Spectra Energy

CNG/LNG | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Spectra Energy

NYC Conf: Competing Visions to Relieve New England Gas Crunch
June 1, 2015June 1, 2015

SNL Financial reports on the Platts Northeast Power and Gas Markets Conference in New York City, held last week on May 28-29. Among those participating were companies offering vastly different solutions for the ongoing natural gas shortage in New England. On one side was GDF Suez Gas NA LLC (a French company) and Repsol Energy North America (a Spanish company), both hoping to import LNG to Massachusetts. Their pitch is that New England just needs enough natural gas to even out the peaks and valleys of supply–and of course GDF’s LNG terminal is the perfect solution (see Guess Why GDF Suez Doesn’t Want Marcellus Pipeline to New England). On the other side was Spectra Energy whose stated goal is to move 1/3 of Marcellus Shale gas produced into New England (see Access Northeast Pipeline — Pulling Ahead of Kinder’s NED Project?). Here’s a summary/wrap-up…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Spectra Energy | Statewide PA

More Marcellus Gas for Philly: Texas Eastern Pipeline Expansion
May 11, 2015May 11, 2015

A new pipeline expansion project that will bring more cheap, abundant and wholesomely fracked Marcellus Shale gas to the Philadelphia, PA area was announced late last year by Spectra Energy–and somehow it escaped our notice! The Greater Philadelphia Expansion Project will not involve building any new greenfield pipeline but rather will expand (using larger diameter pipes and looping new pipes next to existing pipes) for the Texas Eastern pipeline that already serves the Philly area. Currently, the Texas Eastern pipeline delivers 550,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of natural gas into the greater Philadelphia region (roughly 550 million cubic feet per day). The expansion will add an additional 475,000 Dth/d (or 475 Mmcf/d)–nearly doubling capacity. The open season–the time when customers can officially sign contracts to reserve capacity–ended last Friday. No word yet on how that went. According to Spectra Energy, this is very early days yet in the life of this proposed project. Below we have more details about the project along with a map…
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Energy Services | Erie County (OH) | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Spectra Energy

Erie County, OH Rolls Out Red Carpet for NEXUS Pipeline
April 17, 2015April 17, 2015

It doesn’t seem to happen often enough, which is why this is noteworthy: The Erie County, OH Board of Commissioners (with three members) sent an official letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to endorse and support the proposed $1.5 billion NEXUS Gas Transmission pipeline from Ohio through Michigan and into Canada (see NEXUS Gas Pipeline Pre-Files with FERC, New Details Come to Light). The NEXUS, like all other proposed pipelines in the northeast, has encountered plenty of opposition (see CORNy Opposition to NEXUS Pipeline in Eastern Ohio). But all three Erie County commissioners want FERC to know their county stands behind the pipeline and welcomes it through their neck of the woods–which means new pipeline trenches would be dug in places where pipelines have not previously been installed. The commissioners are rolling out the red carpet for this “greenfield” project coming through their county. Refreshing!…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Regulation | Spectra Energy | Statewide OH | Summit County

CORNy Effect on FERC: NEXUS Forced to Consider Alternative Route
March 30, 2015March 30, 2015

The NEXUS Pipeline is a proposed 42-inch, now $2 billion natural gas pipeline that will carry Utica and Marcellus Shale gas spanning 11 counties in Ohio, 3 counties in Michigan, and eventually connect to the Dawn Energy Hub in Canada (see NEXUS Gas Pipeline Pre-Files with FERC, New Details Come to Light). MDN told you about a local anti-drilling group that’s trying to stop it or change it, flying under the acronym of CORN–Coalition to Reroute NEXUS (see CORNy Opposition to NEXUS Pipeline in Eastern Ohio). It looks like the CORNballs may have had an effect. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) told Spectra Energy and the other companies building the NEXUS they’ve been getting a lot of complaints and FERC wants the companies to investigate an alternative route for the NEXUS, away from the CORNfields of Green (Summit County), OH…
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CNG/LNG | Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Spectra Energy | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Does New England Really Need a New Natgas Pipeline?
March 12, 2015March 12, 2015

Don’t look now, but we actually read a pretty fair and balanced report on pipelines to New England…published by PBS! We predict a reporter who will soon be out of a job. The article (which we quote from below) frames up the arguments against and for new natural gas pipelines coming to New England this way: Those against say electric generation that requires natgas really only demands an extra supply in the dead of winter–typically 30-45 days. Because of that heightened demand, it drives electric prices through the roof because the plants have to buy the gas on the spot market. The rest of the year that kind of intense demand is not there–meaning you’ll spend billions on pipelines to solve a 30-45 day problem. And the rest of the year? Some of that gas will go to Canada and likely get exported. Better to use the existing LNG terminal in Boston and import (!) liquefied natural gas, instead of using cheap, abundant Marcellus gas from a few hundred miles away, and use more LNG at electric generation plants. Those who favor building the pipelines see it differently…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Research | Spectra Energy

Access Northeast Pipeline — Pulling Ahead of Kinder’s NED Project?
February 20, 2015February 20, 2015

Spectra Energy’s Access Northeast pipeline project is shaping up to be a worthy competitor to Kinder Morgan’s proposed expansion of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline, a project they call Northeast Expansion Direct (NED). On Wednesday, Spectra announced a new partner for Access Northeast–National Grid–along with an open season to sign up more potential customers–mostly electric generating companies (called LDCs or Local Distribution Companies) that use natural gas to fire their plants. The new partnership means Spectra has locked up electric generating plants that serve 70% of all the electric customers in New England–and they’re trying to get even more. Spectra is also trying to build as little new pipeline as possible, using looping (new pipeline laid next to existing pipeline) in areas where extra capacity is needed. Below we have the announcement about the open season and National Grid joining the project, a copy of the Access Northeast project map, and a brand new study by ICF commissioned by the Access Northeast partners that details how this project will save New Englanders $1 billion+ per year in electric costs. We also throw in a few of our own observations on this bold plan and whether or not the region can support both the Access Northeast and NED projects…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Spectra Energy

Spectra Energy Update on Active Projects in the Northeast
February 6, 2015February 6, 2015

On Wednesday Spectra Energy provided their 2014 financial and operational results. Spectra is a large midstream company (pipelines and processing plants) with a large and growing presence in the Marcellus/Utica. Both revenues and earnings were up for the company in 2014, which is interesting. Our attention, however, is in the updates to various pipeline projects they’re building or soon will be building in our neck of the woods, name updates for the NEXUS pipeline, Ohio Pipeline Energy Network (OPEN), Texas Eastern Appalachian Lease Project and other projects located here in the northeast…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lorain County | Medina County | Ohio | Pipelines | Spectra Energy | Summit County

CORNy Opposition to NEXUS Pipeline in Eastern Ohio
January 20, 2015January 20, 2015

A group opposed to the NEXUS gas pipeline met over the weekend in Oberlin (Lorain County), Ohio in a “private strategy meeting” to plan how they will stop the pipeline from coming through their area in eastern Ohio–Lorain, Medina, Fulton, Lucas and Summit counties. The NEXUS, you may recall, is a 42-inch, $1.5 billion natural gas pipeline that will carry Utica and Marcellus Shale gas spanning 11 counties in Ohio, 3 counties in Michigan, and eventually connect to the Dawn Energy Hub in Canada (see NEXUS Gas Pipeline Pre-Files with FERC, New Details Come to Light). The small group meeting in Oberlin is trying to get the pipeline re-routed. They call their group CORN–or Coalition to Reroute NEXUS from Lorain, Medina, Fulton, Lucas and Summit counties…
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Belmont County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Ohio | Pipelines | Spectra Energy

OH Landowners ask Court to Stop OPEN Pipeline Eminent Domain
January 14, 2015January 14, 2015

In December 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave final approval to Spectra Energy’s OPEN (Ohio Pipeline Energy Network) project in Ohio–a $468.5 million pipeline from Ohio to the Gulf Coast (see FERC Approves OPEN Pipeline in Eastern OH, Gas Goes to Gulf Coast). The project includes building 76 miles of new pipeline from Columbiana County to Monroe County (slicing through Belmont County along the way) to connect to the Texas Eastern Pipeline. The pipeline will then reverse its flow–making it bidirectional–in order to carry Marcellus and Utica Shale gas from eastern Ohio to the Gulf Coast. As soon as FERC issued final approval, Texas Eastern, the owner of Spectra Energy, started to issue eminent domain notices to landowners along the 76-mile route who aren’t playing ball with them. A husband and wife are pushing back. With the assistance of the Ohio 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, Roger and Lana Barack of Belmont County have filed their opposition to Texas Transmission’s notice to take “immediate possession” of their land. The Baracks and The 1851 Center call the manner in which Texas Transmission is trying to take their land “abusive” and in essence, a midnight railroading of innocent landowners…
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DTE Energy | Enbridge | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Spectra Energy | Statewide OH

NEXUS Gas Pipeline Pre-Files with FERC, New Details Come to Light
January 9, 2015January 9, 2015

In September 2012, three companies–DTE Energy, Spectra Energy and Enbridge–formed a joint venture to build a new Utica Shale pipeline from Ohio through Michigan and eventually into Canada, delivering Utica Shale gas to Midwestern markets (see New Utica Shale Pipeline to Midwest Announced). The new pipeline, called NEXUS Gas Transmission, will cost $1.5 billion to build, begin in Columbiana County, OH and cross through 11 Ohio counties and 3 Michigan counties in total (see list below). Some of the details were revealed last year when the Akron Beacon Journal filed an open records request (see OH Route of Proposed NEXUS Gas Pipeline Revealed). On December 30, NEXUS finally filed what’s called a “pre-filing” with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). We have a copy of that pre-filing document below, along with extracts (new details) and a new map showing where the pipeline is due to go…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Iroquois Gas Transmission | New York | Pipelines | Schoharie County | Spectra Energy

Spectra Energy Alliance with Iroquois to Sell Marcellus Gas to NE
December 9, 2014December 9, 2014

In July Spectra Energy announced a pipeline project that would compete with Kinder Morgan’s plan to run a pipeline across Massachusetts to help alleviate natural gas bottlenecks in New England (see Spectra Energy to the Rescue! New England Pipeline Expansion). Spectra’s pipeline eventually got a name and a partner: The $3 billion project is called Access Northeast and the partner is Northeast Utilities (see Spectra Energy New England Pipeline Gets a Name & a Partner). Yesterday, Spectra announced not a new partner, but a new alliance with a competitor. Iroquois Gas Transmission has agreed to provide Marcellus Shale gas to Spectra’s Access Northeast pipleine. The two will connect at the Wright, NY Interconnect in Schoharie County…
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Columbiana County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Monroe County | Ohio | Pipelines | Regulation | Spectra Energy | Statewide OH

FERC Approves OPEN Pipeline in Eastern OH, Gas Goes to Gulf Coast
December 5, 2014December 5, 2014

Christmas continues to come a few weeks early for some of our biggest midstream (pipeline) companies. MDN told you earlier this week that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) had approved the Constitution Pipeline from NEPA up into NY. We now have word that FERC has approved Spectra Energy’s OPEN (Ohio Pipeline Energy Network) project in Ohio. Spectra originally announced the project in December 2011, a project that will build 76 miles of new pipeline from Columbiana County to Monroe County to connect to the Texas Eastern Pipeline, and then reverse the flow–make it bidirectional–on the Texas Eastern in order to carry Marcellus and Utica Shale gas from eastern Ohio to the Gulf Coast. Spectra finally filed a full, official application with FERC in February of this year (see Spectra Energy Files Formal Request with FERC for OPEN Pipeline). On Tuesday, FERC gave its final blessing for the OPEN project…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Spectra Energy | Statewide PA | UGI Energy Services

Spectra Energy Becomes 6th Partner in PennEast Pipeline Project
October 30, 2014October 30, 2014

The more the merrier. The quintet of companies who are partnering to build the 100-mile PennEast Pipeline from northeastern PA to Trenton, NJ has turned into a sextet. Large regional utility company UGI has been/continues to be the lead company building the pipeline (see 3rd New NEPA Marcellus Pipeline Proposed, Connects to Trenton, NJ). The other original investors were AGL Resources, NJR Pipeline Company (subsidiary of New Jersey Resources) and South Jersey Industries. In September, the four original partners were joined by PSEG Power, New Jersey’s largest utility (see NJ’s Largest Utility Becomes 5th Partner in PennEast Pipeline). Now it’s partner number six: Spectra Energy…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Spectra Energy

Spectra Energy Asks Maine PUC to Support Its Pipeline Project
September 30, 2014September 30, 2014

Two weeks ago MDN told you about Kinder Morgan’s “historic” proposal filed with the Maine Public Utilities Commission offering the State of Maine a long-term contract for natural gas pipeline capacity with the goal of lowering overall energy costs for Maine consumers (see Kinder Morgan Sweet Talks Maine to Support Mass. Pipeline). The catch is that Maine will assess a fee on all of their electric customers to raise the money they would pay to Kinder for Kinder to help build their proposed extension of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline across Massachusetts to deliver cheap, abundant Marcellus Shale gas to New England. Not to be outdone, Spectra Energy yesterday sent their proposal to Maine, to try and get Maine to support their project instead of Kinder’s…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Spectra Energy

Spectra Energy New England Pipeline Gets a Name & a Partner
September 17, 2014September 17, 2014

Yikes. Pipelines planned for the northeast continue to spring up. They’re needed, that’s to be sure. And they bring with them billions of investment (and loads of jobs). All good things. Ultimately it will mean lower utility costs for gas and electric, particularly in New England–if these companies can get them built. One of the most recent entrants is Spectra Energy with their announcement in July to expand the Algonquin and Maritimes pipeline systems adding an additional 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day by 2017, much of it slated for New England’s electric generating plants (see Spectra Energy to the Rescue! New England Pipeline Expansion). That project now has a name and a new partner. It’s being called the Access Northeast project and Spectra has picked up a partner in Northeast Utilities to help shoulder the expense, pegged at $3 billion to build it…
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CNG/LNG | Energy Services | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Spectra Energy

List of LNG Export Projects for Marcellus/Utica Shale Gas
August 12, 2014September 14, 2015

Would it surprise you to learn that there are now six potential liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects on the books or under serious consideration for the East Coast that aim to use at least some Marcellus Shale gas for export? Would it astound you (as it did us) that five of the six are Canadian and not U.S. projects? And would it further astound you (although it did not surprise us) that the reason five of the six are in Canada is because of the extreme regulatory delays in getting such projects authorized in the U.S. intentionally thrown up by the Obama administration? Below is a list of all six East Coast LNG export projects that are being talked about, plus Gulf Coast and other LNG plants we’re aware of that will be fed, in part, with Marcellus Shale gas…
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