Transmission

The storage-poor Pacific Northwest could get some needed reliefin the near future. Avista Corp. and PG&E GasTransmission-Northwest (PG&E GT-NW) have joined forces toinvestigate building another underground natural gas storagefacility in an aquifer in eastern Washington near theinterconnection of PG&E GT-NW and Williams (NorthwestPipeline).

Florida Gas Transmission reported completion of lowering its30-inch mainline at Station 7.5 in South Louisiana ahead ofschedule and has commenced lowering the 24-inch mainline. This workis expected to limit St. Landry volumes to 910 MMcf/d-65 MMcf/dbelow maximum-through April 10.

CNG Transmission is holding an open season to solicit interestin 45-to-60-day firm storage service available in the 2001-2002winter season. The Market Choice Storage Project offers a limitedopportunity to obtain firm market-area storage on the CNGT system.The service includes up to three turns in the winter season, noratchets if inventory stays above 35 percent, and a five-year term.Price estimates are at projected General Storage Services and FirmTransportation rate schedules. CNGT’s pipeline system has access tosupply basins in Canada, the Gulf Coast, Midcontinent, andAppalachia for storage refill opportunities. The system offers keydelivery points, such as Leidy, Oakford, Ellisburg, Nokesville,numerous LDC citygates and its North and South points. The openseason began yesterday and concludes at 5 p.m. EDT April 30. CNGanticipates rolled-in pricing under Rate Schedule GSS. Forinformation, call Joe Kienle, director of business development,(412) 787-4248.

Florida Gas Transmission plans a smart pig run April 5-9 betweenStations 2 (Robstown, TX) and 3 (Port Lavaca, TX). The project willlimit capacity at these interconnects upstream of Station 3:Duke-Robstown (40 MMcf/d), Valero Nueces (35 MMcf/d) and MOPS (75MMcf/d).

Following its reorganization of semi-autonomous PacificNorthwest and Texas gas assets, PG&E Gas Transmission (PG&EGT) is looking to bolster earnings through alliances andacquisitions that it hopes to complete later this year, accordingto Thomas King, president/COO of the Houston-based unit of PG&ECorp. PG&E GT transports an average of 6 Bcf/d through the tworegions.

The Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS) andTransQuebec &amp Maritimes Pipeline (TQM) held a ribbon-cuttingceremony last week at the U.S./Canada border to announce completionof the first high-capacity gas pipeline to serve northern NewEngland. Commercial operations, however, are not expected to beginuntil Saturday, March 6. And PNGTS probably will not betransporting its full certificated capacity of 178,000 MMBtu/duntil the end of the year, said spokesman John Flumerfelt, becauseseveral of the power plants and paper mills to be served by thepipeline are not complete.

The Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS) andTransQuebec & Maritimes Pipeline (TQM) held a ribbon-cuttingceremony yesterday at the U.S./Canada border to announce completionof the first high-capacity gas pipeline to serve northern NewEngland. Commercial operations, however, are not expected to beginuntil March 6. And PNGTS probably will not be transporting its fullcertificated capacity of 178,000 MMBtu/d until the end of the year,said spokesman John Flumerfelt, because several of the power plantsand paper mills to be served by the pipeline are not completed.

Caught in the midst of heated criticism of FERC’s proposedauction mechanism, Mississippi River Transmission (MRT) isdefending its proposed new auction procedures from attack bymarketers and producers.

Investigators believe a recent line break on the NOVA GasTransmission Ltd. (NGTL) system was caused by stress corrosioncracking (SCC). The line break occurred Feb. 7 about 18 miles northof Highway 11 and 45 miles southwest of Drayton Valley. There wereno injuries. The pipeline involved in the line break wasconstructed in 1980. “We will take the data and evidence wegathered at the site and prepare a more detailed analysis toconfirm our preliminary assessment,” said John Walker, vicepresident plant maintenance.