Pipeline authority: Bakken East route advances; open-season results pending as state weighs participation

Justin Kringstead, director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, briefed the Budget Section on near-term pipeline projects intended to address natural-gas transmission needs from the Bakken.

Kringstead described the TC Energy/Kinder Morgan Bakken Express project (moving Bakken gas into the Cheyenne market) and several WBI Energy projects north of Lake Sakakawea, including a detailed new Bakken East proposal. The Bakken East route would run roughly 455 miles from the Watford City area east toward Mapleton with a 36-inch western mainline, a 30-inch eastern mainline and a 20-inch lateral to Ellendale; WBI conducted a binding open season that wrapped up recently and Kringstead said full customer commitments were still being finalized.

Survey and regulatory status: Kringstead said WBI has roughly 97 percent permission to survey along the main corridor and is completing habitat and cultural surveys ahead of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) review. Natural-gas interstate transmission is regulated at the federal level; FERC will hold its own public meetings and environmental review as part of the certificate process.

State participation and obligations: Committee members asked about potential state contractual commitments. Kringstead noted the Industrial Commission had previously discussed a $50,000,000 commitment in scenarios under review; he said contracted capacity and financial commitments would not require cash outlays until the pipeline is in service (targeted in-service windows: November 2029 for the western segment and November 2030 for phase 2). He added that any contracted space would be one part of a broader supply and redundancy strategy that can include Canadian interconnections.

Why it matters: The projects aim to increase statewide natural-gas connectivity, reduce flaring and support new industrial and power-generation customers, but they also carry long-term commercial obligations—hence the committee’s careful interest in open-season outcomes and contract terms.

Next steps: WBI’s open-season follow-up is expected to clarify customer commitments in coming weeks; the Industrial Commission will review WBI’s report and decide whether to take or manage contracted capacity. The committee asked staff to keep information flowing as open-season outcomes clarify state exposure and participation options.