Westcoast Energy, a Duke Energy subsidiary, received approval from Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) to expand its Southern Mainline gas pipeline system in British Columbia by adding 34 miles of 42-inch diameter pipe in six looping segments along with some compression upgrades. The C$270 million project will add about 200 MMcf/d of capacity to the system by Nov. 1.

The proposed pipeline loops will be installed at locations from near McLeod Lake in north-central British Columbia to near Rosedale in southern British Columbia. Westcoast also will upgrade and construct additional facilities at several compressor stations and install metering facilities at its Huntingdon Meter Station at the U.S. border.

The project is one of several pipeline and processing plant expansions Westcoast has in the works to support growing production in the province, including a project designed to support production in the Fort Nelson area of northeastern British Columbia and another, the Grizzly Extension, designed to tap production farther north in the Ojay-Weejay and Narraway supply areas near the beginning of the Alaska Highway.

Duke told the NEB last year that it expects exports from British Columbia to the Pacific Northwest to reach 1.345 Bcf/d in 2016 compared to the 891 MMcf/d in 2001 and the 896 MMcf/d expected this year. The company’s 200 MMcf/d capacity increase on its BC mainline will bring system capacity to 2.1 Bcf/d by this fall.

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