Williams unit Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corp. (Transco) said Wednesday its open season for the proposed Rockies Connector Pipeline generated bids exceeding project capacity from Rockies producers and the Northeast market.

The solicitation of shipper support began Sept. 26 and ended Oct. 29 (see Daily GPI, Sept. 27).

“The results of the open season confirm that our project of approximately 688,000 Dth/d is the right size for the market,” said Phil Wright, president of Williams’ natural gas pipeline business. “With the significant interest shown in the open season, our next step is to finalize definitive precedent agreements with bidding parties — a process we are targeting to complete by the end of this year. Meanwhile, we continue to make great strides on the ongoing technical effort supporting a project in-service date of November 2010.”

The Rockies Connector Pipeline would connect gas supplies originating from the Rockies to the growing major markets in the Northeast. The pipeline would extend approximately 250 miles, connecting Williams’ Transco Station 195 in southeastern Pennsylvania to the eastern terminus of the Rockies Express pipeline, a project being developed by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, Sempra Pipelines and Storage and ConocoPhillips.

“Rockies Connector provides an excellent supply opportunity for existing Northeast customers via Williams’ recently announced Northeast Connector expansion of Transco [see Daily GPI, Oct. 5],” Wright said. “Together, these projects bring supply diversity and access to the northeastern market, connecting it with the prolific Rockies basin at the right time to serve customer needs.”

Williams said it has not finalized the capacity, scope or cost of the project.

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