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Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (KMP) is holding a binding open season through May for capacity on the proposed 1,025-mile Freedom Pipeline LLC for transporting Permian Basin crude from Texas to refineries in both Southern and Northern California.

Sunoco Logistics Partners LP is holding a binding open season for its Mariner South Pipeline, which is intended to transport export-grade propane and butane, from Lone Star NGL LLC’s storage and fractionation complex in Mont Belvieu, TX, to Sunoco Logistics’ terminal in Nederland, TX. The pipeline is to be available for other natural gas liquids and petroleum products depending on shipper interest, Sunoco said. Initial capacity is expected to be 200,000 b/d and could be scaled to support higher volumes as needed. The pipeline is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2015. For information, visit www.sunocologistics.com/marinersouth.

Unimin Corp. has opened a proppant distribution terminal in Navarre, OH, in Stark County to serve oil and natural gas operators in the Utica Shale.

Equitrans LP is holding a nonbinding open season through March 13 for firm transmission and storage capacity on a system to be known as Allegheny Valley Connector, which would consist of transmission and storage assets that are expected to transfer to EQT Corp. as part of a transaction with Peoples Natural Gas Co. LLC. EQT is the parent of Equitrans through its EQT Midstream Partners LP. The system is in the Marcellus Shale region, and its primary function is to store and transport gas to Peoples interconnects, including gas for use by Peoples and other suppliers. Information is at www.eqtmidstreampartners.com.

The Boulder County, CO, commission on Tuesday formally extended a moratorium on new oil and natural gas drilling permits to June 10. However, the commission left the door open to lifting the ban earlier if the county’s new drilling rules are in place.

Merchant Energy Holdings LLC is holding a nonbinding open season through Feb. 20 for up to 8 Bcf of firm, high-deliverability, multi-cycle working gas storage capacity available April 1 at its ECGS facility in Logan County, CO, about 90 miles east of the Cheyenne Hub. ECGS began operation in April and is completing its second phase of expansion, which includes additional injection/withdrawal wells, gathering and processing facilities and gas compression. ECGS is connected with Trailblazer Pipeline and has access to other major pipelines at the Cheyenne Hub. Total injection and withdrawal capability after the expansion will be more than 200,000 Dth/d. For information, visit www.mehllc.com or contact Scott Smith, (713) 403-6472, ssmith@mehllc.com; or Kevin Legg, (720) 351-4004, klegg@mehllc.com.

A decision by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to set aside its original federal hydraulic fracturing (fracking) proposal has drawn plaudits from associations representing major oil and natural gas producers.

El Paso Natural Gas Co. (EPNG), owned by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP and Kinder Morgan Inc., has concluded a binding open season for a maximum of 145,000 Dth/d of available capacity on its South Mainline interstate natural gas transmission system. The approximately 750-mile South Mainline system extends from the Waha Hub in the Permian Basin of West Texas to California and serves markets in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and northern Mexico. El Paso Electric Co., which is not affiliated with with the pipeline or its owners, has contracted with EPNG for an incremental 90,000 Dth/d of hourly firm capacity at maximum recourse rates under a 20-year term. El Paso Electric is currently served by EPNG. The new agreement will accommodate existing and planned additions to local generation by the utility. Expected in-service of the new capacity is Jan. 1, 2014.

Enterprise Products Partners LP affiliate Panola Pipeline Co. LLC is holding a binding open season through Jan. 11 for a proposed expansion of the Carthage, TX, to Lufkin, TX, segment of its natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline system. The Panola Pipeline runs 181 miles pipeline from a point near Carthage in Panola County and supports the Haynesville and Cotton Valley oil and gas production areas. It extends to points at Mont Belvieu in Chambers County, TX, enabling shippers to access the world’s largest NGL fractionation complex, including facilities owned and operated by Enterprise. The Panola expansion would be designed to accommodate about 15,000 b/d of incremental capacity, depending upon shipper interest, and would involve installing pumps and related equipment. The additional capacity would be available during the second quarter. For information, contact Chad Aldrich at (713) 381-6427 or cjaldrich@eprod.com.