Spectra Energy Corp. late Thursday joined a growing list of pipeline operators that in recent weeks have announced plans to expand their systems to accommodate growing natural gas supplies from East Texas and northern Louisiana.

The ETX Expansion Project would expand Spectra’s existing Texas Eastern Transmission LP mainline, the company said. ETX would offer phased-in service beginning in 2010.

Regency Energy Partners LP and its partners late last month announced plans to construct the Haynesville Expansion Project (HEP), which initially would transport up to 1.1 Bcf/d of shale gas supplies from northern Louisiana (see Daily GPI, March 2). Energy Transfer Partners LP also launched an open season in February to solicit interest in the Tiger Pipeline, which would carry gas supplies from the Haynesville Shale (see Daily GPI, Feb. 23).

The ETX project, said Spectra, would offer a “broad array of transportation options” including receipt points in Texas Eastern’s East Texas rate zone for supplies from the growing Haynesville Shale, Bossier Sands, Cotton Valley and James Lime production areas, to various delivery points along the interstate pipeline grid.

“Texas Eastern is strategically positioned to provide a variety of economic transportation solutions for producers in our East Texas zone,” said Spectra’s Mark Fiedorek, group vice president. “By making optimal use of our existing infrastructure, Texas Eastern can connect these new supply sources and move them into the downstream grid, with minimal need for new land or potential effects on landowners and the environment.”

Nonbinding nominations will be accepted for service from any existing or proposed receipt points to any existing or proposed delivery points in its East Texas zone, Spectra said. The specific scope of the expansion is to be finalized following the results of the open season.

Nominations for the open season will be accepted through 2 p.m. CDT on March 31. For information contact Chris Ditzel by e-mail at ctditzel@spectraenergy.com or by fax at (713) 386-4681.

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