Proposed Rockies Gas Lines Near Approval

The FERC will likely reach final approval on the proposed Bison and Ruby pipelines this spring—projects which between them would be capable of moving nearly 2 bcf/day of natural gas into populous areas of the Midwest and West.

The additional volume would represent about a 25 percent increase in gas exports from the region, where prices have historically been kept lower by limited pipeline capacity, reported the Associated Press.

The 310-mile Bison pipeline, from TransCanada, would run from Gillette, Wyoming to Morton County, North Dakota, where it would link to other lines serving Midwest markets. The Bison line is expected to cost $610 million.

Ruby pipeline, from El Paso Corp., would run 675 miles from Opal, Wyoming to Malin, Oregon.  

The Ruby pipeline, with a price tag close to $3 billion, has been criticized by environmentalists because its route will disturb the wilderness of northern Nevada and force the relocation of wild horses.

Additionally, the construction process has encountered opposition over its expected use of over 330 million gallons of groundwater in one of the most arid regions in the country.

Return to February 2010 Western Energy News

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