By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 5—Southern California Gas Co. (SoCal Gas) expanded the capacity of its Sylmar compressor station by 40 MMcfd of natural gas.
The project marks the fourth expansion project SoCal Gas has completed this year on its intrastate pipeline, boosting southern California natural gas supply and capacity by a total of 375 MMcfd, or 11%, company officials said.
The expansions alleviate constraints on a tight system, which last year was operating at full capacity (OGJ Online June 14, 2001). "Our customers now have additional access to the major gas supplies in the western US," said Lee M. Stewart, senior vice-president of gas transmission.
On Jan. 1 SoCal Gas completed the 85 MMcfd expansion of its Wheeler Ridge compressor station, providing customer access to natural gas supplies from western Canada, Elk Hills oil field in the San Joaquin Valley, and the Rocky Mountains and San Juan basin in New Mexico and southern Colorado.
In April, the company put into service two new compressors at North Needles compressor station as well as the new, 32-mile Kramer Junction pipeline link to the Kern River-Mojave Pipeline system. The link, which has been averaging 166 MMcfd of natural gas deliveries, enables SoCal Gas to deliver as much as 200 MMcfd of natural gas into its intrastate pipeline system from Rocky Mountain sources. The North Needles expansion increased natural gas capacity by 50 MMcfd, providing SoCal Gas with access to supplies from Transwestern Pipeline Co.'s system and Questar Corp.'s Southern Trails pipeline.
