HOUSTON & THE WOODLANDS, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE: EPD), Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P., (NYSE: EEP) and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: APC) today announced that shippers have executed long-term contracts for capacity on the Texas Express Pipeline (“TEP”) being developed by the joint venture. The shippers, which include unaffiliated shippers, have tendered 15-year, ship-or-pay transportation agreements containing volume commitments that total 232,000 barrels per day (“BPD”). The contracts also include an option provision allowing shippers to increase their volume commitment.
Originating near Skellytown in Carson County, Texas, the 20-inch diameter TEP mainline will extend approximately 580 miles to Enterprise’s natural gas liquids (“NGL”) fractionation and storage complex at Mont Belvieu, Texas, and will provide access to other third-party facilities in the area. The pipeline will provide much-needed takeaway capacity for producers in West Texas, the Rocky Mountains, southern Oklahoma and the Mid-continent area, giving them access to the largest NGL market along the Gulf Coast and the opportunity to maximize the value of their NGLs. Production from the Rockies, Permian Basin and Mid-continent will be delivered into TEP through Enterprise’s existing Mid-America Pipeline System (“MAPL”) which extends north through Oklahoma into Conway, Kansas and south into the Permian Basin.
“This joint venture with Enbridge and Anadarko brings together partners with unique and complementary strengths to provide an industry solution that addresses the need for flow assurance and market choices for producers, as well as reliable supplies of price-advantaged, natural gas-derived feedstocks to meet the increasing demand of petrochemical operators,” said Michael A. Creel, president and chief executive officer of Enterprise’s general partner. “For Enterprise, this project is a ‘bolt-on’ expansion that enhances the value of our integrated midstream network of assets, including the pipelines that will feed TEP, as well as our fractionators, storage facilities and distribution network at Mont Belvieu, which will be fed by the new pipeline.”
The joint venture also includes two new NGL gathering systems. The first will connect TEP to natural gas processing plants in the Anadarko/Granite Wash production area located in the Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma. The second NGL gathering system will connect the new pipeline to Barnett Shale natural gas processing plants located in Central Texas. Wider access to multiple production areas, in addition to a competitive transportation fee structure, makes this an attractive option for producers and natural gas processors. Enterprise will construct and operate the pipeline, while Enbridge will construct and operate the new gathering systems.
“Enbridge Energy Partners is pleased to be working with Enterprise and Anadarko on the Texas Express Pipeline, which will secure long-term access to the premium NGL market at Mont Belvieu and effectively enhance the netback to our customers,” said Mark Maki, president of Enbridge Energy Partners. “Enbridge expects that this project will be accretive to our unit holders and it exemplifies EEP’s growth strategy to further integrate our natural gas gathering and processing systems with downstream NGL infrastructure.”
Enterprise representatives are currently working with residents, landowners and community leaders along the proposed route, providing information about the project, conducting surveys and negotiating right-of-way agreements. The pipeline and related gathering systems are expected to begin service in the second quarter of 2013, subject to regulatory approvals.
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. is one of the largest publicly traded partnerships and a leading North American provider of midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals. The partnership’s assets include approximately: 50,600 miles of onshore and offshore pipelines; 190 million barrels of storage capacity for NGLs, petrochemical, refined products and crude oil; and 14 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage capacity. Services include: natural gas gathering, treating, processing, transportation and storage; NGL transportation, fractionation, storage, and import and export terminaling; offshore production platform services; crude oil and refined products transportation, storage and terminaling; petrochemical transportation and storage; and a marine transportation business that operates primarily on the United States inland and Intracoastal Waterway systems and in the Gulf of Mexico.
Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. owns and operates a diversified portfolio of crude oil and natural gas transportation systems in the United States. Its principal crude oil system is the largest transporter of growing oil production from western Canada. The system's deliveries to refining centers and connected carriers in the United States account for approximately 13 percent of total U.S. oil imports; while deliveries to Ontario, Canada satisfy approximately 70 percent of refinery demand in that region. EEP's natural gas gathering, treating, processing and transmission assets, which are principally located onshore in the active U.S. Mid-Continent and Gulf Coast area, deliver approximately 2.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily. Enbridge Energy Management, L.L.C. (NYSE: EEQ) manages the business and affairs of EEP and its sole asset is an approximate 13 percent interest in the EEP. Enbridge Energy Company, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, (NYSE: ENB) (TSX: ENB) is the general partner and holds an approximate 23 percent interest in EEP. Additional information is available at www.enbridgeus.com.
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation is one of the world’s largest independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies with 2.54 billion barrels-equivalent of proved reserves at year-end 2011. The company has significant producing properties in southwest and West Texas, including premier positions in the Eagleford Shale, Ozona area and Permian Basin. The company also is among the largest operators in the Rocky Mountain region, and combined with its master limited partnership, Western Gas Partners, LP (NYSE: WES), has extensive midstream infrastructure throughout its U.S. onshore operating areas. Anadarko’s mission is to deliver a competitive and sustainable rate of return to shareholders by exploring for, acquiring and developing oil and natural gas resources vital to the world’s health and welfare. For more information about Anadarko, please visit www.anadarko.com.
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein that address activities, events, developments or transactions that Enterprise, Enbridge and Anadarko expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future, including anticipated benefits and other aspects of such activities, events, developments or transactions, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including required approvals by regulatory agencies, the possibility that the anticipated benefits from such activities, events, developments or transactions cannot be fully realized, the possibility that costs or difficulties related thereto will be greater than expected, the impact of competition and other risk factors included in the reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Enterprise, Enbridge and Anadarko. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. Except as required by law, Enterprise, Enbridge and Anadarko do not intend to update or revise their forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.