Northern Border expands its capacity

Gary Park

Northern Border Pipeline, which carries 22 percent of all Canadian natural gas exports to the United States, is expanding its capacity by another 15 percent over the next 18 months. The partnership said Sept. 24 that the addition of 130 million cubic feet per day from Harper, Iowa to the Chicago area reflects commitments from shippers during a recent open season.

Construction at a capital cost of $20 million is subject to approval from the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Northern Border partnership owns and operates 1,249 miles of interstate pipeline from Port of Morgan, on the Montana-Saskatchewan border.

Current daily capacity includes 2.4 billion cubic feet from Canada to Ventura, Iowa, 1.3 bcf from Ventura to Harper, Iowa and 645 million cubic feet from Harper to Chicago.

In 2003, 88 percent of Northern Border’s supply came from Canada, 5 percent from the Williston Basin and 6 percent from the Dakota Gasification plant in North Dakota, with the remaining 1 percent from various sources.