Kinder Morgan Liquids Terminals LLC is expanding its Houston area facilities, considered among the largest independently operated liquids terminals complexes in the world. The Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP subsidiary, based in Houston, said it would spend $16.3 million to add 830,000 bbl of capacity within the next year and also enhance its docking facilities to meet customer expansion requirements and improve service.

The Pasadena/Galena Park complex, located along the Houston Ship Channel, handles a variety of petroleum and petrochemical products, and now has about 200 tanks and more than 16 million bbl of storage capacity.

“We have seen an annual throughput increase of 11% over the past year, and we expect to handle 350 million bbl during 2001,” said Jeff Armstrong, president of Kinder Morgan Liquids Terminals. “With customer growth and refinery expansion expected to continue, this program will allow us to enhance our service capabilities and prevent logistical bottlenecks in the Houston hub.”

Kinder Morgan said the expansion would immediately add to earnings and cash flow. Along with additional tank storage, the expansion program will cover pipe modifications to accommodate loading and unloading capabilities. Kinder Morgan purchased the terminals in March, following its purchase of the U.S. product pipelines and liquids terminals from GATX Corp. (see Daily GPI, Dec. 1, 2000).

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