Duke Energy’s Algonquin Gas Transmission is holding an open season through Oct. 27 to test market interest in an east-to-west expansion project that would be designed to move gas, including LNG-sourced supply, into existing delivery points in high-growth East Coast markets.

Algonquin already has filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for construction of a new 16-mile offshore pipeline, the Northeast Gateway Lateral, that would transport about 400 MMcf/d of regasified LNG from Excelerate’s proposed LNG import terminal offshore Gloucester to the Algonquin HubLine pipeline (see Daily GPI, June 14). That project is expected to begin service in 2007.

Service on the proposed East to West Expansion could begin as early as Nov. 1, 200, the company said. The project would use existing mainline infrastructure, adding incremental expansion capacity as needed. In developing the project, Algonquin said it would use existing rights of way to minimize environmental and landowner impacts.

“Algonquin’s strategic proximity to proposed new sources of LNG supply at the eastern end of its system offers shippers a ground-floor opportunity to reach growing Northeast markets,” said Bill Yardley, Duke Energy Gas Transmission’s vice president of business development. “Through the use of existing infrastructure, the East to West Expansion will provide an economical option for our Algonquin customers.”

Interested shippers should contact Doreen Wrick, project director, at dfwrick@duke-energy.com or (617) 560-1536.

FERC recently issued a certificate to Algonquin to build a new $16 million pipeline lateral that would provide expanded service to customers on Cape Cod. The Cape Lateral would provide 38,000 Dth/d of firm gas service to KeySpan Energy Delivery New England’s Colonial Gas Co.

©Copyright 2006Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. The preceding news reportmay not be republished or redistributed, in whole or in part, in anyform, without prior written consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.