As expected, Colorado Interstate Gas (CIG), a subsidiary of El Paso Corp., on Tuesday filed a formal application with FERC to construct the proposed Raton Basin expansion project (see Daily GPI, Jan. 7). The project’s targeted date for initial service is Oct. 1, 2005, with full completion in December 2005.

The $61 million expansion will add 104,600 Dth/d of natural gas transmission capacity from the Raton Basin to Midcontinent delivery systems in south-central Colorado and the Oklahoma Panhandle. El Paso said the project includes 102 miles of 16-, 20-, and 24-inch pipeline looping, 1,770 horsepower of additional compression and new metering facilities.

“With this expansion, CIG will have more than 380,000 Dth/d of daily firm delivery capacity available to the production community in the Raton Basin. Both producers and shippers will benefit from our enhanced ability to deliver gas to premium growth markets,” said James Cleary, president of El Paso’s Western Pipeline Group.

Five producing shippers have executed firm agreements with minimum 10-year terms for transportation services on the project. They are Pioneer Natural Resources Co., El Paso Energy Raton LLC, Red River Ranch Holding LLC, Apple Tree Holdings LLC and XTO Energy.

©Copyright 2005 Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. The preceding news report may not be republished or redistributed, in whole or in part, in any form, without prior written consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.