The Paso Norte Pipeline Project Group has announced an extension of a binding open season for capacity on a proposed 400-mile 380 MMcf/d gas pipeline system that would extend from a connection with El Paso Natural Gas in Deming, NM, across the U.S.-Mexico border to power plants in Chihuahua and Durango.

The project is a response to a bid for gas supply from Mexico’s government-owned electricity company, the CFE, for service to its Mapula power plant southwest of Chihuahua City and its Francisco Villa power plant southeast of Chihuahua City. The pipeline also would interconnect with the existing Sistema Nacional de Gasductos gas pipeline, owned by Pemex, to provide service to the CC Norte power plant in Durango. In addition, gas would be delivered to the city of Cuauhtemoc west of Chihuahua and industrial parks in western Chihuahua. The pipeline would cross the border at Columbus, NM/Palomas, Chihuahua.

New CFE estimated demand for imported natural gas will total about 200,000 MMBtu/d by 2008 and will increase to 541,000 MMBtu/d by 2013 because of planned power generation plants and oil-to-gas conversions. For more details on the open season, go to https://pasonortepipeline.com/.

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