BC regulator approves Woodfibre LNG pipeline, with conditions

The natural gas pipeline to feed the proposed Woodfibre LNG plant will run 47 Km from the Vancouver area to the plant site, southwest of Squamish.

Woodfibre LNG project pipeline to be built by FortisBC Energy

VANCOUVER, Aug 9 (Reuters) – British Columbia’s environmental regulator on Tuesday approved a natural gas pipeline that would feed gas to the proposed Woodfibre LNG project, but attached 30 conditions to the line’s construction.

The 47 km (29 mile) pipeline, to be built by FortisBC Energy, would connect to an existing pipeline in the Vancouver area and carry gas to the Woodfibre industrial site, where it would be converted into liquefied natural gas for export.

Conditions to the approval include consultation with Aboriginal groups and mitigation work to reduce impact on grizzly bear populations, among others.

Woodfibre LNG, a small-scale natural gas export terminal backed by Indonesian billionaire Sukanto Tanoto’s RGE Group, was approved by federal regulators in March. The company has not yet made a final investment decision.

(Reporting by Julie Gordon, editing by G Crosse)