U.S. Development Group LLC (USDG), a Houston-based developer of unit
train logistics and terminal facilities, announced today that it is
expanding its St. James Rail Terminal (SJRT), a crude oil and condensate
handling and distribution hub located in the Gulf Coast region of
Louisiana. Expected to be completed by Q4 2011, the expansion will
double the terminal’s current capacity to 130,000 barrels (or two unit
trains) per day. SJRT is part of a nationwide network of crude
oil/condensate facilities being developed by USDG, along with the
recently announced Eagle Ford Crude Terminal in Gardendale, Texas,
scheduled to open next month.
USDG, which pioneered the crude-by-rail/unit train hub concept, is
actively developing several new origin and destination hub facilities.
The company plans to construct five such facilities within the next 18
months in order to extend its leadership in crude oil rail network
solutions. The expanding USDG network will offer capacity for
significantly higher rail volumes of oil and condensate from the Bakken,
Eagle Ford, Niobrara and other major production areas into refining and
oil distribution centers on the East, Gulf and West coasts of North
America.
“Since beginning operations in summer 2010, our St. James terminal has
experienced strong demand from producers and marketers looking to obtain
the best value for their oil. In addition, the St. James Rail Terminal
allows our refiner/blender customers to benefit from a steady supply of
high-quality sweet crude,” said Mike Day, U.S. Development Group vice
president. “U.S. Development Group continues to lead the industry in
designing, developing and operating crude oil unit train hubs that give
our customers maximum flexibility in moving oil and condensates to
strategic markets.”
Served by the Union Pacific Railroad, U.S. Development Group’s St. James
facility is currently receiving manifest and unit train shipments of
crude oil, condensate and related products from the Bakken and Eagle
Ford Shale plays. SJRT is connected via pipeline to an adjacent
state-of-the-art crude oil/condensate storage terminal operated by
Plains Marketing, L.P. The expanded SJRT unit train facility will
consist of approximately seven miles of rail track and a fully automated
52-spot high-speed railcar offloading rack.
U.S. Development Group companies are engaged in designing, developing,
owning and managing large-scale rail logistics centers in North America.
U.S. Development Group is the industry leader in unit rail facility
development for biofuels, crude oil/condensate and industrial product
distribution.
For additional information about the St. James facility, please contact
Bill Swan at 713-445-6929.
For media inquiries, please contact Meg Martin at 405-397-6156 or Brent
Gooden at 405-715-3232.
