Colorado Interstate Gas Company (CIG) has asked FERC for authorization to commence service no later than June 29 on the Totem Gas Storage Field Project in Adams County, CO. The company said it was nearing completion of construction of the initial phase and injection of base gas. It proposes to then begin injections of up to 6 Bcf of working gas. The sole customer for the facility is Public Service Co. of Colorado (PSCo).

“It is estimated that 90% to 100% of base gas will be injected by June 29,” CIG said in its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) filing. “Work on the gas dehydration and conditioning plant will continue for several months.” Sustained withdrawal of storage gas will be available after the successful injection of PSCo’s working gas.

Drilling and connection of five horizontal injection/withdrawal (I/W) wells is proceeding and the wells will be brought into service to enhance the injection and withdrawal capabilities of the project as they are connected to the storage field gathering system, the company said.

In 2010 CIG plans to drill and connect the last three horizontal I/W wells if the 2009 horizontal I/W drilling program is successful.

FERC approved the Totem Gas Storage facility just over a year ago. It involved the conversion of a depleted oil and gas field near Denver for storage use to meet the existing peak-day and load-growth needs for local gas distribution systems along the Colorado Front Range area. The total planned capacity was 10.7 Bcf, composed of 7 Bcf of working gas and 3.7 Bcf of base gas.

Totem storage is designed to connect with CIG’s existing pipeline network via CIG’s 164-mile High Plains expansion project, which FERC approved in March 2008 (see Daily GPI, March 24, 2008).

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