FERC approves pipeline that aims to curb Bakken flaring

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved a $260.5mn natural gas pipeline project in North Dakota this week, overruling Democratic commissioners who believe that the agency fell short in evaluating its environmental impact.

FERC yesterday voted 3-2 to approve the WBI Energy's 250mn cf/d (7mn m³/d) North Bakken Expansion project that will provide incremental firm capacity to an interconnect with Northern Border pipeline. Chairman Richard Glick (D) and commissioner Allison Clements (D) dissented, citing that the commission failed to confidently answer if the project will not cause any significant adverse environmental impacts. Since being appointed, Glick has pushed for the agency to analyze the climate significance of approving pipelines.

In the order, a majority of FERC commissioners stated that they disagreed that greenhouse gas emissions must necessarily be a consideration because the impacts of those emissions are associated with upstream production activities and are not caused by or a foreseeable consequence of this project because gas output is a byproduct of oil production. Produced gas from the Bakken gets flared at the wellhead if there is insufficient takeaway infrastructure to transport that gas to markets.

The project has been cited by WBI Energy as a response to market demand for additional firm takeaway capacity for increasing levels of gas production associated with oil production from the Bakken shale formation, while also assisting in the reduction of flaring in the region to meet state mandated gas capture targets.

The project was originally announced by WBI Energy in January 2019 and is the second-largest capacity gas pipeline FERC has approved since President Joe Biden was elected.

By Taylor Zavala