Natural gas pipeline developer to sign up western North Dakota suppliers, eastern users next year

UNDERWOOD, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — WBI Energy on Thursday released new details of the timeline for the planned Bakken East natural gas pipeline connecting the two halves of North Dakota.

The development will kick into high gear in 2026, a company representative said during a meeting of the Legislature’s Energy Development and Transmission Committee.

WBI will hold a binding open season during the first quarter when shippers will commit to ship natural gas on the pipeline. Then WBI expects to sign agreements with gas customers along its planned route by the midpoint of the year.

“We feel good about where we are today based on our ongoing conversations with a host of potential customers,” said Mark Anderson, vice president of business development and marketing for WBI. The potential customers include utilities, industrial users, and others such as data center developers.

WBI will apply for federal regulatory approval between July and September 2026, Anderson said. The company is optimistic the regulatory process will go smoothly.

“We feel tail winds at the federal level at the moment, which gives us some comfort that our schedule is manageable and predictable,” Anderson told lawmakers during the meeting at Coal Creek Station power plant. “We would look to get our first certificate in early 2028.”

WBI is planning to begin construction of the pipeline in the second half of 2028. Phase one, from McKenzie County to Washburn, is expected to be in service by the end of 2029. The second phase of construction, from Washburn to Mapleton near Fargo, is slated to be completed by the end of 2030.

The pipeline is expected to transport up to 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas out of the Bakken per day. WBI also plans to construct “laterals,” extending away from the main route, to serve communities like Ellendale, the site of a large data center.

The North Dakota Industrial Commission approved a $500 million financial guarantee earlier this year to help get the project off the ground. This deal, Anderson said Thursday, is “in progress” and has not been finalized.

The financial guarantee represents $50 million worth of shipping capacity per year, over 10 years. Justin Kringstad, director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, said that represents between 15% and 17% of the pipeline’s total capacity. The state plans to transfer that pipeline capacity to private businesses.

Anderson said WBI views the financial backstop as a “bridge” between the pipeline’s construction and the demand from potential customers.

WBI has not finalized the design of the pipeline, nor secured easements from landowners for the planned route. The company has received permission to survey the route from 98% of landowners along the 350-mile mainline, 93% of landowners along a potential lateral to Spiritwood, the site of a large industrial park, and 53% of a possible lateral to Ellendale.

The pipeline will tie into WBI’s broader network of pipelines in North Dakota and other states. Even though the new pipeline will begin in McKenzie County, the company’s pipeline network connects to the majority of natural gas processing plants in northwest North Dakota, Anderson said.

Anderson said WBI’s goal is to enable community growth and economic development across the state by providing access to natural gas for power generation.

“All signs point to Bakken production continuing to grow. We want to do our part to ensure that Bakken production, gas production can access markets safely, reliably in support of the crude oil production,” Anderson said.

North Dakota Monitor reporter Jacob Orledge can be reached at jorledge@northdakotamonitor.com.