El Paso proposes South Mainline gas expansion

El Paso Natural Gas has asked the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for authorization to expand its South Mainline natural gas pipeline.

At an estimated cost of $128mn, the South Mainline Expansion Project would involve constructing about 17 miles (27km) of 30-inch diameter loop line in Hudspeth and El Paso counties in west Texas.

El Paso also intends to build the Red Mountain compressor station in Luna county, New Mexico, as well as the Dragoon compressor station in Cochise county, Arizona.

The proposed facilities will result in an increase of 310mn cf/d (9mn m³/d) of contracted capacity.

According to El Paso's initial filing on 26 April, the proposed expansion project will meet demand for increased westbound capacity on the South Mainline system to serve markets in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Mexico.

Two shippers anchoring the proposed expansion are the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), and Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District (SRP).

CFE and SRP acquired capacity in separate open seasons conducted in 2016 and in 2017, which has required El Paso to expand its South Mainline.

El Paso has asked FERC to issue a certificate of public convenience and necessity authorizing the project by 1 June, 2019. The company intends to construct and place the project facilities into service by 1 July 2020.

FERC filed an official notice of application on 9 May. Within 90 days of that filing, commission staff must complete an environmental assessment of the project, or issue a notice of schedule for environmental review.

The commission will accept public comments through 30 May.