Although antis have tried to block major pipeline upgrades in the northeast/New England region, Spectra Energy continues to have success with building and completing its projects. Recently Spectra’s Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) project, which built ~37 miles of new pipeline and half a dozen new compressor stations along the Alogonquin Gas Transmission pipeline, went into service (see New England Gets Small Increase in NatGas Pipeline Capacity). AIM is now delivering an extra 342 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of Marcellus/Utica natural gas to New England. AIM is part of a larger plan from Spectra called the Access Northeast project to combine several pipeline systems to send gas into New England and all the way to Nova Scotia, Canada. Access Northeast has been frustrated by regulators in New England (see Spectra Energy Puts Access Northeast Pipe to New England on Hold). However, another important piece of the larger puzzle has now fallen into place. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has just approved another piece of Access Northeast, called Atlantic Bridge. FERC previously granted the project a favorable Environmental Assessment last May (see Critical Project for Canadian LNG Exports Gets Favorable FERC Review). With certificates in hand, Spectra Energy can now start the bulldozers and begin construction. What does Atlantic Bridge entail? It beefs up capacity along the Algonquin and Spectra’s Maritimes & Northeast pipeline to carry more Marcellus/Utica gas into New England and now all the way to Nova Scotia…
