April 2013, Vol. 240 No. 4

Projects

JV To Provide Pipeline Access To Eastern Gulf Coast Market

Enbridge Inc. and Energy Transfer plan a joint development to provide crude oil pipeline access to the eastern Gulf Coast refinery market from the Patoka, IL hub.

The project will involve conversion from natural gas service to crude oil service of certain segments of pipeline that are in operation as part of the natural gas system of Trunkline Gas Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. and Energy Transfer Equity, L.P.

This agreement is subject to approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of Trunkline’s July 2012 request to abandon certain designated segments of pipeline from natural gas transmission service. The converted 30-inch crude oil pipeline is expected to be in service by 2015. It will have capacity of up to 420,000-660,000 bpd depending on crude slate and the level of subscriptions received in an open season to be conducted soon.

The trunkline conversion would create the first pipeline transportation option of crude to the eastern Gulf Coast from the U.S. Midwest. Once completed, the project will have a length of 700 miles, including a lateral from central Louisiana near the town of Boyce to the refining market and the crude oil hub at St. James, LA. St. James will provide access to refineries in the eastern Gulf Coast as well as dock access for waterborne shipments.