Nominations for the trip to Chicago on Northern Border reached490 MMcf/d yesterday, which shows the line has been ramping upgradually since beginning service on Dec. 22, but the pipe still isabout 175 MMcf/d short of being full.

The 665 MMcf/d extension did not begin service near fullcapacity as pipeline officials had predicted for a number ofreasons, a spokeswoman said yesterday. “The California market hasbeen particularly strong the last few weeks. The delivery point atSumas, WA, has been very price-positive for the Canadians sothere’s been a huge amount of gas going in that direction,” notedBeth Jensen, manager of government and community relations.

There also was a set-back caused by water left in the linefollowing hydrostatic testing. “They did have some delivery pointsthat froze so we had to work those things out.” Unfortunately therewas a four-day period without gas flow just prior to bidweek, whichcreated market uncertainty entering the month and probably impactednominations. “The kinks in the system are being worked out,” shesaid. “Now nominations at Manhattan, IL, [into Peoples] are 340MMcf/d and at Minooka [into NiGas] are 150 MMcf/d.

“Frankly I don’t think the market in Chicago to this point hasjelled. I think it’s on its way to working out. But right now themarket off of Ventura, IA, [into Northern Natural to Minnesota andwestern Wisconsin] seems to be as strong as anything. It’s beenvery cold up there.” Northern Border’s expansion/extension projectincreased take-away capacity at Ventura by 260 MMcf/d.

Cold weather in the northern Midwest has been pulling a lot ofgas off the line at Ventura. But with temperatures in the teens inChicago this week, deliveries to Peoples and NiGas are expected tocontinue increasing, she said.

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