TEPPCO History

1940s

TEPPCO's foundation began during World War II, when German U-boats were sinking oil tankers as they traveled to East Coast refineries. Looking for a safe alternative, the federal government built two pipelines -- the 24-inch diameter Big Inch Pipeline and the 20-inch diameter Little Big Inch Pipeline to deliver crude oil from Texas to the East Coast.

When the war ended, Texas Eastern Transmission Company purchased the Big Inch and Little Big Inch pipelines from the War Assets Administration for more than $143 million and placed them in natural gas service.

1950s

In 1955, Texas Eastern converted the majority of the Little Big Inch to refined products service. At the end of the 1950s, Texas Eastern began regular shipments of petroleum products, including liquefied petroleum gases, or LPGs, through the Little Big Inch common carrier pipeline.

The first test shipment of products through the line completed its journey from Texas to the Midwest in May 1958. This was soon followed by a significant shipment of LPGs. This was the longest single shipment of LPGs ever made, and the first to move through a pipeline as large as the Little Big Inch. In October 1958, regular operation through the Little Big Inch system began.

1960s

In 1962, the Little Big Inch was extended to the East Coast when construction on 213 miles of pipeline was completed from Todhunter, Ohio, to Steubenville, Ohio.

1970s - 1980s

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the Company completed several expansions on the existing system. In 1989, Texas Eastern was acquired by Panhandle Eastern Corporation.

1990s

TEPPCO Partners, L.P., was formed in March 1990, as a master limited partnership. In 1998, TEPPCO purchased Colorado fractionators and crude oil assets, which provided entry into the crude oil gathering, transportation, marketing and natural gas liquid (NGL) businesses.

2000s

In 2000, the Partnership completed construction of three petrochemical pipelines between Mont Belvieu and Port Arthur, Texas, marking the Partnership's entry into the petrochemical business. The company also acquired the Panola NGL Pipeline and the assets of ARCO Pipe Line Company. The ARCO assets included Seaway Crude Pipeline Company, a joint venture between TEPPCO and ConocoPhillips.

In September 2001, TEPPCO acquired the Jonah Gas Gathering Company, marking the Partnership's entry into the natural gas gathering business.

In 2002, TEPPCO acquired Chaparral and Quanah, two NGL pipelines from West Texas to Mont Belvieu, Texas and acquired the Val Verde Gathering System. The Partnership also commissioned the Centennial Pipeline, a 795-mile interstate refined products pipeline extending from the upper Texas Gulf Coast to Illinois. Centennial is a joint venture between TE Products Pipeline Company, Limited Partnership and Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC.

In 2003, TEPPCO formed Mont Belvieu Storage Partners, L.P., a joint venture between TEPPCO and Louis Dreyfus Energy Services. In November 2003, TEPPCO acquired crude supply and transportation assets along the upper Texas Gulf Coast from Genesis Pipeline Texas, L.P.

In 2005, TEPPCO's general partner, Texas Eastern Products Pipeline Company, LLC, was acquired by EPCO, Inc., a privately owned company controlled by Dan L. Duncan.