Christopher E. Smith
OGJ Pipeline Editor
HOUSTON, Mar. 31 -- TransCanada Alaska Co. LLC received approval with modification Mar. 31 from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for its detailed plan for conducting an open season to make binding commitments for initial capacity on its natural gas Alaska Pipeline Project.
FERC said while TransCanada’s plan generally complies with its open season regulations, the commission will require the company to make two modifications. First, TransCanada must immediately open its data room to allow prospective bidders sufficient time to review needed information. The company also must make certain revisions to its plan to comply with the commission’s standards of conduct.
TransCanada plans to issue its open season notice no later than Apr. 30, and expects to close it 90 days later on July 30.
Two options will be submitted for shipper assessment in the open season. The first option is a 1,700-mile line from Alaska’s North Slope to Alberta, from where the gas could be delivered on existing pipeline systems to the US. The second option would transport gas 800 miles from ANS to Valdez, Alas., where it would be converted to LNG in a facility to be built by others and then delivered by ship to North American and other international markets.
Both options would allow offtake by Alaskan customers. Both also would include a gas treatment plant and a 58-mile pipeline from Point Thomson fields to the plant and main transmission line (OGJ Online, Jan. 29, 2010).
Contact Christopher E. Smith at [email protected].
Photo from Trans Mountain.
US Government Accountability Office.
