TransCanada to start taking pipeline bids in February

The North American pipeline industry will soon know how much interest there is in the proposed Alaska natural gas pipeline project. TransCanada will start taking bids from companies who plan to use the line in February, according to an Anchorage, Alaska, television station. Harold Heinze, the head of the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority, updated the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce on September 21. Heinze said that less than six months from now, the industry and interested observers will know what industrial users are thinking about the project, and what the costs are. Heinze said that it is in Alaska’s best interest to be patient and take the time to plan the pipeline in the best way. “Even though it is a huge, multi-tens-of-billions-of-dollars project, even though it’s in the national interest, frankly it’s in Alaska’s interest to let the cards play a little longer,” Heinze told KTUU-DT.

Kinder Morgan begins biodiesel shipments

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. has announced it has started commercial transportation of blended 2 percent biodiesel (B2) through its 115-mi Oregon Pipeline that runs from Portland to Eugene. The company recently completed a successful test batch by moving B2 through the pipeline. Upon receipt of B2 at both its Portland and Eugene facilities, extensive tests were performed on the biodiesel blend to ensure that the samples met specifications. Kinder Morgan’s Oregon line is one of only a few pipelines in the United States able to regularly transport blended biodiesel, as this pipeline does not transport jet fuel, thereby eliminating the potential for “trailback” of product into subsequent jet fuel batches. The first commercial batch of approximately 100,000 barrels of B2 was created using a newly installed blending system to inject B99 into ultra low sulfur diesel at the company’s Willbridge terminal in Portland. Other area terminals are expected to be able to deliver B2 to the Kinder Morgan pipeline.

CenterPoint to expand Haynesville facilities

CenterPoint Energy Field Services, Inc. (CEFS) has entered into long-term agreements with subsidiaries of  EnCana and Shell to provide gathering and treating services for their growing Haynesville Shale natural gas production. CEFS also acquired gathering facilities from EnCana and Shell in De Soto and Red River parishes in northwest Louisiana.  The agreements are with EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. and SWEPI LP (Shell), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc. Under the terms of the agreements, CEFS will expand the acquired facilities to gather and treat up to 700 MMcfd to over 100 MMcfd. 

Florida Governor supports Port Dolphin

Florida Governor Charlie Crist has announced his approval of the planned Port Dolphin Energy, LLC, deepwater port project which will provide a new source of natural gas to the state. As part of the federal permitting process, Gov. Crist is required to express support, opposition, or take no position at all for the proposed Liquid Natural Gas receiving terminal. His favorable decision is an important milestone for Port Dolphin, which is a subsidiary of Hoegh LNG, a worldwide developer of floating solutions in the LNG value chain. Port Dolphin plans to construct a deepwater port 28 miles off the coast of Manatee County. Liquid natural gas (LNG) tankers arriving at the port would link up with a natural gas pipeline running from the offshore terminal to Port Manatee and then inland for four miles before interconnecting with the state’s natural gas pipeline grid. n