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Exxon, Enbridge taken legal action against by competitor over crude oil transport

Exxon and Canadabased crude pipeline operator Enbridge were taken legal action against in Illinois federal court on Tuesday over claims they disallowed a competitor from building a terminal to ship oil by barge from the Chicago area to refineries in the Midwest and Gulf of Mexico.

The antitrust lawsuit from energy infrastructure developer Ducere seeks more than $11 million in damages for work the Illinois business said it already spent for on the job and for lost future revenues.

Exxon, Enbridge and their joint venture Mustang Pipe Line LLC left out Ducere from the crude oil transport market in Chicago by declining to permit it to develop a terminal that would provide another avenue for transporting crude to refineries south of Chicago, the suit stated.

Representatives for Exxon and Enbridge did not immediately respond to requests for remark.

A representative from Ducere declined to comment.

Ducere's complaint said it proposed in 2020 to build a. terminal that would link to Mustang's pipeline and permit. Ducere to transfer crude on barges. Ducere said Exxon owns 70%. of Mustang, and Enbridge owns 30%.

The lawsuit stated Mustang's board decreased in early 2023 to. move on with the terminal, reversing an earlier arrangement. in between the business.

It stated the group boycott by Exxon, Enbridge and Mustang. denying it access to Mustang's petroleum pipeline unlawfully. restricted competitors in the regional energy transport. market.

Ducere said shipping crude by barge on U.S. waterways is. greatly underutilized. The suggested terminal would increase. petroleum transport capacity while lowering dependence on. rail transportation, the claim said.

The case is Ducere LLC v. Enbridge (U.S.) Inc et al, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, No. 1:24- cv-01217.

(source: Reuters)