Two rival pipeline groups are fighting recommendations by two oversight bodies that Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline (MNE) build a natural gas pipeline from Sable Island off Nova Scotia to U.S. Northeast and Canadian markets.
North Atlantic Pipeline Partners (NAPP) and the TransMaritime Pipe- line Project (TMPP) are appealing the rulings to the Federal Court of Canada.
A joint public review panel and the National Energy Board (NEB) approved the bid Oct. 27 by MNE to move an estimated 3 tcf of Sable Island reserves. A final decision is now before the Canadian cabinet.
Dueling projects
MNE, which bypasses Quebec en route to New England, is sponsored by Mobil Oil Canada Ltd., Westcoast Energy Inc., and PanEnergy Corp.
TMPP said its project provides greater and more affordable access than any other to Sable gas for customers in the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. It said the TMPP project should be fully reviewed before any final decision by Ottawa on a pipeline system. It says its project was not fully assessed at the hearings.
TMPP is sponsored by Gaz Metropolitain Inc., TransCanada PipeLines Ltd., and Consumers Gas, a unit of IPL Energy Inc.
NAPP said its appeal is based on the review panel's decision not to consider its proposal. The group filed an application with the NEB Oct. 10 for an offshore gas line from the Grand Banks to Nova Scotia and New England.
NAPP says its system would ultimately carry more than four times as much gas and gas liquids as would be available via MNE over the next 20 years. NAPP is represented by Tatham Offshore Canada Ltd.
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