Bakken oil pipeline capacity expanded: Enbridge

Enbridge Energy Partners (EEP) said that it has added 145,000 barrels of capacity to its networks through an expansion to its Bakken pipelines. The expansion program is being undertaken on the Enbridge North Dakota System owned by EEP, and the Enbridge Saskatchewan System, owned by the Enbridge Income Fund (EIF).

The company said that out of 145,000bpd, 25,000bpd will be available by early 2011 following the completion of the Portal Reversal Expansion project, and the remaining 120,000bpd by late 2012.

Under the applicable regulatory arrangements, a maximum of 115,000bpd can be held by committed shippers and at least 30,000bpd must be reserved for uncommitted volumes.

Enbridge's Bakken expansion program will involve US projects, which will be undertaken by EEP at a cost of approximately $370m, and Canadian projects to be undertaken by EIF at a cost of approximately CAD190m.

The expansion program will originate at Beaver Lodge, North Dakota, in the heart of the Bakken, and will follow existing EEP and EIF rights of way to terminate at and deliver to the Enbridge mainline terminal at Cromer, Manitoba.