6
World Pipelines
/
MARCH 2016
IN BRIEF
Canada
TransCanada has announced plans for
multiple near-term and long-term capital
projects totalling CAN$42 billion, after the
loss of its Keystone XL pipeline expansion
project.
India
Exova has made significant investments to
upgrade its laboratory in Mumbai, which
provides specialist metallurgical testing to
customers in sectors including oil and gas,
industrials and infrastructure in India.
UK
Haydale Composite Solutions Ltd. has
completed the installation of a composite
pipe testing facility to assist in the
development and approval of graphene-
enhanced polymer materials for oil and gas
pipelines.
Scandinavia
Tomlinson Hall has secured a major
distribution agreement in Scandinavia for its
innovative liquid ring vacuum pump.
USA
Collaboration between Blueshift
International Materials, Inc., the University of
Strathclyde (Scotland) and the Oil & Gas
Innovation Center (OGIC) has helped to
accelerate the development of a new
aerogel product with applications in oil and
gas pipelines.
Brazil
SapuraKencana Petroleum Berhad’s presence
in Brazil continues to grow as its fourth
pipelaying support vessel commences work
for Petrobras.
USA
A Pennsylvanian family that own a maple
syrup business could be held in contempt of
court if they continue to obstruct crews
from felling their farm’s trees, in attempts to
lay Constitution Pipeline Co.’s new shale gas
pipeline.
UK
Wood Group PSN announced that it intends
to reduce UK oil and gas contractors’ rates
due to cost and efficiency challenges in the
North Sea.
W
o
rld News
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Route permit granted for Sacagawea pipeline
The North Dakota Public Service
Commission has approved a crude oil
pipeline in Mountrail County and set a
public hearing for another proposed by
the same company in McKenzie County.
The panel unanimously granted a route
permit for Sacagawea Pipeline Co.’s 8 mile
pipeline and associated facilities that will
transport oil from the Palermo Rail Facility
owned by Phillips 66 to the Enbridge oil
terminal in Stanley.
The 12 in. pipeline will have a
maximum capacity of 100 000 bpd. The
estimated cost of the project is
US$18 million. Commissioners also set a
public hearing for 19 April in Watford City
for Sacagawea’s proposed 13 mile crude oil
pipeline in McKenzie County.
The 16 in. pipeline would extend from
a service site near Johnson’s Corner to the
Keene crude oil terminal owned by
Paradigm Midstream Services. It would
normally transport 75 000 bpd, with a
maximum capacity of 100 000 bpd.
The company plans on beginning
construction in the spring with work to
take two to three months to complete.
The line will be monitored 24 hr/d to
detect leaks. The pipeline will also be able
to flow in either direction.
Sabal Trail awarded FERC certificate
Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC, has received a
certificate of public convenience and necessity
from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) to construct and operate
the 516 mile Sabal Trail interstate natural gas
pipeline project.
This approval authorises Sabal Trail, subject
to certain conditions, to proceed with final
preparations to commence construction in the
coming months to meet a 1 May 2017, in-service
date. Once complete, pipeline would deliver
approximately 1.1 billion ft
3
/d of natural gas to
the southeast US.
“Sabal Trail will provide a critically-needed
source of domestic, clean-burning, affordable
natural gas to the southeast US to meet the
growing demand for natural gas-fired
generation, the cleanest and most versatile fuel
for powering the region’s homes and
businesses,” said Bill Yardley, President of Sabal
Trail Management and President of US
Transmission and Storage, Spectra Energy.
“For more than two and a half years, Sabal
Trail has engaged with stakeholders, local
community officials, and federal and state
agencies to locate and design a pipeline system
that will be built and operated safely and
efficiently. Receiving this stamp of approval is a
testament to our strong history of consultation
and successful project execution.
“We are very pleased to reach this
significant milestone and move one step closer
to construction of the pipeline, which will
diversify the region’s energy sources and
generate significant economic benefits for local
communities.”
US advises caution on IP
pipeline
According to reports, a top US
official has advised caution on the
long planned gas pipeline between
Iran and Pakistan, saying that some
American sanctions against Iran are
still in place.
The US Department of Energy’s
assistant secretary for international
affairs told a news conference in
Islamabad on Monday that some
American sanctions were still in
place. “Pakistan will be entering gas
agreement with major international
gas suppliers very soon. The case of
IP gas pipeline project is still to be
judged,” Jonathan Elkind said.
“Indeed there has been a great
deal of progress between Iran and
the international community,
including the United States, on most
sensitive issues,” he said. “We have
been pleased to launch initial
implementation of joint
comprehensive action and move
successfully towards implementation
day, a moment which prescribes a list
of international sanctions.”
The Ministry of Petroleum and
Natural Resources has decided to
schedule a high level delegation visit
to Iran to discuss the IP project.
The total cost of the project is
estimated at Rs 2.5 billion with 85%
of the funding to come from the
government of China.
