M2 Infrastructure and TransCanada to pursue development of oil storage in Oklahoma
M2 Infrastructure LLC has announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with TransCanada Corporation to pursue construction of 6.2 million barrels of new crude oil storage at TransCanada’s terminal in Cushing, Oklahoma.
Cushing is the most active crude oil trading hub in the world, and the delivery point for the West Texas Intermediate futures contract listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
The new crude oil storage will be owned by M2 Infrastructure and operated by TransCanada. M2 Infrastructure has an option to build up to 20 million barrels of storage, which would be built in subsequent phases. The project and option to expand are subject to completion of definitive agreements between the parties and obtaining required approvals and land rights. Construction of the crude oil storage is expected to begin in late 2017.
M2 Infrastructure plans to work with Matrix Global Holdings, the parent company of Matrix Markets, to sell storage capacity to its customers through on-line auctions of futures contracts and/or physical forward agreements. The auction program will be similar to the highly successful LOOP Sour auction developed by CME, LOOP LLC and Matrix Markets.
J. Robert Collins, Jr., co-founder and Manager of M2 Infrastructure and Matrix Global Holdings, said:
“We are excited to continue transforming the way midstream operators bring efficiencies to their clients. This project’s unique position in Cushing, combined with the innovative excellence of Matrix, should provide the lowest cost, highest throughput, most liquid and most connected storage solution in the midcontinent – eliminating costly limitations of alternative storage programs.”
Paul Miller, TransCanada’s executive vice-president and president, Liquids Pipelines, said:
“TransCanada is committed to developing energy infrastructure solutions in the United States and Canada and pursuing this opportunity fits well in our plans to provide enhanced flexibility to our customers.”
Macquarie Capital has been engaged by M2 Infrastructure to serve as its financial advisor on the project.
