Sources mentioned that the small LPG vessel Excalibur was set to load a very small volume of butane — 2,500 mt, or just under 27,000 bbl – at the beginning of January from the Chesapeake facility. OPIS shiptracking shows the Excalibur left port near Norfolk, Va., on Jan. 3 and is now bound for Gibraltar for orders. It is estimated to arrive there Jan. 14.

However, a DCP spokeswoman would not confirm whether the Excalibur was carrying Chesapeake’s inaugural butane exports. “We don’t comment on transactions or movements at our terminal but can confirm that it is fully operational,” the spokeswoman said.

The Chesapeake terminal has historically served as an import facility, with truck and rail racks supplying mostly propane to local markets. A $20 million expansion at the facility, however, will allow it to handle approximately 7,000-8,000 b/d of butane exports, company officials said in November.

The spokeswoman further noted that she could not give any additional updates on the export project beyond what was provided in the company’s November earnings call.

“We have been storing butane that is awaiting export, which should occur by year’s end [2014],” DCP Director William Waldheim said at the time.

DCP last year was working to complete a rail service expansion at the terminal, adding seven new car loading/unloading spots. It was also adding two 90,000-gal pressurized storage tanks as a means to support its butane export plans.

The facility already had in place fully refrigerated propane storage of approximately 39,000 mt, or 483,000 bbl, for imports.