TransCanada's Bison natural gas pipeline now operating

TransCanada’s 303-mile Bison pipeline has started moving natural gas from northeastern Wyoming to Midwest markets. The 30-inch-diameter pipeline is the company's first to access natural gas produced in the US Rocky Mountain region. Its present capacity is 407 million cubic feet of natural gas but could be increased to 1 billion cubic feet using compression.

The pipeline begins in northeastern Wyoming, going through Montana and North Dakota before connecting with Northern Border Pipeline in North Dakota.

Natural gas transported on Bison will reach Midwest markets through Northern Border, a pipeline partially owned by the firm indirectly through its interest in TC PipeLines.

TransCanada president and CEO Russ Girling said that Bison gives new options to producers in the Powder River Basin and to Midwest consumers.

"Connecting to Northern Border provides a lower-cost overall competitive solution for Bison's customers, and it adds value to an existing asset by strengthening its contract profile and diversifying its gas supply mix," Girling said.

With the Bison pipeline, TransCanada has placed six major projects into service in the last ten months.