Crude Conduit: Dakota Access, Kinder Morgan Camino Real, and Offshore Flows (9/22-9/28)

Dakota Access Pipeline Losing Market Share, Kinder Morgan Camino Real Ramping Up, and Chevron and Williams Benefit from Ballymore

Questions: Email Us - matthew.lewis@plainview-energy.com

Dakota Access Pipeline Market Share Decline in Bakken Crude Flows

The Dakota Access Pipeline has experienced a notable decline in volumes over the past couple of years, peaking at approximately 660,000 barrels per day in Q4 2023 before falling to about 525,000 barrels per day in Q2 2025, amid a broader Bakken crude oil supply reduction of roughly 100,000 barrels per day during this period. Despite the regional downturn, competitors have captured market share: Enbridge’s Bakken Pipeline, which transports oil northward into Canada for integration with Enbridge’s mainline, has ramped up from near-zero volumes in 2023 to over 40,000 barrels per day in Q2 2025, benefiting from new committed shippers and discounted rates. Similarly, the Bridger Pipeline system, which delivers oil southward to the Guernsey area and onward to Cushing via the Pony Express Pipeline, increased from 170,000 barrels per day at the start of 2023 to over 250,000 barrels per day in Q2 2025, driven by system expansions, discounted rates, and narrow Cushing/Gulf Coast spreads. These gains have directly eroded Dakota Access volumes, highlighting shifting dynamics in Bakken egress options.

Kinder Morgan Camino Real Pipeline Volumes Double in Eagle Ford

Kinder Morgan’s Camino Real gathering system in the Eagle Ford has experienced a significant increase in volumes over recent months. The acreage backing this system was previously owned by EP Energy, which filed for bankruptcy in 2019. The assets were acquired by EnCap and integrated into its Verdun Oil & Gas production operations. Volumes reached a peak of nearly 50,000 barrels per day in 2018 but declined to around 20,000 barrels per day due to the bankruptcy and falling oil prices. However, starting in June and July, volumes have surged from 20,000 to over 40,000 barrels per day, marking the highest levels since 2018. Although this system represents a relatively small asset for Kinder Morgan, it offers potential upside. The gathered volumes flow into Harvest’s Arrowhead South Texas and Plains’ Eagle Ford systems, which move the barrels to the Gulf Coast.

Chevron Ballymore Offshore Drives Breton Sound Pipeline Growth

Offshore production, transported via Williams’ Mountaineer pipeline system, flows into Chevron’s Breton Sound pipeline, which delivers it to Chevron’s Empire Terminal. Over recent months, volumes on Breton Sound have surged, rising from a low of 30,000 barrels per day to over 90,000 barrels per day by June and July. This increase is largely driven by Chevron’s Ballymore offshore project, which came online in April and is expected to reach a production capacity of approximately 75,000 barrels per day. Although current volumes appear slightly below this target, the ramp-up, particularly through July, indicates strong growth, with potential for further increases. This uptick has likely contributed to improved Q2 earnings for Williams’ Mountaineer system, with additional upside expected as Ballymore production continues to grow.

Flow/Transaction Updates and New Assets Under Coverage (9/22-9/28)

Plainview has over 200 assets with crude oil flow or transactional data on our platform and continues to add more each week. Data for existing assets under coverage are posted as soon as they become available. Below are the assets that were updated this week or newly added to coverage.

News that Caught our Eye (9/22-9/28)

None! Quiet week.