Dallas-based Sentinel Midstream said Monday it submitted a deepwater port license application with the U.S. Maritime Administration to construct and operate a crude oil export facility about 30 miles south of Freeport. Texas Gulflink will be capable of fully loading supertankers or VLCCs (very large crude carriers). Jeff Ballard of Sentinel said, “Texas Gulflink will provide a necessary crude oil export outlet for the expected increase in U.S. crude oil production.”
Sentinel plans to build an underwater 42-inch pipeline to deliver 85,000 barrels of crude oil per hour to the platform where each VLCC will load two million barrels at rates of up to 85,000 barrels per hour for one shipment. Texas Gulflink’s offshore terminal will have storage capacity of 18 million barrels.