With installation of the Independence Hub production platform in the deepwater of the eastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) now complete, Enterprise Products Partners LP said it will transfer control to Anadarko Petroleum Corp. as platform operator. The hub, expected to ramp up in the second half of 2007, will be capable of handling up to 1 Bcf/d, which would represent more than a 10% increase in gas deliveries from the GOM (see NGI, Oct. 23, 2006). The producer group is now in the process of installing flowline risers, which will transport production from the subsea wellheads to the hub, and Enterprise is installing the export pipeline riser that will transport natural gas from the platform to the 134-mile Independence Trail pipeline, which was installed in August 2006. Independence Trail will transport up to 1 Bcf/d of natural gas from the hub to the partnership’s West Delta 68 platform, which connects to a third party pipeline to deliver the gas onshore into Louisiana.

In response to interest from customers needing transportation capacity to serve the Northeast market, Algonquin Gas Transmission is holding a binding open season through March 20 for its proposed East-to-West Expansion. In November the pipeline announced the results of a related, nonbinding open season, which ended Oct. 27, saying shippers signaled that they may need more than 2 Bcf/d of new capacity to meet the demands of the growing Northeast market. “Market interest in the East-to-West project exceeded the proposed expansion plans we announced last fall,” said Bill Yardley, group vice president for Spectra Energy, owner of the Algonquin system. “We believe this project will help our customers better serve their markets through new supplies sourced from the eastern end of our Algonquin system, including new LNG-sourced supply.” The project, expected to be in service by Nov. 1, 2009, will use existing mainline infrastructure, adding incremental expansion as needed. Plans include using existing rights of way, where practical, to minimize environmental and landowner impacts. Final design of the project will depend on shipper commitment. Interested shippers should contact Doreen Wrick by 5 p.m. EST March 20 at (617) 560-1536.

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