Privately held, Houston-based Atmos Pipeline and Storage LLC is seeking non-binding bid proposals from interested parties in an open season of up to 3 MM dekatherms of firm, high-deliverability working storage capacity available in the first cavern of the Fort Necessity gas storage project near Dehli, La.

Delhi Gas Storage LLC, an affiliate of Houston-based Icon NGS LLC, is agent for the open season bid process.

The project’s in-service date is planned for Sept. 1, 2012. Delhi Gas plans to convert qualifying bids into binding precedent agreements with the successful bidder(s).

The project will be capable of receiving and injecting gas into storage at maximum rates of 75,000 dekatherms per day and delivering gas out of storage at maximum rates of up to 150,000 dekatherms per day.

The gas storage facility will access a critical point in the existing natural gas infrastructure that serves growing natural gas supplies from the Haynesville, Barnett and Fayetteville shales, the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Coast LNG facilities. The project provides access to multiple premium markets, including those located in the U.S. Midwest, Ohio Valley, Northeast and Southeast.

Initial interconnects include Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s 800 leg and Columbia Gulf’s mainline. Delhi will also consider interconnects to ANR Pipeline and the Regency Intrastate Winnsboro extension.

Atmos Pipeline received FERC certificate of public convenience and necessity for the project in June 2009.