Natural Gas Production and Consumption and New Pipeline Developments in the Central and Northern Rocky Mountain Region

TONNSEN, JOHN J., Tonnsen & Associates, Billings, MT

An extensive natural gas transmission pipeline system now exists on the North American continent and in the central and northern Rocky Mountain region embracing Wyoming, Montana, the Dakotas, Idaho, Utah, and Colorado. The regional interstate pipeline capacity is dominated by two major systems: Northwest Pipeline Corporation and Colorado Interstate Gas Company. In addition, there are over a dozen important area and intrastate systems. Not counting the lease, plant, and pipeline fuel gas, the marketed production in the region totals nearly 1 tcf annually or 6% of the national total. Making some allowance for local import and export imbalances across state lines, approximately 45%, or 450 bcf, is consumed locally. Over 500 bcf (almost 1.5 bcf/day) are transported out of the region. Prod ction and consumption in New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada are not included in these figures. Regional natural gas enters the interstate and continental pipeline system at seven interconnecting points around the periphery of the mountain states. The regional gas must compete for capacity on the major pipelines. Several new projects are expanding pipeline capacity for transportation both within the region and to points outside the region.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91010©1991 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section Meeting, Billings, Montana, July 28-31, 1991 (2009)