BUCKEYE PARTNERS L P
10-Q, 1997-10-24
PIPE LINES (NO NATURAL GAS)
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<PAGE>                                
               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                      Washington, DC  20549
                            FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

  x     Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13  or  15(d)
        of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


For the quarterly period ended September 30, 1997 or

        Transition report pursuant to Section 13 or  15(d)
        of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


For the transition period from _______________ to _______________

Commission file number 1-9356


                     BUCKEYE PARTNERS, L.P.
     (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


     Delaware                                           23-2432497
(State or other jurisdiction of                        (IRS Employer
 incorporation or organization)                      Identification No.)


 5 Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 500
 100 Matsonford Road
 Radnor, PA                                                19087
(Address  of  principal executive                      (Zip Code)
 offices)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:     610-254-4600


                         Not Applicable

(Former  name, former address and former fiscal year, if  changed
since last report).


      Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed
all  reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d)  of  the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding  12  months
(or  for such shorter period that the registrant was required  to
file  such  reports),  and (2) has been subject  to  such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes   x      No


      Indicate  the number of shares outstanding of each  of  the
issuer's  classes  of common stock, as of the latest  practicable
date.


          Class                  Outstanding at October  17, 1997
Limited Partnership Units                  13,360,303 Units
<PAGE>                     
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                      BUCKEYE PARTNERS, L.P.
                           
                              INDEX


                                                                 Page No.
<S>                                                                 <C>
Part I.  Financial Information


Item 1. Consolidated Financial Statements


     Consolidated Statements of Income                               1
      for the three months and nine months
      ended September 30, 1997 and 1996


     Consolidated Balance Sheets                                     2
      September 30, 1997 and December 31, 1996


     Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows                           3
      for the nine months ended September 30, 1997
      and 1996


     Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements                     4-7


Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis                        8-11
        of Financial Condition and Results
        of Operations



Part II. Other Information


Item 1.  Legal Proceedings                                           12

Item 4.  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders         12

Item  6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K                            13
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
                      Part I - Financial Information


Item 1.     Consolidated Financial Statements



                          Buckeye Partners, L.P.
                     Consolidated Statements of Income
                  (In thousands, except per Unit amounts)
                                (Unaudited)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 Three Months Ended                                        Nine Months Ended
   September 30,                                              September 30,
- -------------------                                      --------------------
  1997      1996                                           1997        1996
  ----      ----                                           ----        ----
<S>       <C>       <C>                                  <C>         <C>
$47,333   $45,083   Revenue                              $137,546    $135,985
- -------   -------                                        --------    --------
                                                                
                    Costs and expenses                          
 22,514    21,228    Operating expenses                    66,567      69,517
  2,836     2,817    Depreciation and amortization          8,529       8,512
  3,390     3,417    General and administrative expenses   10,367      10,026
- -------   -------                                        --------    --------
 28,740    27,462     Total costs and expenses             85,463      88,055
- -------   -------                                        --------    --------
                                                                
 18,593    17,621   Operating income                       52,083      47,930
- -------   -------                                        --------    --------
                                                             
                    Other income (expenses)                     
    407       409    Interest income                        1,484       1,097
 (5,366)   (5,447)   Interest and debt expense            (16,124)    (16,402)
   (904)     (566)   Minority interests and other          (1,806)      1,309
- -------   -------                                        --------    --------
 (5,863)   (5,604)    Total other income (expenses)       (16,446)    (13,996)
- -------   -------                                        --------    --------
                                                
$12,730   $12,017   Net income                           $ 35,637    $ 33,934
=======   =======                                        ========    ========  
                                                                
                    Net income allocated to General
$   121   $   120    Partner                             $    350    $    339
                                                             
                                                                
                    Net income allocated to Limited
$12,609   $11,897    Partners                             $ 35,287   $ 33,595
                                                          
                                                                
$  0.99   $  0.99    Net income per unit                  $  2.87     $  2.79
</TABLE>                                                            


See notes to consolidated financial statements.
<PAGE>
                         Buckeye Partners, L.P.
                       Consolidated Balance Sheets
                             (In thousands)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            September 30,     December 31,
                                                1997              1996
                                            -------------     ------------
                                             (Unaudited)
<S>                                            <C>              <C>
Assets                                                              
 Current assets                                                     
  Cash and cash equivalents                    $ 13,143         $ 17,416
  Temporary investments                          12,329           14,528
  Trade receivables                               9,624           12,536
  Inventories                                     1,853            1,732
  Prepaid and other current assets               11,245            7,715
                                               --------         --------
   Total current assets                          48,194           53,927
                                                                    
  Property, plant and equipment, net            517,699          511,646
  Other non-current assets                       60,895            2,264
                                               --------         --------        

    Total assets                               $626,788         $567,837
                                               ========         ========      
Liabilities and partners' capital                                       
                                                                        
 Current liabilities                                                    
  Current portion of long-term debt            $ 15,650         $ 11,900
  Accounts payable                                1,705            4,279
  Accrued and other current liabilities          26,672           24,088
                                               --------         --------
   Total current liabilities                     44,027           40,267
                                                                        
 Long-term debt                                 189,425          202,100
 Minority interests                               2,970            2,913
 Other non-current liabilities                   44,197           46,578
 Commitments and contingent liabilities             -                -
                                               --------         --------
  Total liabilities                             280,619          291,858
                                               --------         --------      
 Partners' capital                                                      
  General Partner                                 2,825            2,760
  Limited Partners                              343,344          273,219
                                               --------         --------       
   Total partners' capital                      346,169          275,979
                                               --------         --------
        
   Total liabilities and partners' capital     $626,788         $567,837
                                               ========         ========
</TABLE>


See notes to consolidated financial statements.
<PAGE>
                         Buckeye Partners, L.P.
                  Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
                Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents
                                 (In thousands)
                                   (Unaudited)
<TABLE> 
<CAPTION>
                                                         Nine Months Ended
                                                            September 30,
                                                         --------------------
                                                          1997          1996
                                                          ----          ----
<S>                                                      <C>          <C>
Cash flows from operating activities                             
 Net income                                              $35,637      $33,934
                                                         -------      -------  
 Adjustments to reconcile income to net cash                     
  provided by operating activities:                              
    Gain on sale of property, plant and equipment            (11)      (2,651)
    Depreciation and amortization                          8,529        8,512
    Minority interests                                       375          348
    Distributions to minority interests                     (318)        (287)
    Changes in assets and liabilities:                              
    Temporary investments                                  2,199      (10,025)
    Trade receivables                                      2,912        6,157
    Inventories                                             (121)        (147)
    Prepaid and other current assets                       1,168       (2,024)
    Accounts payable                                      (2,574)        (591)
    Accrued and other current liabilities                  2,584       (3,473)
    Other non-current assets                                 871            1
    Other non-current liabilities                         (2,381)      (1,041)
                                                         -------      -------
     Total adjustments                                    13,233       (5,221)
                                                         -------      -------
           
    Net cash provided by operating activities             48,870       28,713
                                                         -------      -------
        
Cash flows from investing activities:                            
 Capital expenditures                                    (14,150)      (7,312)
 Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment          25        5,144
 Expenditures for disposal of property,                          
  plant and equipment, net                                  (446)        (293)
                                                         -------      -------  
   Net cash used in investing activities                 (14,571)      (2,461)
                                                         -------      -------
        
Cash flows from financing activities:                            
 Capital contribution                                          5           10
 Proceeds from exercise of unit options                      497          974
 Payment of long-term debt                                (8,925)          -
 Distributions to unitholders                            (30,149)     (27,390)
                                                         -------      -------  
   Net cash used in financing activities                 (38,572)     (26,406)
                                                         -------      -------
          
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents                 (4,273)        (154)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period          17,416       16,213
                                                         -------      ------- 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period               $13,143      $16,059
                                                         =======      =======
   
Supplemental cash flow information:                                
 Cash paid during the period for interest                          
  (net of amount capitalized)                            $16,396      $16,664
 Non-cash change from issuance of LP Units               $64,200           -
  (including $59,502 in other non-current assets)                
</TABLE>                                                                 

See notes to consolidated financial statements.
<PAGE>
                     BUCKEYE PARTNERS, L.P.
           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                           (UNAUDITED)

1.BASIS OF PRESENTATION

In the opinion of management, the accompanying financial statements of Buckeye 
Partners,  L.P.  (the "Partnership"),  which are  unaudited  except  that  the 
Balance  Sheet  as  of  December  31,  1996  is derived from audited financial 
statements,   include  all  adjustments  necessary  to  present   fairly   the 
Partnership's  financial position as of September 30,  1997 and the results of 
operations for the three month and nine month periods ended September 30, 1997 
and 1996,  and cash flows for the nine month periods ended September 30,  1997 
and 1996.  

The  Partnership adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No.  125, 
"Accounting  for   Transfers   and   Servicing   of   Financial   Assets   and 
Extinguishments  of  Liabilities,"  on  January 1,  1997 with no impact on the 
Partnership's operating results or  financial  condition.  Statement  No.  125 
provides consistent standards for determining if transfers of financial assets 
are  sales  or  secured  borrowings  and  revises  the  accounting  rules  for 
liabilities extinguished by an in-substance defeasance.  

On January  1,  1997,  the  Partnership  adopted  the  American  Institute  of 
Certified  Public  Accountants  Statement  of  Position  96-1,  "Environmental 
Remediation Liabilities," which clarifies  the  accounting  for  environmental 
remediation  liabilities.  The  adoption  had  no  significant  impact  on the 
Partnership's operating results or financial condition.  

In February 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of 
Financial Accounting  Standards  No.  128,  "Earnings  per  Share."  This  new 
standard  requires  dual  presentation of basic and diluted earnings per share 
(EPS) on the face of the statement of earnings and requires reconciliation  of 
the  numerators  and  denominators  of the basic and diluted EPS calculations.  
This statement will be effective for  the  Partnership's  1997  Annual  Report 
including   interim  periods  to  be  presented  therein;   however,   earlier 
application is not permitted.  The Partnership expects that  its  current  EPS 
calculation  will  be  the  same  as  basic EPS and that basic EPS will not be 
materially different than diluted EPS.  

In June 1997,  the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued  Statement  No. 
130,  "Reporting  Comprehensive  Income"  that will be effective in 1998.  The 
Partnership  does  not  anticipate  reporting  comprehensive  income  due   to 
immateriality.  The Financial Accounting Standards Board also issued Statement 
No.   131,   "Disclosures   about   Segments  of  an  Enterprise  and  Related 
Information." The Partnership currently conforms to  the  provisions  of  this 
statement, and any incremental disclosure is not expected to be material.  

Pursuant  to  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Securities  and  Exchange 
Commission, the financial statements do not include all of the information and 
notes normally included with financial statements prepared in accordance  with 
generally  accepted  accounting principles.  These financial statements should 
be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial  statements  and  notes 
thereto  included in the Partnership's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year 
ended December 31, 1996.  

2.   CONTINGENCIES

The Partnership and its subsidiaries (the "Operating  Partnerships"),  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  business,  are  involved  in  various  claims  and legal 
proceedings,  some of which are covered in whole  or  in  part  by  insurance.  
Buckeye  Management  Company  (the "General Partner") is unable to predict the 
timing or outcome of these claims and proceedings.  Although  it  is  possible 
that  one  or  more  of these claims or proceedings,  if adversely determined, 
could,  depending on the relative amounts involved,  have a material effect on 
the  Partnership's  results  of  operations  for a future period,  the General 
Partner does not believe that their outcome will have a material effect on the 
Partnership's consolidated financial condition or results of operations.  

Environmental

Certain Operating Partnerships (or their predecessors) have been  named  as  a 
defendant  in  lawsuits  or have been notified by federal or state authorities 
that they are a potentially responsible party ("PRP") under federal laws or  a 
respondent under state laws relating to the generation,  disposal,  or release 
of hazardous substances into  the  environment.  These  proceedings  generally 
relate  to  potential  liability  for  clean-up  costs.  The  total  potential 
remediation costs relating  to  these  clean-up  sites  cannot  be  reasonably 
estimated.  

With respect to each site,  however, the Operating Partnership involved is one 
of several or as many as several hundred PRPs that would share  in  the  total 
costs  of  clean-up  under  the principle of joint and several liability.  The 
General Partner  believes  that  the  generation,  handling  and  disposal  of 
hazardous substances by the Operating Partnerships and their predecessors have 
been  in  material  compliance  with  applicable  environmental and regulatory 
requirements.  Additional claims for the  cost  of  cleaning  up  releases  of 
hazardous  substances  and  for  damage  to the environment resulting from the 
activities of the Operating Partnerships or their predecessors may be asserted 
in the future under various federal and state laws.  

Guaranteed Investment Contract

The Buckeye Pipe Line Company Retirement and Savings Plan (the "Plan") held  a 
guaranteed  investment  contract  ("GIC")  issued  by Executive Life Insurance 
Company ("Executive Life"),  which entered conservatorship proceedings in  the 
state  of California in April 1991.  The GIC was purchased in July 1989,  with 
an initial principal investment of $7.4 million earning interest at  an  effec 
tive  rate  per annum of 8.98 percent through June 30,  1992.  Pursuant to the 
Executive Life Plan of Rehabilitation,  the Plan has received an interest only 
contract  from  Aurora National Life Assurance Company in substitution for its 
Executive Life GIC.  The contract provides for semi-annual  interest  payments 
at a rate of 5.61 percent per annum through September 1998,  the maturity date 
of the contract.  In addition,  the Plan is to receive certain additional cash 
payments  through  the  maturity  date of the contract pursuant to the Plan of 
Rehabilitation.  The Plan has also submitted a claim to the Pennsylvania  Life 
and  Health  Insurance  Guaranty  Association for partial reimbursement of its 
loss  due  to  the  insolvency.  The  timing and amount of any additional cash 
payments cannot be estimated  accurately  at  this  time.  In  May  1991,  the 
General  Partner,  in  order  to  safeguard  the  basic retirement and savings 
benefits of its employees,  announced its intention to  enter  an  arrangement 
with  the  Plan  that would guarantee that the Plan would receive at least its 
initial principal investment of $7.4 million plus  interest  at  an  effective 
rate per annum of 5 percent from July 1,  1989.  The General Partner's present 
intention is to effectuate its commitment no later than  September  1998.  The 
General  Partner  believes  that an adequate provision has been made for costs 
which may be incurred by the Partnership in connection with the guarantee.  

3.  Employee Stock Ownership Plan Restructuring

During March 1996, BMC Acquisition Company ("BAC"), a corporation organized in 
1996 under the laws of the state of Delaware, acquired all of the common stock 
of the General Partner  for  $63  million  in  cash  (the  "Acquisition").  In 
connection  with  the  Acquisition,  BAC  formed  the  BMC Acquisition Company 
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the "ESOP") which held  an  investment  in  BAC 
Series  A  Convertible  Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock").  The costs of 
the ESOP were chargeable to the Partnership.  

After  the  Acquisition,  the  General  Partner  reconsidered  various  issues 
relating  to  the  structure  of the ESOP.  As a result of this analysis,  the 
General Partner developed a  proposal  to  restructure  the  ESOP  (the  "ESOP 
Restructuring").  The goals of the ESOP Restructuring are to provide financial 
and   other   benefits  to  the  Partnership,   increase  cash  available  for 
distribution to  the  holders  of  limited  partnership  units  ("LP  Units"), 
increase  incentives for management and improve the ESOP as a benefit plan for 
employee participants.  

The ESOP Restructuring was approved by a majority of the  holders  of  the  LP 
Units at a special meeting held on August 11,  1997.  On August 12, 1997 after 
a series of transactions related to the ESOP  Restructuring,  the  Partnership 
issued  an  additional  1,286,573 LP Units which are beneficially owned by the 
ESOP.  The market value  of  the  LP  Units  issued  was  approximately  $64.2 
million.  In  exchange  for  the  LP  Units,  the  Partnership's obligation to 
reimburse the General Partner for certain  executive  compensation  costs  was 
permanently  released,  the  incentive compensation paid by the Partnership to 
the General Partner under the existing incentive  compensation  agreement  was 
reduced,  and other changes were implemented to make the ESOP a less expensive 
fringe benefit for the Partnership.  In connection with the ESOP Restructuring 
the  Partnership increased the regular quarterly cash distribution paid to the 
holders of the LP Units with respect to the second quarter 1997 from $0.75  to 
$0.88  per  LP  Unit.  In  addition,  as  part of the ESOP Restructuring,  the 
Partnership recorded an asset of $64.2  million  of  which  $4.7  million  was 
current  and  $59.5  was  non-current.  The asset is being amortized over 13.7 
years which is the remaining life  of  the  ESOP  loan.  Amortization  expense 
related  to  this  asset  was  $0.6 million during the third quarter 1997.

4. PARTNERS' CAPITAL 

Partners' capital consists of the following:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             General     Limited
                                             Partner     Partners    Total
                                             -------    ---------  ---------
                                                      (In thousands)
<S>                                          <C>        <C>         <C>
  Partners' Capital - 1/1/97                 $2,760     $273,219    $275,979
  Net Income                                    350       35,287      35,637
  Distributions                                (290)     (29,859)    (30,149)
  Value of additional units issued in
   connection with ESOP Restructuring            -        64,200      64,200
  Exercise of unit options and
   capital contributions                          5          497         502
                                             ------     --------    --------
  Partners' Capital - 9/30/97                $2,825     $343,344    $346,169
                                             ======     ========    ========
</TABLE>

Earnings per unit is calculated on the basis of the weighted average number of 
units outstanding.  The potential dilution represented by units issuable  from 
the  exercise  of  outstanding  unit options is less than three percent and is 
therefore not reflected in the earnings per unit  presentation.  The  weighted 
average number of units outstanding used to calculate earnings per unit was as 
follows: 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             Three Months Ended            Nine Months Ended
                                September 30,                September 30,
                           -----------------------      -----------------------
                               1997        1996             1997       1996
                               ----        ----             ----       ----
<S>                        <C>          <C>             <C>          <C>
Units outstanding from
 beginning of period       12,191,242   12,176,242      12,182,000   12,151,242
Weighted average number
 of units issued in
 connection with ESOP
 Restructuring                699,224        -             235,636        -
Weighted average number
 of units issued upon
 exercise of unit options       4,220        1,557           8,720       19,228
                           ----------   ----------       ---------   ----------
Weighted average number
 of units outstanding      12,894,686   12,177,799      12,426,356   12,170,470
                           ==========   ==========      ==========   ==========
</TABLE>

5.   CASH DISTRIBUTIONS

The  Partnership  will  generally  make  quarterly   cash   distributions   of 
substantially  all  of  its available cash,  generally defined as consolidated 
cash receipts less consolidated cash  expenditures  and  such  retentions  for 
working  capital,  anticipated  cash  expenditures  and  contingencies  as the 
General Partner deems appropriate or as are  required  by  the  terms  of  the 
Mortgage Note Indenture.  

The  Partnership has declared a cash distribution of $1.05 per unit payable on 
November 28,  1997 to unitholders of record on November  5,  1997.  The  total 
distribution will amount to approximately $14,156,000.  

Item 2.Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
       Condition and Results of Operations

Amounts  in  the  following discussion and analysis of financial condition and 
results  of  operations  relate  to  continuing  operations  unless  otherwise 
indicated.  


RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Third Quarter

Revenue  for  the  third quarter 1997 was $47.3 million or 4.9 percent greater 
than revenue of $45.1 million for the third quarter of 1996.  Volume  for  the 
third  quarter  1997 was 1,042,300 barrels per day,  55,300 barrels per day or 
5.6 percent greater than volume of 987,000  barrels  per  day  for  the  third 
quarter 1996.  Gasoline volumes during the third quarter 1997 were 4.6 percent 
greater than gasoline volumes during the third  quarter  1996.  In  the  East, 
strong  demand  for gasoline continued to occur in the Harrisburg,  Coraopolis 
and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania market area.  In addition,  deliveries to upstate 
New York recovered from business lost to other pipelines and Canadian imports. 
Gasoline  deliveries  also  increased  on  the  Long  Island system due to the 
shutdown of a terminal and the shift of barged volumes  to  the  Partnership's 
pipeline.  Distillate  volumes during the third quarter 1997 were 12.7 percent 
greater than distillate volumes during the third quarter 1996.  The distillate 
increase  is  primarily  the  result  of  shippers building seasonal inventory 
levels sooner than in 1996 when inventory build-up was delayed.  Turbine  fuel 
volumes  during  the  third quarter 1997 were 5.3 percent greater than turbine 
fuel volumes during the third quarter 1996.  Increased demand  at  Pittsburgh, 
J.F.  Kennedy  and Newark airports resulted in the favorable increase.  Tariff 
increases instituted during the third quarter 1996  contributed  approximately 
$0.2 million of additional revenue over the third quarter of 1996.  

Costs  and  expenses  for  the  third  quarter  1997 were $28.7 million or 4.3 
percent greater than costs and expenses of $27.5 million for the third quarter 
1996.  Increases in outside services, rents and operating power were offset to 
some extent by declines in payroll overhead expense and professional fees.  In 
addition, property tax credits that occurred in 1996 did not recur to the same 
extent in 1997.  

Other income (expense), which is the net of non-operating income and expenses, 
was a net expense of $5.9 million for the third quarter 1997 compared to a net 
expense of $5.6 million  during  the  third  quarter  1996.  Higher  incentive 
compensation related to the increase in the third quarter cash distribution to 
holders of LP Units was the primary cause of the net expense increase.  

First Nine Months

Revenue  for  the  first nine months of 1997 was $137.5 million or 1.1 percent 
greater than revenue of $136.0 million for the  first  nine  months  of  1996. 
Volume transported for the first nine months of 1997 was 1,017,200 barrels per 
day  or  2.5 percent greater than volume of 992,400 barrels per day during the 
first nine months of 1996.  Gasoline volumes were 1.9 percent higher than 1996 
levels  due  to  strong demand in the Pittsburgh and Coraopolis,  Pennsylvania 
market areas.  Distillate volumes were 3.7 percent higher than 1996 levels  as 
inventory  build-up  has  occurred  earlier  than  last year due to attractive 
product prices.  Turbine fuel volumes were 4.5 percent higher than 1996 levels 
as  demand  at  Pittsburgh,  J.F.  Kennedy  and  Newark  airports  was  strong 
throughout the year.  These increases offset declines  in  deliveries  to  the 
upstate  New  York  area  for the first nine months of 1997.  Tariff increases 
instituted during  the  third  quarter  1996  contributed  approximately  $1.2 
million of additional revenue over the first nine months of 1996.  

Costs and expenses for the first nine months of 1997 were $85.5 million or 3.0 
percent  less  than  costs  and expenses of $88.1 for the first nine months of 
1996.  Declines in payroll expense,  resulting from the  second  quarter  1996 
early  retirement and staff reduction program,  and casualty loss expense were 
partially offset by increases in operating power,  rentals and outside service 
expenses.  

Other  income  (expenses),  which  is  the  net  of  non-operating  income and 
expenses, was a net expense of $16.4 million for the first nine months of 1997 
compared to a net expense of $14.0 million for the first nine months of  1996. 
A  $2.9  million  gain  recorded  on the sale of land in 1996 did not recur in 
1997.  In addition, incentive compensation payments on increased distributions 
were  greater  in  1997  than  1996.  These increases were partially offset by 
increased interest income earned on cash balances.  


LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

The Partnership's financial condition at September 30,  1997 is highlighted in 
the following comparative summary: 

Liquidity and Capital Indicators
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         As of
                                               ------------------------
                                                9/30/97        12/31/96
                                                -------        --------
<S>                                             <C>            <C>
Current ratio                                   1.1 to 1       1.3 to 1
Ratio of cash and cash equivalents,
 temporary investments and trade
 receivables to current liabilities             0.8 to 1       1.1 to 1
Working capital (in thousands)                  $ 4,167        $13,660
Ratio of total debt to total capital            .37 to 1       .43 to 1
Book value (per Unit)                           $25.68         $22.65
</TABLE>

The  Partnership's  cash  flow from operations is generally sufficient to meet 
current working capital requirements.  In addition,  the Partnership maintains 
$10.0 million in short-term credit facilities under which there are no current 
outstanding borrowings.  

Cash Provided by Operations

For the nine months ended September 30,  1997,  cash provided by operations of 
$48.9 million was derived principally from net income before  depreciation  of 
$44.2 million and a $3.6 million source of cash from operating working capital 
changes.  Cash  was derived primarily from reductions in temporary investments 
and the collection of trade receivables.  

For the nine months ended September 30,  1996,  cash provided by operations of 
$28.7  million  was derived principally from net income before depreciation of 
$42.4 million offset by a $10.1 million use  of  cash  for  operating  working 
capital  purposes.  Uses  of  cash  for  operating  working  capital  purposes 
included an increase in temporary investments of $10.0 million.  Cash was used 
to increase prepaid and other current assets while reducing accounts  payable.  
During  the  third  quarter,  the  Partnership  began invoicing customers on a 
weekly rather  than  monthly  basis,  thereby  decreasing  trade  receivables, 
providing $6.2 million of cash.  In addition,  a $2.7 million gain on the sale 
of property,  plant and equipment was deducted from net income before arriving 
at cash provided by operating activities.  Remaining cash uses of $0.9 million 
were primarily related to favorable tax adjustments.  

Debt Obligation and Credit Facilities

At September 30, 1997, the Partnership had $189.4 million in outstanding long-
term  debt  and  $15.7 million in current debt representing the First Mortgage 
Notes of Buckeye Pipe Line Co.,  L.P.  ("Buckeye").  The First Mortgage  Notes 
are  collateralized  by  substantially  all  of Buckeye's property,  plant and 
equipment.  

The indenture,  as amended and pursuant to which the First Mortgage Notes were 
issued,  permits  Buckeye,  under  certain circumstances,  to issue additional 
First Mortgage Notes provided that the aggregate  principal  amount  of  First 
Mortgage Notes outstanding after such issuance does not exceed $275 million.  

Buckeye  has  a  $10  million  short-term  line  of credit secured by accounts 
receivable.  At September 30, 1997, there were no outstanding borrowings under 
these facilities.  

At  September  30,  1997,  the  ratio  of  total  debt to total capital was 37 
percent.  For purposes  of  the  calculation  of  this  ratio,  total  capital 
consists of current and long-term debt, minority interests in subsidiaries and 
partners' capital.  

As  part  of  its  ongoing review of the Partnership's capital structure,  the 
General Partner has decided to increase cash  available  for  distribution  by 
maintaining  the  Partnership's long-term debt at no less than current levels. 
In addition,  the General Partner is considering refinancing alternatives  for 
the  Partnership's  long-term  debt  in  order  to reduce interest expense and 
increase further the amount of cash available for distribution to unitholders.  

Capital Expenditures

At September 30,  1997,  approximately 83 percent of total consolidated assets 
consisted of property, plant and equipment.  

Capital  expenditures during the nine months ended September 30,  1997 totaled 
$14.2 million compared to $7.3 million during the nine months ended  September 
30, 1996.  During both periods, capital expenditures were paid from internally 
generated funds.  

During the second quarter of 1997,  the General Partner elected to implement a 
five year plan to install automated field equipment at 52 receipt and delivery 
locations throughout its systems.  Total capital expenditures related to  this 
automation program are estimated to be $10.0 million.  This new program, which 
will increase the Partnership's annual capital expenditures  by  approximately 
$2.0 million over previously planned levels, will result in cost reductions as 
each facility is completed over the five year period.  

OTHER MATTERS

Accounting Pronouncements

The  Partnership adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No.  125, 
"Accounting  for   Transfers   and   Servicing   of   Financial   Assets   and 
Extinguishments  of  Liabilities,"  on  January 1,  1997 with no impact on the 
Partnership's operating results or  financial  condition.  Statement  No.  125 
provides consistent standards for determining if transfers of financial assets 
are  sales  or  secured  borrowings  and  revises  the  accounting  rules  for 
liabilities extinguished by an in-substance defeasance.  

On January  1,  1997,  the  Partnership  adopted  the  American  Institute  of 
Certified  Public  Accountants  Statement  of  Position  96-1,  "Environmental 
Remediation Liabilities," which clarifies  the  accounting  for  environmental 
remediation  liabilities.  The  adoption  had  no  significant  impact  on the 
Partnership's operating results or financial condition.  

In February 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of 
Financial Accounting  Standards  No.  128,  "Earnings  per  Share."  This  new 
standard  requires  dual  presentation of basic and diluted earnings per share 
(EPS) on the face of the statement of earnings and requires reconciliation  of 
the  numerators  and  denominators  of the basic and diluted EPS calculations. 
This statement will be effective for  the  Partnership's  1997  Annual  Report 
including   interim  periods  to  be  presented  therein;   however,   earlier 
application is not permitted.  The Partnership expects that  its  current  EPS 
calculation  will  be  the  same  as  basic EPS and that basic EPS will not be 
materially different than diluted EPS.  

In June 1997,  the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued  Statement  No. 
130,  "Reporting  Comprehensive  Income"  that will be effective in 1998.  The 
Partnership  does  not  anticipate  reporting  comprehensive  income  due   to 
immateriality.  The Financial Accounting Standards Board also issued Statement 
No.   131,   "Disclosures   about   Segments  of  an  Enterprise  and  Related 
Information." The Partnership currently conforms with the provisions  of  this 
statement, and any incremental disclosure is not expected to be material.  

Forward Looking Statements

This  SEC  Form 10-Q includes forward looking statements within the meaning of 
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E  of  the  Securities 
Exchange  Act  of  1934.  Although  the  General  Partner  believes  that  its 
expectations are based on reasonable assumptions,  it can  give  no  assurance 
that such assumptions will materialize.

<PAGE>
                          Part II - Other Information 


Item 1.     Legal Proceedings

For information concerning the Partnership's legal proceedings,  see Item 3 of 
the Partnership's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December  31,  1996  and 
Part II, Item 1 of the Partnership's 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1997.  

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

A special meeting of unitholders was held on August 11, 1997.  The meeting did 
not involve the election of directors.  

The matters voted upon and the results of the voting were as follows: 

(1) With respect to the proposal to issue additional LP Units to a corporation 
   wholly owned by the BMC Acquisition Company Employee Stock  Ownership  Plan 
   (the "ESOP") in connection with the restructuring of the ESOP,  the holders 
   of the LP Units voted 7,656,844 Units in the affirmative and 254,024  Units 
   in  the  negative  with  3,977,095  votes withheld and 181,367 abstentions. 
   Following the  approval  of  the  proposal  at  the  special  meeting,  the 
   Partnership  issued  1,286,573  LP  Units  to  Buckeye  Pipe  Line Services 
   Company,  a Pennsylvania corporation wholly owned by the ESOP ("Services"). 
   On the same date,  Services became the sponsor of the ESOP and the employer 
   of all of the employees previously employed by Buckeye Pipe  Line  Company, 
   the sole general partner and manager of each of the Partnership's operating 
   partnerships.  

(2) With  respect to the proposal  to amend the Amended and Restated Agreement 
   of Limited Partnership,  as  amended  (the  "Partnership  Agreement"),  the 
   holders  of  the  LP  Units  voted  7,622,734  Units in the affirmative and 
   250,040 Units in the negative with 3,977,095  votes  withheld  and  219,441 
   abstentions.  The  amendment  to the Partnership Agreement (i) relieved the 
   General  Partner  of  any  obligation  to  make   an   additional   capital 
   contribution to the Partnership upon the issuance of additional LP Units if 
   the  General  Partner receives a legal opinion that such additional capital 
   contribution is not required for the Partnership or any  of  its  operating 
   partnerships  to  avoid  being  treated  as  an  association  taxable  as a 
   corporation  for  federal  income  tax  purposes  and  (ii)  obligated  any 
   successor  general  partner,  upon  removal  and replacement of the General 
   Partner by the holders of the LP Units,  to the obligations of the  General 
   Partner  and  its  affiliates  under the Exchange Agreement and to consider 
   this obligation  in  determining  the  value  of  the  general  partnership 
   interest which must be acquired by a successor general partner.  



Item 6.     Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

(a)  Exhibits

     11 -  Computation of Earnings Per Unit

     27 -  Financial Data Schedule

(b)  Buckeye Partners,  L.P.  filed a Current Report on Form 8-K on August 18, 
1997 announcing the significant terms  of  the  ESOP  Restructuring  that  was 
completed on August 12, 1997.  

<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURE




     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,  the 
registrant has duly caused this report to be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the 
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.  



                                        BUCKEYE PARTNERS, L.P.
                                           (Registrant)

                                   By:  Buckeye Management Company,
                                          as General Partner



Dated:  October 23, 1997           By:  /s/ Steven C. Ramsey

                                        Steven C. Ramsey
                                        Senior Vice President, Finance
                                         and Chief Financial Officer
                                        (Principal Accounting and
                                         Financial Officer)

<PAGE>
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Exhibit Number        Description
- --------------        -----------
<S>                   <C>
   11                 Computation of Earnings per Unit
   27                 Financial Data Schedule
</TABLE> 


<PAGE>
                                                           EXHIBIT 11

                           BUCKEYE PARTNERS, L.P.
                      COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS PER UNIT
            (In thousands, except for Units and per Unit amounts)
                                 (Unaudited)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                       Quarter Ended          Nine Months Ended
                                       September 30,             September 30,
                                  ----------------------  ----------------------
                                      1997        1996        1997       1996
                                     ------      ------      ------     ------
<S>                               <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>
Net Income                          $ 12,730    $ 12,017    $ 35,637    $ 33,934
                                                                             
Primary earnings per Unit                                                    
  Net income                        $   0.98    $   0.99    $   2.86    $   2.78
                                                                             
Fully-diluted earnings per Unit                                              
 Net income                         $   0.98    $   0.99    $   2.86    $   2.78
                                                                             
Weighted average number of                                              
 Units outstanding:                                                            
 Units outstanding at Sept. 30    12,894,686  12,177,799  12,426,356  12,170,470
 Exercise of Options reduced by 
  the number of Units purchased                                              
  with proceeds (Primary)             40,883      16,726      32,901      18,737
                                  ----------  ----------  ----------  ----------
Total Units outstanding -Primary  12,935,569  12,194,525  12,459,257  12,189,207
                                  ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========
                                                                             

 Units outstanding at Sept. 30    12,894,686  12,177,799  12,426,356  12,170,470
 Exercise of Options reduced by                                              
  the number  of Units purchased                                              
  with proceeds (fully-diluted)       40,887      18,808      42,890      21,826
                                  ----------  ----------  ----------   ---------
Total Units outstanding-
 Fully-diluted                    12,935,573  12,196,607  12,469,246  12,192,296
                                  ==========  ==========  ==========  ==========
</TABLE>
          

Although  not  required  to  be  presented  in  the  income  statement  under
provisions APB Opinion No. 15, this calculation is submitted in accordance
with Regulations S-K item 601(b)(11).



<TABLE> <S> <C>

<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                        DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                             SEP-30-1997
<CASH>                                        13,143
<SECURITIES>                                  12,329
<RECEIVABLES>                                  9,624
<ALLOWANCES>                                       0
<INVENTORY>                                    1,853
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                              48,194
<PP&E>                                       575,038
<DEPRECIATION>                                57,339
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               626,788
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                         44,027
<BONDS>                                      189,425
                              0
                                        0
<COMMON>                                           0
<OTHER-SE>                                   346,169
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 626,788
<SALES>                                            0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             137,546
<CGS>                                              0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                 85,463
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                   0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                   0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            16,124
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               35,637
<INCOME-TAX>                                       0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           35,637
<DISCONTINUED>                                     0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                    0
<CHANGES>                                          0
<NET-INCOME>                                  35,637
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                   2.86
<EPS-DILUTED>                                   2.86
        



</TABLE>


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