HOUSTON, TEXAS--(Marketwired - Nov. 26, 2013) - Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE:EEP) ("the Partnership") today announced that its subsidiary, North Dakota Pipeline Company LLC ("NDPC"), formerly known as Enbridge Pipelines(North Dakota) LLC, will conduct an open season to solicit commitments from shippers for capacity created by the Sandpiper Project (the "Project"), to be constructed by NDPC. The Project will expand and extend the Bakken takeaway capacity of the system by 225,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a total of 580,000 bpd. It was previously announced that Marathon Petroleum Corporation has been secured as the anchor shipper for the Project.
The expansion will involve construction of a new 375-mile, 24-inch diameter line from Beaver Lodge, N.D., the current terminus of the NDPC system at Clearbrook, Minn., adding 225,000 bpd to the existing 210,000 bpd of capacity. The Project also includes a new 375,000 bpd, 233-mile, 30-inch diameter line to be built extending the NDPC system from Clearbrook to connect with the affiliated Lakehead Pipeline mainline terminal at Superior, Wis. The expected in-service date is the first quarter of 2016, at an estimated cost of $2.6 billion.
The Project, in connection with the Partnership's Lakehead System, will provide access to premium markets in the Midwest and eastern Canada. This open season provides an opportunity for shippers to secure capacity on the NPDC system, as expanded by the Project, by making minimum volume commitments for the required term for either priority or non-priority service.
Open Season Process
The binding open season commitment period will begin at 12 p.m. MST on November 26, 2013 and will end at 5 p.m. on January 24, 2014.
Potential shippers who wish to receive access to the open season documents, including the Transportation Services Agreements, are required to execute a confidentiality agreement.
More information about the Sandpiper Project and the binding open season is available at Bakken.EnbridgeUS.com or by contacting:
| Bruce MacPhail |
| Enbridge Pipelines Inc. |
| (403) 663-6633 |
| USBakkenProgram@enbridge.com |
| Shane Jackson |
| Enbridge Pipelines Inc. |
| (403) 266-7908 |
| USBakkenProgram@enbridge.com |
| Kelly Wilkins |
| North Dakota Pipeline Company LLC |
| (701) 857-0840 |
| USBakkenProgram@enbridge.com |
About Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P.
Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. owns and operates a diversified portfolio of crude oil and natural gas transportation systems in the United States. Its principal crude oil system is the largest transporter of growing oil production from western Canada. The system's deliveries to refining centers and connected carriers in the United States account for approximately 15 percent of total U.S. oil imports; while deliveries to Ontario, Canada satisfy approximately 70 percent of refinery demand in that region. The Partnership's natural gas gathering, treating, processing and transmission assets, which are principally located onshore in the active U.S. Midcontinent and Gulf Coast area, deliver approximately 2.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily. Enbridge Partners is recognized by Forbes as one of the 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America.
This news release includes forward-looking statements and projections, which are statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements frequently use the following words, variations thereon or comparable terminology: "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "position," "projection," "should," "strategy," "will" and similar words. Although we believe that such forward looking statements are reasonable based on currently available information, such statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are not guarantees of performance. Future actions, conditions or events and future results of operations may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Many of the factors that will determine these results are beyond our or Enbridge Partners' ability to control or predict. Specific factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include: (1) changes in the demand for or the supply of, forecast data for and price trends related to crude oil, liquid petroleum, natural gas and NGLs, including the rate of development of the Alberta Oil Sands; (2) Enbridge Partners' ability to successfully complete and finance expansion projects; (3) the effects of competition, in particular, by other pipeline systems; (4) shut-downs or cutbacks at facilities of Enbridge Partners or refineries, petrochemical plants, utilities or other businesses for which Enbridge Partners transports products or to whom Enbridge Partners sells products; (5) hazards and operating risks that may not be covered fully by insurance, including those related to Line 6B and any additional fines and penalties assessed in connection with the crude oil release on that line; (6) changes in or challenges to Enbridge Partners' tariff rates; and (7) changes in laws or regulations to which Enbridge Partners is subject, including compliance with environmental and operational safety regulations that may increase costs of system integrity testing and maintenance.
Reference should also be made to ours and Enbridge Partners' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including ours and their Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently completed fiscal year and subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for additional factors that may affect results. These filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC's web site (www.sec.gov).
For more information please contact: