Enterprise Products to Sell Gulf of Mexico Business for $1.5 Billion

Enterprise Products Partners LP, one of the largest pipeline companies in the U.S., has agreed to sell its offshore Gulf of Mexico pipelines and services business to Genesis Energy LP for about $1.5 billion in cash.

The assets include Enterprise's interest in nine crude oil and nine natural gas pipeline systems, as well as six offshore hub platforms.

Enterprise said the business doesn't fit with its downstream crude oil or natural gas pipelines. The company said it could use the proceeds from the sale to expand its midstream system, such as acquisitions in the Eagle Ford and Permian shales.

For its part, Genesis expects the deal to be immediately accretive and to improve its credit metrics over time.

"These offshore assets will substantially enlarge our portfolio of strategic infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico, which is one of the most prolific producing regions in the United States," said Genesis Chief Executive Grant Sims in a news release.

The deal is expected to close this year.

In June, Enterprise Products agreed to buy Texas oil and gas pipelines and processing plants from Pioneer Natural Resources Co. and Reliance Industries Ltd. for $2.15 billion.

Write to Chelsey Dulaney at [e-mail]

Access Investor Kit for Dominion Resources, Inc.

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US25746U1097

Access Investor Kit for Genesis Energy LP

Visit http://www.companyspotlight.com/partner?cp_code=P479&isin=US3719271047

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires