B.C. approves Woodfibre LNG pipeline

The western Canadian province of British Columbia on Tuesday granted an environmental approval for a proposed pipeline that will supply natural gas to the Woodfibre LNG project.

Environment Minister Mary Polak and Natural Gas Development Minister Rich Coleman have issued the environmental assessment certificate to FortisBC Energy for the Eagle Mountain-Woodfibre gas pipeline following a review led by B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office.

The gas pipeline project is an expansion of FortisBC’s existing Vancouver Island natural gas transportation system to provide natural gas service to the Woodfibre LNG project. The project includes building about 47 kilometres of pipeline between Coquitlam, British Columbia and the proposed Woodfibre LNG site located in Squamish, B.C.

However, the environmental approval comes with 30 conditions attached. These conditions, among others, include consultation with Aboriginal groups, work to avoid or reduce impacts to grizzly bears from the project, modifying the proposed corridor and crossing method, changing the design for compression of the transported gas etc.

The project will also require various federal, provincial and local government permits to proceed.

Woodfibre LNG is proposing to build a mid-sized liquefied natural gas processing and export facility at the former Woodfibre pulp mill site.

The LNG project is licenced to export about 2.1 million tonnes of the chilled fuel per year for 25 years, however, a final investment decision has not been taken yet.

Woodfibre LNG is a subsidiary of Pacific Oil & Gas Limited, which is part of the Singapore-based RGE group of companies.