Kinder Morgan subsidiary Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) is holding an open season until June 14 for a possible expansion of its A/G Line, which extends from its Gulf Coast Line to its Amarillo Line across Oklahoma and Texas, utilizing the 38-mile Black Marlin pipeline which it is buying from Northern Natural.

The 200-mile A/G pipeline originates at compressor station 801 in Carter County, OK, and terminates at the NGPL mainline in Cass County, TX. As proposed, the incremental capacity on the system would be 38,000 Dth/d, created through the acquisition and tie-in of the 30-inch diameter Black Marlin pipeline. NGPL currently is seeking FERC approval to purchase and integrate Black Marlin pipeline into its system.

Black Marlin runs parallel to NGPL’s A/G Line, extending north from a connection with Houston Pipe Line in Lamar County, TX, through Fannin County and terminating in Bryan County, OK.

“It will provide Natural with a second river crossing under the Red River at the state boundary between Texas and Oklahoma. Multiple line crossings [would give NGPL] operational flexibility and reliability to continue service, if one of the lines is taken out of service for maintenance or repair,” NGPL told FERC in April (see Daily GPI, April 1).

The acquisition would boost the cross-haul capacity on NGPL’s A/G Line by 38,000 Dth/d, and would provide 60,000 Dth/d of short-haul capacity to be leased by Northern Natural, NGPL said. In addition to acquiring the facilities, NGPL asked FERC for the go-ahead to construct and operate minor tie-in facilities to integrate Black Marlin into NGPL’s existing system. The cost of the project was estimated at $2 million. NGPL further requested authority to lease the 60,000 Dth/d of short-haul capacity to Northern Natural to continue service to Lamar Power.

NGPL currently is conducting a binding open season and anticipates that the expanded service would be available around the first week of November. Shippers seeking additional information on the project should contact David Matney at (713) 369-9218 or Norman Watson at (713) 369-9219.

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