Empire Pipeline LLC acquired a crude oil terminal in Gibson, La., from Equilon Enterprises LLC and Shell Oil Co. Gibson is Empire’s first crude oil terminal. The company intends to increase market optionality for crude transport and blending through a planned bidirectional pipeline connection to Shell’s 375,000-b/d Zydeco pipeline, which delivers crude to St. James and Clovelly, La., from terminals in Houston and Nederland, Tex.
The terminal already receives sweet and sour crudes via Shell’s 200,000-b/d deepwater Gulf of Mexico Ship Shoal pipeline system, the 18,000-b/d Atchafalaya pipeline, and the Magellan pipeline. Offtake from the terminal is substantially directed by pipeline to St. James terminal.
Gibson terminal, connected to the Intercoastal Waterway, includes 300,000 bbl of storage, blending services, three docks for barge unloading and loading, and a truck receiving station.