Manta Ray Offshore Gathering Co. LLC began providing emergency natural gas transportation services to offshore deepwater producers May 18, the company said in a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The emergency services, which Manta Ray said were needed due to unplanned maintenance on Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC’s (Transco) pipeline, are expected to last for about 45 days.

Producers “are flowing on an approximately 1.5-mile section of Transco’s 24-inch pipeline from the Chevron-operated production platform in Green Canyon Block 205 to Manta Ray’s Ship Shoal Block 332, where Manta Ray will receive the gas on its gathering line,” the Houston-based gathering company said.

Gas rerouted from the Chevron platform into the Manta Ray gathering system will be transported by Manta Ray to Ship Shoal Block 207, where Manta Ray interconnects with Nautilus Pipeline Co. LLC and Kinetica Deepwater Express LLC.

Manta Ray estimated that 225,000-360,000 MMBtu (5,000-8,000 MMBtu/d) would be transported during the emergency service.