XTO Energy Opens NGL Processing Plant in Butler
BUTLER, Pa. -- XTO Energy Inc., a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, has begun production here at a startup facility that recovers marketable liquids from the natural gas produced in Butler County.
“It allows valuable liquids to be separated from natural gas and provides economic growth in southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Tim McIlwain, senior vice president, production operations for XTO.
The liquid propane, butane and ethane separated from the gas will be sold to MarkWest Energy Partners, which will process the NGLs at its plant in Washington County, Pa., according to published reports. The methane will be sold to NiSource Inc. of Merrillville, Ind., which operates the Columbia Pipeline Group.
XTO’s 340-acre plant is the first of its kind for the company in the Appalachia region, McIlwain noted, and includes 40 miles of connecting pipeline. Two gas compressor stations feed the facility, which is designed to treat approximately 125 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.
At the peak of construction, 170 local and regional contractors were on site each day. XTO will employ 15 permanent employees to run the operation, McIlwain said.
Butler County is a vital part of XTO’s Appalachia division, he added. In the past four years, 50 wells have been drilled over 46,000 net acres in the county.
XTO Energy Inc develops tight gas, shale gas, coal bed methane and unconventional oil resources. The company has operations in all major U.S. producing regions, and holds more than 417,000 acres in Pennsylvania.
SOURCE: XTO Energy Inc.