The first contracted shipment left early Friday morning on board the large Commander gas carrier, Phillips 66 said.

The project takes liquefied petroleum gas - mostly propane or butane - from facilities in Sweeny that separate natural gas liquids into ethane, butane and propane. Most of the ethane goes to petrochemical plants for chemicals and plastics. The butane and propane can be exported for heating and cooking.

Phillips 66 Chairman and CEO Greg Garland lauded the facility's ability to easily move multiple grades of LPG directly into global markets.â€

The Freeport LPG Export Terminal can simultaneously load two ships with refrigerated propane and butane at a combined rate of 36,000 barrels per hour. The terminal can export the equivalent of 4.4 million barrels a month. The export facility was developed to satisfy the growing international demand for affordable U.S. natural gas liquids derived from U.S. shale, according to Phillips 66.

With the expectation for U.S. natural gas production to keep growing, Phillips 66 said it's evaluating additional projects along the Gulf Coast.