Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

Generally, our market risk sensitive instruments and positions have been determined to be “other than trading.” Our exposure to market risk as discussed below includes forward-looking statements and represents an estimate of possible changes in fair value or future earnings that would occur assuming hypothetical future movements in energy commodity prices or interest rates. Our views on market risk are not necessarily indicative of actual results that may occur and do not represent the maximum possible gains and losses that may occur, since actual gains and losses will differ from those estimated based on actual fluctuations in energy commodity prices or interest rates and the timing of transactions.

Energy Commodity Market Risk

We are exposed to energy commodity market risk and other external risks in the ordinary course of business. However, we take steps to hedge, or limit our exposure to, these risks by executing a hedging strategy that seeks to protect us financially against adverse price movements and serves to minimize potential losses. Our strategy involves the use of certain energy commodity derivative contracts to reduce and minimize the risks associated with unfavorable changes in the market price of natural gas, NGL and crude oil. The derivative contracts that we use include energy products traded on the NYMEX and OTC markets, including, but not limited to, futures and options contracts, fixed price swaps and basis swaps.

As part of the EP acquisition, we acquired power forward and swap contracts. We have entered into offsetting positions that eliminate the price risks associated with our power contracts. None of these derivatives are designated as accounting hedges.

Fundamentally, our hedging strategy involves taking a simultaneous financial position in the futures market that is equal and opposite to our physical position, or anticipated position, in the cash market (or physical product) in order to minimize the risk of financial loss from an adverse price change. For example, as sellers of crude oil and natural gas, we often enter into fixed price swaps and/or futures contracts to guarantee or lock-in the sale price of our crude oil or the margin from the sale and purchase of our natural gas at the time of market delivery, thereby in whole or in part offsetting any change in prices, either positive or negative. A hedge is successful to the extent gains or losses in the cash market are neutralized by losses or gains in the futures transaction.

Our policies require that derivative contracts are only entered into with carefully selected major financial institutions or similar counterparties based upon their credit ratings and other factors, and we maintain strict dollar and term limits that correspond to our counterparties’ credit ratings. While it is our policy to enter into derivative transactions principally with investment grade counterparties and actively monitor their credit ratings, it is nevertheless possible that losses will result from counterparty credit risk in the future.

The credit ratings of the primary parties from whom we transact in energy commodity derivative contracts (based on contract market values) are as follows (credit ratings per Standard & Poor’s Rating Service):

As discussed above, the principal use of energy commodity derivative contracts is to mitigate the market price risk associated with anticipated transactions for the purchase and sale of natural gas, NGL and crude oil. Using derivative contracts for this purpose helps provide increased certainty with regard to operating cash flows which helps us to undertake further capital improvement projects, attain budget results and meet dividend targets. We may categorize such use of energy commodity derivative contracts as cash flow hedges because the derivative contract is used to hedge the anticipated future cash flow of a transaction that is expected to occur but which value is uncertain. Cash flow hedges are defined as hedges made with the intention of decreasing the variability in cash flows related to future transactions, as opposed to the value of an asset, liability or firm commitment, and we are allowed special hedge accounting treatment for such derivative contracts.

In accounting for cash flow hedges, gains and losses on the derivative contracts are reported in other comprehensive income, outside “Net Income” reported in our consolidated statements of income, but only to the extent that the gains and losses from the change in value of the derivative contracts can later offset the loss or gain from the change in value of the hedged future cash flows during the period in which the hedged cash flows affect net income. That is, for cash flow hedges, all effective components of the derivative contracts’ gains and losses are recorded in other comprehensive income, pending occurrence of the expected transaction. Other comprehensive income consists of those financial items that are within “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” in our accompanying consolidated balance sheets but not included in our net income (portions attributable to our noncontrolling interests are within “Noncontrolling interests” and are not included in our net income). Thus, in highly effective cash flow hedges, where there is no ineffectiveness, other comprehensive income changes by exactly as much as the derivative contracts and there is no impact on earnings until the expected transaction occurs.

All remaining gains and losses on the derivative contracts (the ineffective portion and those contracts not designated as hedges) are included in current net income. The ineffective portion of the gain or loss on the derivative contracts is the difference between the gain or loss from the change in value of the derivative contract and the effective portion of that gain or loss. In addition, when the hedged forecasted transaction does take place and affects earnings, the effective part of the hedge is also recognized in the income statement, and the earlier recognized effective amounts are removed from “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” (and “Noncontrolling interests”) and are transferred to the income statement as well, effectively offsetting the changes in cash flows stemming from the hedged risk. If the forecasted transaction results in an asset or liability, amounts

should be reclassified into earnings when the asset or liability affects earnings through cost of sales, depreciation, interest expense, etc.

We measure the risk of price changes in the natural gas, NGL, crude oil and power derivative instruments portfolios utilizing a sensitivity analysis model. The sensitivity analysis applied to each portfolio measures the potential income or loss (i.e., the change in fair value of the derivative instrument portfolio) based upon a hypothetical 10% movement in the underlying quoted market prices. In addition to these variables, the fair value of each portfolio is influenced by fluctuations in the notional amounts of the instruments and the discount rates used to determine the present values. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, a hypothetical 10% movement in underlying commodity natural gas prices would affect the estimated fair value of natural gas derivatives by $9 million and $15 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, a hypothetical 10% movement in underlying commodity crude oil prices would affect the estimated fair value of crude oil derivative by $146 million and $201 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, a hypothetical 10% movement in underlying commodity NGL prices would affect the estimated fair value of our NGL derivatives by $0.3 million and $5 million, respectively. As of both December 31, 2014 and 2013, a hypothetical 10% movement in underlying commodity electricity prices would not affect the estimated fair value of our power derivatives. As discussed above, we enter into derivative contracts largely for the purpose of mitigating the risks that accompany certain of our business activities and, therefore both in the sensitivity analysis model and in reality, the change in the market value of the derivative contracts portfolio is offset largely by changes in the value of the underlying physical transactions.

Our sensitivity analysis represents an estimate of the reasonably possible gains and losses that would be recognized on the natural gas, NGL, crude oil and power portfolios of derivative contracts (including commodity futures and options contracts, fixed price swaps and basis swaps) assuming hypothetical movements in future market rates and is not necessarily indicative of actual results that may occur. It does not represent the maximum possible loss or any expected loss that may occur, since actual future gains and losses will differ from those estimated. Actual gains and losses may differ from estimates due to actual fluctuations in market rates, operating exposures and the timing thereof, as well as changes in our portfolio of derivatives during the year.

Interest Rate Risk

In order to maintain a cost effective capital structure, it is our policy to borrow funds using a mix of fixed rate debt and variable rate debt. The market risk inherent in our debt instruments and positions is the potential change arising from increases or decreases in interest rates as discussed below.

For fixed rate debt, changes in interest rates generally affect the fair value of the debt instrument, but not our earnings or cash flows. Conversely, for variable rate debt, changes in interest rates generally do not impact the fair value of the debt instrument, but may affect our future earnings and cash flows. Generally, there is not an obligation to prepay fixed rate debt prior to maturity and, as a result, interest rate risk and changes in fair value should not have a significant impact on the fixed rate debt until we would be required to refinance such debt.

As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, the carrying values of the fixed rate debt (including the debt fair value adjustments) were $41,538 million and $33,129 million, respectively. These amounts compare to, as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, fair values of $42,164 million and $33,185 million, respectively. Fair values were determined using quoted market prices, where applicable, or future cash flow discounted at market rates for similar types of borrowing arrangements. A hypothetical 10% change in the average interest rates applicable to such debt for 2014 and 2013, would result in changes of approximately $1,539 million and $1,185 million, respectively, in the fair values of these instruments.

The carrying value of the variable rate debt (which approximates the fair value), excluding the value of interest rate swap agreements (discussed following), was $1,425 million and $3,064 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. As of December 31, 2014 and 2013 we were party to interest rate swap agreements with notional principal amounts of $9,200 million and $5,400 million, respectively. An interest rate swap agreement is a contractual agreement entered into between two counterparties under which each agrees to make periodic interest payments to the other for an agreed period of time based upon a predetermined amount of principal, which is called the notional principal amount. Normally at each payment or settlement date, the party who owes more pays the net amount; so at any given settlement date only one party actually makes a payment. The principal amount is notional because there is no need to exchange actual amounts of principal. A hypothetical 10% change in the weighted average interest rate on all of our borrowings (approximately 50 basis points in 2014 and approximately 51 basis points in 2013) when applied to our outstanding balance of variable rate debt as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, including adjustments for the notional swap amounts described above, would result in changes of approximately $53 million and $43 million, respectively, in our 2014 and 2013 annual pre-tax earnings.

Interest rate swap agreements are entered into for the purpose of transforming a portion of the underlying cash flows related to long-term fixed rate debt securities into variable rate debt in order to achieve our desired mix of fixed and variable rate debt. Since the fair value of fixed rate debt varies with changes in the market rate of interest, swap agreements are entered into to receive a fixed and pay a variable rate of interest. Such swap agreements result in future cash flows that vary with the market rate of interest, and therefore hedge against changes in the fair value of the fixed rate debt due to market rate changes.

We monitor the mix of fixed rate and variable rate debt obligations in light of changing market conditions and from time to time, may alter that mix by, for example, refinancing outstanding balances of variable rate debt with fixed rate debt (or vice versa) or by entering into interest rate swap agreements or other interest rate hedging agreements. As of December 31, 2014, approximately 26% is variable rate debt.

For more information on our interest rate risk management and on our interest rate swap agreements, see Note 13 “Risk Management” to our consolidated financial statements.