FINDLAY, Ohio—Crimson Midstream LLC and MPLX LP (NYSE: MPLX) Oct. 17 announced the commencement of a binding open season to assess interest and solicit commitments from prospective shippers for transportation service on the Swordfish Pipeline.

The Swordfish Pipeline is being jointly developed by Crimson and MPLX to provide connectivity from existing terminal facilities in St. James, La., and Raceland, La., to the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port LLC (LOOP) terminal facility in Clovelly, La. The proposed pipeline would be a multi-diameter batched system with the ability to transport up to 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day and provide shippers with access to storage services, vessel loading, as well as connectivity to other carriers at the Clovelly Hub. The in-service date for the Swordfish Pipeline is anticipated to be in the first half of 2020.

The binding open season began on Oct. 17, 2018, and will conclude at noon CST on Nov. 30. The binding open season provides interested shippers with an opportunity to secure transportation service on the proposed pipeline.

“Swordfish is an industry solution that provides needed capacity to local Louisiana refineries and to the Clovelly Hub based on market demands,” said MPLX President Michael Hennigan. “We believe our pipeline’s ability to be paired with existing assets will make it more competitive than alternative projects to supply refiners in the region. The pipeline would also provide needed additional capacity for exporters of North American crude.”

“Leveraging mostly existing infrastructure, this open season offers Gulf Coast refiners and North American crude exporters a first-to-market pipeline solution providing reliable supply from St. James,” added Larry Alexander, Crimson’s president and COO. “The Swordfish Pipeline enables Crimson and MPLX to provide transportation solutions from St. James to a wide range of markets.”

Offshore