SUNYA Energy

Caliche to Continue Expansion Backed by Sixth Street

August 20, 2024
SUNYA Summary
- Caliche Development Partners has announced a major backing from Sixth Street, a global investment firm. - The investment by Sixth Street includes Caliche's Golden Triangle Storage facilities in Beaumont, TX, and Central Valley Gas Storage facilities in Princeton, CA. - This partnership will provide Caliche with resources to explore new opportunities and expand the Golden Triangle Storage complex. - Caliche recently received a blanket certificate to develop two natural gas caverns. - Leadership at Caliche will continue overseeing operations, and all employees will be retained. - Caliche aims to meet the growing demand for the storage of natural gas and industrial gases, while focusing on safety and environmental impact. - Sixth Street's Infrastructure team will support Caliche's growth as it capitalizes on trends in global energy and electricity delivery. - The investment will be executed in phases, with the Texas business closure expected in late 2024 and California in mid-2025, pending regulatory approvals. - Barclays served as exclusive financial advisor and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP served as legal counsel to Caliche. - Wells Fargo served as exclusive financial advisor and Vinson & Elkins LLP served as legal counsel to Sixth Street. - Caliche is focused on the underground storage of natural gas and industrial gases and has a history of developing storage projects in the Gulf Coast region. - Sixth Street manages over 75 billion dollars in assets and utilizes long-term capital for growth solutions across various sectors.
PRESS RELEASE
Caliche to Continue Expansion Backed by Sixth Street:

HOUSTON and NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Caliche Development Partners ("Caliche"), a company focused on the acquisition, development, and operation of natural gas and industrial gas storage assets as well as carbon sequestration, today announced that it is now backed by Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm. Sixth Street's majority investment includes the company's Golden Triangle Storage ("GTS") facilities and carbon sequestration development project in Beaumont, TX, and its Central Valley Gas Storage facilities in Princeton, CA.

Sixth Street's investment provides Caliche with additional resources to pursue new opportunities and to expand the GTS complex—including two natural gas caverns for which the company recently received a blanket certificate pursuant to section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act. 

Following the close of the transaction, Caliche's leadership will continue to oversee day-to-day operations and will remain investors in the company. All employees in Caliche's TX and CA offices and on-site at its facilities will also be retained.

"We continue to meet the growing demand for the storage of natural gas and industrial gasses, including helium and hydrogen, and provide the infrastructure for lower environmental impact forms of energy through our commitment to safety, deliverability, asset integrity," said Dave Marchese, CEO of Caliche.  "We want to thank our long-standing partners Orion Infrastructure Capital and GCM Grosvenor for supporting our significant growth over the course of their investments, and we're excited to keep executing our strategy as a growing platform powered by Sixth Street."

Sixth Street's Infrastructure team utilizes the firm's long-term, flexible capital to deliver scaled solutions for companies across the power, midstream, renewables, transportation, and digital sectors. "Caliche supports key trends driving the future of global energy, including the export of domestically produced LNG to international markets and ensuring stable electricity delivery to consumers as renewable generation resources come onto the grid," said Richard Sberlati, Partner at Sixth Street. "The company's success comes from a combined 65 years of collective storage experience, and we look forward to partnering with the company's management as they further grow the business."

Sixth Street's investment will be completed in stages: the Texas business is expected to close in late 2024 and California in mid-2025, subject to all necessary state regulatory approvals. 

Barclays served as exclusive financial advisor and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP served as legal counsel to Caliche.  Wells Fargo served as exclusive financial advisor and Vinson & Elkins LLP served as legal counsel to Sixth Street.

About Caliche
Caliche is an acquisition and development company focused on the underground storage of natural gas, industrial gases like hydrogen and helium, and carbon sequestration. Based in Houston, TX, Caliche's projects are located in Jefferson County on the US Gulf Coast (Golden Triangle Storage, GTS and Caliche CO2 Sequestration) and in Colusa County, CA (Central Valley Gas Storage, CVGS). The Caliche management team previously developed and sold its underground storage business (Coastal Caverns) on the historic Spindletop salt dome in Beaumont. https://calichestorage.com 

About Sixth Street
Sixth Street is a leading global investment firm with over $75 billion in assets under management and committed capital. The firm uses its long-term flexible capital, data-enabled capabilities, and One Team culture to develop themes and offer solutions to companies across all stages of growth. Founded in 2009, Sixth Street has 600 team members including over 200 investment professionals operating around the world. For more information, follow Sixth Street on social media and visit www.sixthstreet.com.

SOURCE Caliche Development Partners, LLC