Combined with existing infrastructure, the new Rockies Alliance Pipeline system will provide "seamless service" to key natural gas markets CALGARY, June 23
CALGARY, June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Alliance Pipeline Inc.
(Alliance) and Questar Overthrust Pipeline Company (Questar Overthrust) are
pleased to announce a positive response from prospective shippers to the
Rockies Alliance Pipeline (RAP) open season which closed on June 16. The
initial support totaling approximately 500,000 Dth/d comes from both Rockies
producers and Midwest markets and demonstrates the value of Rockies Alliance
Pipeline to deliver clean burning, low cost natural gas to US and Canadian
markets.
"Since the open season began May 15, we've had strong interest from
prospective shippers in the Rockies Alliance Pipeline project," said Murray
Birch, president and chief executive officer of Alliance Pipeline. "The
Rockies Alliance Pipeline will provide increased transportation and supply
options to the Chicago market area through the Alliance system which connects
to Guardian, Vector, Peoples, Nicor, ANR, NGPL and Midwestern pipeline
systems. Both the producers and end-users have acknowledged that RAP is best
suited to match the growing Rockies production with the large Midwest market
demand. Both Alliance and Questar Overthrust will continue to work with
prospective shippers to fully subscribe capacity of the pipeline to 1.3
billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d)."
The Rockies Alliance Pipeline project will take delivery of natural gas
from Opal, Meeker and Wamsutter and terminate at Alliance Pipeline delivery
points in the Chicago area. Initially, the 875-mile, 42-inch diameter pipeline
system will have a capacity of 1.3 Bcf/d and is expandable to 1.8 Bcf/d with
the addition of compression.
Questar Overthrust Pipeline's president and chief executive officer Allan
Bradley said, "We're encouraged by both producer and end-user interest in our
project. Natural gas production in the northern Rockies is up about 15 percent
from a year ago. We are focused on quickly refining our design and completing
negotiations with other shippers to fast-track the Rockies Alliance Pipeline
so gas supplies from this fast-growing producing region can be delivered to
Midwestern and Eastern markets." In addition, Bradley noted: "Questar
Overthrust's concurrent open season was very successful. It included requests
for over 1.0 Bcf/d of new pipeline capacity to access Rocky Mountain export
hubs such as Wamsutter for delivery into Rockies Alliance Pipeline."
Once Rockies Alliance Pipeline has received the necessary support for its
project, Alliance and Questar Overthrust will proceed with the first phase of
the engineering and environmental work. The companies are also planning to
request permission from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to
participate in the agency's Pre-Filing Process that allows public
participation in the routing of new natural gas pipelines.
For more information about RAP or the open season, go to
www.rockiesalliancepipeline.com.
About Alliance Pipeline:
Alliance Pipeline L.P. (Alliance U.S.A.) owns the U.S. portion of the
Alliance Pipeline system. Alliance U.S.A. is owned 50 percent each by
affiliates of Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB) (NYSE:ENB) and Fort Chicago Energy
Partners L.P. (TSX:FCE.UN).
Alliance Pipeline Limited Partnership (Alliance Canada) owns the Canadian
portion of the Alliance Pipeline system. Alliance Canada is owned 50 percent
each by affiliates of Enbridge Income Fund (TSX:ENF.UN) and Fort Chicago
Energy Partners L.P. (TSX:FCE.UN).
About Questar Pipeline:
Questar Pipeline Company is a subsidiary of Questar Corp. Questar Corp.
(NYSE:STR) is a natural gas-focused energy company with an enterprise value
over $14 billion. Questar finds, develops, produces, gathers, processes,
transports, stores and distributes natural gas.
Forward Looking Information:
Certain information contained in this news release constitutes
forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate", "expects" and "expected
to" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking
statements. Although Alliance believes that these statements are based on
information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these
statements are necessarily subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties
including, but not limited to, future operating performance, regulation,
economic conditions and fundamentals affecting the oil and gas producing and
marketing industries. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties
materialize or fail to materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected.
SOURCE Alliance Pipeline Limited Partnership
