Columbia Gulf Transmission LLC is seeking FERC approval to construct two pipeline segments totaling 34 miles and various other facilities for its Cameron Access Project (CAP) to serve the Cameron LNG terminal in Louisiana.

CAP, a roughly $300 million project, includes improvements to existing Columbia Gulf pipeline and ancillary facilities, a new compressor station and installing new pipeline in Cameron Parish to provide for additional market access to the liquefied natural gas terminal (see Daily GPI, Oct. 24, 2014).

“Constructed to increase the capacity of the Columbia Gulf system, the project will allow additional transportation of gas westward from the existing Columbia Gulf West Lateral,” the pipeline said on its website.

Pipeline construction would consist of 6.8 miles of 30-inch diameter pipeline loop and ancillary facilities in Jefferson Davis Parish, LA, and 27.3 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline and ancillary facilities in Jefferson Davis, Cameron and Calcasieu parishes in Louisiana, Columbia told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [CP15-109]. A 12,260 hp compressor station, designated as the Lake Arthur Compressor Station, would be placed in Jefferson Davis Parish.

The project would also involve changes to Columbia Gulf’s West Lateral system. This system has traditionally flowed from west to east toward Rayne Compressor Station and Columbia Gulf’s mainline, then north to markets in the Midwest and Northeast. In recent years, changes in traditional supply sources have created commercial opportunities that require alterations in the direction of gas flow, the pipeline told FERC. “In relation to the West Lateral, this means gas transported through certain pipelines is required to flow from east to west…[B]y changing the direction of flow on a portion of the West Lateral, Columbia Gulf will provide shippers with a new option for transporting their gas.”

Existing facilities have insufficient capacity and no interconnects near the project shippers’ desired delivery point, the pipeline said. Columbia is proposing facilities to create up to 800,000 Dth/d of incremental capacity. Columbia said it has signed binding agreements with shippers for up to 700,000 Dth/d of transportation service and is marketing the remaining project capacity.

“Columbia Gulf requests the issuance of a final Commission order in time to complete post certificate, pre-construction compliance activities, so construction may commence by Sept. 1, 2016, thus allowing sufficient time to complete necessary construction work to commence service on or before December 2017,” the pipeline told FERC.