RBN Energy

Hundreds of miles separate the Permian Basin from the U.S. Gulf Coast, but in the Shale Era traversing that span has become increasingly important to Permian producers. Billions of dollars have been invested to expand capacity to move Permian production — crude, natural gas or NGLs — to the Gulf Coast to take advantage of surging export markets. In today’s RBN blog, we’ll focus our attention on EPIC Midstream and its EPIC Crude Pipeline, which has operated above its nameplate capacity for much of this year.

The great Texas philosopher Matthew McConaughey once said, “I don’t want to just revolve. I want to evolve.” Few pieces of crude oil infrastructure embody that spirit of adaptation quite like ONEOK’s Longhorn Pipeline. Starting out as a Houston-bound conduit for Permian crude, Longhorn later reversed its flow and started moving refined products, then — at just the right time, in the early days of the Permian’s Shale Era rebirth — flipped back to eastbound crude service. In today’s RBN blog, we’ll detail the pipeline’s evolution and its critical role in moving Permian oil to the Gulf Coast market.

Colorado City, TX, has deep roots in the history of the American West, beginning as a ranger camp in 1877. As cattlemen flocked to the area, it quickly became a vital center for the cattle industry, earning the moniker “The Mother City of West Texas.” The arrival of the Texas & Pacific Railway in 1881 marked a turning point for the town. It was formally organized the following year, its economy bolstered by cattle, cotton and a soon-burgeoning oil industry. A 1920s oil boom further elevated Colorado City’s economic status, marking the beginning of its now long-standing importance in the oil industry. In today’s RBN blog, we’ll explore how Colorado City continues to serve as a critical junction, facilitating the movement of crude from the prolific Permian Basin to major destinations such as Cushing, OK, and the U.S. Gulf Coast.