CAPACITY, SOURCES, AND STORAGE
Southern California continues to operate in an environment of interstate pipeline capacity in excess of anticipated demand. Interstate pipeline delivery capability into Southern California is over 4,000 MMcfIday, with approximately 3,230 MMdIday available directly to SoCalGas' customers (the remaining interstate capacity serves non-local distribution company customers). These pipeline systems provide access to several large supply basins, located in: New Mexico (San Juan Basin), West Texas (Permian Basin), Rocky Mountains and Western Canada. The interstate pipeline systems, along with local California gas supplies, deliver gas to most Southern California customers through SoCalGas' system.
SoCalGas currently has firm receipt capacity at the following locations for its customers to access supply from interstate pipelines.
| Current lnterstate and Local Firm Capacity |
MMcf/d Capacity |
|
El Paso at Blythe |
1,210 |
| El Paso at Topock |
540 |
|
North Needles (Transwestern, Questar Southern Trails) |
800 |
|
Hector Road (Mohave) |
50 |
|
Wheeler Ridge (PG&E, Kern/Mohave, CA Production) |
765 |
|
Line 85 (CA Production) |
190 |
|
North Coastal (CA Production) |
120 |
| Kramer Junction (Kern/Mohave) |
200 |
| Total Firm Supply Access |
3,875 |
Gas Supply Sources: Southern California receives gas supplies from several sedimentary basins in the western United States and Canada including supply basins located in New Mexico (San Juan Basin), West Texas (Permian Basin), Rocky Mountain, Western Canada, and local California supplies.
California Gas: Gas supply available to SoCalGas from California sources (state onshore plus state/federal offshore supplies) was 274 MMcflday in 2005.
Southwestern U.S. Gas: Traditional Southwestern U.S. sources of natural gas, especially from the San Juan Basin, will continue to supply most of Southern California's natural gas demand. This gas is delivered via the El Paso Natural Gas Company and Transwestern Pipeline Company pipelines. The San Juan Basin's conventionally produced gas supplies have increased since 1991 and are expected to meet Southern California's gas demand. Permian Basin's gas also provides an additional source of supply into California.
Rocky Mountain Gas: Rocky Mountain supply presents a viable alternative to traditional Southwestern U.S. gas sources for Southern California. This gas is delivered to Southern California primarily on the Kern River Gas Transmission Company's pipeline, although there is also access to Rockies gas through pipelines interconnected to the San Juan Basin. In recent years, Rocky Mountain gas has increasingly flowed to Midwestern and Pacific Northwest markets.
Canadian Gas: SoCa/Gas anticipates that the role of Canadian gas in meeting Southern California's demand during the forecast period will decline. New pipeline capacity out of western Canada to the U.S. Midwest and eastern United States are likely to move Canadian gas away from California. Increased gas deliveries from the Permian Basin to California are expected to replace these supplies.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG): SoCalGas anticipates that re-gasified LNG-based gas will be a new source of gas supplies in the U.S. by 2008.