Long

The recent agreement between TransCanada PipeLines and theNorthwest Territories (NWT) (See NGI, Aug. 2) makes it plain thatboth parties have their sights set on bigger game than relativelymodest pipeline extensions into the southern part of theTerritories. After lying dormant for a decade, visions are revivingof a route extending all the way to the Mackenzie Delta and theBeaufort Sea to tap an estimated 13 Tcf of reserves found in a1970s drilling boom.

The recent agreement between TransCanada PipeLines and theNorthwest Territories (NWT) (See Daily GPI, July 29) makes it plainthat both parties have their sights set on bigger game thanrelatively modest pipeline extensions into the southern part of theTerritories. After lying dormant for a decade, visions are revivingof a route extending all the way to the Mackenzie Delta and theBeaufort Sea to tap an estimated 13 Tcf or more of reserves foundin a 1970s drilling boom.

At the cost of a long fight and new orders to work overtime onimproving their community relations, Canadian producers have won avictory preserving access to a major drilling target: “sour”natural gas, laced with lethal hydrogen-sulphide.

Instead of trying to sift through all the issues relating to theshort-term and long-term transportation markets, Commissioner LindaBreathitt proposed that FERC first issue a limited rulemakingaddressing the less-controversial issues and save the more complexissues for later. “From what I’ve read in the comments [filed atFERC], the approach I am proposing appears to be one that many inthe market could support,” she said in a speech to the American GasAssociation Legal Forum in La Jolla, CA, last week.

At the cost of a long fight and new orders to work overtime onimproving their community relations, Canadian producers have won avictory preserving access to a major drilling target: “sour”natural gas, laced with lethal hydrogen-sulphide.

CMP Natural Gas (CMPNG) said it has signed a long-term contract to deliver gas on a proposed pipeline lateral to a 540 MW gas-fired power plant being built in Westbrook, ME, by Calpine Corp. Construction of the $200 million electric generating facility is under way and Calpine said it will require gas service by June 1, 2000.

CMP Natural Gas (CMPNG) said it has signed a long-term contractto deliver gas on a proposed pipeline lateral to a 540 MW gas-firedpower plant being built in Westbrook, ME, by Calpine Corp.Construction of the $200 million electric generating facility isunder way and Calpine said it will require gas service by June 1,2000.

Long liquidation, that began with local selling Wednesdayafternoon, continued yesterday at the New York Mercantile Exchangeas traders sided with bearish supply figures and ignored bullishdemand predictions. The August contract tumbled 8.5 cents to $2.309and September matched that by dropping 8.6 cents to finish at$2.333.

Midcoast Energy Resources said its wholly owned Louisianaintrastate pipeline subsidiary, Creole Gas Pipeline, has reached along-term agreement with Chevron Chemical Co. to provide gas supplyto Chevron’s Oak Point plant in Belle Chasse, LA. The five-yearpact calls for Creole to provide Chevron with 9,500 MMBtu/d of gas,or about 90% of the total requirements of the Oak Point plant.Creole will construct a new seven-mile pipeline to provide theservice, which will start in September. Creole provides gastransportation services to major industrial customers in the NewOrleans area.