Natural gas liquids fractionator complete

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. has announced that the seventh NGL fractionator at the companies Mont Belvieu, Texas complex is now operational. The unit has the capacity to fractionate up to 85 000 bpd of NGL and increases total capacity at the facility to 570 000 bpd. The unit will facilitate the increasing NGL production from domestic shale plays, including the Eagle Ford in South Texas, and other basins in the Rocky Mountain and Mid continent regions. Rising NGL production from the shale plays continues to provide a cost advantage for the global petrochemical industry, which favours natural gas, derived feedstocks over more expensive crude oil based derivatives.

Comments on the new unit

‘With the completion of our newest fractionator ahead of schedule and within budget, we continue to demonstrate our ability to respond quickly, efficiently and safely to the midstream infrastructure requirements of the evolving domestic energy landscape and create value for our customers,’ said Michael A. Creel, CEO of Enterprise’s general partner. ‘Our eighth fractionator is also running ahead of schedule and should be in service by mid fourth quarter 2013. Fractionators seven and eight will increase total capacity at the partnership’s Mont Belvieu complex to 655 000 bpd compared to 400 000 bpd just three years ago. System wide, Enterprise’ fractionation capacity will expand to more than 1 million bpd with the addition of the two new NGL fractionators.’

Future developments

The seventh and eighth fractionators are being developed as part of a joint venture with Western Gas Partners LP, an affiliate of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Enterprise will operate the new units and owns a 75% interest and Western Gas Partners has a 25% interest.

Adapted from press release by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/18092013/ngl_fractionator_complete/