ARB Midstream reports start-up of DJ basin oil gathering system

The Badger Pipeline, one of three large-diameter transmission lines currently being constructed by ARB Midstream LLC subsidiary DJ South Gathering LLC, started receiving crude oil this month.

With a throughput of 90,000 b/d, Badger transports crude oil production from southwestern Weld County, Colo., and delivers into 300,000 bbl of dedicated crude oil storage at Platteville, Colo.

Badger is one segment within the larger DJS system, which also includes the 220,000 b/d Matador Pipeline, Bennet Station, the 150,000 b/d bidirectional Freedom Pipeline and the Platteville storage and distribution network (OGJ Online, Sept. 12, 2019).

Matador is slated to be in service later this year. This large transmission line is the first and only line that links Platteville to the southern region of the DJ basin. Bennett Station provides truck and gathered barrel origination into Matador, and crude qualities are segregated into onsite tankage.

Freedom pipeline is the bidirectional, large-diameter transmission line that will link Platteville to Lucerne West. Lucerne West is the delivery point of ARB’s existing Platte River Gathering System in the northern DJ basin. At Platteville, DJS is developing a header system that interconnects with multiple long-haul takeaway pipelines and delivers crude oil to downstream markets.

ARB’s crude oil gathering systems include over 250 miles of new pipeline covering the core of the DJ basin, with over 625,000 b/d of planned and existing throughput capacity and 600,000 bbl of storage. At over 250,000 dedicated acres underpinned by long term, fixed-fee contracts with numerous customers, ARB is the largest privately held crude oil gatherer in the DJ basin.