Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS) and Maritimes&amp Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C. (Maritimes) successfully crossedthe first major engineering hurdle in constructing their jointpipeline facilities, which represent the southernmost portion ofeach company’s pipeline system.

Brownsville, WS-based Michels Pipeline completed a difficult2,868-foot directional drilling beneath the Piscataqua Riverbetween Newington, NH, and Eliot, ME, followed by installation of30-inch diameter, high-capacity pipeline as much as 75-feet belowthe riverbed.

It is the first section of the PNGTS/Maritimes Joint FacilitiesProject, which will involve construction of 100 miles of 30-inchdiameter pipeline between interconnections with Tennessee GasPipeline in Haverhill and Dracut, MA, and an interconnection withthe upstream portions of the Maritimes and PNGTS facilities inWestbrook, ME. The joint facilities eventually will bring more than600 MMcf/d of Canadian gas to New England markets.

PNGTS is scheduled to transport gas from an interconnection withTransCanada PipeLines by this November. Maritimes is scheduled tobegin bringing gas from offshore Nova Scotia near Sable Island byNovember 1999. Both projects remain on schedule.

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