Dominion and Caiman Energy II LLC are forming a $1.5 billion joint venture to provide midstream services to natural gas producers operating in the Utica shale in Ohio and portions of Pennsylvania. The companies expect to close on the joint venture by Dec. 31.
The joint venture, Blue Racer Midstream, LLC, will be a 50:50 partnership between Dominion and Caiman, with Dominion contributing midstream assets and Caiman contributing private equity capital. Midstream services offered will include gathering, processing, fractionation, and natural gas liquids transportation and marketing.
Dominion facilities to be contributed to the joint venture include both gathering and processing assets. Dominion East Ohio’s existing rich gas gathering network will be contributed along with other portions of its gathering system as more lines are converted to rich gas gathering operations.
With investment, the joint venture’s gathering pipeline system could be expanded to transport at least 2 bcfd.
Also included are Dominion’s Natrium Extraction Plant and related facilities, currently under construction in Marshall County, W. Va., and a Dominion Transmission pipeline connecting Natrium to the Dominion East Ohio gathering system.
