Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline: 'A Good Neighbor'
Profile
By Alan Dorich   
Monday, 03 December 2007
smc Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline is a joint-venture natural gas firm whose clients include natural gas producers, local distribution companies and industrial users.
With a reach that extends from Nova Scotia, Canada, to Boston, Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline (M&NP) is "a supply-driven" business, President Doug Bloom says. Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the company operates a 1,400-kilometer transmission pipeline system that transports natural gas to markets in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States.

The company is a joint venture of Spectra Energy, Emera Inc. and ExxonMobil Canada. M&NP's clients include natural gas producers, local distribution companies and industrial users, including pulp and paper manufacturers, power generators and refineries.

The majority of M&NP's customer base, Bloom says, is comprised of producers and suppliers. "They're really the backbone customer base for us," he says. "Their focus is on developing economic reserves of natural gas and finding market outlets for their gas."

M&NP's pipeline system was built in 1999, and enabled by the Sable Offshore Energy Project, co-owned by ExxonMobil Canada. The project involved the development of the Thebaud, North Triumph and Venture fields on the Scotian Shelf. It also saw the construction of three offshore platforms, an onshore gas plant and an onshore fractionation plant.

"Getting that base infrastructure in place was really critical," Bloom says. "That's given the industry a critical conduit into the Northeast market, as well as opening these markets in Atlantic Canada."

Enhancing The Capacity
M&NP is expanding its pipeline to double its current capacity and deliver new volumes of gas. When its current phase is completed, the company says, the pipeline's yearly mainline design capacity to the Northeast market will grow from 400 million to nearly 800 million cubic feet per day. Additional capacity is also in place to deliver to the growing natural gas market in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

After the expansions, M&NP will also transmit regasified liquefied natural gas (LNG) sourced from the Canaport™ LNG receiving and re-gas terminal. The terminal is currently being constructed in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, and is a joint venture of Repsol YPF and Irving Oil Ltd.

Bloom reports that the Canaport LNG project is well underway. "They're building three tanks at Mispec Point, near Saint John, as well as all the associated offshore facilities," he says. The terminal will be operational in November 2008.

On the U.S. portion of its pipeline, Bloom says M&NP has "efficient expansion capability" that will allow the construction of new compressor stations. This year, the company will build stations in Searsmont and Brewer, Maine, while it will also make modifications to an existing station in Richmond, Maine.

Next year, M&NP will construct additional stations in Woodchopping Ridge, Westbrook and Eliot, Maine, and complete modifications to meter facilities in Baileyville, Maine, and Dracut, Mass. According to Bloom, M&NP has completed most of its construction work without impacting the existing pipeline flows.

"We just have to take some periodic outages to take in the new compressor stations as we tackle them," he says. "In the grand scheme of things, it's the kind of expansion you can do quite effectively while continuing to run the existing pipeline."

Taking Care
As M&NP has extended its pipeline, the company has taken care in regards to safety, environmental stewardship and its relationships with communities and stakeholders, Bloom says. "We continue to be a good neighbor along the length of the pipeline," he says. "One of the values consistent throughout Spectra Energy's business is to strive to achieve win-win relationships."

As M&NP proposes new projects, the company will work closely with communities, he says. "We'll listen to their feedback and concerns that they would like us to consider or address as we're designing our projects," he says. "Our project success is due to a concerted effort on the ground to make sure we're continually consulting and communicating with our stakeholders to make sure they're informed about what we're doing."

This communication has been especially critical, as M&NP introduced new gas pipeline infrastructure into regions that did not have them before. "We work hard to educate and inform people about our business and try and make sure that it's well received when it ultimately gets built," Bloom says. "We never take that initial understanding for granted. We want the long-term relationship to start off on the right foot."

Exciting Times
Bloom joined M&NP in 2003 and his previous experience includes working with Spectra Energy predecessor companies Westcoast Energy and Duke Energy. "I've filled a variety of roles in the gas industry," he says, noting that he has been involved in such areas as construction, marketing and business development.

He asserts that M&NP's success is a team effort, where all members of its staff are critical, despite their title. "Every team member plays a really important role here," he says.

Looking forward, he says M&NP will be involved in the first land-based LNG project on the East Coast in decades. "[It's] just really an exciting time to be at Maritimes," he says.

"These days, with everyone facing challenges in growing supply in North America, it's important to the market that we bring new sources of diversified supply and new infrastructure that allow the region to grow," he says. "That's allowed us to introduce gas to regions that wouldn't have otherwise had it, like Atlantic Canada.

"Our vision is to continue to deliver new natural gas supply through reliable and efficient infrastructure, to meet the demands of the growing North American economy," he concludes.
 
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