Transco

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…
Read More “Construction Begins for Transco’s VA Southside Expansion Proj II”
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…
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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”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

Supporters Dominate 2nd FERC Hearing for Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline
June 15, 2016June 15, 2016

The silent pipeline-supporting majority became more vocal last night at a second hearing in as many days for the Williams Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline. Monday night’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) public hearing was a circus-like freak show, complete with one crazy wearing a cape like he’s Superman (see Lancaster Antis Try to Bully Pipeline Supporters, FERC Reps). In contrast, last night’s FERC hearing at Lebanon Valley College in Annville was dominated by solid, clear-thinking residents who support the pipeline and the benefits it will bring to the community. Oh there were a few crazies present, but nothing like the night before…
Read More “Supporters Dominate 2nd FERC Hearing for Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

It’s Time to Voice Your Support for the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline
June 2, 2016June 20, 2016

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline map – click for larger version

Now is the time to roar and let the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) know that you support the Williams Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project. Atlantic Sunrise is part of the Transco (Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation) system. It is a $2.1 billion project consisting of compression and looping of the Transco Leidy Line in Pennsylvania, along with a greenfield (brand new) pipeline segment of 178 miles, called the Central Penn Line, connecting the northeastern Marcellus producing region to the Transco mainline near Station 195 in southeastern Pennsylvania (see Atlantic Sunrise Will Pump $1.6B into Economy, Create 8K Jobs). We’ve written numerous stories about Atlantic Sunrise, and irrational opposition to it from places like Lebanon County, PA. Earlier this month FERC issued the Atlantic Sunrise project a positive Environmental Impact Statement (see Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Positive EIS from FERC). That’s a very good sign that the project is about to be approved and for construction to begin. But there’s one more hurdle. FERC will conduct a series of public hearings (that we refer to as freak shows for anti-fossil fuelers), along with receiving written public comment. The irrational antis have cranked up their (very few) supporters to flood FERC with negative comments. Atlantic Sunrise will create $1.6 BILLION in investments to build it–jobs, materials, local companies–everyone benefits! When complete, the pipeline will provide enough natural gas to heat and power 7 million homes. WE NEED THIS PIPELINE. It’s now time for those of us who support safe pipelines like Atlantic Sunrise to make our voices heard. Here’s three things you can do to show your support…
Read More “It’s Time to Voice Your Support for the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Pipes Stacked & Ready to Go in Lebanon, PA for Atlantic Sunrise
May 24, 2016May 24, 2016

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline map – click for larger version

Anti-drillers in Lebanon County, PA–virulently opposed to any new pipeline construction in the county–have their noses bent out of joint. Williams and their Transco pipeline have had the temerity to stack a bunch of pipe they intend to use when construction begins. This can’t stand!! It means (gasp) construction will soon begin. The pretend bubble these kooks live in has just been burst and they frankly don’t know how to handle it. They are “surprised and dismayed” by seeing the stacked pipes. It’s kind of amusing…
Read More “Pipes Stacked & Ready to Go in Lebanon, PA for Atlantic Sunrise”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | New York | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY | Transco | Williams

Williams Pre-Files with FERC to Expand Transco Pipeline in PA, NY
May 13, 2016March 28, 2017

Transco Northeast Supply Enhanacement Project map – click for larger version

Williams’ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company (Transco) has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for permission to begin the pre-filing process on a new project, called the Northeast Supply Enhancement project. 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. The Northeast Supply Enhancement project would build 10 miles of new pipeline in Lancaster County, PA (laid next to three existing pipelines, in the same corridor). It would also require 22 miles of new offshore pipeline located in New York Bay. A new compressor station would be built in Somerset County, NJ along with other upgrades, including an added compressor unit at a plant in Chester County, PA…
Read More “Williams Pre-Files with FERC to Expand Transco Pipeline in PA, NY”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

Williams Update for 8 Key Transco Pipeline Expansion Projects
April 15, 2016April 15, 2016

Last week MDN brought you the fantastic news that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) had approved Williams’ Transco Pipeline project called the Garden State Expansion–a pipeline project to connect gas that will come through the yet-to-be-built PennEast Pipeline to a yet-to-be-built pipeline in New Jersey called the Southern Reliability Link pipeline (see FERC Approves NJ Pipeline – More Marcellus Gas on the Way!). The Garden State Expansion is just one of eight major expansion projects for Transco–the nation’s largest interstate pipeline system running over 10,200 miles from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast. Yesterday Williams provided an update on all eight expansion projects planned for the mighty Transco–all of them tied directly or indirectly to moving Marcellus/Utica gas…
Read More “Williams Update for 8 Key Transco Pipeline Expansion Projects”