North Dakota Pipeline Authority director Justin Kringstad said there’s still a lot of interest in a pipeline to bring Bakken natural gas to eastern North Dakota.
North Dakota would provide $150 million in seed money for the project.
The state Industrial Commission had to extend the deadline for companies to indicate their interest until August 15th, after WBI Energy backed out.
However, Kringstad said the urgency surrounding the need for more gas in eastern North Dakota is still there.
"I've been talking with some folks in the Red River Valley, to find out who could use that gas, how timely it is and what type of volumes," Kringstad said. "They key is getting all these parties aligned, so it can support a project of that scale. The urgency is certainly still there."
Some community leaders in Eastern North Dakota say the availability of natural gas helps determine if industrial projects decide to come to their cities.