Bison XPress Pipeline Startup Shifts Bakken Gas Flows Toward Cheyenne Hub
According to Natural Gas Intelligence, federal regulators have cleared TC Energy Corp.’s Bison XPress expansion to begin full service, opening 300,000 Dth/d of incremental natural gas takeaway capacity from the Bakken Shale. The startup redirects associated gas production toward the Cheyenne Hub and is expected to shift regional pricing spreads.
What Happened
The Bison XPress expansion adds roughly 300 MMcf/d of new pipeline capacity out of the Bakken, where associated gas production has been constrained by limited takeaway infrastructure. With full service now authorized, flows that previously competed for space on existing routes are being redirected toward the Cheyenne Hub, a major interconnection point for Rocky Mountain gas markets. The shift has the potential to alter basis differentials between Bakken production points and downstream hubs including Northern Natural Ventura and the Chicago Citygate.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Pipeline maintenance and integrity work will follow. New pipeline startups generate ongoing demand for inspection, integrity testing, and maintenance contracts in the months and years after commissioning. Subcontractors with pipeline integrity capabilities in the Bakken and Wyoming corridor should watch for RFPs.
- Increased gas takeaway may accelerate drilling activity. Takeaway constraints have been a bottleneck for Bakken producers. With 300 MMcf/d of new capacity, operators may ramp drilling programs, which means more work for well service companies, surface contractors, and midstream construction crews.
- Regional pricing shifts could affect project economics. Changes in basis spreads between the Bakken, Cheyenne Hub, and downstream markets may influence where producers invest next, potentially shifting the geographic concentration of field work.
