Texas’ deepwater crude oil export port cleared for takeoff as US energy expansion continues

Texas GulfLink, an affiliate of Dallas-based Sentinel, has received a permit from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its offshore deepwater crude oil export terminal near Freeport, Texas.

EPA’s Clean Air Act (CAA) permit for the proposed offshore Texas GulfLink (TGL) deepwater port, for which Sentinel Midstream unveiled a plan in February 2019, is said to allow a first-of-its-kind use of vapor capture and control technology mounted on an offshore support vessel at TGL’s proposed deepwater port about 30 miles southeast of Freeport.

This comes after the EPA, which issued the draft permit for public notice on May 21, 2025, accepted public comments from May 22 to June 27, 2025. The signing is seen as the final step to issue the CAA permit. The Maritime Administration in the Department of Transportation (MARAD) issues deepwater port licenses under the Deepwater Port Act.

The CAA permit, known as a combined synthetic minor new source review (NSR) preconstruction and title V operating permit, includes monitoring, record-keeping, and reporting requirements, such as semi-annual and annual compliance certifications to ensure compliance with federal standards.

This permit is valid for five years from the effective date of issuance, and TGL will need to apply for a renewal at least six months before the permit’s expiration date to continue operations at the deepwater port.

Scott Mason, EPA’s Regional Administrator, commented: “In issuing the first Clean Air Act deepwater port permit since President Trump returned to office, EPA is keeping its promise to unleash American energy dominance and economic prosperity.

“By applying proven technology in an innovative way, this project will increase energy production while fulfilling EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment.”

The vision for the deepwater port entails an onshore terminal with up to 18 million barrels of storage, an offshore 42-inch pipeline, and a manned offshore platform to facilitate port operations with two catenary anchor leg single point mooring buoys.

Texas GulfLink will be able to load very large crude carriers up to 85,000 barrels per hour, or 365 million barrels per year. EPA claims that the final permit will advance the innovative use of an offshore support vessel to control volatile organic compound emissions at a deepwater port.

This is perceived to be the first use of the technology alongside a very large crude oil carrier while it is being loaded and tethered to a single-point mooring buoy at a deepwater port. However, similar technology has been used on shuttle tankers in the North Sea for over 20 years, with over 96% emission-control efficiency.

Jeff Ballard, Chief Executive Officer of Sentinel Midstream, emphasized: “Sentinel Midstream is proud to unveil a groundbreaking vapor control application that will revolutionize the loading of Very Large Crude Carriers in the Gulf of America.

“Developed by our Texas GulfLink team in close collaboration with the EPA, this innovative approach significantly reduces volatile organic compounds, setting a new industry standard for environmental performance and advances the implementation of best available control technology.”

The return of President Donald Trump to the White House has put projects like this one high on the approval agenda, as Trump’s new term in the office is associated with a pivot toward deregulation, a faster energy permitting process, more oil and gas exploration and production opportunities, and an end to LNG export permitting pause for non-free trade agreement (non-FTA) countries.

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