01.20.12

Hoeven: New Gas Plant Means More Energy, Less Flaring

WATFORD CITY, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today said that the new Garden Creek natural gas plant is a welcome addition to the Bakken shale region, and demonstrates North Dakota’s commitment to developing all of its energy resources in an environmentally sound way. The senator joined local and state officials and energy industry leaders for the grand opening of the plant, which was completed earlier this month.

“The Garden Creek plant is an important addition to the region for two reasons: One, because natural gas is a valuable source for both energy and jobs, and two, because it will help us reduce natural gas flaring. We’ve worked hard over the years to make important projects like this plant happen, and we’re committed to further developing our infrastructure to better handle our growth and build a strong quality of life for our citizens,” Hoeven said.

The plant is expected to process 100 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. With the new Garden Creek plant, North Dakota now has 16 plants processing Bakken and Three Forks natural gas, which is for sale in local and national markets and heats 1.3 million U.S. homes.

In 2007 and 2009, then-Governor Hoeven signed into law legislation that incentivized investment to capture natural gas. According to the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, from 2006 to 2011, natural gas processing companies will have more than tripled their ability to turn North Dakota’s valuable natural gas resources into a safe and clean energy source for America.

The Garden Creek plant is owned by Tulsa-based ONEOK Partners, which plans to invest $1.5 to $1.8 billion in natural gas gathering and processing projects in the Bakken Shale over the next two years. In addition to the Garden Creek plant, ONEOK Partners’ investments include a 500-mile natural gas liquids pipeline and two additional 100-million-cubic-feet-per-day natural gas processing facilities in western Williams County.

The largest independent operator of natural gas gathering and processing facilities in the Williston Basin, ONEOK Partners has a natural gas gathering system of more than 3,500 miles and acreage dedications of more than 1.9 million acres.

Hoeven is a member of the Senate Energy Committee.