U.S. GAS STORAGE CAPACITY SLATED TO INCREASE

Gas storage capacity in the U.S. is poised for a boost, with several projects planned and in progress in the eastern half of the country. Two projects are under way, including start-up of a storage field in New York state operated by Steuben Gas Storage Co., and construction has begun at a site in Louisiana operated by Acadian Gas Corp. Still in the planning stage is a large storage site in northern Michigan to be built and operated by Blue Lake Gas Storage Co.

Sept. 2, 1991

3 min read

Gas storage capacity in the U.S. is poised for a boost, with several projects planned and in progress in the eastern half of the country.

Two projects are under way, including start-up of a storage field in New York state operated by Steuben Gas Storage Co., and construction has begun at a site in Louisiana operated by Acadian Gas Corp.

Still in the planning stage is a large storage site in northern Michigan to be built and operated by Blue Lake Gas Storage Co.

NEW YORK

Stueben, a joint venture of Coastal Corp. subsidiary ANR Storage Co. and Arlington Storage Co., began operations at its $30 million Adrian gas field in Steuben County, N.Y.

The field has storage capacity of 6.2 bcf, with a peak withdrawal rate of 60 MMcfd. Total working gas capacity of the field is committed under 20 year contracts to Public Service Electric & Gas, Elizabethtown Gas, and Commonwealth Gas of Massachusetts. The field ties into CNG Transmission Corp.'s interstate system at Woodhull, N.Y., via a 14 mile line.

ANR said the field is to be filled to at least half capacity before the withdrawal season begins this year.

ANR Storage handled design, engineering, and construction of the project. Arlington will operate the field.

LOUISIANA

Acadian Gas, a subsidiary of Tejas Gas Corp., Houston, began construction of a salt dome gas storage site in Assumption Parish, La., near Napoleonville.

The $16 million facility, at the center of Acadian's intrastate pipeline system, will have storage capacity of more than 4 bcf, with deliverability of 225 MMcfd. The project includes possible development of a second storage cavern later.

The cavern can support several new or expanded long term contracts with utility and industrial customers along the Mississippi River industrial corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Tejas said.

MICHIGAN

Blue Lake, a partnership of ANR Storage Co. and MCN Corp. subsidiaries including Michigan Consolidated Gas Co. (MichCon), has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a permit to build and operate a storage field in northern Michigan's Kalkaska County.

The $130 million project involves converting the nearly depleted Blue Lake 18A gas field to storage with working capacity of 42 bcf and a maximum withdrawal rate of 600 MMcfd. Plans are to have it complete in time to provide service during the 1993-94 heating season.

Under a 20 year contract, the entire storage capacity of the field will be used to serve the winter gas requirements of ANR Pipeline Co.

The field will be connected to the Great Lakes Gas Transmission Co., MichCon, and ANR systems.

MichCon will spend about $25 million for new compressors and related facilities on its transmission line in nearby Kalkaska to accommodate added volumes of gas moving on its system.