CALGARY, ALBERTA--(CCNMatthews - March 30, 2007) - Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB) (NYSE:ENB) announced today that it has received significant interest from shippers for Phase I of a two-phased expansion of the Spearhead Pipeline through the Open Season which was announced March 2, 2007. The Spearhead Pipeline provides crude oil transportation between the Chicago area and Cushing, Oklahoma. Phase I will provide an incremental 65,000 barrels per day (bpd) of capacity.
In response to shippers' requests for additional time to complete their analyses and secure necessary corporate approvals to enter into binding commitments, Enbridge has extended the Open Season until April 23, 2007 at noon CT. The Open Season was scheduled to close April 2, 2007 at noon CT. Shippers desiring long-term service are requested to execute and submit completed and signed transportation service agreements (TSAs) to Enbridge affiliate, CCPS Transportation, LLC. Enbridge has also modified certain terms of the TSA in response to shipper comments.
The Phase I expansion Open Season, if fully subscribed, would increase the Spearhead Pipeline's average annual capacity from the current 125,000 bpd to 190,000 bpd. Given the existing commercial arrangements on the Spearhead Pipeline, the Open Season offers 30,000 bpd of new firm capacity. The remaining 35,000 bpd of expansion capacity will be available to uncommitted shippers unless and until existing committed shippers exercise their right to commit to this capacity. The Open Season is soliciting shipper interest in executing binding commitments to transport specified volumes of crude oil - up to an aggregate 30,000 bpd average annual capacity - over a 10-year term on the expanded pipeline. The expansion is expected to be completed in early 2009.
Should shipper interest for incremental capacity greatly exceed the available firm capacity offered in the Phase I Open Season, it is Enbridge's expectation that it would proceed with the Phase I expansion to 190,000 bpd and promptly initiate an Open Season for a Phase II expansion.
The Open Season documents are available on the Enbridge Inc. website at www.enbridge.com/spearhead.
More information about this open season is available by contacting: Chris Martin Kent Berry Enbridge Energy Company, Inc. Enbridge Energy Company, Inc. 1100 Louisiana, Suite 3300 1100 Louisiana, Suite 3300 Houston, Texas 77002 5217 Houston, Texas 77002 5217 (713) 821-2053 (713) 353-6341
Currently the Spearhead Pipeline, which began north-to-south service in March 2006, transports crude oil from the Chicago area (Griffith, Indiana) to Cushing, Oklahoma. Upon completion of Enbridge's Southern Access Expansion, anticipated in early 2009, the Spearhead Pipeline will initiate from Flanagan, Illinois.
Spearhead was the first pipeline to provide continuous deliveries of crude oil sourced primarily from the Canadian oil sands region to the U.S. Midcontinent area. Spearhead is accessed via the Enbridge Lakehead System and has existing connection points at Griffith, Indiana and Jacksonville, Missouri. This expansion project benefits both Canadian producers and U.S. refineries by providing cost-effective transportation for growing supplies of production from Western Canada's oil sands to refineries in southern PADD II and beyond. Further, demand for crude oil transportation access to the Cushing Hub is anticipated to increase with the completion in 2009 of the second phase of the Southern Access expansion of the Enbridge Lakehead System.
Enbridge Inc., a Canadian company, is a leader in energy transportation and distribution in North America and internationally. As a transporter of energy, Enbridge operates, in Canada and the United States, the world's longest crude oil and liquids pipeline system. The Company also has international operations and a growing involvement in the natural gas transmission and midstream businesses. As a distributor of energy, Enbridge owns and operates Canada's largest natural gas distribution company, and provides distribution services in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State. Enbridge employs approximately 5,000 people, primarily in Canada, the United States and South America. Enbridge's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada and on the New York Stock Exchange in the United States under the symbol ENB. Information about Enbridge is available on the Company's website at www.enbridge.com.
Certain information provided in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate", "expect", "project", "estimate", "forecast" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Enbridge believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties pertaining to operating performance, regulatory parameters, weather, economic conditions and commodity prices. You can find a discussion of those risks and uncertainties in our Canadian securities filings and American SEC filings. While Enbridge makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Enbridge assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or otherwise, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.