FERC gives Portland Xpress environmental OK

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave a positive environmental assessment for the 24.4mn cf/d (689,813 m³/d) Portland Xpress natural gas pipeline project in the New England region.

FERC staff concluded that the project on the Portland Natural Gas Transmission System in Maine and Massachusetts would not significantly affect the environment as long as the pipeline undertakes appropriate mitigating measures.

In addition to boosting capacity on Portland Natural Gas' own facilities, the $90.3mn expansion will also increase capacity by 22.3mn cf/d on a system it jointly owns with Maritimes & Northeast pipeline from Westbrook, Maine, to Dracut, Massachusetts.

The project's capacity is relatively small, but the added flows could be significant for end users in the New England region. The area often experiences power disruptions and soaring natural gas prices in times of cold weather because of gas pipeline constraints. Encana in May permanently shuttered its Deep Panuke drilling platform off the coast of Nova Scotia, removing what once was a key source of flows into the region from Canada. Net flows on Maritimes & Northeast pipeline at the border, which interconnects with Portland Natural Gas, have since flipped to serve Canadian demand.

The project includes the installation of a new compressor unit at the Eliot compressor station in York County, Maine, and modifications to infrastructure at the Westbrook compressor station and Dracut metering and regulating station in Cumberland County, Maine, and Middlesex County, Massachusetts, respectively. Portland Natural Gas is also seeking to abandon 7.2mn cf/d of existing interim capacity from Maritimes.

The expansion includes three phases and is planned to begin full service in November 2020.

Receiving an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement is the final step for pipeline projects before FERC makes a final decision on whether to approve the project. FERC prepares either an assessment or an impact statement depending on each project's scope. An impact statement has more steps and includes meetings to hear public comments, as well as a final draft including FERC's response to comments.

Comments to FERC on its assessment of the project are due on 27 December.