Discovery Gas Transmission may build 9.5 miles of pipeline and other facilities off the coast of Louisiana to provide 405,000 Dt/d of firm transportation service, the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said in a recent order.
The $126 million project would allow Discovery to receive newly developed sources of gas in the Keathley Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico and help the company maintain its system, the order said.
For years, low throughput has made it difficult for Discovery to send pigs through its pipeline to sweep liquids from the system, the Friday order said.
"The proposed facilities, particularly the new 9.5-mile mainline extension, will address this problem by providing the additional throughput necessary for Discovery to effectively operate its pigging facilities."
In addition to the 30-inch-diameter pipeline, the project would include a new unmanned four-pile junction platform and a 10-mile, 12-inch-diameter emergency outlet lateral connecting to a Sea Robin Pipeline gathering line.
Six shippers have signed up for transportation service on the project, the order said. For the first 10 years of operations, Discovery expects deliveries will be average about 170,000 Dt/d.
"Discovery notes that its proposal represents the first jurisdictional infrastructure development associated with this potentially important future source of energy," the order said.
