Energy Transfer LP, owner of the Price River crude oil rail terminal in Wellington, has signed an agreement with FourPoint Resources LLC, a Uinta Basin oil producer, to double the capacity of the Carbon County facility.
The terminal is the primary shipping point for the basin’s American Premium Uinta (APU) crude going to refineries throughout the Lower 48 states.
“This expansion further strengthens the transportation infrastructure and takeaway capacity out of the Uinta Basin and unlocks greater market access for FourPoint to meet the growing demand for this high-quality American crude,” FourPoint said in a statement.
The terminal expansion will feature a newly constructed continuous loop track to streamline rail logistics and a railcar load rack capable of loading 140,000 barrels of oil per day. Terminal enhancements will also include nine new rail loading arms, four additional truck offload lanes and upgraded pump capacity to accelerate and improve truck offloading operations.
The project will also add a new heated 140,000-barrel storage tank and two additional 6,000-foot storage unit tracks, significantly improving storage capacity at the terminal.
“With the expansion expected to be complete by the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to receipt of necessary third party and government approvals, FourPoint will secure capacity totaling 50,000 barrels of oil per day at the Price River Terminal,” said Tripp Kerr, vice president of marketing at FourPoint. “Energy Transfer is an exceptional midstream company and their commitment to this project and reliable flow assurance will be critical to our growth strategy in
the basin.”
Crude oil from the Uinta Basin — previously called Uinta Wax or Yellow Wax — has been rebranded to American Premium Uinta crude by FourPoint. The company said the name reflects the quality of the Utah product, which has one of the highest paraffinic contents among crude oil produced in the United States. APU is a premium, light-grade, paraffinic crude oil with low impurities like sulfur and metals, making it a cleaner, more efficient feedstock
for refiners.
“We’re focused on developing a robust and consistent production base in the Uinta Basin coupled with supporting logistics that enable us to move significant, reliable volumes of American Premium Uinta to both traditional markets in Salt Lake City and new markets beyond the basin,” said George Solich, CEO and chairman of FourPoint. “As volatility continues to disrupt foreign crude imports, APU offers American refineries a premium, domestic alternative. This terminal expansion strengthens our ability to deliver that product consistently and at scale — supporting energy independence and fueling the production of American-made goods with American crude.”
As the energy landscape continues to shift, the Uinta Basin has emerged as one of the few regions in the Lower 48 positioned for meaningful production growth, according to Solich. Unlike other major U.S. oil-producing basins facing declining output, the Uinta Basin is a uniquely resource-rich region with a long runway of remaining Tier 1 drilling locations.
Eric Eichler, chief operating officer of FourPoint, said, “The Uinta Basin offers exceptional development potential, with strong well performance, multiple stacked horizontal targets and competitive well costs — characteristics comparable to what we see in the Permian (oil producing region in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico). With a deep, high-quality inventory base and expansion into new markets, the Uinta is primed for meaningful production growth.”
Headquartered in Denver, FourPoint Resources is a privately held acquisition, exploration and production company with operations in the Uinta Basin.