Bear Paw Pipeline Corp. Inc. has registered an environmental assessment with Nova Scotia Environment for a proposed 39-mile natural gas pipeline from Goldboro, NS, to the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility, Bear Head LNG, in Point Tupper in Richmond County, NS (see Daily GPI, March 29). The pipeline would connect the facility with the North American gas pipeline network. A comment period on the EA runs through April 29. Bear Paw filed an application with the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board in late 2015 to obtain a permit for the pipeline, and public hearings are to begin May 9. Bear Paw is a unit of Australia-based Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd., which is also developing Magnolia LNG LLC in Louisiana (see Daily GPI, Nov. 13, 2015).

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff plans to issue a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed PennEast Pipeline project on Dec. 16, allowing for a 90-day deadline for coordinating agencies of March 16, 2017. The project is to include 119 miles of pipeline and laterals including 115 miles of new pipeline from Luzerne County, PA, to Mercer County, NJ and three laterals, two in Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey. A compressor station and eight meter and regulator stations would also be constructed. PennEast Pipeline Co. LLC is a joint venture of AGL Resources Inc. unit Red Oak Enterprise Holdings Inc. (20%); New Jersey Resources‘ NJR Pipeline Co. (20%); South Jersey Industries‘ SJI Midstream LLC (20%); UGI Energy Services LLC‘s UGI PennEast LLC (20%); PSEG Power LLC (10%); and Spectra Energy Partners LP (10%). The partnership is managed by UGI Energy Services (see Daily GPI, March 22).

Bear Head LNG Corp. Inc.has agreed to purchase additional land from Nova Scotia Business Inc. for its proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility on the Strait of Canso in Richmond County, Nova Scotia. “It enables us to increase the capacity of the LNG facility from a nominal eight million tonnes per annum (mtpa) up to 12 mtpa in 2024, as per our approval from the National Energy Board,” said Bear Head President Maurice Brand. Bear Head is to acquire an additional 72 acres of land directly adjacent to its existing 255-acre site on the Strait of Canso. Bear Head has approval from the U.S. Department of Energy to export U.S.-sourced natural gas nations with and without free trade agreements with the United States (see Daily GPI, Feb. 8). Canada’s National Energy Board has granted Bear Head approval to export up to 12 mtpa. Bear Head said it has all the initial federal, provincial, and municipal regulatory approvals required to begin project construction.

Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP(CPChem) has reached a final investment decision to expand the low viscosity polyalphaolefins capacity at its Cedar Bayou plant in Baytown, TX, by 10,000 metric tons per year, or about 20%. The expansion will allow the company to meet the increasing demand for high-performance lubricants in automotive and industrial applications, as demand for higher energy efficiency and high-quality basestocks continues to grow. Feedstock for the project will be provided through the recent 100,000 metric tons per year expansion of normal alpha olefins capacity at Cedar Bayou.