The South Peace Pipeline Project, a proposed 57-mile extension of Westcoast Energy Inc.’s existing raw gas gathering system near Fort St. John, BC, will be the subject of an oral hearing on Aug. 26, Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) said Wednesday.

The 20-inch diameter pipeline would carry unprocessed sour natural gas from the South Peace area, south of Fort St. John and the Peace River, to Westcoast’s existing McMahon processing plant, in Taylor, BC, where the pipeline would tie-in to an existing pipeline, the Peace River Crossing Pipeline, constructed in 2007. The Peace River Crossing Pipeline is an approximately seven-mile long, 12.75-inch diameter pipeline that extends under the Peace River and currently ties-in to the Westcoast Milligan Peejay Pipeline.

The project also includes plans for an approximately 1.3-mile, 20-inch diameter pipeline, beginning at the Peace River Crossing Pipeline on the north side of the Peace River and ending at the McMahon Plant, and a parallel 20-inch diameter pipeline to provide capability for liquids handling.

Westcoast, carrying on business as Spectra Energy Transmission, has estimated the value of the proposal to be C$95 million. Pending regulatory approval, construction is anticipated to begin next winter with completion by July 2009.

The NEB said the location of the hearing will be determined based on public interest expressed and suitability for a public hearing.

The NEB approved the roll-in of Westcoast Transmission Co. (Alberta) Ltd. (Westcoast AB) into Spectra Energy Transmission West’s Pipeline Divisions T-North Service in November (see Daily GPI, Nov. 30, 2007).

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