Houston’s Manta Ray Offshore Gathering Co. LLC has begunconstructing a major extension to its existing offshore gatheringsystem to complement the Hickory prospect in the Gulf Coastoffshore in Grand Isle Blocks 110, 111 and 116, which is expectedto begin production later this year. The 22.25 mile, 20-inchdiameter pipeline extension will tie into an existing gatheringsystem at South Timbalier Block 292 and extend to the Grand IsleBlock 116 platform. According to Manta Ray, the “strategicposition” will help the company compete for transportation of moregas volumes in the “prolific” area. The extension is sized tohandle the total Hickory volumes as well as the surrounding area’sproduction. Anadarko first announced the Hickory discovery inOctober 1998, and now is drilling additional development wells. Aproduction platform is planned to be moved on location at Block 116later this summer with facilities capable of handling 300 MMcf/d ofnatural gas. Shell Gas Transmission owns 50% of Manta Ray while ElPaso Energy Partners LP owns 25.67% and Marathon Gas TransmissionInc. owns 24.33%.

CMS Energy, Marathon Ashland Petroleum and TEPPCO Partners signeddefinitive agreements to make their March 9 joint ventureofficial. The companies will each own a one-third share of CentennialPipeline, LLC, which will own and operate a refined petroleum productspipeline that travels from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Illinois (see DailyGPI, March 10). The new company willbuild a 70-mile, 24-inch Trunkline pipeline that would connectTEPPCO’s facility in Beaumont, TX, with the 720-mile, 26-inch diameternatural gas line that extends from Longville, LA, to Bourbon, IL. CMSTrunkline Gas, the current owner, has filed with the Federal EnergyRegulatory Commission to convert the gas line to a refined petroleumproducts line. Producers and utilities believe that it is probably inthe best interests of the pipeline’s owners, but not the public’s (seeDaily GPI, April 7). Centennial expectsthe project to be completed by the end of 2001.

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