Port Dolphin Energy buys interconnection station land

Port Dolphin Energy buys interconnection station land

BUYER: Port Dolphin Energy LLC (principals: James Butcher, Roy Winograd and Ragnar Wisloff), Tampa

SELLER: Samuel and Margeret Mock, individually and as trustee of the Samuel Mock and Margaret Mock trust

PROPERTY: a portion of land at 5010 Buckeye Road, Palmetto

PRICE: $438,100

TITLE FIRM ON DEED: Barnes Walker Title Inc.

PLANS, DESCRIPTION: Port Dolphin Energy LLC purchased about four acres on the Northside of Buckeye Road, about 1.5 miles east of U.S. 41 for $438,100.

Port Dolphin Energy plans to use the property as an interconnection station to join the pipeline from the Port Manatee to the state pipeline. At completion, the property will likely not feature a building but will include valves, communication equipment and metering.

Port Dolphin Energy is a subcompany of Norwegian shipping company Höegh LNG AS focused on creating and operating a deepwater port for natural gas delivery in Tampa Bay.

The purchase comes as further confirmation that the deepwater port will go forward. Late last month, the project received a major environmental approval from the state, which spokesman Wayne Hopkins says the approval marks the high watermark in approvals for the project.

The pipeline is scheduled to start construction in 2012 and to be operational by 2013.

The project is estimated to generate more than $42 million in direct economic benefits during its construction and more than $150 million in direct local impact during the life of the project.