Burgeoning gas production in northern British Columbia has prompted Westcoast Energy to hold another open season for a capacity expansion. As a result of a recent open season, Westcoast gathered binding requests for 33 MMcf/d of expansion service on its Forth Nelson mainline for an April 2002 in-service date. A new open season held last week was for an additional 120 MMcf/d on the Fort Nelson line by November 2002.

Westcoast said it received expressions of interest from shippers and conducted the second open season for additional firm transportation service from the following receipt points: Fort Nelson Plant, Buckinghorse Plant, Caribou Plant, Jedney #1 Plant , Jedney #2 Plant, Sikanni Plant and Cypress Plant to Compressor Station No. 2. (“Zone 3”). The additional transportation service would be made available through an expansion consisting largely of pipeline loop.

In order to obtain regulatory approvals in time to meet a November 2002 in-service date for this additional service, the duration of the open season was short — two days. Westcoast also said, however, that it still anticipates holding an additional open season for a further expansion of its northern mainline facilities by an in-service date of November 2003.

©Copyright 2001 Intelligence Press Inc. Allrights reserved. The preceding news report may not be republishedor redistributed, in whole or in part, in any form, without priorwritten consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.