DCP's Sand Hills Pipeline Moving Eagle Ford NGLs to Mont Belvieu

DCP Sand Hills Pipeline Map - Eagle Ford Segment
DCP Sand Hills Pipeline Map - Eagle Ford Segment

DCP's Sand Hills Pipeline has started servicing the Eagle Ford Shale. The company is opening the 720 mile pipeline that runs from the Permian Basin to Mont Belvieu (East of Houston) in segments. The next segment connects directly to Mont Belvieu and will be open by the end of 2012. Construction tying in the Permian Basin will be finished mid-2013.

“When finished, Sand Hills Pipeline will be a major link between the liquids-rich Eagle Ford and Permian producing regions and growing Gulf Coast markets,” said Tom O'Connor, chairman and chief executive officer of DCP Midstream. “With Sand Hills, we can offer an integrated NGL takeaway solution to producers, who will enjoy reliable one-stop service. Sand Hills adds to our well positioned assets in the Permian and Eagle Ford producing regions.”

When finished, the Sand Hills Pipeline will be 720 miles of 20-inch pipe with capacity of 200,000 barrels per day of NGLs and will have the ability to expand to 350,000 b/dif needed. DCP is projecting it will spend $1 billion on the pipeline and offers three strategic reasons for constructing the pipeline:

  • Provides critical capacity and NGL transport from South Texas and the Permian Basin
  • Capitalizes on increased Eagle Ford growth
  • Improves reliability of the overall NGL network

Marathon Petroleum Buys BP's Texas City Refinery

Texas City Refinery
Texas City Refinery

Marathon Petroleum has agreed to buy BP's Texas City Refinery and related marketing and logistics assets for as much as $2.5 billion. The refinery has a 451,000 b/d capacity and is positioned well to benefit from growing production in plays like the Eagle Ford.

The deal includes several related assets:

Texas City refinery, three intrastate NGL pipelines originating at the refinery, an allocation of BP's Colonial Pipeline Company shipper history, four terminals, retail marketing contract assignments for approximately 1,200 branded sites and a 1,040 megawatt cogeneration (cogen) facility. The base purchase price is $598 million, plus inventories estimated at $1.2 billion. The agreement also contains an earnout provision under which MPC could pay up to an additional $700 million over six years, subject to certain conditions. The transaction is expected to be accretive to earnings in the first year of operation. The acquisition is expected to be funded with cash on hand, and is anticipated to close early in 2013, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

Read more at marathonpetroleum.com