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PSC approves CO2, natural gas liquids pipelines

Dave Thompson
/
Prairie Public

The North Dakota Public Service Commission has approved a pipeline that will bring carbon dioxide from two natural gas plants in Wyoming to an oil field near Bowman.

The Cedar Hills field is a conventional oil field, with vertical drilling.

The CO2 will be used for tertiary oil recovery, meaning the CO2 would be injected to help get at oil that’s still underground.

Commission chairman Brian Kroshus called it an exciting project, because it will help the economy in Bowman and other cities in the area.

"They're heavily reliant on agriculture," Kroshus said. "And we know that ag is facing an uphill battle right now. When they have their top two industries, oil and gas and agriculture, that those comminities rely on moving forward, this has the potential to give comunities like that a real shot in the arm."

The North Dakota portion of that pipeline will cost about $9.2 million. Commissioner Julie Fedorchak said the company is hoping to have it built by the end of the year.

The Commission has also okayed the siting permit for a 71 mile long natural gas liquids pipeline in Williams County.

The ONEOK pipeline will cost about $100 million.

Commissioner Julie Fedorchak said the pipeline will run by a number of natural gas processing plants, and will pick up the NGLs from there.

"Assuming the oil industry gets back to its full production, in the not-too-distant future, this becomes a critical component of the state's infrastructure for gathering and processing natural gas, and reducing flaring."

ONEOK is hoping to have it in service by the end of the year.

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