Oneok to invest in Woodford shale, Granite Wash NGL systems

Dec. 16, 2010
Oneok Partners LP plans to invest $180-240 million by first-half 2012 for NGL projects in the Cana-Woodford shale and Granite Wash plays.

Christopher E. Smith
OGJ Pipeline Editor

HOUSTON, Dec. 16 -- Oneok Partners LP plans to invest $180-240 million by first-half 2012 for NGL projects in the Cana-Woodford shale and Granite Wash plays. The projects will add 75,000-80,000 b/d of raw, unfractionated NGL to the partnership's existing gathering systems in Oneok’s investment includes:

• Building more than 230 miles of 10-in. and 12-in. OD NGL pipelines that will expand the partnership's existing gathering system by connecting to three new third-party natural gas processing facilities being constructed with total capacity of 510 MMcfd and to three existing third-party natural gas processing facilities undergoing expansion.

• Installing additional pump stations on the Arbuckle Pipeline to increase capacity to 240,000 b/d. Arbuckle is a 440-mile NGL pipeline running from southern Oklahoma through the Barnett shale of north Texas to the partnership's fractionation and storage facilities at Mont Belvieu on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Oneok expects these projects to be completed during first-half 2012. The additional raw NGLs from the expanded natural gas processing capacity will be fractionated at either the partnership's fractionation facilities or by third parties.

Oneok already announced $1.3-1.6 billion in other projects in 2010, including:

• Construction of two 100 MMcfd natural gas processing facilities in the Bakken shale and related infrastructure.

• Construction of a 525- to 615-mile NGL pipeline to transport unfractionated NGL produced in the Bakken to the Overland Pass Pipeline, a 760-mile NGL pipeline extending from southwestern Wyoming to Conway, Kan.

• Related capacity expansions for Oneok Partners' 50% interest in the Overland Pass Pipeline to transport the additional unfractionated NGL volumes from the new Bakken pipeline.

• Expansion of the partnership's fractionation capacity at Bushton, Kan., by 60,000 b/d to accommodate the additional NGL volumes from Overland Pass Pipeline.

• Installation of seven additional pump stations along the existing Sterling I NGL distribution pipeline, increasing its capacity by 15,000 b/d.

• Other investments in the Woodford shale in Oklahoma, in both the natural gas gathering and processing and the natural gas liquids segments.

Contact Christopher E. Smith at [email protected].