The U.S. Transportation Department on Tuesday approved a license for oil transportation and storage company Sentinel Midstream's planned deepwater oil export project off the Texas coast.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement to Reuters the Texas GulfLink project is part of the Trump administration's effort to boost the U.S. oil industry and production and allow for the export of up to 1 million barrels of crude oil per day. The Texas GulfLink deepwater port will be located approximately 26.6 nautical miles off the coast of Brazoria County, Texas.
President Donald Trump is pushing for faster approvals of projects that will help bolster the U.S. energy industry, including fossil fuel production.
Sentinel Midstream did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In September, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a Clean Air Act permit that allows for the use of an offshore support vessel to control volatile organic compound emissions at the company's proposed Texas GulfLink deepwater port.
Currently, only one U.S. port, the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, can fully load supertankers. Other facilities can only load a supertanker partially due to draft restrictions, requiring them to use smaller ships to ferry crude to the larger vessel to fill it. The Texas project will enhance the United States’ ability to accommodate Very Large Crude Carriers, Duffy said, which will significantly reduce vessel congestion, improving navigational safety. The process is faster, cheaper, and more efficient than transferring cargo in nearshore waters, he added.
"The Texas GulfLink project is proof that when we slash unnecessary red tape and unleash our fossil fuel sector, we create jobs at home and stability abroad," Duffy said. "This critical deepwater port will allow the U.S. to export our abundant resources faster than ever before.”
The USDOT Maritime Administration coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard, Texas and numerous federal agencies in the review of the Texas GulfLink application to ensure it meets strict safety and security standards. Duffy said last month MARAD would take over and streamline the deepwater port licensing process.
In October, U.S. crude exports rose to an average of 4.4 million barrels per day in September, the highest since February 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Department.
(Reuters - Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Arathy Somasekhar; Editing by Anna Driver)