The Plantation pipeline is one of the major refined product pipelines that moves gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from the US Gulf Coast to the Southeast US market.

Plantation links the refining capacity in Louisiana (and by other connections the rest of the Gulf Coast) to Southeast US markets, including Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Plantation competes with the Colonial pipeline, which also serves these same markets.

Due to the volume of product moved, the pipeline (especially at its Houston origin) is a major point for spot trading of these products, providing the Gulf Coast Pipe price assessment.

Description

Plantation is owned in partnership by Kinder Morgan (51.2%) and ExxonMobil (48.8%). 

700 thousand barrels/day capacity to move gasoline, diesel, heating oil and jet fuel from Baton Rouge to Virginia

130 shipper terminals and 29 delivery terminals across 8 states from Louisiana to Virginia

Minimum batch size of 15 thousand barrels for fungible movements and 25 thousand barrels for segregated movement

History

1940 - Company founded by four oil companies (Shell, Texaco, Chevron, and Exxon) and construction began

1942 - Pipeline begins operation with a 8" line from Baton Rouge to Greensboro, delivering 48 thousand bpd for four customers

1964 - Extension to Richmond and Alexandria, VA

1968 - Major expansion including increased capacity and new spur lines

1998 - Shell and Texaco (through Equilon JV) sold stake to Kinder Morgan

1999 - Kinder Morgan acquires controlling interest by acquiring Chevron's stake

2004 - Exxon sold seven terminals connected to Plantation to Kinder Morgan

2016 - Kinder Morgan suspends plans to construct a 360-mile line (Palmetto pipeline) connecting the Plantation pipeline to Savannah and Jacksonville