TransCanada has commissioned its $1.2bn Topolobampo natural gas pipeline project in northern Mexico.
Image: A natural gas pipeline project. Photo: courtesy of outgunned21/Freeimages.com.
Designed to provide upstream interconnection with the TransCanada’s Mazatlan Pipeline, the Topolobampo pipeline has capacity to supply 670 million cubic feet of natural gas per day to markets in the states of Chihuahua and Sinaloa.
As part of the project, the company built the 560km of 30in diameter pipeline from El Encino, near Chihuahua, to Topolobampo, near the city of Los Mochis, Sinaloa.
TransCanada said that the two pipelines, Topolobampo and Mazatlan, will offer a total capacity of more than 870km of critical energy infrastructure that will provide natural gas to power plants, as well as industrial and urban markets in north-western Mexico.
TransCanada Mexico president Robert Jones said: “The completion of the Topolobampo and Mazatlan pipeline system is an important milestone for TransCanada as we continue to expand our portfolio to deliver natural gas to serve Mexico’s electric generation needs.
“We are developing the infrastructure to feed new power plants and convert existing fuel oil and diesel power plants, thereby reducing both the cost of electricity and greenhouse gas emissions.
“We are proud of the way we overcame technical challenges and completed this difficult project safely.”
The firm employed around 3,500 employees and contractors during the project construction phase.
In order to address the challenges posed by geography along the route, including crossing the Tarahumara mountain range near the Copper Canyo, the firm used innovative construction techniques for the project.
In Mexico, TransCanada has natural gas pipelines spanning 3,190km, which are either in operation or under construction.
The aggregate capacity of the pipelines stands at 7.1 billion cubic feet a day and represent an investment of $5.6bn.
Earlier this year, TransCanada said that the Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) has recommended the federal government to approve the firm’s C$1.4bn ($1bn) North Montney Mainline (NMML) Project variance.
The NMML Project is supported by 20-year contracts with 11 shippers to transport approximately 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.