Tennessee Gas Pipeline, a unit of Houston-based El Paso Energy Corp., on Wednesday said it will build a new 17.5-mile, 20-in., 400 MMcfd natural gas pipeline to connect Tennessee's existing system in the Gulf of Mexico to the High Island Offshore System (HIOS).
Tennessee Gas Pipeline says the new link will give its customers strategic access to the deepwater Gulf of Mexico and other supply connected to HIOS. Access also will be provided to Vastar Resources Inc.'s Grand Chenier, La., processing plant, Tennessee's 800-leg Zone L pool, interstate and intrastate pipeline interconnects, and Tennessee's marketing in the gulf, southeast, and northeast regions of the US.
HIOS is owned by Deepwater Holdings LLC, a 50-50 joint venture of Leviathan Gas Pipeline Partners LP�itself partly owned by El Paso Energy�and Coastal Corp. affiliate ANR Pipeline Co.
The project involves laying pipe from HIOS, in West Cameron Block 167, to a subsea tie-in to Tennessee's existing system in West Cameron Block 180. Incremental supplies will follow this route to Vastar's Grand Chenier plant onshore for processing. The plant has available capacity to process the entire 400 MMcfd while continuing to manage its existing throughput.
Start of service is planned for Nov. 1.