The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday, Aug. 23, edition that Enbridge is preparing to raise as much as $7-billion (U.S.) through a mix of debt and shares, according to a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that Canada's largest pipeline company said in the filing that it plans to use the money raised for general corporate purposes including reducing debt and financing capital spending, but it does not expect to spend the money on any specific project. Enbridge said it could raise the money over the next 25 months through a combination of debt securities, common shares and preference shares. Enbridge has been steadily expanding its North American pipeline network, which carries the bulk of Canadian crude oil exports to the U.S. Earlier this month, it acquired a minority interest in the Bakken Pipeline system through a joint venture, and also won the auction for an interest in EnBW's Hohe See, one of Europe's largest offshore wind power projects, according to an unnamed source familiar with the matter. In March, the company closed a $2.3-billion (U.S.) equity raise to pay off short-term debt.