EPIC Midstream said that it will use the third and final phase of its EPIC NGL Pipeline for crude oil service to address high customer demand for crude oil transportation.
Image: EPIC Midstream will convert third phase of its EPIC NGL Pipeline to deliver crude oil. Photo: courtesy of supakitmod/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
The EPIC NGL Pipeline is a natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline that is being constructed between Southeast New Mexico and Corpus Christi in Texas.
EPIC Midstream said that it has secured all the mandated approvals to start crude oil service on a segment of the NGL pipeline owned by EPIC Y Grade Pipeline from Crane in Texas to Corpus Christi.
The approvals are for the company’s subsidiary EPIC Crude Oil Pipeline through a lease arrangement. This will ensure that the EPIC NGL Pipeline delivers crude oil while the EPIC Crude Oil Pipeline and EPIC NGL fractionator continue to be under construction.
Construction of the NGL pipeline is slated to be completed in the third quarter of 2019.
Once the EPIC Crude Oil Pipeline is placed into service by January 2020, the EPIC NGL Pipeline will convert back to NGL service.
The 24inch NGL pipeline will have a capacity of 400 thousand barrels of oil per day (MBbl/d) for its temporary crude oil transportation service.
EPIC Midstream said that the construction of the final phase of the EPIC NGL Pipeline is on schedule with three contractors working on it over five spreads of the pipeline route.
EPIC Midstream CEO Phillip Mezey said: “Given our recent commercial success and subsequent upsizing of the pipeline, we remain responsive to growing demand for crude oil transportation from the Permian Basin.”
“We are proud to be able to offer an interim solution for our customers, while we continue to build out the EPIC Crude Oil Pipeline to service this region.”
The EPIC NGL Pipeline, which broke ground in November 2017, will transport NGLs such as ethanes, butanes, propanes and natural gas pentanes to interconnects located near Orla, Benedum and Corpus Christi.
It will have capacity of at least 375,000 barrels per day drawing NGLs from various origin points in the Delaware and Midland Basins.
The 1,126km Epic NGL Pipeline is being constructed side-by-side through Texas along with the 1,174km Epic Crude Oil Pipeline for most part of the pipeline route.