A new pipeline expansion project that will bring more cheap, abundant and wholesomely fracked Marcellus Shale gas to the Philadelphia, PA area was announced late last year by Spectra Energy–and somehow it escaped our notice! The Greater Philadelphia Expansion Project will not involve building any new greenfield pipeline but rather will expand (using larger diameter pipes and looping new pipes next to existing pipes) for the Texas Eastern pipeline that already serves the Philly area. Currently, the Texas Eastern pipeline delivers 550,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of natural gas into the greater Philadelphia region (roughly 550 million cubic feet per day). The expansion will add an additional 475,000 Dth/d (or 475 Mmcf/d)–nearly doubling capacity. The open season–the time when customers can officially sign contracts to reserve capacity–ended last Friday. No word yet on how that went. According to Spectra Energy, this is very early days yet in the life of this proposed project. Below we have more details about the project along with a map…
