Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to allow it to release firm natural gas transportation capacity that would, for a time, become part of a Portland Natural Gas Transmission System LP expansion.

Maritimes, mostly owned by Enbridge Inc.'s Spectra Energy Partners LP, on June 29 filed an abbreviated application for the authorization to abandon 7,214 Dth/d of capacity by lease to Portland Natural Gas Transmission System, or PNGTS, a subsidiary of TransCanada Corp. (FERC docket CP18-516)

The proposed lease of capacity, on mainline pipeline facilities jointly owned by Maritimes and PNGTS, is connected to a second phase of PNGTS' proposed Portland XPress pipeline expansion project. PNGTS applied for FERC authorizations May 7 for this phase of its project. (FERC docket CP18-479)

In its application, Maritimes asked FERC to approve its lease authorization application at the same time the commission approves this second phase of the Portland XPress project. The lease agreement's primary term starts Nov. 1, 2019, or the date when PNGTS places the second phase in service, whichever is later. Maritimes said it intends to apply for authorization to reacquire the pipeline capacity in connection with the third phase of the Portland XPress project, which replaces the second phase.

The leased capacity would take gas between a receipt point near Westbrook, Maine, and a delivery point at an interconnection with Kinder Morgan Inc.'s Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. near Dracut, Mass.

PNGTS applied in June for the $90.3 million third phase of its project, which would increase capacity on its pipeline system by up to 24,375 Mcf/d on top of the earlier phases. (FERC docket CP18-506)