10-09-2012

Enterprise begins operation of second train at Yoakum natural gas processing facility

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. today announced the start-up of the second 300 million cubic feet per day (“MMcf/d”) train at the partnership’s Yoakum cryogenic natural gas processing plant in Lavaca County, Texas. With the additional train, nameplate capacity increases to 600 MMcf/d and the facility is capable of extracting approximately 74,000 barrels per day (“BPD”) of natural gas liquids (“NGL”). Enterprise is also on schedule to bring the third train at Yoakum into service in the first quarter of 2013, at which time total capacity at the complex will increase to 900 MMcf/d and 111,000 BPD of NGLs. 

“Like the Eagle Ford Shale play itself, our Yoakum natural gas facility continues to exceed expectations and provide Enterprise with new growth opportunities,” said A.J. “Jim” Teague, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Enterprise’s general partner. “Based on the operating results we’ve seen from the first train which began service in May 2012, we expect the second and third trains to perform above their original design capacity, giving us the confidence to pursue additional processing commitments for all three plants.” 

To date, Enterprise has completed construction of approximately 440 miles of natural gas pipelines as part of its Eagle Ford system that is connected to Yoakum and the partnership’s seven other integrated processing facilities in South Texas. Including the 900 MMcf/d of anticipated capacity at Yoakum, Enterprise expects ultimately to offer approximately 2.4 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas processing capacity for the region.  Construction of a 173-mile extension of the partnership’s NGL pipeline system from Yoakum to LaSalle County, Texas is also under way and on schedule to begin service in the second quarter of 2013. This project will link to Enterprise’s recently completed NGL pipeline system that delivers Eagle Ford Shale production from Yoakum to Mont Belvieu, Texas, where Enterprise is constructing three new NGL fractionators.