By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, May 2 -- Enbridge Energy Partners LP, Houston, has approved a 30,000 b/d expansion of its North Dakota crude oil pipeline system.
The $70 million expansion, currently supported by 75% of shippers on the system, addresses demand exceeding eastbound pipeline capacity and increased crude oil production, especially in Richland County, Mont., and western North Dakota oil fields.
Enbridge plans to upgrade and test transmission pipe sections to increase pipe pressure and will add or upgrade 10 pumping stations, a new 52-mile pipeline segment parallel to existing gathering pipe, and additional tankage on the western portion of the system.
The expansion is expected to provide incremental capacity by October of this year and full capacity by fourth-quarter 2007.
Southern Access expansion
In a separate decision, Enbridge approved a further increase in the pipe size of its proposed Southern Access system expansion to 42-in. from 36-in. In February, the company said the expansion would be increased to 36-in. from 30-in. The larger diameter will allow for future expansions of as much as 800,000 b/d on its Canadian mainline from Hardisty, Alta., to the international border near Neche, ND, and new pipeline construction in the US.
The new 300,000 b/d pipeline will be added between Superior, Wis., and Flanagan, Ill., just west of Chicago, on Enbridge's Lakehead system. The system will carry crude from western Canada to markets east of the Rockies. The expansion will provide 400,000 b/d of increased capacity by early 2009.
Enbridge plans to have the facilities fully in service in early 2009.
The US portion of the expansion will cost $1.04 billion (in 2005 dollars) and add 400,000 b/d of capacity. This portion of the three-stage expansion will be on the Lakehead system, with the first stage to add 44,000 b/d of capacity in 2007, an additional 146,000 b/d by early 2008, and the final 210,000 b/d in early 2009.
At Flanagan, the new line will have access to Chicago and will interconnect with Enbridge Inc.'s Spearhead pipeline, which began deliveries to Cushing, Okla., on Mar. 1 (OGJ, Mar. 13, 2006, Newsletter).
