TransCanada Launches Binding Open Season for Bakken Marketlink Project
CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Sept. 13, 2010) - TransCanada Corporation (TransCanada) (TSX:TRP) (NYSE:TRP) today launched a binding Open Season to obtain firm commitments from interested parties for the Bakken Marketlink Project, which would provide crude oil transportation service from Baker, Montana to Cushing, Oklahoma and to the U.S. Gulf Coast.
The proposed Bakken Marketlink Project would provide the first direct link between the prolific Bakken crude oil producing region in the Williston Basin and key U.S. markets near Cushing, Oklahoma and the U.S. Gulf Coast, the largest refining market in North America. The project would provide Bakken producers with an alternative and competitive market access solution, using pipeline facilities that form part of TransCanada's proposed Keystone Gulf Coast Expansion Project. The Open Season follows a successful expression of interest phase, which was conducted earlier in 2010, and subsequent discussions with prospective shippers in the Bakken producing region.
The proposed TransCanada Keystone Pipeline system's proximity to the key Bakken crude oil producing regions within the Williston Basin uniquely positions TransCanada to provide an effective market access alternative for Bakken production. Significant increases in Bakken crude oil production in recent years have resulted in production exceeding available exit pipeline capacity from the region. The Bakken Marketlink Project is expected to help relieve exit pipeline capacity constraints and support expected growth from this key U.S producing region.
Following the completion of a successful Open Season, TransCanada intends to proceed with the necessary regulatory applications for approvals to construct and operate the required facilities which are estimated to cost approximately US$140 million. The Bakken Marketlink Project is expected to commence providing service in the first quarter of 2013.
During the Open Season period, which expires at noon (Mountain Time) November 10, 2010, interested parties may submit binding bids for transportation capacity of crude oil from Baker, Montana to Cushing, Oklahoma or Nederland, Texas. Parties are invited to contact David Diakow at 403.920.6019 or Ed Scheibelhut at 403.920.2746 for more information. Please visit www.transcanada.com/Bakken for more information about the Project and Open Season.
With more than 50 years' experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas and oil pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada's network of wholly owned natural gas pipelines extends more than 60,000 kilometres (37,000 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is one of the continent's largest providers of gas storage and related services with approximately 380 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A growing independent power producer, TransCanada owns, or has interests in, over 11,700 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is developing one of North America's largest oil delivery systems. TransCanada's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. For more information visit: www.transcanada.com FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
TRANSCANADA
This news release may contain certain information that is forward looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "expect", "believe", "may", "should", "estimate", "project", "outlook", "forecast" or other similar words are used to identify such forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements in this document are intended to provide TransCanada securityholders and potential investors with information regarding TransCanada and its subsidiaries, including management's assessment of TransCanada's and its subsidiaries' future financial and operations plans and outlook. Forward-looking statements in this document may include, among others, statements regarding the anticipated business prospects and financial performance of TransCanada and its subsidiaries, expectations or projections about the future, and strategies and goals for growth and expansion. All forward-looking statements reflect TransCanada's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made. Actual results or events may differ from those predicted in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, the ability of TransCanada to successfully implement its strategic initiatives and whether such strategic initiatives will yield the expected benefits, the operating performance of TransCanada's pipeline and energy assets, the availability and price of energy commodities, capacity payments, regulatory processes and decisions, changes in environmental and other laws and regulations, competitive factors in the pipeline and energy sectors, construction and completion of capital projects, labour, equipment and material costs, access to capital markets, interest and currency exchange rates, technological developments and the current economic conditions in North America. By its nature, forward looking information is subject to various risks and uncertainties, which could cause TransCanada's actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed. Additional information on these and other factors is available in the reports filed by TransCanada with Canadian securities regulators and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on this forward looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed in this news release or otherwise, and to not use future-oriented information or financial outlooks for anything other than their intended purpose. TransCanada undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
CONTACT INFORMATION
TransCanada
Media Inquiries
Cecily Dobson/Terry Cunha
(403) 920-7859 or (800) 608-7859
or
Analyst Inquiries
David Moneta/Terry Hook
(403) 920-7911 or (800) 361-6522
www.transcanada.com