Columbia Gas Transmission submitted applications to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last Friday to get approval for two pipeline upgrade projects to take advantage of the huge production coming from the Marcellus. In the case of one of the projects (Smithfield III Expansion), Columbia wants to reverse the flow of the pipeline and start sending gas from north to south. That includes replacing certain fittings and building a new compressor station in Washington County, PA. The other proposed new project (Line 1570) includes replacing 18.5 miles of pipeline in southwest PA and upgrading an existing compressor station.
