Keathley Canyon Connector flows first gas

The Keathley Canyon Connector section of the Discovery natural gas gathering system has begun operations, the joint venture partners announced Monday.

The 20-inch, 346-kilometre segment serves producers in the central ultra-deepwater of the Gulf of Mexico at a depth of almost 2,200 metres and has a capacity of 11.3 mcm (400 mcf) of gas per day. The pipeline feeds into Discovery’s 30-inch mainline at South Timbalier Block 283 and could connect with new discoveries and prospects in the area.

Energy infrastructure company Williams owns a 60-percent stake in the Discovery system and fellow US company DCP Midstream Partners holds the remaining 40 percent. The joint venture includes the 17-mcm (600-mcf) Larose gas processing plant and 35,000-barrel-per-day Paradis fractionation facility.

In January, BP sold about half its interests in the northwest portion of Keathley Canyon to Chevron as part of an effort to co-ordinate exploration between the two companies and ConocoPhillips. The US government plans to auction leases for 7,788 new blocks the Gulf of Mexico in March.