Enbridge Energy Partners announced on Tuesday that its proposed $2.6 billion North Dakota-to-Wisconsin Sandpiper Pipeline project has been delayed a year or more because of a "longer than expected permitting process" in Minnesota, the company said in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Enbridge pushed the target startup of early 2016 to 2017.
Earlier this month the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission ordered a state environmental review that will examine alternate routes for the pipeline, which prompted the permitting delay.
PROJECT: Sandpiper Pipeline
OPERATOR: Enbridge. Marathon Petroleum Corp has agreed to be the main shipper.
ORIGIN/DESTINATION: A 24-inch pipeline running 375 miles from Beaver Lodge, close to Tioga, North Dakota, through the Bakken shale region to Clearbrook, Minnesota. Then a 30-inch pipeline running 233 miles to Superior, Wisconsin.
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CAPACITY: 225,000 bpd from Beaver Lodge to Clearbrook. 375,000 bpd from Clearbrook to Superior.
COST: $2.6 billion. Marathon will pay 37.5 percent of the project's cost in exchange for a 27 percent interest in the Enbridge's North Dakota pipeline system which will have a capacity of 580,000 bpd when the project is completed.
STARTUP: Announced on Sept. 30, 2014, that target startup of early 2016 was pushed to 2017 after the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission ordered a state environmental review that will examine alternate pipeline routes, lengthening the permitting process.
