Texas Boasts Nine of Top 10 Oil & Gas Terminal Kickoffs for Fourth-Quarter 2015

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Texas has bragging rights for nine of the top 10 U.S. oil & gas and petrochemical terminal-related projects that will kick off in fourth-quarter 2015. In all, Industrial Info is tracking 63 active U.S. terminal-related projects worth $2.88 billion that are slated for fourth-quarter 2015 kick-offs. This includes 16 grassroot projects.

The Lone Star State could see more than $1.9 billion in kickoffs in the upcoming quarter, followed by California with $276 million, and Louisiana with $234 million.

Although new drilling has slowed this year and rig counts are half of what they were in 2014, production remains somewhat steady and these terminal sites were planned years ago for the new capacity. U.S. crude oil production is projected to increase from an average of 8.7 million barrels per day (BBL/d) in 2014 to 9.2 BBL/d in 2015, and then decease to 8.8 million BBL/d in 2016, according to the Energy Information Administration's latest Short Term Energy Outlook. The latest forecast is about 100,000 BBL/d lower than what it was in August, but U.S. total output this year is still forecast to be the highest since 1972, according to the EIA.

Cheniere Energy Incorporated (NYSE:LNG) (Houston, Texas) expects to begin construction in November on the $350 million grassroot crude oil and condensate export terminal at the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas. The 3 million-barrel terminal includes nine tanks, a five-bay truck rack, and up to two marine docks, with a throughput of 1 million barrels per day. If all proceeds according to plan, the terminal could be completed in fourth-quarter 2017. Cheniere has a massive presence in the Corpus Christi area, with more than $20 billion in projects in various phases. For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.

In California, construction is set to begin on a compressor station replacement at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility near Northridge. The $205 million project by Southern California Gas Company (Los Angeles, California), a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) (San Diego, California), includes the replacement of three General Electric (NYSE:GE) compressor units, which were installed in 1971. Construction contractor Kiewit Corporation (Omaha, Nebraska) is serving on the project. For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.

Back in Texas, Houston Fuel Oil Terminal Company (Houston, Texas) has proposed an October kick-off for the Phase II expansion of the Channelview North oil terminal, with a total investment value of $200 million. The expansion at the 16.1 million-barrel terminal on the Houston Ship Channel would involve construction of 24 tanks, ranging in capacity from 10,000 barrels to 400,000 barrels. For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.

Other terminal-related projects with fourth-quarter kickoffs include:

• $200 million: Plains All American Pipeline LP's Crude Oil Storage Terminal & Dock in Corpus Christi, Texas
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $200 million: Ingleside Ethylene LLC's Ethylene Storage Caverns in Markham, Texas
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $150 million: Magellan Midstream Partners LP's Refined Products and Crude Oil Terminal Addition in Corpus Christi, Texas
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $150 million: Targa Resources Partners LP's Patriot Crude Petroleum Storage Terminal in Pasadena, Texas
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $150 million: Rangeland Energy's Crude Oil and Truck Unloading Terminal in Midland, Texas
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $125 million: Occidental Petroleum Corporation's Ethylene Pipeline in Markham, Texas
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $100 million: Rangeland Energy's Crude Oil Terminal in Mentone, Texas
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.

More than two-thirds of total investment value for the terminals--nearly $2 billion--is related to 37 projects that are now in the planning stages, where plenty of factors could increase, decrease or eliminate the expected spending. The remaining 26 projects are either in the engineering phase or have some early construction work under way.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, five offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.