Paid by the Selling Unitholder	 	
 	 	No Exercise	 	Full Exercise	 	
Per unit	 	 $	                  	 	 $	                  	 	
Total	 	 $	 	 	 $	 	 	
        The underwriters have advised us that they propose to offer the common units directly to the public at the public offering price on the cover page of this prospectus and to selected dealers at such offering price less a selling concession not in excess of $          per unit. After this offering, the underwriters may change the offering price and other selling terms. Sales of units made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.
        We have agreed to pay expenses incurred by the selling unitholder in connection with this offering, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions. The expenses of this offering that are payable by us are estimated to be approximately $600,000.
 Option to Purchase Additional Common Units
        The selling unitholder has granted the underwriters an option exercisable for 30 days after the date of this prospectus, to purchase, from time to time, in whole or in part, up to an aggregate of 1,500,000
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common units from the selling unitholder at the public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions.
 Lock-Up Agreements
        We and the selling unitholder, have agreed that, subject to certain exceptions, without the prior written consent of Barclays Capital Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, we and it will not directly or indirectly, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any common units (other than common units issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified stock option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the date of this prospectus or described herein) or sell or grant options, rights or warrants with respect to any common units, (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of the common units, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or clause (2) is to be settled by delivery of the common units or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) file or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any common units or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into common units or any of our other securities (other than any registration statement on Form S-8), or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing for a period of 60 days after the date of this prospectus.
        Barclays Capital Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, in their sole discretion, may release the common units and other securities subject to the lock-up agreements described above in whole or in part at any time with or without notice. When determining whether or not to release common units and other securities from lock-up agreements, Barclays Capital Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC will consider, among other factors, the holder's reasons for requesting the release, the number of common units and other securities for which the release is being requested and market conditions at the time.
 Indemnification
        We and the selling unitholder have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make for these liabilities.
 Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids
        The underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, short sales and purchases to cover positions created by short sales, and penalty bids or purchases for the purpose of pegging, fixing or maintaining the price of the common units, in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
•
Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. 

•
A short position involves a sale by the underwriters of common units in excess of the number of common units the underwriters are obligated to purchase in this offering, which creates the syndicate short position. This short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of common units involved in the sales made by the underwriters in excess of the number of common units it is obligated to purchase is not greater than the number of common units that it may purchase by exercising its option to purchase additional common units. In a naked short position, the number of common units involved is greater than the number of common units in its option to purchase additional common units. The underwriters may close out any short position by either exercising its option to purchase additional common units and/or purchasing common units in the open market. In
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determining the source of common units to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of common units available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which it may purchase common units through its option to purchase additional common units. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the common units in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in this offering.
•
Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the common units in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. 

•
Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the common units originally sold by the syndicate member are purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.
        These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common units or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common units. As a result, the price of the common units may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. These transactions may be effected on the NYSE or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
        Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the direction or magnitude of any effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of the common units. In addition, neither we nor the underwriters make any representation that the underwriters will engage in these stabilizing transactions or that any transaction, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.
 Electronic Distribution
        A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the Internet sites or through other online services maintained by the underwriters, or by their respective affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree to allocate a specific number of common units for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such allocation for online distributions will be made by the underwriters on the same basis as other allocations.
        Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on any underwriter's web site and any information contained in any other web site maintained by the underwriters is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the underwriters in their capacity as underwriter and should not be relied upon by investors.
 New York Stock Exchange
        Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AM."
 Stamp Taxes
        If you purchase common units offered in this prospectus, you may be required to pay stamp taxes and other charges under the laws and practices of the country of purchase, in addition to the offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus.
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 Direct Participation Program Requirement
        Because the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. views our common units as interests in a direct participation program, any offering of common units under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part will be made in compliance with Rule 2310 of the FINRA Rules.
 Other Relationships
        The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities.
        The underwriters and their respective affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various financial advisory and investment banking services for us, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses. In particular, affiliates of Barclays Capital Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are lenders under our credit facility.
        In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments, including serving as counterparties to certain derivative and hedging arrangements, and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of us. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.
 Selling Restrictions
 Hong Kong
        The common units offered hereby may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (a) to "professional investors" as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made under that Ordinance, or (b) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a "prospectus" as defined in the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance. No advertisement, invitation or document relating to the common units offered hereby may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of the issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to the common units offered hereby which are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to "professional investors" as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) or any rules made under that Ordinance.
 People's Republic of China
        The common units may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly in the People's Republic of China, or the PRC (which, for such purposes, does not include the Hong Kong or Macau Special Administrative Regions or Taiwan), except pursuant to applicable laws and regulations of the PRC. Neither this prospectus nor any material or information contained herein relating to the common units, which have not been and will not be submitted to or approved/verified by or registered with the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or CSRC, or other relevant governmental authorities in the PRC pursuant to relevant laws and regulations, may be supplied to the public in the PRC or used in
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connection with any offer for the subscription or sale of the common units in the PRC. The material or information contained herein relating to the common units does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the PRC. The common units may only be offered or sold to the PRC investors that are authorized to engage in the purchase of securities of the type being offered or sold. PRC investors are responsible for obtaining all relevant government regulatory approvals/licenses, verification and/or registrations themselves, including, but not limited to, any which may be required from the CSRC, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange and/or the China Banking Regulatory Commission, and complying with all relevant PRC regulations, including, but not limited to, all relevant foreign exchange regulations and/or foreign investment regulations.
 Japan
        The common units offered in this prospectus have not been registered under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan. The common units have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the account of any resident of Japan, except (i) pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities and Exchange Law and (ii) in compliance with any other applicable requirements of Japanese law.
 Singapore
        This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the common units offered hereby may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the common units be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Future Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore, which we refer to as the SFA, (ii) to a "relevant person" as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275 (1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
        Where the common units offered hereby are subscribed and purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:
(a)
a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or

(b)
a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) whose sole whole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries' rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares under Section 275 of the SFA except (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA; (ii) (in the case of a corporation) where the transfer arises from an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) of the SFA, or (in the case of a trust) where the transfer arises from an offer that is made on terms that such rights or interests are acquired at a consideration of not less than $200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction, whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets; (iii) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; or (iv) where the transfer is by operation of law.
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        By accepting this prospectus, the recipient hereof represents and warrants that he is entitled to receive it in accordance with the restrictions set forth above and agrees to be bound by limitations contained herein. Any failure to comply with these limitations may constitute a violation of law.
 Australia
        No prospectus or other disclosure document (as defined in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) of Australia, or the Corporations Act) in relation to the common units has been or will be lodged with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, or ASIC. This document has not been lodged with ASIC and is only directed to certain categories of exempt persons. Accordingly, if you receive this document in Australia:
        (a)   you confirm and warrant that you are either:
          (i)  a "sophisticated investor" under section 708(8)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act;
         (ii)  a "sophisticated investor" under section 708(8)(c) or (d) of the Corporations Act and that you have provided an accountant's certificate to us which complies with the requirements of section 708(8)(c)(i) or (ii) of the Corporations Act and related regulations before the offer has been made;
        (iii)  a person associated with the company under section 708(12) of the Corporations Act; or
        (iv)  a "professional investor" within the meaning of section 708(11)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act, and to the extent that you are unable to confirm or warrant that you are an exempt sophisticated investor, associated person or professional investor under the Corporations Act any offer made to you under this document is void and incapable of acceptance; and
        (b)   you warrant and agree that you will not offer any of the common units for resale in Australia within 12 months of the common units being sold unless any such resale offer is exempt from the requirement to issue a disclosure document under section 708 of the Corporations Act.
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 LEGAL MATTERS
        The validity of our common units will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas. Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for the underwriters by Latham & Watkins LLP, Houston, Texas.

 EXPERTS
        The combined consolidated financial statements of Antero Midstream Partners LP as of December 31, 2015 and 2016, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2016, and management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016 have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. The audit report covering the December 31, 2016 combined consolidated financial statements contains an explanatory paragraph that states that the combined consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, partners' capital and cash flows for 2014 and the combined consolidated balance sheets, and the related combined consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, partners' capital and cash flows for 2015 have been prepared on a combined basis of accounting.
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Antero Midstream Partners LP
10,000,000 Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
Barclays
Wells Fargo Securities

Prospectus
                  , 2017

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 PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS
ITEM 14.    OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
        Set forth below are the expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions) expected to be incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities registered hereby. With the exception of the SEC registration fee, the amounts set forth below are estimates.

SEC registration fee	 	 $	 	*	
FINRA filing fee	 	 	225,500	 	
Accountants' fees and expenses	 	 	75,000	 	
Legal fees and expenses	 	 	200,000	 	
Printing and engraving expenses	 	 	50,000	 	
Miscellaneous	 	 	 	**	
 ​	​	​ 	​ 	​	
Total	 	 $	 	**	
 ​	​	​ 	​ 	​	
 ​	​	​	​	​	
 ​	​	​ 	​ 	​	

*
The registrant is deferring payment of the registration fee in reliance on Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r).

**
These fees are calculated based on the number of common units offered and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time.
ITEM 15.    INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
        Subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions set forth in the partnership agreement, Section 17-108 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other persons from and against all claims and demands whatsoever. The section of the prospectus entitled "The Partnership Agreement—Indemnification" discloses that we generally indemnify officers, directors and affiliates of the general partner to the fullest extent permitted by the law against all losses, claims, damages or similar events and is incorporated herein by this reference.
        Our general partner has purchased insurance covering its officers and directors against liabilities asserted and expenses incurred in connection with their activities as officers and directors of the general partner or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries.
ITEM 16.    EXHIBITS.
        (a)   The following documents are filed as exhibits to this Registration Statement.

Exhibit
Number 	 	Description of Exhibit	
 	1.1	**	Underwriting Agreement.	
 	  	 	 	
 	4.1	 	Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 10, 2014, by and among Antero Midstream Partners LP and Antero Resources Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to Current Report on Form 8-K (Commission File No. 001-36719) filed on November 17, 2014).	
 	  	 	 	
 	5.1	*	Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered.	
 	  	 	 	
 	8.1	*	Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. relating to tax matters.	
 		 	 	
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Exhibit
Number 	 	Description of Exhibit	
 	23.1	*	Consent of KPMG LLP.	
 	  	 	 	
 	23.2	*	Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibit 5.1).	
 	  	 	 	
 	23.3	*	Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibit 8.1).	
 	  	 	 	
 	24.1	*	Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this registration statement).	

*
Provided herewith.

**
To be filed as an exhibit to a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or in a post-effective amendment to this registration statement.
ITEM 17.    UNDERTAKINGS.
        The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
        1.     That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
        2.     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
        3.     a.    For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
        b.     For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
        4.     That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications,
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the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
        a.     Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
        b.     Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;
        c.     The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and
        d.     Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.
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 INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit
Number 	 	Description of Exhibit	
 	1.1	**	Underwriting Agreement.	

4.1	
 	
Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 10, 2014, by and among Antero Midstream Partners LP and Antero Resources Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to Current Report on Form 8-K (Commission File No. 001-36719) filed on November 17, 2014).	

5.1	
*	
Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered.	

8.1	
*	
Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. relating to tax matters.	

23.1	
*	
Consent of KPMG LLP.	

23.2	
*	
Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibit 5.1).	

23.3	
*	
Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibit 8.1).	

24.1	
*	
Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this registration statement).	

*
Provided herewith.

**
To be filed as an exhibit to a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or in a post-effective amendment to this registration statement.
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 SIGNATURES
        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Denver, State of Colorado, on September 6, 2017.

	 	Antero Midstream Partners LP	
	 	By:	 	Antero Midstream Partners GP LLC,
its general partner	
	 	By:	 	/s/ MICHAEL N. KENNEDY
	
	 	 	 	Name:	 	Michael N. Kennedy	
	 	 	 	Title:	 	Senior Vice President—Finance and Chief Financial Officer	
        Each person whose signature appears below appoints Paul M. Rady, Glen C. Warren, Jr. and Michael N. Kennedy, and each of them, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and any Registration Statement (including any amendment thereto) for this offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or would do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and the dates indicated.

Signature 	 	Title 	 	Date 	

 	

 	
/s/ PAUL M. RADY

Paul M. Rady	 	Chairman of the Board, Director and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer)	 	September 6, 2017	

/s/ MICHAEL N. KENNEDY

Michael N. Kennedy	
 	
Senior Vice President—Finance and Chief Financial Officer (principal financial officer)	
 	
September 6, 2017	

/s/ K. PHIL YOO

K. Phil Yoo	
 	
Vice President—Accounting, Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller (principal accounting officer)	
 	
September 6, 2017	

/s/ GLEN C. WARREN, JR.

Glen C. Warren, Jr.	
 	
Director, President, and Secretary	
 	
September 6, 2017	
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Signature 	 	Title 	 	Date 	

 	

 	
/s/ RICHARD W. CONNOR

Richard W. Connor	 	Director	 	September 6, 2017	

/s/ PETER R. KAGAN

Peter R. Kagan	
 	
Director	
 	
September 6, 2017	

/s/ W. HOWARD KEENAN, JR.

W. Howard Keenan, Jr.	
 	
Director	
 	
September 6, 2017	

/s/ JOHN C. MOLLENKOPF

John C. Mollenkopf	
 	
Director	
 	
September 6, 2017	

/s/ DAVID A. PETERS

David A. Peters	
 	
Director	
 	
September 6, 2017	
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Exhibit 5.1

 
September 6, 2017
 
Antero Midstream Partners LP
1615 Wynkoop Street
Denver, Colorado 80202
 
Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
We have acted as counsel to Antero Midstream Partners LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “ Partnership ”), in connection with the preparation and filing of a registration statement on Form S-3 (the “ Registration Statement ”) by the Partnership relating to the offer and sale of up to an aggregate of 11,500,000 common units (the “ Common Units ”) representing limited partner interests in the Partnership by the selling unitholder named in the Registration Statement proposed to be filed by the Partnership with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”), which includes up to 1,500,000 Common Units that may be sold pursuant to the underwriter’s option to purchase additional Common Units.
 
We are rendering this opinion as of the time of the Registration Statement becomes effective, which Registration Statement becomes automatically effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
 
As the basis for the opinion hereinafter expressed, we examined such statutes, including the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “ Delaware LP Act ”), and the Partnership’s respective records and documents, certificates of the Partnership and public officials, and other instruments and documents as we deemed necessary or advisable for the purposes of this opinion. In such examination, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity with the original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies.
 
Based on the foregoing and on such legal considerations as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that (i) the Common Units have been validly issued, fully paid (to the extent required under the Agreement of Limited Partnership of Antero Midstream Partners LP, as amended) and non-assessable (except as such nonassessability may be affected by Section 17-609 or 17-804 of the Delaware LP Act) and (ii) purchasers of the Common Units will have no obligation under the Delaware LP Act, the Partnership’s governing documents or any resolution or other action taken under the Partnership’s governing documents, to make further payments to the Partnership or its creditors for their purchase of Common Units or contributions to the Partnership or its creditors solely by reason of their ownership of Common Units or their status as limited partners of the Partnership.

Vinson & Elkins LLP Attorneys at Law 
Austin Beijing Dallas Dubai Hong Kong Houston London Moscow New York
Palo Alto Richmond Riyadh San Francisco Taipei Tokyo Washington	 	1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500
Houston, TX 77002-6760
Tel +1.713.758.2222 Fax +1.713.758.2346 www.velaw.com	

 

September 6, 2017   Page 2
 
The foregoing opinion is limited to the federal laws of the United States of America, the Constitution of the State of Delaware and the Delaware LP Act, each as interpreted by the courts of the State of Delaware, and we are expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
 
We hereby consent to the reference to us under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement and the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. By giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 	Very truly yours,	
 	 	
 	/s/ Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.	
 	 	
 	Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.	

Exhibit 8.1

 
September 6, 2017
 
Antero Midstream Partners LP
1615 Wynkoop Street
Denver, Colorado 80202
 
RE:                            Antero Midstream Partners LP Registration Statement on Form S-3
 
Ladies and Gentlemen:
 
We have acted as counsel for Antero Midstream Partners LP (the “ Partnership ”), a Delaware limited partnership, with respect to certain legal matters in connection with the with the preparation of a Prospectus dated on or about the date hereof (the “ Prospectus ”), forming part of the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “ Registration Statement ”). The Registration Statement relates to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, of common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership.
 
This opinion is based on various facts and assumptions, and is conditioned upon certain representations made by the Partnership as to factual matters through a certificate of an officer of the Partnership (the “ Officer’s Certificate ”). In addition, this opinion is based upon the factual representations of the Partnership concerning its business, properties and governing documents as set forth in the Registration Statement.
 
In our capacity as counsel to the Partnership, we have made such legal and factual examinations and inquiries, including an examination of originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of such documents, corporate records and other instruments, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion. In our examination, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures thereon, the legal capacity of natural persons executing such documents and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. For the purpose of our opinion, we have not made an independent investigation or audit of the facts set forth in the above-referenced documents or in the Officer’s Certificate. In addition, in rendering this opinion we have assumed the truth and accuracy of all representations and statements made to us which are qualified as to knowledge or belief, without regard to such qualification.
 
We hereby confirm that all statements of legal conclusions contained in the discussion in the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” constitute the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. with respect to the matters set forth therein as of the effective date of the Registration Statement, subject to the assumptions, qualifications, and limitations set forth therein. This opinion is based on various statutory provisions, regulations promulgated thereunder and interpretations thereof by the Internal Revenue Service and the courts having jurisdiction over such matters, all of which are subject to change either prospectively or retroactively. Also, any variation or difference in the facts from those set forth in the representations described above, including in the Registration Statement and the Officer’s Certificate, may affect the conclusions stated herein.

Vinson & Elkins LLP Attorneys at Law 
Austin Beijing Dallas Dubai Hong Kong Houston London Moscow New York
Palo Alto Richmond Riyadh San Francisco Taipei Tokyo Washington	 	1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500
Houston, TX 77002-6760
Tel +1.713.758.2222 Fax +1.713.758.2346 www.velaw.com	

 

No opinion is expressed as to any matter not discussed in the Prospectus under the caption “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.” We are opining herein only as to the federal income tax matters described above, and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability to, or the effect on, any transaction of other federal laws, foreign laws, the laws of any state or any other jurisdiction or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any other local agencies within any state.
 
This opinion is rendered to you as of the effective date of the Registration Statement, and we undertake no obligation to update this opinion subsequent to the date hereof. This opinion is furnished to you, and is for your use in connection with the transactions set forth in the Registration Statement. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose or furnished to, assigned to, quoted to or relied upon by any other person, firm or other entity, for any purpose, without our prior written consent. However, this opinion may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely on it pursuant to applicable provisions of federal securities law, including persons purchasing common units pursuant to the Registration Statement.
 
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Prospectus and to the use of our name under the captions “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences” and “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement.  By giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 	Very truly yours,	
 	 	
 	/s/ VINSON & ELKINS L.L.P.	
 	 	
 	Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.	

Exhibit 23.1
 
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 
The Board of Directors of Antero Midstream GP LLC and
Unitholders of Antero Midstream Partners LP:
 
We consent to the use of our reports dated February 28, 2017, with respect to the combined consolidated balance sheets of Antero Midstream Partners LP and its accounting predecessor as of December 31, 2015 and 2016, and the related combined consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, partners’ capital, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2016, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2016, incorporated herein by reference and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.
 
As discussed in note 2 to the combined consolidated financial statements of Antero Midstream Partners LP, the combined consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, partners’ capital, and cash flows for 2014 and the combined consolidated balance sheet, and the related combined consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income, partners’ capital, and cash flows for 2015 have been prepared on a combined basis of accounting.

 	/s/KPMG LLP	
 
Denver, Colorado
September 6, 2017