Advertisement

Natural gas supplier seeks assurances on pipeline access over LNG plants

Natural gas pipes rise above ground level where the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline connects to the North American pipeline grid, in Dracut, Mass., Thursday, Nov. 17, 2005. Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline brings natural gas to New England from offshore Nova Scotia, Canada. AP Photo/Steven Senne

HALIFAX – The senior manager of Nova Scotia’s natural gas distributor says his company wants to ensure that it has adequate access to the sole pipeline into Atlantic Canada if liquefied natural gas export terminals are approved in the region.

Heritage Gas applied in May to intervene in licence applications by three potential LNG export facilities filed with the National Energy Board.

The subsidiary of AltaGas (TSX:ALA) says if the proposed East Coast projects by Pieridae Energy Ltd., Bear Head LNG and the Saint John LNG Development Co. Ltd. are approved it would like assurances there is enough space in the pipeline.

Heritage Gas president Chris Smith says as offshore natural gas supplies to the Maritimes are depleted in the next few years, the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline operated by Spectra Energy could be a key source of supply.

Steve Rankin, manager of external affairs at Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, says the company would ensure existing customers are still served and that adding shipments to export terminals could actually lower the overall costs of using the pipeline.

Story continues below advertisement

Mark Brown, a spokesman for Pieridae Energy, says it’s possible the export projects would also encourage the development of natural gas projects in the region and ultimately increase local supply.

Sponsored content

AdChoices