Adding to the rapidly growing energy sector of Houston, Texas, Enterprise Products Partners LP has initiated plans to construct a new natural gas liquid (NGL) fractionator at its Mont Belvieu complex. A critical component of NGL processing, fractionator plants serve to separate methane from ethane and NGLs, such as propane and butane.
The Houston-based pipeline company maintains eight additional fractionators and is currently developing the largest ethane export facility in the world. In addition to this expansive project at the Houston Ship Channel, the firm oversees the ongoing construction of the Aegis ethane pipeline, which currently links Mont Belvieu and Beaumont, Texas.
Enterprise’s newest fractionator will have a capacity of 85,000 barrels a day, bringing the total daily operational capacity of its Mont Belvieu complex to 265,000 barrels. The new facility is scheduled to begin operations in January 2016. According to CEO Michael Creel, it will address the increasing NGL demand both domestically and internationally and will supply ethane to the firm’s Aegis pipeline and ethane export facilities. Enterprise has also initiated plans for a 10th Mont Belvieu fractionator that will operate at a similar capacity. Following completion, the company’s Mont Belvieu facilities will operate at a collective capacity of 755,000 barrels a day, and Enterprise’s operational capacity across all complexes will reach 1.2 million barrels a day.
The Houston-based pipeline company maintains eight additional fractionators and is currently developing the largest ethane export facility in the world. In addition to this expansive project at the Houston Ship Channel, the firm oversees the ongoing construction of the Aegis ethane pipeline, which currently links Mont Belvieu and Beaumont, Texas.
Enterprise’s newest fractionator will have a capacity of 85,000 barrels a day, bringing the total daily operational capacity of its Mont Belvieu complex to 265,000 barrels. The new facility is scheduled to begin operations in January 2016. According to CEO Michael Creel, it will address the increasing NGL demand both domestically and internationally and will supply ethane to the firm’s Aegis pipeline and ethane export facilities. Enterprise has also initiated plans for a 10th Mont Belvieu fractionator that will operate at a similar capacity. Following completion, the company’s Mont Belvieu facilities will operate at a collective capacity of 755,000 barrels a day, and Enterprise’s operational capacity across all complexes will reach 1.2 million barrels a day.