Enbridge’s Aitken Creek gas storage expansion provides essential flexibility for sector

Canada’s emerging liquefied natural gas (LNG) export industry has reached a major achievement with its first major overseas shipment, prompting strategic infrastructure investments to support the sector’s growth.

In mid-July, LNG Canada delivered the country’s first major LNG shipment overseas, transporting the cargo from Kitimat, British Columbia to Tongyeong, South Korea. Additional tankers have followed as the company transitions into routine service operations during the third quarter, marking the industry’s entry into commercial-scale export activities.

The West Coast LNG sector continues to expand with several facilities under construction or in development across British Columbia. These projects include the Cedar LNG facility in Kitimat, the Woodfibre LNG facility in Squamish, and the Ksi Lisims LNG facility in Gingolx. Notably, Enbridge holds a 30% ownership stake in the Woodfibre LNG project.

In response to the sector’s growth trajectory, Enbridge announced during its second-quarter financial earnings call on August 1 that the company is expanding its Aitken Creek gas storage facility located north of Fort St. John. The C$0.3-billion expansion will add 40 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of storage capacity to the facility, which currently provides the only underground gas storage infrastructure in the province.

The expansion will increase Aitken Creek’s total storage capacity to just under 120 Bcf, providing essential operational flexibility for Western Canada’s LNG export sector while enhancing energy reliability for British Columbia and U.S. Pacific Northwest residents, particularly during winter heating periods. The expanded facility is expected to commence operations in spring 2028.

Greg Ebel, Enbridge’s president and CEO, emphasised the strategic importance of the expansion during the company’s second-quarter earnings call. He noted that the expansion of the Aitken Creek storage facility will support the growing Canadian LNG market while optimising other expansions underway on the West Coast system. The project aims to provide customers with critical operational flexibility in a rapidly developing regional energy landscape, particularly in support of LNG operations.

The infrastructure investment reflects the broader transformation of Canada’s energy sector as the country establishes itself as a significant player in the global LNG market, leveraging its substantial natural gas resources and strategic Pacific Coast positioning to serve international customers.