The North Baja Xpress project has been developed by TC Energy to make use of existing infrastructure to address an increasing demand for natural gas by expanding capacity on the bi-directional North Baja Pipeline, which provides gas to Arizona, California, and Mexico
FERC gives consent to TC Energy to place the North Baja XPress project into service. (Credit: Markus Winkler from Pixabay)
TC Energy has been granted permission by the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to commence service of the North Baja XPress project for the full project capacity of up to 495,000 dekatherms per day.
The project is an expansion of the existing 138km long North Baja natural gas pipeline in Arizona and California.
According to the FERC, its approval is for commissioning all the remaining facilities of the North Baja XPress project. The regulator’s permission was sought by TC Energy’s subsidiary North Baja Pipeline.
The North Baja Xpress project has involved upgrading of an existing compressor station and two existing meter stations in Arizona and California. All the upgrades were taken up by the project holding company’s property and within facilities.
As part of the project, TC Energy upgraded the Ehrenberg compressor station and the El Paso Meter Station in La Paz County, Arizona with a new compressor unit and a new natural gas measurement system.
In Imperial County, California, a new gas measurement system was added to the Ogilby meter station.
TC Energy developed the North Baja Xpress project to make use of existing infrastructure to address increasing demand for natural gas. It expands capacity on the bi-directional North Baja Pipeline, which provides gas sourced from the US Southwest basins to Arizona, California, as well as Mexico.
North Baja has been serving local distribution firms and power generators across Southern California and the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. Commissioned in 2002, the North Baja pipeline has a northbound capacity of 600 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) and a southbound capacity of 500MMcf/d.