JP Energy Partners launches ethanol unit train project

JP Energy Partners, a US-based biofuels terminal operator, has initiated the expansion of its existing rail facilities at its North Little Rock refined products terminal, located in Arkansas, to allow for unit train deliveries of ethanol.

The upgrades will materially improve the terminal's ethanol offloading efficiency and capacity, allowing for offloading of up to 108 car unit trains, according to the firm.

The expansion project will utilize existing infrastructure at the site, including up to 4.5 million gallons of ethanol storage and will be capable of blending and distributing up to 9 million gallons per month. The terminal offers a full suite of blending capabilities onsite allowing customers to select conventional blends, E15, E85, or E100.

Product access is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, JP Energy stated. Separately, the company has executed an interconnection agreement with an affiliate of petroleum logistics firm Magellan Midstream Partners, to connect JP Energy's North Little Rock refined products terminal to Magellan's Little Rock Pipeline. T

he interconnection will allow JP Energy's customers to deliver to the terminal via Enterprise Product Partners' TEPPCO pipeline or Magellan's Little Rock Pipeline, providing access to both Gulf Coast and Midcontinent refineries.

The capital cost of both projects is estimated at approximately $5 million and was included in JP Energy's previously disclosed full-year 2016 growth capital expenditure estimate of $25-$35m.

"We are excited to announce these two key enhancements to our North Little Rock terminal," said J. Patrick Barley, executive chairman and CEO of JP Energy. "The Magellan interconnection will provide our customers with greater operational flexibility for product deliveries from multiple production zones. Our ability to leverage our existing infrastructure at the site will allow us to provide the lowest cost ethanol in central Arkansas and beyond."

Both projects are expected to be in service during the second quarter of 2016.