Hoeven Statement on North Bakken Expansion Pipeline Entering into Service

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, today issued the following statement after WBI Energy’s North Bakken Expansion Pipeline entered into service. The senator worked to secure federal approval for the $260 million natural gas expansion project, which will help to reduce flaring in the Bakken and provide an additional 250 million cubic feet per day of natural gas takeaway capacity for operators in the region. 

Specifically, Hoeven made the case to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to advance critical projects like the North Bakken Expansion Pipeline after the agency’s consideration of new pipeline approvals appeared to stall starting in October 2020. This includes: 

• Leading a bipartisan group of 25 senators last year in calling on FERC to act and review the North Bakken Expansion project and 13 other natural gas pipeline projects pending before the commission.
• Along with the North Dakota delegation, expressing support for the project and urging FERC to take timely action on the project, which had been awaiting the commission’s consideration since its formal filing in February 2020.

“The North Bakken Expansion Pipeline is a critical project for the region that supports North Dakota’s continued energy leadership and provides needed capacity to capture natural gas and reduce flaring,” said Hoeven. “We appreciate WBI Energy’s continued investment in our state and will continue working to ensure projects like this can be built in a timely and cost-effective manner. That’s exactly what our nation needs to harness our abundant, affordable energy reserves and remain energy secure.”

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