HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: KMP), and MarkWest Utica EMG, L.L.C. (MarkWest Utica EMG), a joint venture between MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MWE) (MarkWest) and The Energy and Minerals Group (EMG) today announced the launch of a binding open season to solicit commitments for a proposed Y-grade pipeline project to transport natural gas liquids (NGLs) produced from the Utica and Marcellus shales to Mont Belvieu, Texas. The pipeline will involve converting over 1,000 miles of KMP’s 24- and 26-inch Tennessee Gas Pipeline system, currently in natural gas service, from Mercer, Pa., to Natchitoches, La., and building approximately 200 miles of new pipeline of similar diameter from Natchitoches to a proposed Kinder Morgan/MarkWest Utica EMG joint venture fractionation facility with a third party that has existing facilities at Mont Belvieu. Subject to shipper commitments, timely regulatory approvals and necessary capital improvements, the pipeline is targeted to be in service during the second quarter of 2016. The pipeline will have an initial design capacity of 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) and would be expandable to 400,000 bpd with the addition of pump stations.
“This project will provide consumers on the Gulf Coast with access to a new source of NGLs from the Utica and the Marcellus shale resource plays,” said Don Lindley, president of NGLs for Kinder Morgan Energy Partners. “Through Kinder Morgan and MarkWest Utica EMG’s existing pipeline footprint, this project is capable of accessing all of the processing facilities in the Northeast in a cost effective manner.”
“We are excited about the announced partnership with Kinder Morgan and the planned Y-grade pipeline solution from the Northeast,” stated Frank Semple, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of MarkWest. “We believe this project will provide our producer customers additional optionality and value for their production out of the Northeast shales.”
The binding open season begins today and ends Dec. 20, 2013, at 5 p.m. CST. Signed transportation service agreements by prospective shippers must be submitted on or before 5 p.m. CST Dec. 20, 2013, to Russ Mahan, Vice President of Business Development for Kinder Morgan Midstream, at (713) 369-9870. Those interested in obtaining more detailed information about this open season can visit the Kinder Morgan web site.
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: KMP) is a leading pipeline transportation and energy storage company and one of the largest publicly traded pipeline limited partnerships in America. It owns an interest in or operates approximately 54,000 miles of pipelines and 180 terminals. The general partner of KMP is owned by Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE: KMI). Kinder Morgan is the largest midstream and the fourth largest energy company in North America with a combined enterprise value of approximately $105 billion. It owns an interest in or operates approximately 80,000 miles of pipelines and 180 terminals. Its pipelines transport natural gas, gasoline, crude oil, CO2 and other products, and its terminals store petroleum products and chemicals and handle such products as ethanol, coal, petroleum coke and steel. KMI owns the general partner interests of KMP and El Paso Pipeline Partners, L.P. (NYSE: EPB), along with limited partner interests in KMP, Kinder Morgan Management, LLC (NYSE: KMR) and EPB. For more information please visit www.kindermorgan.com.
MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P. is a master limited partnership engaged in the gathering, processing and transportation of natural gas; the gathering, transportation, fractionation, storage and marketing of natural gas liquids; and the gathering and transportation of crude oil. MarkWest has a leading presence in many unconventional gas plays including the Marcellus Shale, Utica Shale, Huron/Berea Shale, Haynesville Shale, Woodford Shale and Granite Wash formation.
The Energy & Minerals Group is the management company for a series of specialized private equity funds. EMG focuses on investing across various facets of the global natural resource industry including the upstream and midstream segments of the energy complex. EMG has approximately $6.7 billion of total investor commitments (including co-investments) with in excess of $4.2 billion allocated across the energy sector since inception.
Kinder Morgan Cautionary Language:
This news release includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and are based on the beliefs and assumptions of management, based on information currently available to them. Although Kinder Morgan believes that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that such assumptions will materialize. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements herein include those enumerated in Kinder Morgan’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made, and except to the extent required by law, Kinder Morgan undertakes no obligation to update or review any forward-looking statement because of new information, future events or other factors. Because of these uncertainties, readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
MarkWest Cautionary Language:
This press release includes “forward-looking statements.” All statements other than statements of historical facts included or incorporated herein may constitute forward-looking statements. Actual results could vary significantly from those expressed or implied in such statements and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Although MarkWest believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, MarkWest can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that affect operations, financial performance, and other factors as discussed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Among the factors that could cause results to differ materially are those risks discussed in the periodic reports filed with the SEC, including MarkWest’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013. You are urged to carefully review and consider the cautionary statements and other disclosures made in those filings, specifically those under the heading “Risk Factors.” MarkWest does not undertake any duty to update any forward-looking statement except as required by law.