National Fuel cancelling plans to pursue Northern Access Pipeline

National Fuel has confirmed that it will no longer be pursing its plans to build the Northern Access Pipeline, a project intended to bring Seneca Resources production out of the Pennsylvania basin in the Marcellus to markets in New York State.

After a 10-year battle over the 100-mile project, National Fuel Gas Co’s CEO David Bauer made the announcement stating “At the end of the day and nearly 10-years later, a substantial increase in expected project costs along with the ongoing challenges facing natural gas pipeline development in New York led us to decide to cease further project development efforts.”

The original plans for the project called for 96.9 miles of 24-inch diameter pipeline in McKean County, Pennsylvania and Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Erie Counties, New York and a 5,350-horsepower compressor station in Erie County, New York owned by National Fuel as well as a 2.1 miles of 16- and 24-inch pipeline and 22,214 horsepower compression in Niagara County, New York. It was originally expected to cost at total of $455 million.