Pipeline

The experts disagree on how much recoverable gas there is in the Rocky Mountains, but economists and E&P and pipeline executives working in the area do agree it is “under explored and under exploited,” with extremely complex geology requiring new technologies that are continuously under development, as well as increased land access and investment in infrastructure.

Westcoast postponed an in-line inspection tool run between Stations 4B and 5, previously set for Thursday (see Daily GPI, July 30) due to failure of a tool component. The pipeline has not yet scheduled a new date for the project but said it will not be before Aug. 6 at the earliest. Westcoast also said its Pine River Gas Plant had shut down around 7 p.m. local time Tuesday due to an electrical failure but as of 6 a.m. Wednesday was processing all available gas with the A and B trains fully online. “The last processing train is currently circulating, and will come online as gas is available in the gathering system,” it said.

Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) has reached an agreement with We Energies to extend all of the company’s existing firm transportation contracts. The Kinder Morgan subsidiary initially will provide up to 111,000 MMBtu/d of annual firm natural gas transportation service and 19,133 MMBtu/d of firm seasonal transportation service.

El Paso said that coincidentally with its June 24-28 annual maintenance shutdown of the Keystone Station, another unspecified pipeline that serves the same area experienced an unscheduled outage and “the combined effect on the Permian area has caused large volumes of gas to be shut in.” To help alleviate the situation, El Paso is forgoing some of the planned work at Keystone in order to return it to service ahead of schedule. The “A” plant became available Wednesday afternoon, and capacity through Keystone was raised to 600 MMcf/d effective with Thursday’s Cycle 2 nominations. Keystone’s “B” plant, which normally pumps gas south to the Waha Area, will not be available until Cycle 1 on Saturday. See the bulletin board for further details.

Because forest fires are currently active around TransCanada’s mainline Compressor Station 60 in northern Ontario, as a precaution the pipeline will not operate the Station 60 units until the situation improves. TransCanada said it does not anticipate the need for transportation restrictions unless changes in operational conditions or nomination levels require them.

Mojave Pipeline (Line 1900) upstream of Daggett Station will not be shut in May 27, according to an El Paso bulletin board posting. However, the Topock Compressor Station will be down to replace station controls May 27-31, during which there will be no deliveries from the El Paso interconnect (DMOJAVE). Transwestern will be able to deliver 160 MMcf/d into Mojave during the outage.

The death toll has climbed to seven following the rupture of a natural gas distribution pipeline outside of a small strip mall in Toronto last Thursday, according to the Toronto Fire Marshal’s Office.

Northern Natural Gas declared a force majeure situation Friday on its 24-inch Mitchell to Spraberry line. The pipeline said it was evaluating the situation and that receipts into the line must be allocated and/or curtailed, but gave no further details in the bulletin board posting.

Sonat lifted Monday an OFO Type 3 that had been implemented Thursday for eight groups on its system. The pipeline also canceled capacity allocations for four other groups.