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Table of Contents Prospectus Supplement
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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration No. 333-193724

This preliminary prospectus supplement relates to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, but the information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus are not an offer to sell and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion, dated September 9, 2015

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To Prospectus dated June 4, 2015)

USA COMPRESSION PARTNERS, LP

4,000,000 Common Units

Representing Limited Partner Interests

        This is an offering of 4,000,000 common units representing limited partner interests in USA Compression Partners, LP.

        Our common units trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "USAC." On September 8, 2015, the last reported trading price of our common units was $20.27.

        The selling unitholders named in the "Selling Unitholders" section have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to 600,000 additional common units from them on the same terms as set forth above within 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement. We will not receive any proceeds from common units sold by the selling unitholders.

        Investing in our common units involves certain risks. See "Risk Factors" on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement and on page 2 of the accompanying prospectus.

        Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the securities described herein or determined if this prospectus supplement or accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

        Delivery of the common units is expected to occur on or about September     , 2015, through the book-entry facilities of The Depository Trust Company.

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Joint Book-Running Managers

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Co-Managers

The date of this Prospectus Supplement is September     , 2015.

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        You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and any free writing prospectus that we may provide to you. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. If anyone provides you with additional, different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy our common units in any jurisdiction where such offer or sale would be unlawful. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus. You should not assume that the information contained in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the respective dates of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell the securities described herein in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

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Prospectus Supplement

Base Prospectus

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

        This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the terms of this offering of common units and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The second part is the accompanying base prospectus, which provides more general information about the securities we may offer from time to time, some of which may not apply to this offering of common units. Generally, when we use the term "prospectus," we are referring to both parts combined. If the information varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement.

        In making an investment decision, prospective investors must rely on their own examination of us and the terms of the offering, including the merits and risks involved. None of USA Compression Partners, LP, the selling unitholders, the underwriters or any of their respective representatives is making any representation to you regarding the legality of an investment in our common units by you under applicable laws. You should consult with your own advisors as to legal, tax, business, financial and related aspects of an investment in our common units.

        Any statement made in this prospectus or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document that is also incorporated by reference into this prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. Any statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus. Please read "Incorporation by Reference" in this prospectus supplement.

        The information in this prospectus supplement is not complete. You should review carefully all of the detailed information appearing in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying base prospectus and the documents we have incorporated by reference before making any investment decision.

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RISK FACTORS

        An investment in our common units involves risk. You should carefully read the risk factors included under the caption "Risk Factors" beginning on page 2 of the accompanying base prospectus and the risk factors included in Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2015, together with all of the other information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. If any of these risks were to occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects could be materially adversely affected. In such case, 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

        We expect to receive net proceeds of approximately $             million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, from the sale of 4,000,000 common units offered by us pursuant to this prospectus supplement. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to reduce the indebtedness outstanding under our revolving credit facility and for general partnership purposes.

        As of September 8, 2015, approximately $784.1 million of indebtedness was outstanding under our revolving credit facility. We used these funds primarily to purchase additional compression units to expand the size of our fleet and for general partnership purposes. As of September 8, 2015, the interest rate under our revolving credit facility was a weighted average of 2.26%. The revolving credit facility is secured by a first priority lien against our assets and matures on January 6, 2020.

        We will not receive any proceeds from any common units sold by the selling unitholders.

        Affiliates of certain of the underwriters participating in the offering are lenders under our revolving credit facility and will receive a substantial portion of the proceeds from this offering pursuant to the repayment of a portion of the borrowings thereunder. Please read "Underwriting—Relationships/FINRA Rules" in this prospectus supplement.

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CAPITALIZATION

        The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of June 30, 2015, on an actual basis and as adjusted to reflect this offering of common units and the application of the net proceeds as described under "Use of Proceeds."

        You should read our financial statements and notes thereto that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus for additional information about our capital structure.

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PRICE RANGE OF COMMON UNITS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

        Our common units trade on the NYSE under the symbol "USAC." On September 8, 2015, the last reported trading price of our common units was $20.27. As of September 8, 2015, we had 33,586,847 common units outstanding, held by 55 holders of record. The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices of our common units as well as the amount of cash distributions declared and paid during each quarter since our initial public offering.

        As of September 8, 2015, we had 14,048,588 subordinated units outstanding, all of which are held by USA Compression Holdings. The subordinated units may be converted into common units on a one-for-one basis upon termination of the subordination period under certain circumstances, as set forth in our partnership agreement.

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SELLING UNITHOLDERS

        This prospectus supplement covers the offering for resale of common units owned by the unitholders listed in the table below pursuant to the unitholders' grant to the underwriters of the option to purchase up to 600,000 additional common units within 30 days from the date of this prospectus supplement.

        In addition to holding common units and all of the subordinated units in us, USA Compression Holdings also owns all of the ownership interests in our general partner, which owns all of our incentive distribution rights.

        The common units owned by Argonaut were issued in (i) a private placement of common units pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, dated August 12, 2013, among S&R Compression, LLC, Argonaut and us, (ii) a private placement of common units pursuant to the Common Unit Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 21, 2015, by and between Argonaut and us and (iii) through our distribution reinvestment program.

        Because USA Compression Holdings owns a substantial amount of our limited partner interests and controls our general partner and we registered a substantial percentage of our common units through the accompanying base prospectus for Argonaut, USA Compression Holdings and Argonaut are each deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") with respect to any common units offered by it pursuant to this prospectus supplement, and such offering is deemed to be a primary offering by us.

        The following table sets forth information relating to the selling unitholders as of September 8, 2015 based on information supplied to us by each of the selling unitholders on or prior to that date. We have not sought to verify such information.

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSEQUENCES

        The tax consequences to you of an investment in our common units will depend in part on your own tax circumstances. Although this section updates and adds information related to certain tax considerations, it should be read in conjunction with the risk factors included under the caption "Tax Risks to Common Unitholders" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and any tax-related risk factors included in any of our Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q filed after such Annual Report, and with "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences" in the accompanying base prospectus, which provides a discussion of the principal federal income tax considerations associated with our operations and the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common units. The following discussion is limited as described under the caption "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences" in the accompanying base prospectus. You are urged to consult with your own tax advisor about the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences particular to your circumstances.

Ratio of Taxable Income to Distributions

        We estimate that a purchaser of common units in this offering who owns those common units from the date of closing of this offering through the record date for distributions for the period ending December 31, 2017, will be allocated, on a cumulative basis, an amount of federal taxable income for that period that will be 20% or less of the cash distributed with respect to that period. Thereafter, we anticipate that the ratio of allocable taxable income to cash distributions to the unitholders will increase. Our estimate is based upon many assumptions regarding our business operations, including assumptions as to our revenues, capital expenditures, cash flow, net working capital and anticipated cash distributions. These estimates and assumptions are subject to, among other things, numerous business, economic, regulatory, legislative, competitive and political uncertainties beyond our control. Further, the estimates are based on current tax law and tax reporting positions that we will adopt and with which the IRS could disagree. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that these estimates will prove to be correct.

        The actual ratio of allocable taxable income to cash distributions could be higher or lower than expected, and any differences could be material and could materially affect the value of the common units. For example, the ratio of allocable taxable income to cash distributions to a purchaser of common units in this offering will be higher, and perhaps substantially higher, than our estimate with respect to the period described above if:

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gross income from operations exceeds the amount required to make minimum quarterly distributions on all units, yet we only distribute the minimum quarterly distributions on all units; or



•

we make a future offering of common units and use the proceeds of the offering in a manner that does not produce substantial additional deductions during the period described above, such as to repay indebtedness outstanding at the time of this offering or to acquire property that is not eligible for depreciation or amortization for federal income tax purposes or that is depreciable or amortizable at a rate significantly slower than the rate applicable to our assets at the time of this offering.

Tax Exempt Organizations and Other Investors

        Ownership of common units by tax-exempt entities, including employee benefit plans and IRAs, and foreign investors raises issues unique to such persons. The relevant rules are complex, and the discussions herein and in the accompanying base prospectus do not address tax considerations applicable to tax-exempt entities and foreign investors, except as specifically set forth in the accompanying base prospectus. Please read "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax-Exempt Entities and Other Investors" in the accompanying base prospectus.

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UNDERWRITING

        UBS Securities LLC, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and RBC Capital Markets are acting as representatives of the underwriters 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 and incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, each of the underwriters named below has severally agreed to purchase from us the respective number of common units shown opposite its name below:

        The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriters' obligation to purchase common units offered hereby (including those common units covered by their option to purchase additional common units as described below) depends on the satisfaction of the conditions contained in the underwriting agreement including:

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the representations and warranties made by us and the selling unitholders to the underwriters are true;



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there is no material change in our business or in the financial markets; and



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we and the selling unitholders (if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units) deliver customary closing documents to the underwriters.

Commissions and Expenses

        The following table summarizes the underwriting discounts and commissions we and, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units, the selling unitholders will pay to the underwriters. These amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional common units. The underwriting fee is the difference between the initial price to the public and the amount the underwriters pay to us and, if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional common units, the selling unitholders for the common units.

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        The representatives of the underwriters have advised us that the underwriters propose to offer the common units directly to the public at the public offering price on the cover of this prospectus supplement and to selected dealers, which may include the underwriters, at such offering price less a selling concession not in excess of $            per unit. After the offering, the representatives may change the offering price and other selling terms. Sales of common units made outside of the United States may be made by affiliates of the underwriters.

        The expenses of the offering that are payable by us are estimated to be $250,000 (excluding underwriting discounts and commissions).

Option to Purchase Additional Common Units

        The selling unitholders have granted the underwriters an option exercisable for 30 days after the date of the underwriting agreement, to purchase, from time to time, in whole or in part, up to an aggregate of 600,000 common units at the public offering price less underwriting discounts and commissions. This option may be exercised if the underwriters sell more than 4,000,000 common units in connection with this offering. To the extent that this option is exercised, each underwriter will be obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase its pro rata portion of these additional common units based on the underwriter's percentage underwriting commitment in the offering as indicated in the table above.

Lock-Up Agreements

        We, our general partner, the selling unitholders and the directors and executive officers of our general partner have agreed that, subject to certain exceptions (including the issuance of units pursuant to our outstanding distribution reinvestment plan), without the prior written consent of UBS Securities LLC, we and they will not, directly or indirectly, for a period of 45 days after the date of the underwriting agreement: (1) offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, grant any option to purchase, make any short sale or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition at any time in the future of) any common units or any of our other securities that are substantially similar to the common units, including, but not limited to, any options or warrants to purchase common units or any securities convertible or exchangeable for common units, or that represent the right to receive common units or any such substantially similar securities, (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, (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, or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.

        UBS Securities LLC, in its 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, UBS Securities 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 unitholders 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.

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Stabilization, Short Positions and Penalty Bids

        The representatives 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:

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Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.



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A short position involves a sale by the underwriters of common units in excess of the number of units the underwriters are obligated to purchase in the 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 they are obligated to purchase is not greater than the number of common units that they may purchase by exercising their 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 their option to purchase additional common units. The underwriters may close out any short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional common units and/or purchasing common units in the open market. In 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 they may purchase common units through their 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 the offering.



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Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of common units in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions.



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Penalty bids permit the representatives to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the common units originally sold by the syndicate member is 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 New York Stock Exchange or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

        Neither we nor any of 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 any of the underwriters make representation that the representatives will engage in these stabilizing transactions or that any transaction, once commenced, will not be discontinued without notice.

Electronic Distribution

        A prospectus supplement in electronic format will be made available on Internet sites or through other online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters and/or selling group members participating in this offering, or by their affiliates. In those cases, prospective investors may view offering terms online and, depending upon the particular underwriter or selling group member, prospective investors may be allowed to place orders online. The underwriters may agree with us to allocate a specific number of common units for sale to online brokerage account holders. Any such

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allocation for online distributions will be made by the representatives on the same basis as other allocations.

        Other than the prospectus supplement in electronic format, the information on any underwriter's or selling group member's website and any information contained in any other website maintained by an underwriter or selling group member is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or any underwriter or selling group member in its capacity as underwriter or selling group member and should not be relied upon by investors.

Relationships/FINRA Rules

        Certain of the underwriters and their related entities have engaged, and may in the future engage, in commercial and investment banking transactions with us in the ordinary course of their business. They have received, and expect to receive, customary compensation and expense reimbursement for these commercial and investment banking transactions. Affiliates of certain of the underwriters are lenders under our revolving credit facility and, accordingly, will receive a substantial portion of the proceeds from this offering. See "Use of Proceeds." In addition, affiliates of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC also serve as Agent, LC Issuer, Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner under our revolving credit facility, an affiliate of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC serves as Documentation Agent under our revolving credit facility and an affiliate of Regions Securities LLC serves as syndication agent under our revolving credit facility.

        Because FINRA views the units offered hereby as interests in a direct participation program, the offering is being made in compliance with FINRA Rule 2310. Investor suitability with respect to the units should be judged similarly to the suitability with respect to other securities that are listed for trading on a national securities exchange.

VALIDITY OF THE COMMON UNITS

        The validity of the common units will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas. Certain legal matters in connection with the common units offered hereby will be passed upon for the underwriters by Latham & Watkins LLP, Houston, Texas.

EXPERTS

        The consolidated financial statements of USA Compression Partners, LP as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2014, have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We have filed a registration statement with the Securities Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under the Securities Act that registers the offer and sale from time to time of our common and other classes of units representing limited partner interests, debt securities and guarantees, including the common units covered by this prospectus supplement. The registration statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us and our securities.

        We file annual, quarterly and other reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any materials we file at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-732-0330 for further information on their Public Reference Room. Our SEC filings are also available at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov which

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contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. You can also obtain information about us at the offices of the NYSE, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005, or on our website at http://www.usacpartners.com. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and does not constitute a part of this prospectus supplement unless specifically so designated and filed with the SEC.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

        The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" the information we have filed with the SEC. This means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus by referring you to other documents filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus is an important part hereof and thereof. Information that we later provide to the SEC, and that is deemed to be "filed" with the SEC, will automatically update information previously filed with the SEC and may replace information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus and information previously filed with the SEC.

        We incorporate by reference in this prospectus supplement the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (excluding information deemed to be furnished and not filed with the SEC), until all the common units offered hereby are sold:

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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, as filed with the SEC on February 19, 2015;



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our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC on May 7, 2015, and ended June 30, 2015, as filed with the SEC on August 5, 2015;



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our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 9, 2015 and January 15, 2015; and



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the description of our common units contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed on January 10, 2013.

        You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:

USA Compression Partners, LP
100 Congress Avenue, Suite 450
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 473-2662

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        All statements included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying base prospectus, other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding our plans, strategies, prospects and expectations concerning our business, results of operations and financial condition. You can identify many of these statements by looking for words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "project," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue" or similar words or the negative thereof.

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accompanying base prospectus or the documents we incorporate by reference herein or therein, as applicable. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements include, among other things:

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changes in general economic conditions and changes in economic conditions of the crude oil and natural gas industry specifically;



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competitive conditions in our industry;



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changes in the long-term supply of and demand for crude oil and natural gas;



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our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and to integrate the acquired assets with our existing fleet;



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actions taken by our customers, competitors and third-party operators;



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changes in the availability and cost of capital;



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



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the effects of existing and future laws and governmental regulations;



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the effects of future litigation; and



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other factors discussed in this prospectus.

        If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or expected. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The risk factors and other factors included in this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

        All forward-looking statements included in this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus or, in the case of forward-looking statements contained in any document incorporated by reference, the date of such document, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update these statements to reflect any change in our expectations or beliefs or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based.

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PROSPECTUS

USA COMPRESSION PARTNERS, LP

Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests
Other Classes of Units Representing Limited Partner Interests

USA COMPRESSION FINANCE CORP.

Debt Securities
Guarantees

         We may from time to time, in one or more offerings, offer and sell (i) common units representing limited partner interests in USA Compression Partners, LP ("common units"), (ii) other classes of units representing limited partner interests in USA Compression Partners, LP ("other units") and (iii) debt securities as described in this prospectus ("debt securities"). The debt securities will be issued by USA Compression Partners, LP. USA Compression Finance Corp. may act as co-issuer of the debt securities and the debt securities may be guaranteed by all, but not less than all, of our non-minor subsidiaries as described in Rule 3-10(f) of Regulation S-X. We refer to the common units, the debt securities and the other units collectively as the "securities." The aggregate initial offering price of all securities sold by us under this prospectus will not exceed $1,000,000,000.

         The selling unitholders named in this prospectus may from time to time, in one or more offering, offer and sell up to 33,340,142 common units, with such amount including previously sold common units by certain selling unitholders since the registration statement containing this prospectus became effective on April 21, 2014. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of these common units by the selling unitholders. For a more detailed discussion of the selling unitholders, please read "Selling Unitholders."

         We or the selling unitholders may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly to investors, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions and other factors at the time of the offering. This prospectus describes only the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which we or the selling unitholders will offer the securities. The specific terms of any securities we or the selling unitholders offer will, if not included in this prospectus or information incorporated by reference herein, be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement may describe the specific manner in which we or the selling unitholders will offer the securities and also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Because USA Compression Holdings, LLC ("USA Compression Holdings") owns a substantial amount of our limited partner interests and controls our general partner and we are registering the offer by Argonaut Private Equity, L.L.C. ("Argonaut") of a substantial percentage of our common units through this prospectus, they will each be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to any common units offered by either of them pursuant to this prospectus, and any such offering would be deemed to be a primary offering by us.

         You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein carefully before you invest in any of our securities. You should also read the documents we have referred you to in the "Where You Can Find More Information" and "Information We Incorporate by Reference" sections of this prospectus for information about us, including our financial statements. This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of our securities unless it is accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

         Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE, under the symbol "USAC." We will provide information in the related prospectus supplement for the trading market, if any, for any other securities that may be offered.

         Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks relating to investing in our securities and each of the other risk factors described under "Risk Factors" on page 2 of this prospectus before you make an investment in our securities.

         Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

   

THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS JUNE 4, 2015

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

        In making your investment decision, you should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we have incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone else to give you different information. We are not offering these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents. We will disclose any material changes in our affairs in an amendment to this prospectus, a prospectus supplement or a future filing with the SEC incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

        This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC using a "shelf" registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may over time, in one or more offerings, offer and sell up to $1,000,000,000 in total aggregate offering price of any combination of the securities described in this prospectus. In addition, the selling unitholders may over time, in one or more offerings, offer and sell up to 33,340,142 of our common units.

        This prospectus provides you with a general description of USA Compression Partners, LP and the securities that are registered hereunder that may be offered by us or the selling unitholders. Each time we sell any securities offered by this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering and the securities being offered. Because USA Compression Holdings and Argonaut will each be deemed to be an "underwriter" under the Securities Act, each time either USA Compression Holdings or Argonaut sells any common units offered by this prospectus, it will be required to provide you with this prospectus and any related prospectus supplement containing specific information about it and the terms of the common units being offered in the manner required by the Securities Act. Any prospectus supplement may also add to, update or change information contained in this prospectus. To the extent information in this prospectus is inconsistent with the information contained in a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

        The information in this prospectus is accurate as of its date. Additional information, including our financial statements and the notes thereto, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our reports filed with the SEC and is accurate as of the date stated in such report. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus, including the "Risk Factors," any prospectus supplement, the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement (including the documents described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information" in both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement) and any additional information you may need to make your investment decision.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We file annual, quarterly and other reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any materials we file at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-732-0330 for further information on their Public Reference Room. Our SEC filings are also available at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov which contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. You can also obtain information about us at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005, or on our website at http://www.usacpartners.com. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus unless specifically so designated and filed with the SEC.

INFORMATION WE INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE

        The SEC allows us to incorporate information by reference into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information by referring 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 in this prospectus, a prospectus supplement, or a later filing with the SEC that is also incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and may replace information in this prospectus and information previously filed with the SEC.

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        The documents listed below and any future filings made by us with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 on any Current Report on Form 8-K), including all such documents we may file with the SEC after the date on which the registration statement that includes this prospectus was initially filed with the SEC, are incorporated by reference in this prospectus until the termination of all offerings under this registration statement:

•

our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, filed on February 19, 2015;



•

our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2015, filed on May 7, 2015;



•

the description of our common units contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed on January 10, 2013; and



•

our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 9, 2015 and January 15, 2015.

        You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus, at no cost, by writing or calling us at the following address:

USA Compression Partners, LP
100 Congress Avenue, Suite 450
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 473-2662
ir@usacompression.com

        You should rely only on the information contained in, or incorporated by reference in, this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with any information. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than its respective date.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        All statements included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or in any accompanying prospectus supplement, other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding our plans, strategies, prospects and expectations concerning our business, results of operations and financial condition. You can identify many of these statements by looking for words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "project," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue" or similar words or the negative thereof.

        Known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those in these forward-looking statements are described below and in "Risk Factors" in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements include, among other things:

•

changes in general economic conditions and changes in economic conditions of the crude oil and natural gas industry specifically;



•

competitive conditions in our industry;



•

changes in the long-term supply of and demand for crude oil and natural gas;



•

our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and to integrate the acquired assets with our existing fleet;



•

actions taken by our customers, competitors and third-party operators;

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•

changes in the availability and cost of capital;



•

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



•

the effects of existing and future laws and governmental regulations;



•

the effects of future litigation; and



•

other factors discussed in this prospectus.

        If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or expected. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and, to the extent applicable, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any prospectus supplement. The risk factors and other factors included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference herein or therein could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

        All forward-looking statements included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference herein and therein are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus or, in the case of forward-looking statements contained in any document incorporated by reference, the date of such document, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update these statements to reflect any change in our expectations or beliefs or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based.

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WHO WE ARE

        In this prospectus, unless the context indicates otherwise, references to "USA Compression," "we," "our," "us," "the Partnership" or like terms refer to USA Compression Partners, LP and its 100% owned subsidiaries, including USA Compression Partners, LLC ("USAC Operating") and USAC OpCo 2, LLC (together with USAC Operating, the "Operating Subsidiaries"). References to "USA Compression Holdings" refer to USA Compression Holdings, LLC, the owner of USA Compression GP, LLC, our general partner. References to "Riverstone" refer to Riverstone/Carlyle Global Energy and Power Fund IV, L.P., and affiliated entities, including Riverstone Holdings LLC.

        We are a Delaware limited partnership engaged in providing compression services to producers, processors, gatherers and transporters of natural gas and crude oil.

        Our principal executive offices are located at 100 Congress Avenue, Suite 450, Austin, TX 78701, and our telephone number is (512) 473-2662. Our website is http://www.usacpartners.com. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute a part of this prospectus.

        For additional information as to our business, properties and financial condition, please refer to the documents cited in "Information We Incorporate by Reference."

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RISK FACTORS

        An investment in our securities involves a significant degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risk factors and all of the other information included in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, including those in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as updated by our quarterly and other reports and documents we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and that are incorporated by reference herein, in evaluating an investment in the securities. If any of these risks were actually to occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected. When we offer and sell any securities pursuant to a prospectus supplement, we may include additional risk factors relevant to such securities in the prospectus supplement.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERENCE DIVIDENDS

        We were acquired by USA Compression Holdings on December 23, 2010. In connection with this acquisition, our assets and liabilities were adjusted to fair value on the closing date by application of "push-down" accounting. Due to these adjustments, our audited condensed consolidated financial statements are presented in two distinct periods to indicate the application of two different bases of accounting between the periods presented: (i) the periods prior to the acquisition date for accounting purposes, using a date of convenience of December 31, 2010, are identified as "Predecessor," and (ii) the periods from December 31, 2010 forward are identified as "Successor."

        The table below sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preference dividends for the periods presented. During the periods presented, we had no preference equity securities outstanding. Therefore, for each period, the ratio of earnings to fixed charges and the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preference dividends is the same.

        For purposes of calculating the ratio of consolidated earnings to fixed charges:

•

"earnings" is the aggregate of the following items: pre-tax income from continuing operations before adjustment for income or loss from equity investees; plus fixed charges; plus amortization of capitalized interest; and less capitalized interest; and



•

"fixed charges" means the sum of the following: interest expensed and capitalized; amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to indebtedness; and an estimate of the interest within rental expense. Fixed charges are not reduced by any allowance for funds used during construction.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

        Except as otherwise provided in an applicable prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds we receive from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general partnership purposes, including repayment of debt, acquisitions, capital expenditures and additions to working capital.

        The actual application of proceeds we receive from any particular primary offering of securities using this prospectus will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such offering.

        We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of common units by the selling unitholders, including USA Compression Holdings and Argonaut.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE UNITS AND THE PREFERRED UNITS

The Units

        The common units and the subordinated units ("units") are separate classes of limited partner interests in us. The holders of units 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 holders of common and subordinated units in and to partnership distributions, please read this section and "How We Make Cash Distributions." For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read "The Partnership Agreement."

Transfer Agent and Registrar

        Duties.    Wells Fargo Shareowner Services, a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., serves as the registrar and transfer agent for the common units. We will pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units except the following, which must be paid by unitholders:

•

surety bond premiums to replace lost or stolen certificates, taxes and other governmental charges;



•

special charges for services requested by a common unitholder; and



•

other similar fees or charges.

        There is no charge to 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, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.

Transfer of Common Units

        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. 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, and is deemed to have executed, 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.

        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.

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        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 unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.

Number of Common and Subordinated Units

        As of May 29, 2015 we had outstanding 32,763,157 common units and 14,048,588 subordinated units. Common units are traded on the NYSE under the symbol "USAC." There is currently no established public trading market for our subordinated units.

The Preferred Units

        Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited partner interests and other equity securities for the consideration and with the designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties established by our general partner without the approval of any of our limited partners. In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may issue additional partnership interests that have special voting rights to which our common units or subordinated units are not entitled. As of the date of this prospectus, we have no preferred units outstanding.

        Should we offer preferred units under this prospectus, a prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of preferred units offered will include the specific terms of those preferred units, including, among other things, the following:

•

the designation, stated value and liquidation preference of the preferred units and the number of preferred units offered;



•

the price at which the preferred units will be issued;



•

the conversion or exchange provisions of the preferred units;



•

any redemption or sinking fund provisions of the preferred units;



•

the distribution rights of the preferred units, if any;



•

a discussion of any additional material federal income tax considerations regarding the preferred units; and



•

any additional rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions of the preferred units.

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DESCRIPTION OF PARTNERSHIP SECURITIES

        Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional limited partner interests and other equity securities for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our general partner without the approval of any limited partners.

        In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we also may issue additional partnership interests that, if approved by our general partner, have special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled.

        The following is a description of the general terms and provisions of our partnership securities. The particular terms of any series of partnership securities will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and the amendment to our partnership agreement, if necessary, relating to that series of partnership securities, which will be filed as an exhibit to or incorporated by reference in this prospectus at or before the time of issuance of any such series of partnership securities. If so indicated in a prospectus supplement, the terms of any such series may differ from the terms set forth below.

        Our general partner is authorized to approve the issuance of one or more series of partnership securities without further authorization of the limited partners and to fix the number of securities, the designations, rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions of any such series.

        The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the number of securities, particular designation, relative rights and preferences and the limitations of any series of partnership securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered. The particular terms of any such series may include the following:

•

the maximum number, if any, of securities to constitute the series and the designation and ranking thereof;



•

the distribution rate, if any, on securities of the series, whether such rate is fixed or variable or both, the dates from which distributions will begin to accrue or accumulate, whether distributions will be cumulative and whether such distributions will be paid in cash, securities or otherwise;



•

whether the securities of the series will be redeemable and, if so, the price and the terms and conditions on which the securities of the series may be redeemed, including the time during which securities of the series may be redeemed and any accumulated distributions thereof that the holders of the securities of the series will be entitled to receive upon the redemption thereof;



•

the liquidation preference, if any, applicable to securities of the series;



•

the terms and conditions, if any, on which the securities of the series will be convertible into, or exchangeable for, securities of any other class or classes of partnership securities, including the price or prices or the rate or rates of conversion or exchange and the method, is any, of adjusting the same; and



•

the voting rights, if any, of the securities of the series.

        Partnership securities will be fully paid and non-assessable when issued upon full payment of the purchase price therefor. The prospectus supplement will contain, if applicable, a description of the material United States federal income tax consequences relating to the purchase and ownership of the series of partnership securities offered by the prospectus supplement. The transfer agent, registrar and distributions disbursement agent for the partnership securities will be designated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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HOW WE MAKE CASH DISTRIBUTIONS

        Set forth below is a summary of the significant provisions of our partnership agreement that relate to cash distributions.

Distributions of Available Cash

        General.    Our partnership agreement requires that, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute all of our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.

        Definition of available cash.    Available cash, for any quarter, consists of all cash on hand at the end of that quarter:

•

less, the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner to:



•

provide for the proper conduct of our business;



•

comply with applicable law, our revolving credit facility or other agreements; and



•

provide funds for distributions to our unitholders for any one or more of the next four quarters (provided that our general partner may not establish cash reserves for subordinated units unless it determines that the establishment of reserves will not prevent us from distributing the minimum quarterly distribution on all common units and any cumulative arrearages for the next four quarters);



•

plus, if our general partner so determines, all or a portion of cash on hand on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter.

        Working capital borrowings are borrowings that are made under a credit facility, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement, and in all cases, are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners and with the intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within twelve months from sources other than additional working capital borrowings.

        Intent to distribute the minimum quarterly distribution.    We intend to distribute to the holders of common and subordinated units on a quarterly basis at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.425 per unit, or $1.70 on an annualized basis, to the extent we have sufficient cash from our operations after establishment of cash reserves and payment of fees and expenses, including payments to our general partner and its affiliates. However, there is no guarantee that we will pay the minimum quarterly distribution on the units in any quarter. Even if our cash distribution policy is not modified or revoked, the amount of distributions paid under our policy and the decision to make any distribution is determined by our general partner, taking into consideration the terms of our partnership agreement.

        General partner interest and incentive distribution rights.    Initially, our general partner was entitled to 2.0% of all quarterly distributions that we made prior to our liquidation. Beginning in May 2014, our general partner elected not to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its general partner interest in us. As a result, its general partner interest has been reduced to 1.6%. Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its current general partner interest. Our general partner's 1.6% interest in our distributions may be reduced if we issue additional limited partner units in the future (other than the issuance of common units upon conversion of outstanding subordinated units or the issuance of common units upon a reset of the incentive distribution rights) and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 1.6% general partner interest.

        Our general partner also currently holds incentive distribution rights that entitle it to receive increasing percentages, up to a maximum of 49.6%, of the cash we distribute from operating surplus

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(as defined below) in excess of $0.4888 per unit per quarter. The maximum distribution of 49.6% includes distributions paid to our general partner on its 1.6% general partner interest and assumes that our general partner maintains its general partner interest at 1.6%. The maximum distribution of 49.6% does not include any distributions that our general partner may receive on limited partner units that it owns.

Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus

        General.    All cash distributed will be characterized as either "operating surplus" or "capital surplus." Our partnership agreement requires that we distribute available cash from operating surplus differently than available cash from capital surplus.

        Operating surplus.    Operating surplus for any period consists of:

•

$36.6 million (as described below); plus



•

all of our cash receipts beginning January 18, 2013, the closing date of our IPO, excluding cash from interim capital transactions, which include the following:



•

borrowings (including sales of debt securities) that are not working capital borrowings;



•

sales of equity interests;



•

sales or other dispositions of assets outside the ordinary course of business; and



•

capital contributions received;

provided that cash receipts from the termination of a commodity hedge or interest rate hedge prior to its specified termination date shall be included in operating surplus in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such commodity hedge or interest rate hedge; plus

•

working capital borrowings made after the end of the period but on or before the date of determination of operating surplus for the period; plus



•

cash distributions paid on equity issued (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights) to finance all or a portion of the construction, acquisition or improvement of a capital improvement (such as equipment or facilities) in respect of the period beginning on the date that we enter into a binding obligation to commence the construction, acquisition or improvement of a capital improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date the capital improvement or capital asset commences commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of; plus



•

cash distributions paid on equity issued (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights) to pay the construction period interest on debt incurred, or to pay construction period distributions on equity issued, to finance the capital improvements referred to above; less



•

all of our operating expenditures (as defined below) after the closing of 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; less



•

any loss realized on disposition of an investment capital expenditure.

        As described above, operating surplus does not reflect actual cash on hand that is available for distribution to our unitholders and is not limited to cash generated by our operations. For example, it includes a basket of $36.6 million that will enable us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus

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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.

        We define operating expenditures in the partnership agreement, and it generally means all of our cash expenditures, including, but not limited to, taxes, reimbursement of expenses to our general partner and its affiliates, payments made under interest rate hedge agreements or commodity hedge contracts (provided that (i) 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 (ii) 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, debt service payments and maintenance capital expenditures (as defined below), provided that operating expenditures will 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) of principal of and premium on indebtedness, other than working capital borrowings;



•

expansion capital expenditures (as defined below);



•

investment capital expenditures (as defined below);



•

payment of transaction expenses relating to interim capital transactions;



•

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



•

repurchases of equity interests except to fund obligations under employee benefit plans.

        Capital surplus.    Capital surplus is defined in our partnership agreement as any distribution of available cash in excess of our cumulative operating surplus. Accordingly, capital surplus would generally be generated by:

•

borrowings other than working capital borrowings;



•

sales of our equity and debt securities; 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.

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        Characterization of cash distributions.    Our partnership agreement requires that we treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since January 18, 2013, the closing date of our IPO, equals the operating surplus from January 18, 2013 through the end of the quarter immediately preceding that distribution. Our partnership agreement requires that we treat any amount distributed in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, as capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.

Capital Expenditures

        Maintenance capital expenditures are those capital expenditures required to maintain our long-term operating capacity and/or operating income. Capital expenditures made solely for investment purposes will not be considered maintenance capital expenditures.

        Expansion capital expenditures are those capital expenditures that we expect will increase our operating capacity or operating income over the long term. Expansion capital expenditures will also include interest (and related fees) on debt incurred to finance all or any portion of the construction of such capital improvement in respect of the period that commences when we enter into a binding obligation to commence construction of a capital improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date any such capital improvement commences commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of. Capital expenditures made solely for investment purposes will not be considered expansion capital expenditures.

        Investment capital expenditures are those capital expenditures that are neither maintenance capital expenditures nor expansion capital expenditures. Investment capital expenditures largely will 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 a capital asset for investment purposes or development of facilities that are in excess of the maintenance of our existing operating capacity or operating income, but which are not expected to expand, for more than the short term, our operating capacity or operating income.

        As described above, neither investment capital expenditures nor expansion capital expenditures will be included in operating expenditures, and thus will not reduce operating surplus. Because expansion capital expenditures include interest payments (and related fees) on debt incurred to finance all or a portion of the construction or improvement of a capital asset (such as gathering compressors) in respect of the period that begins when we enter into a binding obligation to commence construction of the capital asset and ending on the earlier to occur of the date the capital asset commences commercial service or the date that it is abandoned or disposed of, such interest payments are also not subtracted from operating surplus. Losses on disposition of an investment capital expenditure will reduce operating surplus when realized and cash receipts from an investment capital expenditure will be treated as a cash receipt for purposes of calculating operating surplus only to the extent the cash receipt is a return on principal.

        Capital expenditures that are made in part for maintenance capital purposes, investment capital purposes and/or expansion capital purposes will be allocated as maintenance capital expenditures, investment capital expenditures or expansion capital expenditure by our general partner.

Subordination Period

        General.    Our partnership agreement provides that, during the subordination period (which we describe below), the common units will have the right to receive distributions of available cash from operating surplus each quarter in an amount equal to $0.425 per common unit, which amount is

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defined in our partnership agreement as the minimum quarterly distribution, plus any arrearages in the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units from prior quarters, before any distributions of available cash from operating surplus may be made on the subordinated units. These units are deemed "subordinated" because for a period of time, referred to as the subordination period, the subordinated units will not be entitled to receive any distributions until the common units have received the minimum quarterly distribution plus any arrearages from prior quarters. Furthermore, no arrearages will be paid on the subordinated units. The practical effect of the subordinated units is to increase the likelihood that during the subordination period there will be available cash to be distributed on the common units.

        Subordination period.    The subordination period began on January 18, 2013, the closing date of our IPO, and, except as described below, will expire on the first business day after the distribution to unitholders in respect of any quarter, beginning with the quarter ending December 31, 2015, if each of the following has occurred:

•

distributions of available cash from operating surplus on each of the outstanding common and subordinated units and the related distribution on the general partner interest equaled or exceeded the minimum quarterly distribution for each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-quarter periods immediately preceding that date;



•

the "adjusted operating surplus" (as defined below) generated during each of the three consecutive, non-overlapping four-quarter periods immediately preceding that date equaled or exceeded the sum of the minimum quarterly distribution on all of the outstanding common and subordinated units during those periods on a fully diluted weighted average basis and the related distribution on the general partner interest; and



•

there are no arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units.

        Early termination of subordination period.    Notwithstanding the foregoing, the subordination period will automatically terminate on the first business day after the distribution to unitholders in respect of any quarter, if each of the following has occurred:

•

distributions of available cash from operating surplus on each of the outstanding common and subordinated units and the related distribution on the general partner interest equaled or exceeded $2.55 (150.0% of the annualized minimum quarterly distribution) for the four-quarter period immediately preceding that date;



•

the "adjusted operating surplus" (as defined below) generated during the four-quarter period immediately preceding that date equaled or exceeded the sum of $2.55 (150.0% of the annualized minimum quarterly distribution) on all of the outstanding common and subordinated units on a fully diluted weighted average basis and the related distribution on the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights; and



•

there are no arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distributions on the common units.

        Expiration upon removal of the general partner.    In addition, if the unitholders remove our general partner other than for cause:

•

the subordinated units held by any person will immediately and automatically convert into common units on a one-for-one basis, provided (i) neither such person nor any of its affiliates voted any of its units in favor of the removal and (ii) such person is not an affiliate of the successor general partner; and



•

if all of the subordinated units convert pursuant to the foregoing, all cumulative common unit arrearages on the common units will be extinguished and the subordination period will end.

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        Expiration of the subordination period.    When the subordination period ends, each outstanding subordinated unit will convert into one common unit and will then participate pro-rata with the other common units in distributions of available cash.

        Adjusted operating surplus.    Adjusted operating surplus is intended to reflect the cash generated from operations during a particular period and therefore excludes net increases in working capital borrowings and net drawdowns of reserves of cash generated in prior periods. Adjusted operating surplus for any period consists of:

•

operating surplus generated with respect to that period (excluding any amounts attributable to the items described in the first bullet point under "—Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus—Operating Surplus" above); less



•

any net increase in working capital borrowings with respect to that period; less



•

any net decrease in cash reserves for operating expenditures with respect to that period not relating to an operating expenditure made with respect to that period; plus



•

any net decrease in working capital borrowings with respect to that period; plus



•

any net increase in cash reserves for operating expenditures with respect to that period required by any debt instrument for the repayment of principal, interest or premium; plus



•

any net decrease made in subsequent periods in cash reserves for operating expenditures initially established with respect to such period to the extent such decrease results in a reduction of adjusted operating surplus in subsequent periods pursuant to the third bullet point above.

Distributions of Available Cash From Operating Surplus During the Subordination Period

        Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter during the subordination period in the following manner:

•

first, 98.4% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding common unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter;



•

second, 98.4% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding common unit an amount equal to any arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units for any prior quarters during the subordination period;



•

third, 98.4% to the subordinated unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding subordinated unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and



•

thereafter, in the manner described in "—General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights" below.

        The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 1.6% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity interests.

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Distributions of Available Cash From Operating Surplus After the Subordination Period

        Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter after the subordination period in the following manner:

•

first, 98.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and



•

thereafter, in the manner described in "—General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights" below.

        The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 1.6% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity interests.

General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights

        Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner was initially entitled to 2.0% of all distributions that we made prior to our liquidation. Beginning in May 2014, our general partner elected not to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its general partner interest in us. As a result, its general partner interest has been reduced to 1.6%. Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 1.6% general partner interest if we issue additional units. Our general partner's 1.6% interest, and the percentage of our cash distributions to which it is entitled, will be proportionately reduced if we issue additional units in the future (other than the issuance of common units upon conversion of outstanding subordinated units or the issuance of common units upon a reset of the incentive distribution rights) and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us in order to maintain its 1.6% general partner interest. Our partnership agreement does not require that the general partner fund its capital contribution with cash and our general partner may fund its capital contribution by the contribution to us of common units or other property.

        Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage (13.0%, 23.0% and 48.0%) of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. Our general partner currently holds the incentive distribution rights, but may transfer these rights separately from its percentage general partner interest, subject to restrictions in the partnership agreement.

        The following discussion assumes that our general partner maintains its 1.6% general partner interest, that there are no arrearages on common units and that our general partner continues to own the incentive distribution rights.

        If for any quarter:

•

we have distributed available cash from operating surplus to the common and subordinated unitholders in an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution; and



•

we have distributed available 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, our partnership agreement requires that we distribute any additional available cash from operating surplus for that quarter among the unitholders and the general partner in the following manner:

•

first, 98.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.4888 per unit for that quarter (the "first target distribution");

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•

second, 85.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 14.6% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.5313 per unit for that quarter (the "second target distribution");



•

third, 75.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 24.6% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.6375 per unit for that quarter (the "third target distribution"); and



•

thereafter, 50.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 49.6% to our general partner.

Percentage Allocations of Available Cash From Operating Surplus

        The following table illustrates the percentage allocations of available cash from operating surplus between the unitholders and our general partner based on the specified target distribution levels. The amounts set forth under "Marginal percentage interest in distributions" are the percentage interests of our general partner and the unitholders in any available cash 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 our general partner for the minimum quarterly distribution are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the minimum quarterly distribution. The percentage interests set forth below for our general partner include its 1.6% general partner interest, assume our general partner has contributed any additional capital to maintain its 1.6% general partner interest and has not transferred its incentive distribution rights and there are no arrearages on common units.

General Partner's Right to Reset Incentive Distribution Levels

        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 cash target distribution levels and to reset, at higher levels, the minimum quarterly distribution amount and cash target distribution levels upon which the incentive distribution payments to our general partner would be set. Our general partner's right to reset the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels upon which the incentive distributions payable to our general partner are based may be exercised, without approval of our unitholders or the conflicts committee of our general partner, at any time when there are no subordinated units outstanding and we have made cash distributions to the holders of the incentive distribution rights at the highest level of incentive distribution for each of the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters. The reset minimum quarterly distribution amount and target distribution levels will be higher than the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels prior to the reset such that our general partner will not receive any incentive distributions under the reset target distribution levels until cash distributions per unit following this event are above the reset first target distribution described below. We anticipate that our general partner 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 to our general partner.

        In connection with the resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels and the corresponding relinquishment by our general partner of incentive distribution

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payments based on the target cash distributions prior to the reset, our general partner will be entitled to receive a number of newly issued common units based on a predetermined formula described below that takes into account the "cash parity" value of the average cash distributions related to the incentive distribution rights received by our general partner for the two quarters prior to the reset event as compared to the average cash distributions per common unit during this period. Our general partner's general partner interest in us (currently 1.6%) will be maintained at the percentage immediately prior to the reset election.

        The number of common units that our general partner would be entitled to receive from us in connection with a resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels then in effect would be equal to the quotient determined by dividing (i) the average amount of cash distributions received by our general partner in respect of its incentive distribution rights during the two consecutive fiscal quarters ended immediately prior to the date of such reset election by (ii) the average of the amount of cash distributed per common unit during each of these two quarters.

        Following a reset election by our general partner, the minimum quarterly distribution amount will be reset to an amount equal to the average cash distribution amount per unit for the two fiscal quarters immediately preceding the reset election (which amount we refer to as the "reset minimum quarterly distribution") and the target distribution levels will be reset to be correspondingly higher amounts such that we would distribute all of our available cash from operating surplus for each quarter thereafter as follows:

•

first, 98.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 115.0% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter;



•

second, 85.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 14.6% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 125.0% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter;



•

third, 75.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 24.6% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 150.0% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter; and



•

thereafter, 50.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 49.6% to our general partner.

        Our general partner is entitled to cause the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels to be reset on more than one occasion, provided that it may not make a reset election except at a time when it has received incentive distributions for the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters based on the highest level of incentive distributions that it is entitled to receive under our partnership agreement.

Distributions From Capital Surplus

        How distributions from capital surplus will be made.    Our partnership agreement requires that we make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:

•

first, 98.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until the minimum quarterly distribution is reduced to zero, as described below;



•

second, 98.4% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until we distribute for each common unit, an amount of available cash 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 of available cash from capital surplus as if they were from operating surplus.

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        The preceding paragraph assumes that our general partner maintains its 1.6% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

        Effect of a distribution from capital surplus.    Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price, 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 had in relation 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 our general partner to receive incentive distributions and for the subordinated units to convert into common units. 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.

        If we reduce the minimum quarterly distribution to zero, all future distributions will be made such that 50.4% will be paid to the holders of units and 49.6% to our general partner. The percentage interests shown for our general partner include its 1.6% general partner interest and assume our general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.

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 units into fewer units or subdivide our units into a greater number of 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; and



•

the per unit amount of any outstanding arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution.

        For example, if a two-for-one split of the units should occur, the minimum quarterly distribution, the target distribution levels and the initial unit price would each be reduced to 50.0% of its initial level. If we combine our common units into a lesser number of units or subdivide our common units into a greater number of units, we will combine or subdivide our subordinated units using the same ratio applied to the common units. Our partnership agreement provides that we do 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 available 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 (i) available cash for that quarter, plus (ii) 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.

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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 general partner, 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 outstanding common units to a preference over the holders of outstanding subordinated units upon our liquidation, to the extent required to permit common unitholders to receive their initial unit price 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 holders of common units to fully recover all of these amounts, even though there may be cash available for distribution to the holders of subordinated units. Any further net gain recognized upon liquidation will be allocated in a manner that takes into account the incentive distribution rights of our general partner.

        Manner of adjustments for gain.    The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in the partnership agreement. If our liquidation occurs before the end of the subordination period, we will allocate any gain to the partners in the following manner:

•

first, to our general partner and the holders of units who have negative balances in their capital accounts to the extent of and in proportion to those negative balances;



•

second, 98.4% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until the capital account for each common unit is equal to the sum of: (i) the initial unit price; (ii) the amount of the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which our liquidation occurs; and (iii) any unpaid arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution;



•

third, 98.4% to the subordinated unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until the capital account for each subordinated unit is equal to the sum of: (i) the initial unit price; and (ii) the amount of the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which our liquidation occurs;



•

fourth, 98.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to: (i) 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 (ii) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the minimum quarterly distribution per unit that we distributed 98.4% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 1.6% to our general partner, for each quarter of our existence;



•

fifth, 85.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 14.6% to our general partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to: (i) 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 (ii) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the first target distribution per unit that we distributed 85.4% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 14.6% to our general partner for each quarter of our existence;



•

sixth, 75.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 24.6% to our general partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to: (i) 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 (ii) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the second target distribution per unit that we distributed 75.4%

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to the unitholders, pro rata, and 24.6% to our general partner for each quarter of our existence; and

•

thereafter, 50.4% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 49.6% to our general partner.

        The percentage interests set forth above for our general partner include its 1.6% general partner interest and assume our general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.

        If the liquidation occurs after the end of the subordination period, the distinction between common and subordinated units will disappear, so that clause (iii) of the second bullet point above and all of the third bullet point above will no longer be applicable.

        Manner of adjustments for losses.    If our liquidation occurs before the end of the subordination period, we will generally allocate any loss to our general partner and the unitholders in the following manner:

•

first, 98.4% to holders of subordinated units in proportion to the positive balances in their capital accounts and 1.6% to our general partner, until the capital accounts of the subordinated unitholders have been reduced to zero;



•

second, 98.4% to the holders of common units in proportion to the positive balances in their capital accounts and 1.6% to our general partner, until the capital accounts of the common unitholders have been reduced to zero; and



•

thereafter, 100.0% to our general partner.

        If the liquidation occurs after the end of the subordination period, the distinction between common and subordinated units will disappear, so that all of the first bullet point above will no longer be applicable.

        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 tax purposes, unrecognized gain or loss resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and the general partner in the same manner as we allocate gain or loss 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 allocate any later negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from the issuance of additional units or upon our liquidation in a manner which results, to the extent possible, in the general partner's capital account balances equaling the amount which they would have been if no earlier positive adjustments to the capital accounts 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 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 available cash, please read "How We Make Cash Distributions";



•

with regard to the duties of our general partner, please read "Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties";



•

with regard to the transfer of common units, please read "Description of the Units and the Preferred 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 formed in 2008 as a Texas limited partnership and converted to a Delaware limited partnership in 2011. Our partnership will have 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 engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity 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, in its individual capacity, has the ability to cause us and our subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the business of gathering, compressing and treating natural gas, our general partner may decline to do so free of any fiduciary 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 specifies the manner in which we will make cash distributions to holders of our common units, subordinated units and other partnership securities as well as to our general partner in respect of its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights. For a description of these cash distribution provisions, please read "How We Make Cash Distributions."

Capital Contributions

        Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under "—Limited Liability."

        For a discussion of our general partner's right to contribute capital to maintain its current general partner interest if we issue additional units, please read "—Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests."

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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:

•

during the subordination period, the approval of a majority of the common units, excluding those common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and a majority of the subordinated units, voting as separate classes; and



•

after the subordination period, the approval of a majority of the common units.

        In voting their common and subordinated units, our general partner and its affiliates have no fiduciary 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.

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        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, its affiliates, their direct transferees and their indirect transferees approved by our general partner in its sole discretion or to any person or group who acquires the units with the specific prior approval of our general partner.

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), any partnership interest or the duties, obligations or liabilities among limited partners or of limited partners, or the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the limited partners or us;



•

asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, or the Delaware Act, or other similar applicable statutes;



•

asserting a claim arising out of any other instrument, document, agreement or certificate contemplated by any provision of the Delaware Act relating to the Partnership or the partnership agreement; and



•

arising out of the federal securities laws of the U.S. or securities or antifraud laws of any governmental authority

shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, 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 if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, any other court located in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction in connection with any such claims, suits, actions or proceedings.

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 is 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 a court were to determine that the right, or exercise of the right, by the limited partners as a group to take any action under the 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 with us

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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. 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. Under the Delaware Act, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except that such person is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.

        Our subsidiaries conduct business in several states and we may have subsidiaries that conduct business in other states in the future. Maintenance of our limited liability as a member of the operating company may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the operating company conducts 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 operating company or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any state 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 Partnership 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, subordinated units or other partnership interests. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional common units or other partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units 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 special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled. In addition, our partnership agreement does

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not prohibit our subsidiaries from issuing equity interests, which may effectively rank senior to the common units.

        Upon issuance of additional partnership interests (other than the issuance of common units upon conversion of outstanding subordinated units or the issuance of common units upon a reset of the incentive distribution rights) our general partner will be entitled, but not required, to make additional capital contributions to the extent necessary to maintain its 1.6% general partner interest in us. Our general partner's 1.6% interest in us will be reduced if we issue additional units in the future (other than in those circumstances described above) and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 1.6% general partner interest. Moreover, 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, subordinated units or other partnership interests whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those interests to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates and beneficial owners, to the extent necessary to maintain the percentage interest of the general partner and its affiliates, including such interest represented by common and subordinated units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. The holders of common units 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 has no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary 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. 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 its consent, unless approved by 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 bullets above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90.0% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates).

        No unitholder approval.    Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner to reflect:

a)

a change in our name, the location of our principal place of business, our registered agent or our registered office;



b)

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



c)

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

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partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that neither we nor any of our 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);

d)

any amendments that our general partner determines:



•

do not adversely affect the limited partners considered as a whole (or any particular class of limited partners) 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 the prospectus used in our IPO or the intent of the provisions of our partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by our partnership agreement;



e)

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



f)

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, or ERISA, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed;



g)

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;



h)

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



i)

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



j)

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;



k)

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



l)

any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described above.

        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 requires the approval of at least a majority of the class or classes so affected, but no vote is required by any class or classes of limited partners that our general partner determines are not adversely affected in any material respect. Any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or

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preferences of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units requires the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action, other than to remove the general partner or call a meeting, 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 amendment that increases the voting percentage 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 voting requirement sought to be increased. For amendments of the type not requiring unitholder approval, our general partner is not 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, 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 has no duty or obligation to consent to any merger, consolidation or conversion and may decline to do so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in good faith or 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. 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 the limited 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 the 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, our general partner has 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, our operating company nor any of our other 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 Cash Distributions—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

        Except as described below, our general partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as our general partner prior to December 31, 2022 without obtaining the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. On or after December 31, 2022 our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving 90 days' written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. Notwithstanding the information above, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days' notice to the limited partners if at least 50% of the outstanding common units are held or controlled by one person and its affiliates, other than our general partner and its affiliates. In addition, our partnership agreement permits our general partner, in some instances, to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in us without the approval of the unitholders. Please read "—Transfer of General Partner Interest."

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        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 approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 66²/3% 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 approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, voting as a class, and the outstanding subordinated units, voting as a class. The ownership of more than 33¹/3% of the outstanding units or a majority of our subordinated units by our general partner and its affiliates gives them the ability to prevent our general partner's removal.

        Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist:

•

the subordinated units held by any person will immediately and automatically convert into common units on a one-for-one basis, provided (i) neither such person nor any of its affiliates voted any of its units in favor of the removal and (ii) such person is not an affiliate of the successor general partner; and



•

if all of the subordinated units convert pursuant to the foregoing, all cumulative common unit arrearages on the common units will be extinguished and the subordination period will end.

        In the event of the removal of our general partner under circumstances where cause exists 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 for a cash payment equal to the fair market value of those interests. Under all other circumstances where our general partner withdraws or is removed by the limited partners, the departing general partner has the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest and the incentive distribution rights of the departing general partner or 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 of its or 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.

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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, subordinated units, or other partnership securities 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 USA Compression GP, LLC as our general partner. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.

Transfer of General Partner Interest

        Except for transfer by our general partner of all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest to:

•

an affiliate of our general partner (other than an individual); or



•

another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of our general partner with or into another entity or the transfer by our general partner of all or substantially all of its assets to another entity,

our general partner may not transfer all or any of its general partner interest to another person prior to December 31, 2022 without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates. 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.

        Our general partner and its affiliates may, at any time, transfer its common units or subordinated units to one or more persons, without unitholder approval, except that they may not transfer subordinated units to us.

Transfer of Ownership Interests in the General Partner

        At any time, the owners of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part their ownership interests in our general partner to an affiliate or a third party without the approval of our unitholders.

Change of Management Provisions

        Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove USA Compression 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 in certain circumstances. 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 beneficial owners thereof 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

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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 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 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."

Non-Citizen Assignees; Redemption

        If we are or become subject to federal, state or local laws or regulations that, in the reasonable determination of the 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 assignee, we may redeem the units held by the limited partner or assignee at their current market price. In order to avoid any cancellation or forfeiture, the general partner may require each limited partner or assignee to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or related status. If a limited partner or assignee fails to furnish information about this nationality, citizenship or other related status within 30 days after a request for the information or the general partner determines after receipt of the information that the limited partner or assignee is not an eligible citizen, the limited partner or assignee may be treated as a non-citizen assignee. In addition to other limitations on the rights of an assignee that is not a substituted limited partner, a non-citizen assignee does not have the right to direct the voting of his units and may not receive distributions in kind upon our liquidation.

Meetings; Voting

        Except as described below regarding certain persons or groups 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 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.

        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 Partnership Interests." However, if at any time any person or group, other than our

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general partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved (at the time of transfer) transferee of our general partner or its affiliates and purchasers specifically approved by our general partner in its sole discretion, 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. Except as our partnership agreement otherwise provides, subordinated units will vote together with common units, as a single class.

        Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.

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.

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, director, officer, employee, agent, 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, 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.

        We must provide this indemnification unless there has been a final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that these persons acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. We must also provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings unless our general partner or these other persons acted with knowledge that their conduct was unlawful.

        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.

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Reimbursement of Expenses

        Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for all expenses they incur or payments they make on our behalf. 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 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 are maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and financial reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.

        We will furnish or make available to record holders of our common units, within 90 days (or such shorter time as required by SEC rules) after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited consolidated financial statements and a report on those consolidated financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 45 days (or such shorter time as required by SEC rules) 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 which 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 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;



•

copies of our partnership agreement, our certificate of limited partnership and related amendments and any powers of attorney under which they have been executed;



•

information regarding the status of our business and our financial condition (provided that this obligation shall be satisfied to the extent the limited partner is furnished our most recent annual report and any subsequent quarterly or periodic reports required to be filed, or which would be required to be filed, with the SEC pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act); and



•

any other information regarding our affairs as the general partner determines in its sole discretion is just and reasonable.

        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 believes in good faith is not in our best interests or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.

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CONFLICTS OF INTEREST 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 affiliates, including USA Compression Holdings, on the one hand, and our partnership and our limited partners, on the other hand. The directors and officers of our general partner have fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner beneficial to its owners. At the same time, our general partner has a fiduciary duty to manage our partnership in a manner beneficial to us and our unitholders.

        Whenever a conflict arises between our general partner or its affiliates, on the one hand, and us and our limited partners, on the other hand, our general partner will resolve that conflict. Our partnership agreement contains provisions that modify and limit our general partner's fiduciary duties to our unitholders. Our partnership agreement also restricts the remedies available to our unitholders for actions taken by our general partner that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of its fiduciary duty.

        Our general partner will not be in breach of its obligations under our partnership agreement or its fiduciary duties to us or our unitholders if the resolution of the conflict is:

•

approved by the conflicts committee of our general partner, although our general partner is not obligated to seek such approval;



•

approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding any common units owned by our general partner or any of its affiliates;



•

on terms no less favorable to us than those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties; or



•

fair and reasonable to us, taking into account the totality of the relationships among the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or advantageous to us.

        Our general partner may, but is not required to, seek the approval of such resolution from the conflicts committee of its board of directors. In connection with a situation involving a conflict of interest, any determination by our general partner involving the resolution of the conflict of interest must be made in good faith, provided that, if our general partner does not seek approval from the conflicts committee and its board of directors determines that the resolution or course of action taken with respect to the conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in the third and fourth bullet points above, then it will conclusively be deemed that, in making its decision, the board of directors acted in good faith. Unless the resolution of a conflict is specifically provided for in our partnership agreement, our general partner or the conflicts committee may consider any factors that it determines in good faith to be appropriate when resolving a conflict. When our partnership agreement provides that someone act in good faith, it requires that person to reasonably believe he is acting in the best interests of the partnership.

        Conflicts of interest could arise in the situations described below, among others.

Neither our partnership agreement nor any other agreement requires USA Compression Holdings to pursue a business strategy that favors us or utilizes our assets or dictates what markets to pursue or grow. Directors of USA Compression Holdings have a fiduciary duty to make these decisions in the best interests of the owners of USA Compression Holdings, which may be contrary to our interests.

        Because certain of the directors of our general partner are also directors and/or officers of USA Compression Holdings and its affiliates, such directors may have fiduciary duties to USA Compression

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Holdings that may cause them to pursue business strategies that disproportionately benefit USA Compression Holdings, or which otherwise are not in our best interests.

Our general partner and its affiliates are allowed to take into account the interests of parties other than us in resolving conflicts of interest.

        Our partnership agreement contains provisions that reduce the fiduciary standards to which our general partner would otherwise be held by state fiduciary duty law. For example, our partnership agreement 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 our limited partners. Examples include our general partner's limited call right, its voting rights with respect to the units it owns and its determination of whether or not to consent to any merger or consolidation of the partnership.

Our partnership agreement limits the liability of and reduces the fiduciary duties owed by our general partner, and also restricts the remedies available to our unitholders for actions that, without these limitations, might constitute breaches of its 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 our general partner's 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 a general partner so long as such decisions are made in good faith, meaning, it believed that the decision was in the best interest of our partnership;



•

provides generally that affiliated transactions and resolutions of conflicts of interest not approved by the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner and not involving a vote of the common unitholders must either be (i) on terms no less favorable to us than those generally provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (ii) "fair and reasonable" to us, as determined by our general partner in good faith, provided that, in determining whether a transaction or resolution is "fair and reasonable," our general partner may consider the totality of the relationships between the parties involved, including other transactions that may be particularly advantageous or beneficial to us; and



•

provides that our general partner and its officers and directors will not be liable for monetary damages to us or our limited partners resulting from any act or omission unless there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that our general partner or its officers or directors, as the case may be, acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct.

Except in limited circumstances, our general partner has the power and authority to conduct our business without unitholder approval.

        Under our partnership agreement, our general partner has full power and authority to do all things, other than those items that require unitholder approval or with respect to which our general partner has sought conflicts committee approval, on such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct our business including, but not limited to, the following:

•

the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the assumption or guarantee of or other contracting for, indebtedness and other liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that is convertible into our securities, and the incurring of any other obligations;

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•

the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of our securities, or the issuance of additional options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to our securities;



•

the mortgage, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or exchange of any or all of our assets;



•

the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or other instruments;



•

the distribution of our cash;



•

the selection and dismissal of employees and agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;



•

the maintenance of insurance for our benefit and the benefit of our partners;



•

the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, the contribution of property to, and the making of loans to any limited or general partnership, joint venture, corporation, limited liability company or other entity;



•

the control of any matters affecting our rights and obligations, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity, otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the incurring of legal expense, the settlement of claims and litigation;



•

the indemnification of any person against liabilities and contingencies to the extent permitted by law;



•

the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or the rendering of periodic or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over our business or assets; and



•

the entering into of agreements with any of its affiliates to render services to us or to itself in the discharge of its duties as our general partner.

        Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner must act in "good faith" when making decisions on our behalf, and our partnership agreement further provides that in order for a determination to be made in "good faith," our general partner must believe that the determination is in our best interests. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Voting Rights" for information regarding matters that require unitholder approval.

Our general partner determines the amount and timing of asset purchases and sales, capital expenditures, borrowings, issuances of additional partnership securities and the creation, reduction or increase of reserves, each of which can affect the amount of cash that is distributed to our unitholders.

        The amount of cash that is available for distribution to our unitholders is affected by the decisions of our general partner regarding such matters as:

•

the manner in which our business is operated;



•

the amount and timing of asset purchases and sales;



•

cash expenditures;



•

borrowing;



•

the issuance of additional units; and



•

the creation, reduction or increase of reserves in any quarter.

        Our general partner determines the amount and timing of any capital expenditures and whether a capital expenditure is classified as a maintenance capital expenditure, which reduces operating surplus,

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or an expansion capital expenditure, which does not reduce operating surplus. This determination can affect the amount of cash that is distributed to our unitholders and to our general partner and the ability of the subordinated units to convert into common units.

        In addition, our general partner may use an amount, initially equal to $36.6 million, which would not otherwise constitute available cash from operating surplus, in order to permit the payment of cash distributions on its subordinated units and incentive distribution rights. All of these actions may affect the amount of cash distributed to our unitholders and our general partner and may facilitate the conversion of subordinated units into common units. Please read "How We Make Cash Distributions."

        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 any subordinated units held by them or the incentive distribution rights; or



•

accelerating the expiration of the subordination period.

        For example, in the event we have not generated sufficient cash from our operations to pay the minimum quarterly distribution on our common and subordinated units, our partnership agreement permits us to borrow funds, which would enable us to make this distribution on all of our outstanding units. Please read "How We Make Cash Distributions."

        Our partnership agreement provides that we and our subsidiaries may borrow funds from our general partner and its affiliates. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner and its affiliates may borrow funds from us, or our operating company and its operating subsidiaries.

Our general partner determines which of the costs it incurs on our behalf are reimbursable by us.

        We will reimburse our general partner and its affiliates for the costs incurred in managing and operating us. Our partnership agreement provides that our general partner will determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.

Our partnership agreement does not restrict our general partner from causing us to pay it or its affiliates for any services rendered to us or from entering into additional contractual arrangements with any of these entities on our behalf.

        Our partnership agreement allows our general partner to determine, in good faith, any amounts to pay itself or its affiliates for any services rendered to us. Our general partner may also enter into additional contractual arrangements with any of its affiliates on our behalf. Neither our partnership agreement nor any of the other agreements, contracts or arrangements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other hand, are the result of arm's-length negotiations. Similarly, agreements, contracts or arrangements between us and our general partner and its affiliates that are entered into may not be negotiated on an arm's-length basis, although, in some circumstances, our general partner may determine that the conflicts committee of our general partner may make a determination on our behalf with respect to such arrangements.

        Our general partner will determine, in good faith, the terms of any such transactions entered into in the future.

        Our general partner and its affiliates have no obligation to permit us to use any of its or its affiliates' facilities or assets, except as may be provided in contracts entered into specifically for such use. There is no obligation of our general partner or its affiliates to enter into any contracts of this kind.

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Our general partner intends to limit its liability regarding our obligations.

        Our general partner intends to limit its liability under contractual arrangements so that counterparties to such agreements have recourse only against our assets, and not against our general partner or its assets. Our partnership agreement provides that any action taken by our general partner to limit its liability is not a breach of our general partner's fiduciary duties, even if we could have obtained more favorable terms without the limitation on liability.

Our general partner may exercise its right to call and purchase all of the common units not owned by it and its affiliates if they own more than 80% of our common units.

        Our general partner may exercise its right to call and purchase common units, as provided in our partnership agreement, or may assign this right to one of its affiliates or to us. Our general partner is not bound by fiduciary duty restrictions in determining whether to exercise this right. As a result, a common unitholder may be required to sell his common units at an undesirable time or price. Please read "The Partnership Agreement—Limited Call Right."

Our general partner controls the enforcement of its and its affiliates' obligations to us.

        Any agreements between us, on the one hand, and our general partner and its affiliates, on the other hand, 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.

Our general partner decides whether to retain separate counsel, accountants or others to perform services for us.

        The attorneys, independent accountants and others who have performed 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 and may perform services for our general partner and its affiliates. We may retain separate counsel for ourselves or the holders of common units 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 hand, depending on the nature of the conflict. We do not intend to do so in most cases.

Our general partner may elect to cause us to issue common units to it in connection with a resetting of the target distribution levels related to our general partner's incentive distribution rights without the approval of the conflicts committee of the board of directors of our general partner or our unitholders. This election may result in lower distributions to our common unitholders in certain situations.

        Our general partner has the right, at any time when there are no subordinated units outstanding and it has received incentive distributions at the highest level to which it is entitled (48.0%) for each of the prior four consecutive fiscal quarters, to reset the initial target distribution levels at higher levels based on our cash distribution at the time of the exercise of the reset election. Following a reset election by our general partner, the minimum quarterly distribution will be reset to an amount equal to the average cash distribution per common unit for the two fiscal quarters 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 our general partner would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate acquisitions or internal growth projects that would not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per common unit without such conversion; however, it is possible that our general partner could exercise this reset election at a time when we are experiencing declines in our aggregate cash distributions or at a time when our general partner expects that we will experience declines in our aggregate cash

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distributions in the foreseeable future. In such situations, our general partner may be experiencing, or may expect to experience, declines in the cash distributions it receives related to its 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 the general partner to own in lieu of the right to receive incentive distribution payments based on target distribution levels that are less certain to be achieved in the then current business environment. As a result, a reset election may cause our common unitholders to experience dilution in the amount of cash distributions that they would have otherwise received had we not issued new common units to our general partner in connection with resetting the target distribution levels related to our general partner's incentive distribution rights. Please read "How We Make Cash Distributions."

Fiduciary Duties

        Our general partner is accountable to us and our unitholders as a fiduciary. Fiduciary duties owed to unitholders by our general partner are prescribed by law and our partnership agreement. The Delaware Act provides that Delaware limited partnerships may, in their partnership agreements, modify, restrict or expand the fiduciary duties otherwise owed by a general partner to limited partners and the partnership.

        Our partnership agreement contains various provisions modifying and restricting the fiduciary duties that might otherwise be owed by our general partner. We have adopted these restrictions to allow our general partner or its affiliates to engage in transactions with us that would otherwise be prohibited by state-law fiduciary duty 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 our general partner's board of directors has fiduciary duties to manage our general partner in a manner that is beneficial to its owners, as well as to our unitholders. Without these modifications, our general partner's ability to make decisions involving conflicts of interest would be restricted. The modifications to the fiduciary standards enable our general partner to take into consideration all parties involved in the proposed action, so long as the resolution is fair and reasonable to us. These modifications also enable our general partner to attract and retain experienced and capable directors. These modifications are detrimental to our unitholders because they restrict the remedies available to unitholders for actions that, without those limitations, might constitute breaches of fiduciary duty, as described below, and permit our general partner to take into account the interests of third parties in addition to our interests when resolving conflicts of interest. The following is a summary of the material restrictions of the fiduciary duties owed by our general partner 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

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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 these persons acted in bad faith or engaged in fraud or willful misconduct. We must also provide this indemnification for criminal proceedings unless our general partner or these other persons acted with knowledge that their 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 DEBT SECURITIES

General

        USA Compression Partners, LP may issue senior and unsubordinated debt securities in one or more series, and USA Compression Finance Corp. may be a co-issuer of one or more series of debt securities. USA Compression Finance Corp. is 100% owned by USA Compression Partners, LP, and has no assets or current operations and has been formed for the sole purpose of acting as co-issuer of debt securities, and therefore falls within the meaning of a "minor" subsidiary under Rule 3-10(h) of Regulation S-X. Its activities are limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto. Any debt securities co-issued by USA Compression Partners, LP and USA Compression Finance Corp. will be issued jointly and severally. When used in this section "Description of Debt Securities," the terms "we," "us," "our" and "issuers" refer jointly to USA Compression Partners, LP and USA Compression Finance Corp. if the latter is a co-issuer of the series of debt securities and otherwise only to the former, and the terms "USA Compression" and "USA Compression Finance" refer strictly to USA Compression Partners, LP and USA Compression Finance Corp., respectively.

        If we offer debt securities, we will issue them in one or more series under an indenture among each issuer, any guarantors and a trustee (the "Trustee"). A form of the indenture is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We have not restated the indenture in its entirety in this description. You should read the relevant indenture because it, and not this description, controls your rights as holders of the debt securities. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the indenture.

Specific Terms of Each Series of Debt Securities in the Prospectus Supplement

        A prospectus supplement and a supplemental indenture or authorizing resolutions relating to any series of debt securities being offered will include specific terms relating to the offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

•

whether USA Compression Finance will be a co-issuer;



•

the guarantors of the debt securities, if any;



•

the title of the debt securities;



•

the total principal amount of the debt securities;



•

the assets, if any, that are pledged as security for the payment of the debt securities;



•

whether we will issue the debt securities in individual certificates to each holder in registered form, or in the form of temporary or permanent global securities held by a depository on behalf of holders;



•

the prices at which we will issue the debt securities;



•

the portion of the principal amount that will be payable if the maturity of the debt securities is accelerated;



•

the currency or currency unit in which the debt securities will be payable, if not U.S. dollars;



•

the dates on which the principal of the debt securities will be payable;



•

the interest rate that the debt securities will bear and the interest payment dates for the debt securities;



•

any conversion or exchange provisions;

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•

any optional redemption provisions;



•

any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to repurchase or redeem the debt securities;



•

any changes to or additional events of default or covenants; and



•

any other terms of the debt securities.

        We may offer and sell debt securities, including original issue discount debt securities, at a substantial discount below their principal amount. The prospectus supplement will describe special U.S. federal income tax and any other considerations applicable to those securities. In addition, the prospectus supplement may describe certain special U.S. federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any debt securities that are denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars.

Guarantees

        In the event that USA Compression Partners, LLC, USAC Leasing, LLC, USAC Leasing 2, LLC and USAC OpCo 2, LLC, each of which is a 100% owned subsidiary of USA Compression Partners, LP, guarantees any series of the debt securities described in this prospectus, such guarantees will be full and unconditional and made on a joint and several basis for the benefit of each holder and the Trustee. However, such guarantees are subject to release, subject to certain limitations, as follows (i) upon the sale, exchange or transfer, whether by way of a merger or otherwise, to any Person that is not an Affiliate of the Partnership, of all the Partnership's direct or indirect limited partnership or other equity interest in such Subsidiary Guarantor; or (ii) upon the Issuers' delivery of a written notice to the Trustee of the release or discharge of all guarantees by such Subsidiary Guarantor of any Debt of the Issuers other than obligations arising under this Indenture and any Debt Securities issued hereunder, except a discharge or release by or as a result of payment under such guarantees (as such capitalized terms are defined in the Form of Indenture filed as exhibit 4.1 herein). Such guarantees will cover the full and prompt payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of that series when and as the same become due and payable, whether at stated maturity, upon redemption or repurchase, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise. The prospectus supplement will describe any limitation on the maximum amount of any particular guarantee and the customary conditions under which guarantees may be released.

        The guarantors referred to in the preceding paragraph are our only existing subsidiaries, other than USA Compression Finance. We have no assets or operations independent of our subsidiaries, and there are no significant restrictions upon our ability to obtain funds from our subsidiaries by dividend or loan. None of the assets of our subsidiaries represent restricted net assets pursuant to Rule 4-08(e)(3) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act

        The guarantees will be general obligations of the guarantors.

Consolidation, Merger or Asset Sale

        The indenture will, in general, allow us to consolidate or merge with or into another domestic entity. It will also allow each issuer to sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets to another domestic entity. If this happens, the remaining or acquiring entity must assume all of the issuer's responsibilities and liabilities under the indenture including the payment of all amounts due on the debt securities and performance of the issuer's covenants in the indenture.

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        However, the indenture will impose certain requirements with respect to any consolidation or merger with or into an entity, or any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of an issuer's assets, including:

•

the remaining or acquiring entity must be organized under the laws of the United States, any state or the District of Columbia;



•

the remaining or acquiring entity must assume the issuer's obligations under the indenture; and



•

immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default (as defined under "—Events of Default and Remedies") may exist.

        The remaining or acquiring entity will be substituted for the issuer in the indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture, and the issuer will be relieved from any further obligations under the indenture, except in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of its assets.

No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control

        Unless otherwise set forth in the prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions that protect the holders of the debt securities in the event of a change of control of us or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction, whether or not such transaction results in a change of control of us.

Modification of Indenture

        We may supplement or amend the indenture if the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the supplement or amendment consent to it. Further, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive past defaults under the indenture and compliance by us with our covenants with respect to the debt securities of that series only. However, without the consent of each outstanding debt security affected, no modification of the indenture or waiver may:

•

reduce the principal of or extend the fixed maturity of any debt security;



•

reduce any premium payable upon redemption or change any redemption date with respect to the redemption of the debt securities;



•

reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest on any debt security;



•

waive a past Default or an Event of Default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities or in respect of an indenture provision that cannot be modified without the consent of each affected holder;



•

except as otherwise permitted under the indenture, release any security that may have been granted with respect to the debt securities;



•

make any debt security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt securities;



•

impair the right of any holder to receive any payment on its debt securities on or after the due date therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment;



•

except as otherwise permitted in the indenture, release any guarantor from its obligations under its guarantee or the indenture or change any guarantee in any manner adverse to the holders; or



•

make any change in the preceding amendment, supplement and waiver provisions (except to increase any percentage set forth therein).

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        We may supplement or amend the indenture without the consent of any holders of the debt securities in certain circumstances, including:

•

to establish the form of terms of any series of debt securities;



•

to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;



•

to provide for uncertificated notes in addition to or in place of certificated notes;



•

to provide for the assumption of an issuer's obligations to holders of debt securities in the case of a merger or consolidation or disposition of all or substantially all of such issuer's assets;



•

to add or release guarantors pursuant to the terms of the indenture;



•

to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights under the indenture of any holder of debt securities;



•

to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act");



•

to evidence or provide for the acceptance of appointment under the indenture of a successor Trustee;



•

to add any additional Events of Default (as defined below) with respect to any series of debt securities; or



•

to secure the debt securities or the guarantees.

Events of Default, Remedies and Notice

        "Event of Default," when used in the indenture, will mean any of the following with respect to the debt securities of any series:

•

failure to pay when due the principal of or any premium on any debt security of that series;



•

failure to pay, within 60 days of the due date, interest on any debt security of that series;



•

failure to pay when due any sinking fund payment with respect to any debt securities of that series;



•

failure on the part of an issuer to comply with the covenant described under "—Consolidation, Merger or Asset Sale";



•

failure to perform any other covenant in the indenture that continues for 30 days after written notice is given to the issuers;



•

certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of an issuer or any guarantor of that series;



•

if the debt securities of that series are entitled to a guarantee, the guarantee ceases to be in full force and effect; or



•

any other Event of Default provided under the terms of the debt securities of that series.

        An Event of Default for a particular series of debt securities will not necessarily constitute an Event of Default for any other series of debt securities issued under the indenture. The Trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any default (except in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest) if it considers such withholding of notice to be in the best interests of the holders.

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        If an Event of Default for any series of debt securities occurs and continues, the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of the series may declare the entire principal of, and accrued interest on, all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. If this happens, subject to certain conditions, the holders of a majority in the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series can rescind the declaration.

        Other than its duties in case of a default, a Trustee is not obligated to exercise any of its rights or powers under either indenture at the request, order or direction of any holders, unless the holders offer the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity. If they provide this reasonable security or indemnification, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of any series of debt securities may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding or any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any power conferred upon the Trustee, for that series of debt securities.

No Limit on Amount of Debt Securities

        The indenture will not limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue, unless we indicate otherwise in a prospectus supplement. The indenture will allow us to issue debt securities of any series up to the aggregate principal amount that we authorize.

Registration of Notes

        We will issue debt securities of a series only in registered form, without coupons.

Minimum Denominations

        Unless the prospectus supplement states otherwise, the debt securities will be issued only in principal amounts of $1,000 each or integral multiples of $1,000.

No Personal Liability

        None of the past, present or future partners, incorporators, managers, members, directors, officers, employees, unitholders or stockholders of either issuer, the general partner of USA Compression or any guarantor, as such, will have any liability for the obligations of the issuers or any guarantor under the indenture or the debt securities or for any claim based on such obligations or their creation. Each holder of debt securities by accepting a debt security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issuance of the debt securities. The waiver may not be effective under federal securities laws, however, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.

Payment and Transfer

        The Trustee will initially act as paying agent and registrar under the indenture. The issuers may change the paying agent or registrar without prior notice to the holders of debt securities, and the issuers or any of their subsidiaries may act as paying agent or registrar.

        If a holder of debt securities has given wire transfer instructions to the issuers, the issuers will make all payments on the debt securities in accordance with those instructions. All other payments on any debt securities not in a global form will be made at the corporate trust office of the Trustee, unless the issuers elect to make interest payments by check mailed to the holders at their addresses set forth in the debt security register.

        The Trustee and any paying agent will repay to us upon request any funds held by them for payments on the debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment as general creditors.

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Exchange, Registration and Transfer

        Debt securities of any series will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount and the same terms but in different authorized denominations in accordance with the indenture. Holders may present debt securities for exchange or registration of transfer at the office of the registrar. The registrar will effect the transfer or exchange when it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. We will not charge a service charge for any registration of transfer or exchange of the debt securities. We may, however, require the payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable for that registration.

        We will not be required:

•

to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange debt securities of a series either during a period of 15 days prior to the mailing of a notice of redemption of debt securities of that series; or



•

to register the transfer of or exchange any debt security called for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security we are redeeming in part.

Ranking

        The debt securities will rank equally in right of payment with all of our other senior and unsubordinated debt. The debt securities will be effectively subordinated, however, to all of our secured debt to the extent of the value of the collateral for that debt. We will disclose the amount of our secured debt in the prospectus supplement.

Book Entry, Delivery and Form

        The debt securities of a particular series may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates that will be deposited with the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York ("DTC"), and registered in the name of DTC's nominee, Cede & Co. This means that we will not issue certificates to each holder. Instead, one or more global debt securities will be issued to DTC, who will keep a computerized record of its participants (for example, your broker) whose clients have purchased the debt securities. The participant will then keep a record of its clients who purchased the debt securities. Unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for a certificated debt security, a global debt security may not be transferred, except that DTC, its nominees and their successors may transfer a global debt security as a whole to one another.

        Beneficial interests in global debt securities will be shown on, and transfers of beneficial interests in global debt securities will be made only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.

        DTC has provided us the following information: DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a "banking organization" within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the United States Federal Reserve System, a "clearing corporation" within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a "clearing agency" registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. DTC holds securities that its participants ("Direct Participants") deposit with DTC. DTC also records the settlement among Direct Participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through computerized records for Direct Participants' accounts. This eliminates the need to exchange certificates. Direct Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations.

        DTC's book-entry system is also used by other organizations such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that work through a Direct Participant. The rules that apply to DTC and its Direct Participants are on file with the SEC.

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        DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation ("DTCC"). DTCC, in turn, is owned by a number of its participants and by, among other institutions, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. The rules that apply to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.

        We will wire all payments on the global debt securities to DTC's nominee. We and the Trustee will treat DTC's nominee as the owner of the global debt securities for all purposes. Accordingly, we, the Trustee and any paying agent will have no direct responsibility or liability to pay amounts due on the global debt securities to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities

        It is DTC's current practice, upon receipt of any payment on the global debt securities, to credit Direct Participants' accounts on the payment date according to their respective holdings of beneficial interests in the global debt securities as shown on DTC's records. In addition, it is DTC's current practice to assign any consenting or voting rights to Direct Participants whose accounts are credited with debt securities on a record date, by using an omnibus proxy. Payments by Direct Participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global debt securities, and voting by Direct Participants, will be governed by the customary practices between the Direct Participants and owners of beneficial interests, as is the case with debt securities held for the account of customers registered in "street name." However, payments will be the responsibility of the Direct Participants and not of DTC, the Trustee or us.

        Debt securities represented by a global debt security will be exchangeable for certificated debt securities with the same terms in authorized denominations only if:

•

DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or if DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under applicable law and in either event a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 90 days; or



•

following an Event of Default, DTC notifies the Trustee of its decision to require that the debt securities of a series shall no longer be represented by a global debt security.

Satisfaction and Discharge; Defeasance

        The indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding debt securities of any series issued thereunder, when:

        (a)   either:

        (1)   all outstanding debt securities of that series that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed debt securities that have been replaced or paid and debt securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to us) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

        (2)   all outstanding debt securities of that series that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the giving of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee and in any case we have irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust cash sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness of such debt securities not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of debt securities that have been due and payable) or the stated maturity or redemption date; and

        (b)   we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable by us under the indenture.

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        The debt securities of a particular series will be subject to legal or covenant defeasance to the extent, and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in the prospectus supplement.

Governing Law

        The indenture and all of the debt securities will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.

The Trustee

        We will enter into the indenture with a Trustee that is qualified to act under the Trust Indenture Act, and with any other Trustees chosen by us and appointed in a supplemental indenture for a particular series of debt securities. We will identify in the applicable prospectus supplement, the Trustee for each series of debt securities and will file an application with the SEC under the Trust Indenture Act to qualify the Trustee.

Resignation or Removal of Trustee

        If the Trustee has or acquires a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee must either eliminate its conflicting interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and the indenture. Any resignation will require the appointment of a successor Trustee in accordance with the terms and conditions of the indenture.

        The Trustee may resign or be removed by us with respect to one or more series of debt securities and a successor Trustee may be appointed to act with respect to any such series. The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series may remove the Trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series.

Limitations on Trustee if it is Our Creditor

        The indenture will contain certain limitations on the right of the Trustee, in the event that it becomes a creditor of an issuer, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise.

Annual Trustee Report to Holders of Debt Securities

        The Trustee will submit an annual report to the holders of the debt securities regarding, among other things, the Trustee's eligibility to serve as such, the priority of the Trustee's claims regarding certain advances made by it, and any action taken by the Trustee materially affecting the debt securities.

Certificates and Opinions to be Furnished to Trustee

        The indenture will provide that, in addition to other certificates or opinions that may be specifically required by other provisions of the indenture, every application by us for action by the Trustee shall be accompanied by a certificate of certain of our officers and an opinion of counsel (who may be our counsel) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent to such action have been complied with by us.

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

        This section summarizes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to prospective unitholders and is based upon current provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), existing and proposed U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder (the "Treasury Regulations"), and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change (possibly with retroactive effect). Changes in these authorities may cause the U.S. 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 USA Compression Partners, LP and its operating 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 and by our general partner to them for this purpose. However, this section does not address all U.S. federal income tax matters that affect us or our unitholders and does not describe the application of the alternative minimum tax that may be applicable to certain unitholders. Furthermore, this section focuses on unitholders who are individuals who are citizens or residents of the United States (for U.S. 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 other entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes), estates, trusts, non-resident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt entities, 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 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 our 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 and our general partner 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 U.S. federal income tax issues: (1) 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—Treatment of Securities Loans"); (2) 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 (3) whether our method for taking into account Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election" and "—Uniformity of Units").

Taxation of the Partnership

Partnership Status

        We expect to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, therefore, generally will not be liable for entity-level U.S. 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

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deduction in computing its U.S. federal income tax liability as if the unitholder had earned such income directly, even if we make no cash distributions to the unitholder.

        Section 7704 of the Code generally provides that publicly traded partnerships will be treated as corporations for U.S. 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 U.S. federal income tax purposes (the "Qualifying Income Exception"). Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the production, transportation, processing and storage of crude oil, natural gas and products thereof. Other types of qualifying income include 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 7% of our gross income for the taxable year ending December 31, 2015 will not be qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time.

        Based upon the 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 and each of our operating subsidiaries will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes. The representations made by us and by our general partner upon that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied in rendering its opinion include, without limitation:

        (a)   Neither we nor any of our operating subsidiaries that are partnerships or limited liability companies has elected or will elect to be treated as a corporation for U.S. 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 all of our 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 the aggregate amount of our liabilities does not exceed the adjusted tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

        The present U.S. 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, the Obama administration's budget proposal for fiscal year 2016 recommends that certain publicly traded partnerships earning income from activities related to fossil fuels be taxed as corporations beginning in 2021. From time to time, members of the U.S. Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing U.S. federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships. If successful, the Obama administration's proposal or other similar proposals could eliminate the qualifying income exception to the treatment of all publicly traded partnerships as corporations upon which we rely for our treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We are unable to predict whether any such changes will ultimately be enacted.

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However, 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 common 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 U.S. 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 adjusted tax basis in its units (determined separately for each unit), and thereafter (iii) a 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 U.S. 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 U.S. federal income tax purposes. For a discussion related to the risks of losing partner status as a result of securities loans, please read "—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" with respect to payments we may be required to make on behalf of our unitholders, we will not pay any U.S. federal income tax. Rather, each unitholder will be required to report on its own U.S. 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 (as measured for federal income tax purposes) of our "nonrecourse liabilities" (liabilities for which no partner bears the economic risk of loss). That basis generally will be (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.

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Treatment of Distributions

        Distributions by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder, unless such distributions exceed the unitholder's adjusted tax basis in its units, in which case the unitholder generally will recognize a gain taxable in the manner described below under "—Disposition of Units."

        Any reduction in a unitholder's share of our nonrecourse liabilities 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 a reallocation of our nonrecourse 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 adjusted 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 adjusted tax basis in its units, reduced by (1) any portion of that basis attributable to the unitholder's share of our nonrecourse 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 adjusted 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 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

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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 properly allocable to property held for investment;



•

interest expense attributed to portfolio income; and



•

the portion of interest expense incurred to purchase or carry an interest in a passive activity to the extent attributable to 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 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 U.S. federal, state, local or non-U.S. tax on behalf of any current or former unitholder or are unitholder, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution of cash to the relevant unitholder or our general partner. Where the tax is payable on behalf of all the 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. Unitholders are urged to consult their own 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 and our general partner in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that distributions are made to the common units in excess of distributions to the subordinated units, or we make incentive distributions to our general partner, gross income will be allocated to the recipients to the extent of these distributions. If we have a net loss, that loss will be allocated first to our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interest in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts and, second, to our general partner.

        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 adjusted 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 U.S. federal income tax burden associated with any Book-Tax Disparity immediately prior to an offering generally will be borne by our partners and our general partner holding interests in us prior to such offering. In addition, items of recapture income will be specially allocated to the extent possible

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(subject to the limitations described above) 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 U.S. 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 interests 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 U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Treatment of Securities Loans

        A unitholder whose units are loaned (for example, a loan to a "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 U.S. federal income 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 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 U.S. 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 (subject to certain exceptions) 20%, respectively. These rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.

        In addition, a 3.8% net investment income tax 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, as well as any income or 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 (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 U.S. federal income tax bracket applicable to an estate or trust begins.

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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 adjusted tax 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 Section 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 the positions we adopt with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment to preserve the uniformity of units due to lack of controlling authority. Because a unitholder's adjusted 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 adjusted tax 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 are 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 certain of 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 U.S. 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 twelve months of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read "—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees." Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization

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        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 U.S. 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 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, if any, between the unitholder's amount realized and the adjusted 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.

        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, 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

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interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that adjusted 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 adjusted 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 own 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, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, however, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders, although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. Nonetheless, the proposed regulations will not be effective until they are issued in their final form, and the proposed regulations do not specifically authorize the use of the proration method we have adopted. Accordingly,

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Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferee and transferor unitholders. If this method is not allowed under the final Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder's interest, our taxable income or losses could be reallocated among our unitholders. 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 future 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.

Constructive Termination

        We will be considered to have "constructively" terminated as a 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 constructive 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 constructive 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 constructively terminated partnership to provide a single Schedule K-1 for the calendar year in which a termination occurs. Following a constructive 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. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination may either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination that would not otherwise have been applied to us as a continuing as opposed to a terminating partnership.

Uniformity of Units

        Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units and for other reasons, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the units to a purchaser of these units. As a result of the need to preserve uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of U.S. 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—Section 754 Election."

        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

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otherwise be entitled. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine as to the validity of such filing positions.

        A unitholder's adjusted tax 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" and "—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—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 Entities and Other Investors

        Ownership of units by employee benefit plans and other tax-exempt entities 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 own tax advisors before investing in our units. Employee benefit plans and most other tax-exempt entities, including IRAs and other retirement plans, are subject to U.S. 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. Non-U.S. Unitholders 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 U.S. federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay U.S. federal income tax on their share of our net income or gain in a manner similar to a taxable U.S. unitholder. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, distributions to Non-U.S. Unitholders are subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. federal 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 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 U.S. 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 U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the Non-U.S. Unitholder. 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,

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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, a Non-U.S. Unitholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a unit if (i) it owned (directly or constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of our worldwide real property interests and our 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 certain associated personal property) and interests in certain entities holding U.S. real estate) at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the units or the 5-year period ending on the date of disposition. More than 50% of our assets may consist of U.S. real property interests. Therefore, Non-U.S. Unitholders may be subject to U.S. federal income tax (and in the case of a foreign corporation, possible branch profits tax) on gain from the sale or disposition of their 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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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 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 U.S. federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return.

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Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.

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 $100 per failure, up to a maximum of $1.5 million per calendar year, is imposed by the Code for failure to report the foregoing 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 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, Non-U.S. and Other Tax Considerations

        In addition to U.S. 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 assets in several states. Many of these states currently impose a personal income tax on individuals. Certain of these states also impose an income or other entity-level tax on corporations and other entities. 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. 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 a unitholder may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in a jurisdiction because its income from such jurisdiction falls below the filing and payment requirements, a unitholder will be required to file income tax returns and to pay income taxes in many of the jurisdictions in which we do business or own property and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those

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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.

        It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent jurisdictions, of its investment in us. We strongly recommend that each prospective unitholder consult, and depend on, 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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MATERIAL U.S. TAX CONSEQUENCES OF OWNERSHIP OF DEBT SECURITIES

        A description of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of debt securities will be set forth on the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of debt securities.

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INVESTMENT IN USA COMPRESSION PARTNERS, LP BY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

        An investment in us by an employee benefit plan is subject to additional considerations because the investments of these plans are subject to the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, restrictions imposed by Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code and/or provisions under any federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or ERISA, collectively, Similar Laws. For these purposes, the term "employee benefit plan" includes, but is not limited to, qualified pension, profit-sharing and stock bonus plans, Keogh plans, simplified employee pension plans and tax deferred annuities or individual retirement accounts or annuities, or IRAs, and entities whose underlying assets are considered to include "plan assets" of such plans, accounts or arrangements. Among other things, consideration should be given to:

•

whether the investment is prudent under Section 404(a)(1)(B) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws;



•

whether in making the investment, the plan will satisfy the diversification requirements of Section 404(a)(1)(C) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws; and



•

whether the investment will result in recognition of unrelated business taxable income by the plan and, if so, the potential after-tax investment return. Please read "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors."

        The person with investment discretion with respect to the assets of an employee benefit plan, often called a fiduciary, should determine whether an investment in us is authorized by the appropriate governing instrument and is a proper investment for the plan.

        Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code prohibit employee benefit plans from engaging in specified transactions involving "plan assets" with parties that, with respect to the plan, are "parties in interest" under ERISA or "disqualified persons" under the Internal Revenue Code.

        In addition to considering whether the purchase of common units is a prohibited transaction, a fiduciary should consider whether the plan will, by investing in us, be deemed to own an undivided interest in our assets, with the result that our general partner would also be a fiduciary of such plan and our operations would be subject to the regulatory restrictions of ERISA, including its prohibited transaction rules, as well as the prohibited transaction rules of the Internal Revenue Code and any other applicable Similar Laws.

        The Department of Labor regulations provide guidance with respect to whether the assets of an entity in which employee benefit plans acquire equity interests would be deemed "plan assets." Under these regulations, an entity's assets would not be considered to be "plan assets" if, among other things:

•

the equity interests acquired by the employee benefit plan are publicly offered securities—i.e., the equity interests are widely held by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and each other, are freely transferable and are registered under certain provisions of the federal securities laws;



•

the entity is an "operating company,"—i.e., it is primarily engaged in the production or sale of a product or service, other than the investment of capital, either directly or through a majority-owned subsidiary or subsidiaries; or



•

there is no significant investment by benefit plan investors, which is defined to mean that less than 25% of the value of each class of equity interest is held by the employee benefit plans referred to above.

        In light of the serious penalties imposed on persons who engage in prohibited transactions or other violations, plan fiduciaries contemplating a purchase of common units should consult with their own counsel regarding the consequences under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other Similar Laws.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

        The securities offered pursuant to this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement may be sold in any of the following ways:

•

directly to one or more purchasers;



•

through agents;



•

through underwriters, brokers or dealers; or



•

through a combination of any of these methods of sale.

        In addition, we or the selling unitholders may from time to time sell securities in compliance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act, if available, or pursuant to other available exemptions from the registration requirements under the Securities Act, rather than pursuant to this prospectus. In such event, we and the selling unitholders, if applicable, may be required by the securities laws of certain states to offer and sell the common units only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers.

        We will fix a price or prices of our securities at:

•

market prices prevailing at the time of any sale under this registration statement;



•

prices related to market prices; or



•

negotiated prices.

        We may change the price of the securities offered from time to time.

        The selling unitholders may act independently of us in making decisions with respect to the timing, manner and size of each of its sales. The selling unitholders may make sales of the common units on the NYSE or otherwise at prices and under terms prevailing at the time of the sale, or at prices related to the then-current market price, at fixed prices, or in privately negotiated transactions.

        Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us and the sale thereof may be made by us directly to institutional investors or others. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may use electronic media, including the Internet, to sell offered securities directly.

        We, or agents designated by us, may directly solicit, from time to time, offers to purchase the securities. Any such agent may be deemed to be an underwriter as that term is defined in the Securities Act. We will name any agents involved in the offer or sale of the securities and describe any commissions payable by us to these agents in the prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, these agents will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of their appointment. The agents may be entitled under agreements which may be entered into with us to indemnification by us against specific civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. The agents may also be our customers or may engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.

        If we or the selling unitholders utilize any underwriters in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we and, if applicable, the selling unitholders, will enter into an underwriting agreement with those underwriters at the time of sale to them. We will set forth the names of these underwriters and the terms of the transaction in the prospectus supplement, which will be used by the underwriters to make resales of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered to the public. We or the selling unitholders may indemnify the underwriters under the relevant underwriting agreement against specific liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. The underwriters or their affiliates may be customers of, may engage in transactions with and may perform services for us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

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        If we or the selling unitholders utilize a dealer in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we or the selling unitholders, as applicable, will sell those securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. We or the selling unitholders may indemnify the dealers against specific liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. The dealers or their affiliates may also be our customers or may engage in transactions with, or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business.

        We or the selling unitholders may offer the common units covered by this prospectus into an existing trading market on the terms described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto. Underwriters, dealers and agents who participate in any at-the-market offerings will be described in the prospectus supplement relating thereto.

        A prospectus and accompanying prospectus supplement in electronic form may be made available on the web sites maintained by the underwriters. The underwriters may agree to allocate a number of securities for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Such allocations of securities for internet distributions will be made on the same basis as other allocations. In addition, securities may be sold by the underwriters to securities dealers who resell securities to online brokerage account holders.

        The aggregate maximum compensation the underwriters will receive in connection with the sale of any securities under this prospectus and the registration statement of which it forms a part will not exceed 10% of the gross proceeds from the sale.

        Because the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority 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 Conduct Rules.

        To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution. The place and time of delivery for the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered will be set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

        In connection with offerings of securities under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part and in compliance with applicable law, underwriters, brokers or dealers may engage in transactions that stabilize or maintain the market price of the securities at levels above those that might otherwise prevail in the open market. Specifically, underwriters, brokers or dealers may over-allot in connection with offerings, creating a short position in the securities for their own accounts. For the purpose of covering a syndicate short position or stabilizing the price of the securities, the underwriters, brokers or dealers may place bids for the securities or effect purchases of the securities in the open market. Finally, the underwriters may impose a penalty whereby selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other brokers or dealers for distribution of the securities in offerings may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed securities in transactions to cover short positions, in stabilization transactions or otherwise. These activities may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market, and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

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SELLING UNITHOLDERS

        This prospectus covers the offering for resale from time to time, in one or more offerings, of up to 33,340,142 common units owned by the selling unitholders.

        As of May 29, 2015, USA Compression Holdings also owns 14,048,588 of our subordinated units. The subordinated units may be converted into common units on a one-for-one basis upon termination of the subordination period under certain circumstances, as set forth in our partnership agreement. In addition to holding the common units and subordinated units in us, USA Compression Holdings also owns all of our incentive distribution rights and all of the ownership interests in our general partner.

        Of the common units owned by the selling unitholders, 7,425,261 of those common units were received by the selling unitholders other than USA Compression Holdings from us in a private placement of common units pursuant to the Contribution Agreement, dated August 12, 2013, between S&R Compression, LLC ("S&R"), Argonaut and us.

        Because USA Compression Holdings owns a substantial amount of our limited partner interests and controls our general partner and we are registering the offer by Argonaut of a substantial percentage of our common units through this prospectus, they will each be deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any common units offered by either of them pursuant to this prospectus, and any such offering would be deemed to be a primary offering by us.

        Please read "Who We Are" for additional information regarding our relationship with the selling unitholders.

        The following table sets forth information relating to the selling unitholders as of May 29, 2015 based on information supplied to us by the selling unitholders on or prior to that date. We have not sought to verify such information. Information concerning the selling unitholders may change over time, including by addition of additional selling unitholders, and if necessary, we will supplement this prospectus accordingly. The selling unitholders are offering all of the common units they currently own through this prospectus and any additional common units they may acquire through our Distribution Reinvestment Plan, or DRIP. The selling unitholders may hold or acquire at any time common units in addition to those offered by this prospectus and may have acquired additional common units since the date on which the information reflected herein was provided to us. In addition, the selling unitholders may have sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of some or all of their common units since the date on which the information reflected herein was provided to us and may in the future sell, transfer or

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otherwise dispose of some or all of their common units in private placement transactions exempt from or not subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

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LEGAL MATTERS

        Certain legal matters in connection with the securities will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas.

EXPERTS

        The consolidated financial statements of USA Compression Partners, LP as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2014, have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

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Table of Contents

USA Compression Partners, LP

4,000,000 Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests

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Prospectus Supplement

September     , 2015

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UBS Investment Bank

Wells Fargo Securities

Barclays

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

J.P. Morgan

Raymond James

RBC Capital Markets

Regions Securities LLC

Ladenburg Thalmann

MUFG

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