Col. company pitches ND-MN oil pipeline

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -- A Colorado firm wants to build an oil pipeline from western North Dakota's booming oil patch to a pipeline hub in northern Minnesota.

Saddle Butte Pipeline LLC says the 450-mile pipeline would run from near Alexander to Clearbrook, Minn., with the capacity to move 150,000 barrels of crude daily. It's to be built by subsidiary High Prairie Pipeline. Saddle Butte is seeking investors and shippers, and will need state approval.

Saddle Butte President and CEO John Earley says North Dakota's pipeline capacity isn't keeping up with the growth in oil production. The company hopes to have the pipeline operating by late 2013.

Saddle Butte already operates more than 200 miles of natural gas and crude oil pipeline in northwest North Dakota, along with a gas processing plant and oil terminals.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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