How much condensate will the US export?

摘要

According to Sandy Fielden of RBN Energy, the recent "apparent relaxation" of the crude export ban was in fact not a change in the rules, but rather clarified that the output from certain kinds of stabilizers-specifically, those that use a distillation tower-qualify as a refined product and not as crude. While stabilizers can be found in oil fields across the country, however, it is not clear how many of these incorporate a distillation tower; according to Fielden, units of that type are most likely to be found in plays particularly rich in condensates and other light ends, such as the Eagle Ford and Utica shale plays. NuStat Energy LP noted on July 25 that it sees "significant" opportunities in exporting condensate from the Eagle Ford play in south Texas via its South Texas Crude Oil Pipeline, which the company is currently expanding to 65K b/d. The expansion is set to be completed in 1Q 2015.