HOUSTON, Nov. 3, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE:EEP) ("the Partnership") as the 2004 Natural Gas STAR Processing Partner of the Year at its annual conference and awards ceremony. Enbridge received the award largely due to its use of innovative leak detection technologies in helping to reduce methane emissions.
"We are honored to receive this award through our participation as a gas processing partner in the EPA's Natural Gas STAR program," said Dan Tutcher, President & CEO of Enbridge Energy Partners. "Enbridge is committed to minimizing our environmental impact through programs that promote climate change, air emissions management, spill prevention and pipeline integrity. In our first year of participation in this program, we achieved significant reductions of methane emissions from the company's gas gathering and processing activities. Lowering emissions and reducing loss of product is better for the environment, good for our customers and good for our bottom line."
The Natural Gas STAR Program is a voluntary partnership that encourages companies across the natural gas and oil industries to identify and adopt cost-effective technologies and practices that improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions of methane. A greenhouse gas, methane is the primary component of natural gas.
Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. (www.enbridgepartners.com) owns and operates a diversified portfolio of crude oil and natural gas transportation systems in the United States. Its principal crude oil system delivers crude oil received primarily from western Canada to refining centers in the U.S. Midwest, accounting for approximately 10 percent of total U.S. crude oil imports, and to Ontario, Canada. The Partnership's natural gas gathering, treating, processing and transmission assets are principally onshore systems located in the active U.S. Mid-Continent and Gulf Coast regions. Enbridge Energy Management, L.L.C. (NYSE:EEQ) manages the business and affairs of the Partnership and its principal asset is an approximate 18 percent interest in the Partnership. Enbridge Energy Company, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, (www.enbridge.com) is the general partner and holds an approximate 11 percent effective interest in the Partnership.