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Fairway Energy Partners, LLC’s Houston Crude Oil Storage Facility Commences Commercial Operations.
Houston (April 13, 2017) – Fairway Energy Partners, LLC today announced that it has commenced initial commercial operation at its Pierce Junction Crude Oil Storage Facility. The project will serve the Houston area’s crude oil storage needs driven by the significant growth of pipeline-delivered crude oil into and through the Houston market. Fairway Energy began construction in 2015 to convert three existing underground storage caverns at the Pierce Junction Salt Dome in south Houston into crude oil storage service and to build out the supporting infrastructure to put the facility into commercial service.
The recently completed phase of construction (Phase 1A) allows for the storage of crude oil in three segregated caverns that have a total capacity of approximately 7.5 million barrels. Fairway Energy constructed brine ponds with approximately 6.5 million barrels of capacity and central pumping and metering facilities at the site.
Phase 1A also included the construction of two separate bi-directional, 24-inch pipelines that will connect the facility to the existing Houston area crude oil grid. The pipelines connect the facility to the Genoa Junction and Speed Junction hubs. This is expected to enable Fairway Energy to receive inbound crude oil from the Permian and Eagle Ford Basins, the Mid-Continent and Canadian regions as well as the Gulf of Mexico. The hubs also are expected to provide downstream connectivity to terminals, refineries and water outlets located in the Houston Ship Channel, Texas City and the Beaumont/Port Arthur market areas.
The facility’s initial operating capacity is 70 percent subscribed. Now that Fairway Energy has commenced operations, it is beginning to store crude oil for its customers, and Fairway Energy is pursuing efforts to reach its full initial operating capacity.“We believe Fairway Energy’s facility is responding to what our customers want and what the Houston market needs: a more efficient crude oil market, which will result in lower costs for storing and shipping crude oil,” said Fairway Energy CEO Chris Hilgert. “We look forward to providing agile and flexible services that enhance our customers’ market positions.”
Construction of Phase 1B, which will increase the physical storage capacity by approximately 2.6 million barrels to 10.1 million barrels and increase brine pond capacity to an equivalent capacity. That project is expected to commence in the second half of 2017, depending on customer commitments.
About Fairway Energy Partners, LLC Houston-headquartered Fairway Energy Partners, LLC, a subsidiary of Fairway Energy is a growth oriented crude oil storage business focusing on constructing and placing into service the Pierce Junction Crude Oil Storage facility. The business is strategically positioned as the only independent salt dome crude oil storage terminal in the greater Houston market area. Fairway Energy’s website is www.cvmidstream.com. For additional information on contracting for storage capacity, contact Bobby Salehi, Vice President of Corporate Development, at Bobby.Salehi@cvmidstream.com, 713.559.1529.
### Forward-Looking Statements. This press release includes “forward-looking statements.” Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about Fairway Energy’s future financial and operating results as well as Fairway Energy’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always, accompanied by words such as “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “potential,” “should,” “may,” “will,” plan,” “goal,” “can,” “could,” “continuing,” “ongoing,” “intend,” or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. While Fairway Energy’s management considers these expectations and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Fairway Energy’s control. These and other important factors may cause Fairway Energy’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any or all of the forward-looking statements in this press release may turn out to be inaccurate. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be regarded as a representation by Fairway Energy or any other person that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated by Fairway Energy will be achieved. Fairway Energy has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that it believes may affect the development of the proposed storage caverns, its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. There are important factors that could cause Fairway Energy’s actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-look statements including, but not limited to , adverse regional, national or international economic conditions; changes in the marketplace for Fairway Energy’s products or services, such as increased competition, better energy efficiency, or general reductions in demand; changes in the availability and cost of capital; unanticipated capital expenditures in connection with the construction, repair, or replacement of Fairway Energy’s assets; operating hazards, natural disasters, terrorism, weather-related delays, adverse weather conditions, including hurricanes and natural disasters, environmental releases, casualty losses and other matters beyond Fairway Energy’s control that interrupt Fairway Energy’s operations; and the effects of existing and future laws and governmental regulations to which Fairway Energy is subject.
For more information contact: Kelly Kimberly 832.680.5120 kkimberly@sardverb.com
A STORAGE METHOD USED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND THE OFFICE OF FOSSIL ENERGY