Transco

Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Final Approval by FERC
February 6, 2017February 9, 2017

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline map – click for larger version

Friday saw a flurry of activity at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)–the federal agency in charge of evaluating and authorizing interstate pipeline projects. Today is FERC-day on MDN, because there was so much news from Friday! Perhaps the most important news coming out of a list of approvals was FERC’s final blessing on Williams’ $3 billion Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project–a 198-mile pipeline project running through 10 Pennsylvania counties to connect Marcellus Shale natural gas from PA with the Williams’ Transco pipeline in southern Lancaster County. In addition to the pipeline, two new compressor stations will get built, and when the whole thing is done, an extra 1.7 billion cubic feet per day of northeast PA Marcellus Shale gas (from Cabot Oil & Gas and Seneca Resources) will flow south. On Friday, FERC issued a final certificate for the project, allowing Williams to build it. We can’t wait until Williams goes through and knocks down the magic tree house built by environmental wackos in an attempt to stop the project (see PA Antis Build 2nd Magic Tree House to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Pipe). That’ll make for some great headlines when it happens. However, Williams isn’t starting up the bulldozers just yet. Before they can begin, Williams still needs permits from the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, permits from PA & the Army Corps is perfunctory. It’s now over. The antis have lost and the good guys have finally scored a victory! Construction will begin on the main portion of the pipeline in mid-2017…
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CNG/LNG | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Speculation: Transco Sending M-U Gas to Louisiana LNG Terminal
January 25, 2017January 25, 2017

Over a year ago the mighty Transco turned bidirectional, sometimes sending gas northward from the Gulf (as it’s done for 50 years), and now, sometimes sending gas from the Marcellus/Utica southward, to the Gulf. Much more gas will head south once the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project gets built (see FERC Approves Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline! Cabot Grabs More Capacity). However, from various stories we’ve read, and from our speculation, we’ve assumed that at least some Marcellus/Utica gas now flows far enough south that perhaps some of it reaches the Cheniere Energy LNG export facility in Sabine Pass, Louisiana (see LNG Slowly Changing the NatGas Game in the Marcellus/Utica). Until now, the gas traveling from north to south has only made it as far as the Creole Trail pipeline and from there Creole Trail would conduct the gas to Cheniere’s LNG plant in Sabine Pass. But beginning yesterday Transco is now connected directly to the Sabine Pass facility. We have to confess this is speculation on our part, but we don’t think it’s much of a stretch to say that Marcellus/Utica gas is now flowing to Sabine Pass for export. And if our gas is not now flowing to Sabine Pass, it soon will be. Here’s our evidence…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Williams Transco Pipeline Breaks Flow Volume Record in January
January 19, 2017August 4, 2021

Transco Pipeline Map – click for larger version

The mighty Transco (Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co) is considered the crown jewel of pipeline systems (see Would Williams Sell Its “Crown Jewel” (Transco)? You Bet Your Shoes!). Transco is 10,200 miles long, running from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast. Williams, owner of Transco, is in the process of expanding the system in Pennsylvania with the Atlantic Sunrise project (see FERC Approves Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline! Cabot Grabs More Capacity). The expansion can’t happen soon enough. Earlier this month the mighty Transco hit a new record high of delivered natural gas. On Jan. 8, Transco delivered 13.7 million dekatherms…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Lancaster County Antis Ramp Up for “Nonviolent” Pipeline Protests
January 17, 2017January 17, 2017

North Dakota Access Pipeline’s “nonviolent” protesters – credit: LA Times

Last week MDN told you about the nutters from the radical group Lancaster Against Pipelines who built a second magic tree house in the path of the proposed Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline (see PA Antis Build 2nd Magic Tree House to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Pipe). As we pointed out then (and on previous occasions) this group is now aligning itself with, and taking its cues from, outside/paid protesters who engaged in criminal acts in North Dakota at the site of the Dakota Access Pipeline project (see Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters Turn Violent; Coming Here Next?). On Sunday, Lancaster Against Pipelines held yet another protest meeting–at the site of the new/second magic tree house. And guess who was there? “Organizers from at least three other states were in attendance to recruit and train people on nonviolent direct action. Some of them had taken part in the monthslong protest against an oil pipeline in North Dakota with the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.” Is that the same Dakota Access “protest” where they were firing bullets at police and throwing rocks at law enforcement? Tell us again about this so-called “nonviolent” protest you’re planning in Lancaster…
Read More “Lancaster County Antis Ramp Up for “Nonviolent” Pipeline Protests”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

PA Antis Build 2nd Magic Tree House to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Pipe
January 13, 2017January 13, 2017

Inspired by the criminal actions of eco-terrorists in North Dakota (see Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters Turn Violent; Coming Here Next?), anti-pipeline zealots in Lancaster County, PA figured they would give some of the tactics from the Dakotas a try here. So last October they constructed a shed on stilts along the proposed path of the forthcoming Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline (see Antis Build Magic Tree House to Block Atlantic Sunrise Pipe). The shed on stilts looks like a big tree house (without the tree), which makes sense as the protesters are the equivalent of seven year-old, petulant, spoiled rotten children. Why not give themselves a magic tree house to hang out in and talk about the glory days of protesting Vietnam…er…ah…pipelines? The nutters have a Holy Cause–stop the use of all carbon-releasing fossil fuels. So, if one magic tree house was good, two would be even better! The nuts have done it again, building a second shed on stilts/tree house in the path of the pipeline. The nutters admit it will take about 15 minutes to rip them down, when the time comes. What they really hope is that thousands of people will swarm to the location of the tree houses and recreate the lawlessness of North Dakota here…
Read More “PA Antis Build 2nd Magic Tree House to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Pipe”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

Williams Letter to FERC: Please Hurry Up Atlantic Sunrise Cert
January 10, 2017January 10, 2017

As MDN reported last week, on the last business day of 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a favorable final environmental impact statement (EIS) for one of the major pipeline projects in the Marcellus/Utica: the $3 billion Williams Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project (see FERC Approves Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline! Cabot Grabs More Capacity). What’s left to do now? FERC must issue the final certificate that allows the company to start the backhoes and begin construction. Williams (under the subsidiary name of the Transco pipeline), sent a letter to FERC on Jan. 5 requesting FERC to issue that certificate no later than Feb. 16. Why? To “begin preparations to finalize federal and state permits as well as plan for construction to comply with restrictive environmental windows, specifically tree clearing within key habitat areas and installation through certain water bodies.” Williams/Transco has a lot to do in a short period of time if they are to keep this project on track for a mid-2018 launch. If they get the final certificate by mid-February they can clear trees by the end of the month and get ready for initial construction this summer. Williams plans to have at least some of the pipeline project up and running by the end of this year! And the rest by summer of 2018. So the letter (full copy below) is a “pretty please, would you hurry it up” request…
Read More “Williams Letter to FERC: Please Hurry Up Atlantic Sunrise Cert”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Would Williams Sell Its “Crown Jewel” (Transco)? You Bet Your Shoes!
January 5, 2017January 5, 2017

To say that it was a roller coaster ride for Williams in 2016 doesn’t even come close to reality. The company received no less than two takeover/merger attempts. Energy Transfer Equity’s (ETE) billionaire CEO Kelsy Warren propositioned Williams for over six months before going public with his overtures last year (see Energy Transfer Makes “Indecent Proposal” to Buy Williams for $48B). Williams resisted, but eventually they caved and agreed to the deal, although the deal price went down by $10 billion (see Williams Accepts ETE’s “Indecent Proposal” – Price Went Down $10B). Warren claims he got snookered and got cold feet, eventually bailing (see Dead as a Doornail: ETE Terminates Merger with Williams). The ink on the flurry of lawsuits filed hadn’t even dried and Enterprise Products Partners, another huge midstream company, began making overtures to Williams (see Here We Go Again: Enterprise Products Wants to Buy Williams). A month later Enterprise released a statement saying they’re finished with Williams, throwing in the towel, no longer interested (see Drama: Enterprise Bails on Williams Merger, No Longer Interested). What’s going on with all of this drama? At its core, Williams owns a “trophy asset,” what some call the “crown jewel.” That asset? The mighty, 10,500-mile Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co (Transco). Everyone wants Transco in part because of its geography in the Marcellus/Utica. So far Williams has resisted selling either Transco or the entire Williams company. But CEO Alan Armstrong–perhaps the guy most responsible for building the Transco–said this response to a question asking whether or not the company would ever sell the Transco: “I bring an extra pair of shoes to the office every day, just in case somebody offers me enough for the pair I’m wearing.” Meaning yes, if the price is right, he would sell it…
Read More “Would Williams Sell Its “Crown Jewel” (Transco)? You Bet Your Shoes!”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Antis Build Magic Tree House to Block Atlantic Sunrise Pipe
October 24, 2016January 13, 2017

Inspired by the criminal actions of eco-terrorists in North Dakota (see Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters Turn Violent; Coming Here Next?), anti-pipeline zealots in Lancaster County, PA figured they would give some of the tactics from the Dakotas a try here. So they’ve constructed a shed on stilts right along the proposed path of the forthcoming Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline. The shed on stilts looks like a big tree house (without the tree), which makes sense as the protesters are the equivalent of seven year-old, petulant, spoiled children. Why not give themselves a magic tree house to hang out in and talk about the glory days of protesting Vietnam…er…ah…pipelines. The nutters have a Holy Cause–stop the use of all fossil fuels. This is the way they intend to enforce their dystopian vision on the rest of us, by illegal acts…
Read More “Antis Build Magic Tree House to Block Atlantic Sunrise Pipe”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Statewide VA | Transco | Virginia | Williams

Construction Begins for Transco’s VA Southside Expansion Proj II
October 6, 2016October 6, 2016

In June Dominion began building Virginia’s largest natural gas-fired electric plant in Greensville County (see Dominion Begins Building Virginia’s Biggest NatGas Power Station). The $1.3 billion state-of-the-art natural gas-fired electric generating station will generate 1,600 megawatts of electricity. Dominion’s own 550-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline (when built) will provide cheap, abundant, clean-burning Marcellus/Utica Shale gas to power it. However, the plant will get done before Dominion’s pipeline will, so how will they power it? Enter Williams’ Transco pipeline and the Virginia Southside Expansion Project II, which will add more capacity (and build a 4-mile pipeline) to provide abundant, clean-burning Marcellus/Utica Shale gas for the new plant. MDN told you in July that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) had approved the Southside Expansion Project II (see FERC Approves Transco Expansion Projects in NYC & Virginia). Now comes word that FERC has granted permission to Williams to begin moving earth around in Virginia as well as North and South Carolina as part of the project…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

Transco’s Northeast Expansion Project Advances, FERC Hearings in Sept
August 26, 2016March 28, 2017

Transco Northeast Supply Enhanacement Project map – click for larger version

In May Williams’ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company (Transco) pre-filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a project called the Northeast Supply Enhancement project (see Williams Pre-Files with FERC to Expand Transco Pipeline in PA, NY). The new project is meant to increase pipeline capacity and flows heading into northeastern markets. In particular, Transco wants to provide more natural gas to utility giant National Grid beginning with the 2019-2020 heating season. National Grid operates in New York City, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Also in May, Williams ran an open season to lock up commitments for the Northeast Supply Enhancement project (see Williams Announces Open Season for Northeast Supply Enhancement). The open season worked. National Grid committed to all 400,000 dekatherms of extra gas the project will provide. Currently FERC has its ears on–accepting comments about the project, both in writing and (in September) via four public hearings…
Read More “Transco’s Northeast Expansion Project Advances, FERC Hearings in Sept”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

Marcellus/Utica Gas Heading to Georgia via FERC-Approved Pipeline
August 5, 2016August 5, 2016

Transco Pipeline Simple map

In March 2015, Williams announced that its Transco pipeline subsidiary had filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for its Dalton Expansion Project, which will expand the Transco and flow more Marcellus Shale gas from New Jersey all the way to Mississippi, primarily for electric generation plants, but also for local natural gas distribution by utilities (see Williams Files with FERC to Expand Transco Pipeline from NJ to MS). Most of the Dalton’s project will be built in and benefit the State of Georgia–delivering natural gas to an existing electric generating facility in northern Georgia operated by Oglethorpe Power Corp., gas for local distribution company Atlanta Gas Light, and gas for the City of Cartersville. Transco has customers signed up under binding contracts for 100% of the Dalton Expansion Project, which will increase Transco’s capacity by 448,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas. We have fantastic news: FERC has approved the project! Construction begins now and the project will be fully online next year…
Read More “Marcellus/Utica Gas Heading to Georgia via FERC-Approved Pipeline”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lackawanna County | Lebanon County | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

PA Game Commission Cuts ROW Deal with Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline
July 21, 2016July 21, 2016

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline map – click for larger version

More progress for the Williams Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project. Atlantic Sunrise is a $3 billion, 198-mile project running through 10 Pennsylvania counties to connect Marcellus Shale natural gas from PA with the Williams’ Transco pipeline in southern Lancaster County. It is a much-needed pipeline to move more Marcellus gas south, to new markets. The progress is this: the Pennsylvania Game Commission has cut a right-of-way deal to allow the pipeline to traverse game lands in northern Lebanon County–including a crossing of the Appalachian Trail. But have no fear, Williams plans to drill under the Trail and not disturb the surface. In return for the right to cross a few acres of certain state-owned game lands in Lebanon County, the state is picking up a whopping 285 acres owned by Williams in Monroe and Lackawanna counties…
Read More “PA Game Commission Cuts ROW Deal with Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

Interior Dept Chides FERC re Atlantic Sunrise Pipe, Bogus Concerns
July 14, 2016July 14, 2016

The Obamadroids are once again ganging up on the semi-independent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Last week the Obama Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed comments with FERC critical of the Williams/Transco Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project (see Federal EPA Continues to Fuss over Atlantic Sunrise Route in PA). This week it’s the Obama Dept. of Interior (DOI). The DOI has filed comments with FERC saying Atlantic Sunrise maybe/may/might cause a 2.5 second eyesore for people paddling down the Susquehanna River–they might see a nice grassy knoll where the pipeline runs instead of overgrown, spindly, dying trees instead. Because it’s an official “historic” stretch of river that Captain John Smith may have once traveled, that apparently means not a single tree branch can ever be pruned along the river bank. What a load…
Read More “Interior Dept Chides FERC re Atlantic Sunrise Pipe, Bogus Concerns”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

Federal EPA Continues to Fuss over Atlantic Sunrise Route in PA
July 8, 2016July 8, 2016

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a lengthy comment with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) last week regarding the Williams Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project (full copy below). The EPA said, in a nutshell, that more studies should be done. The EPA said the pipeline could have “significant adverse environmental impacts.” They also said alternate routes should be considered. A few things to know about the EPA’s filing: First and foremost, the EPA is treated like any other individual or organization who files comments on a project with FERC. That is, the EPA’s comments will receive no special treatment or consideration. Second, the only value in EPA’s comments is publicity for anti-pipeline nutters. Third, the “alternate routes” the EPA professes to prefer have already been considered, thoroughly, and discarded by FERC. So this is a lot of smoke and noise and mirrors–and nothing else…
Read More “Federal EPA Continues to Fuss over Atlantic Sunrise Route in PA”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Like Interstate Highways of Yesteryear
June 20, 2016June 20, 2016

There are many reasons why the Williams Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project should and will get built. As we’ve covered over the past week or so, anti-fossil fuelers object because, well, because they irrationally hate fossil fuels. But this is not a new phenomenon. Back in the 50s and 60s when our nation built the Interstate highway system, we heard the very same arguments antis make today: the land will get carved up; our way of life will end; our peaceful existence is threatened; etc. We spotted an excellent “letter to the editor” that lays out the similarities of antis now and then…
Read More “Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Like Interstate Highways of Yesteryear”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

More Support for Atlantic Sunrise at FERC Hearings in PA
June 17, 2016June 17, 2016

Last night concluded a round of four public hearings held by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding approval for Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project. The first hearing, in Lancaster, PA, was largely a circus freak show of anti-drilling babblers (see Lancaster Antis Try to Bully Pipeline Supporters, FERC Reps). A session held in Lebanon County, PA was dominated by supporters of the pipeline (see Supporters Dominate 2nd FERC Hearing for Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline). Last night’s hearing, held in Dallas, PA (near Wilkes-Barre) also saw many supporters. One of the supporters who spoke in favor was MDN friend Kevin Lynn. MDN editor Jim Willis has appeared on Kevin’s weekend talk radio show a few times in the past (“The Shale Gas News,” heard every Saturday at 10 am on 94.3 FM in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area). Here’s how things went down last night in Dallas…
Read More “More Support for Atlantic Sunrise at FERC Hearings in PA”