Great Lakes schedules major system expansion

Great Lakes Gas Transmission Limited Partnership plans a major pipeline expansion along its existing interstate gas pipeline system between Canada and the upper U.S. Midwest. Great Lakes plans to construct about 1,000 miles of pipeline and associated compression at a cost of about $2.5 billion to meet customer requests for new firm transportation service.

March 31, 1997

2 min read

Great Lakes Gas Transmission Limited Partnership plans a major pipeline expansion along its existing interstate gas pipeline system between Canada and the upper U.S. Midwest.

Great Lakes plans to construct about 1,000 miles of pipeline and associated compression at a cost of about $2.5 billion to meet customer requests for new firm transportation service.

It said TransCanada PipeLines Ltd., a Great Lakes' system participant, has requested to ship as much as 2 bcfd, which represents more than 90% of the capacity requests received in response to Great Lakes' recently completed open season held in conjunction with TransCanada's proposed Nexus expansion (OGJ, Mar. 3, 1997, p. 41).

"This additional service...would represent a 100% increase in transportation capacity held by shippers utilizing Canadian-sourced gas," said Derek Henwood, Great Lakes' president and chief executive officer.

He noted the ultimate expansion volume will depend on timely receipt of valid precedent agreements and regulatory approvals.

A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission application is expected to be filed in September.

Construction plans

Great Lakes expects to begin expansion project construction in the 1998-99 winter, planning to begin providing service no later than the 1999-2000 winter.

The company said it expects the service will be priced on a stand-alone basis.

The project will be located along the entire length of the existing Great Lakes' interstate system, which totals 1,960 miles.

The system begins with an interconnection with TransCanada at the Minnesota-Manitoba border and ends with an interconnection with TransCanada near St. Clair, Mich.

Great Lakes Gas Transmission Co., Detroit, is operator and agent for the Great Lakes Gas Transmission Limited Partnership. The company is equally owned by Coastal Corp., Houston, and TransCanada PipeLines Ltd., Calgary.