About 300 MMcf/d of Sable Island gas is flowing through theMaritimes & Northeast Pipeline currently to markets in theU.S., a spokeswoman for the pipeline company said yesterday. Thepipe, which transports gas produced offshore Nova Scotia, isexpected to be shipping 450 MMcf/d by summer and 530 MMcf/d whenthe Halifax, St. John’s and Point Tupper laterals in Canada areconstructed and open for service.

“The flow rates have been steadily increasing,” said Maritimesspokeswoman Krista Jenkins. “The goal right now is get to anaverage of about 450 MMcf/d, and we’ll see that through most of theyear.”

“All of the current flow is going into the U.S. We don’t haveany lateral or distribution lines operating in Canada yet. Most ofit is going down into the Boston area and to the interconnects atDracut, MA. In Maine, they are still getting their distributionsystems up and running, and we probably won’t see any laterals upand running this year either. The goal this year was to finish themainline.

In Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, the distribution companieshave been selected and they are starting to get their plans inplace. “This summer you’ll see some local distribution constructionhappening. [The Point Tupper Lateral] was built last year, butwe’re still working with the National Energy Board for the finalapprovals on it. Unfortunately I don’t know when it’s expected toopen. It still has to go through all the final safety testing.”

Maritimes announced late last week that it has started clearing theroute for the Halifax Lateral to be constructed (see Daily GPI, March 6). The proposed Halifax Lateralconsists of a 77-mile, 12-inch diameter pipeline from a point on themainline near Stellarton to the Tufts Cove generating plant of NovaScotia Power in Dartmouth. There are two firm service agreements inplace with Nova Scotia Power for a total of 61,600 MMBtu/day.

It is expected that clearing for the Saint John Lateral routewill begin in the near future. Facilities proposed for the SaintJohn Lateral consist of 63 miles of 16-inch diameter pipeline froma point near Kedron Lake to delivery points in the Saint John andLake Utopia areas in New Brunswick, as well as associated metering,control and pressure regulation facilities. The Halifax and SaintJohn Laterals are scheduled to be constructed this summer from Maythrough September. M&NP is now in the tender phase for thepipeline construction work.

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