Enterprise Products Partners LP (EPP), Houston, said it is in the process of restoring operations at all major midstream assets impacted by Hurricane Harvey (OGJ Online, Aug. 29, 2017).
As of Sept. 5, the Mont Belvieu, Tex., complex resumed commercial service, including its eight NGL fractionators, six propylene splitters, isomerization plant, and octane enhancement unit.
While brine containment has stabilized and NGL storage remains operational at Mont Belvieu, the partnership said it is continuing to carefully monitor the situation to determine whether it will be necessary to curtail NGL fractionation or storage services at the site (OGJ Online, Aug. 31, 2017).
At the Houston Ship Channel, EPP has restarted commercial service of its two marine terminals, where loadings of ethane, LPG, and polymer-grade propylene ships have now resumed.
Seaway’s marine terminals in Texas City and Freeport, Tex., also have returned to commercial service, the operator said.
At Beaumont, Tex., EPP’s marine terminals are operational but are not currently receiving ships since the port remains closed to traffic.
Alongside returning the partnership’s South Texas natural gas, NGL, and crude oil pipelines to commercial service, EPP also confirmed restoration of full operations at its eight natural gas processing plants and two NGL fractionators in the region.
The Seaway crude pipelines from Cushing to the US Gulf Coast maintained operations throughout the weather event, and all receipt points in the Houston area remain in service as well.
The TE Products pipeline from Beaumont to delivery points the US Midwest also continues to operate at full rates, but EPP’s refined products terminal in Port Arthur, Tex., currently remains offline because of high waters, EPP said.
While curtailments and allocations by some critical third-party service providers continue to pose unidentified challenges to EPP’s operations, the company said preliminary assessments show physical damage to EPP midstream facilities resulting from the storm appears to be minimal.
A final damage assessment of certain locations, however, is still under way.
Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].