Williams

Access Midstream Partners | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Williams

Deal Details for Williams/Access Midstream Merger – TTV of $50B!
October 27, 2014October 27, 2014

One of the biggest–perhaps THE biggest–midstream stories of 2014 is the buyout of Access Midstream by Williams (see Big News: Williams Partners Buying Access Midstream for $6B). Access Midstream, formerly Chesapeake Midstream, has a big footprint in the Marcellus/Utica region. Yesterday (Sunday night) Williams and Access issued a joint statement that the merger plan is now done. The deal outline is settled–and now it’s down to the lawyers and approvals from the government. They expect the completed merger/takeover by Williams to be done “by early 2015.” Yesterday’s announcement (below) gives the blow by blow of the negotiated deal. It also outlines the roles that Access’ corporate officers will play in the newly combined company. As MDN said initially, this deal has the makings of creating a worthy challenger to Kinder Morgan, the nation’s largest midstream company. We originally estimated the combined value of Williams and Access combined would be around $38 billion. According to the announcement yesterday, the “total transaction value” (TTV) of this deal will be ~$50 billion!…
Read More “Deal Details for Williams/Access Midstream Merger – TTV of $50B!”
Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Williams

Constitution Pipeline Gets FERC Final Environmental Approval
October 27, 2014October 27, 2014

A VERY key piece of the puzzle for building the 124-mile Constitution Pipeline from Susquehanna County, PA north all the way to Schoharie County, NY fell into place late last week. On Oct. 24, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued final environmental review of the proposed pipeline, being built by Williams (with major partner Cabot Oil & Gas, whose gas will flow through it). The final environmental impact statement (EIS) issued by FERC says the pipeline can be built with a minimum impact to the environment. What potential obstacles now remain? Very few. FERC will issue a final “Order” to authorize the pipeline and is expected to do so by Jan. 22, 2015. Game over for anti-drillers on this one. They lost…
Read More “Constitution Pipeline Gets FERC Final Environmental Approval”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Williams

DC Lawyer: PA Landowners Should Get Involved in Pipeline Process
October 20, 2014October 20, 2014

A surprisingly (mostly) fair and balanced article from anti-drilling PBS reporter (we’d call her an anti-drilling advocate) Marie Cusick with StateImpact Pennsylvania from last week on the topic of pipelines. The occasion was a good-sized meeting of 200 or so in Lancaster County, PA–folks who turned out to hear some out-of-town lawyers talk about how they can deal with the inevitable Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project proposed by Williams. The project will mean 177 miles of “greenfield” pipeline–pipeline that digs up completely new trenches across “virgin” land where there is no existing pipeline. Washington, DC attorney Carolyn Elefant was one of the speakers at the meeting and spoke to StateImpact following the meeting…
Read More “DC Lawyer: PA Landowners Should Get Involved in Pipeline Process”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | UGI Energy Services | Williams

Pavlovian Opposition Continues Against PennEast, Atlantic Sunrise
September 17, 2014September 17, 2014

Whenever a major new interstate pipeline is proposed, especially in the northeast where more such pipelines are desperately needed, anti-drillers jump up and begin protesting immediately. It’s like a knee-jerk reaction–a Pavlov’s dog experiment gone awry. They don’t even know why they oppose it–they just do. Can’t help themselves. And so earlier this week we have two anti-pipeline meetings–one in New Jersey against the PennEast Pipeline project, the other in Pennsylvania against the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project. Whenever these nuts gather their conversation turns to the shrill and irrational. Try this one on. The proposed PennEast Pipeline will “cut a wide ‘virgin’ path along the entire western edge of the county” in Hunterdon County, NJ, according to Sierra Clubers at an anti-pipeline meeting on Monday. Kind of conjures up rape, does it not? That’s just what they intend with their incendiary language…
Read More “Pavlovian Opposition Continues Against PennEast, Atlantic Sunrise”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

Yet Another Williams Transco Expansion: Western Marcellus Project
September 5, 2014September 5, 2014

Pipeline (infrastructure) projects keep getting announced fast and furiously–we can hardly keep up! Williams has announced yet another upgrade to their Transco Pipeline–this one called the Western Marcellus Pipeline Project. We get details about the new project from an open season announcement from Williams posted yesterday. The Transco is one of the country’s largest interstate natural gas pipelines–a 10,200-mile pipeline system that extends from South Texas to New York City. In February Williams announced an $2.1 billion expansion of the Transco to carry PA Marcellus gas to the Eastern seaboard, what they call the Atlantic Sunrise project (see Williams Plans $2.1B Transco Pipeline Expansion, 100% Sold Already). Last week we told you about another expansion of the Transco, called Diamond East, that will beef up capacity on the Transco from Lycoming and Luzerne counties in northeast PA all the way to Mercer County, NJ, a $500-$800 million project (see Williams to Expand Transco Pipeline Again, More Marcellus to NE). Yesterday Williams announced the Western Marcellus Pipeline project, a project that will give western PA Marcellus and eastern OH Utica producers a way to get their gas to markets in the southeast (Louisiana and Texas) and even to Florida…
Read More “Yet Another Williams Transco Expansion: Western Marcellus Project”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Otsego County | Pipelines | Williams

Cooperstown Refuses $20K Grant from Williams for Fire Equipment
September 2, 2014September 2, 2014

Back in March, MDN wrote an article highlighting the practice by Williams and their Constitution Pipeline of handing out grants to worthy causes and organizations, like fire departments, the Boy Scouts and local Chambers of Commerce. Anti-drillers typically call it payola, or greasing the skids to make those communities more accepting of the pipeline when it comes time to build it (see Constitution Pipeline Payments to Groups – Donations or Payola?). To be honest, we struggle with the issue ourselves. We think it’s great to make those payments–but we think it’s probably better to make the payments after the pipeline is fully approved and ready to be built (or already built). For us the issue is one of timing, not about the payments themselves. However, for the dunderheads in the Village of Cooperstown, NY (yes, where the Baseball Hall of Fame is located), officials there refuse to allow the local fire department to apply for a $20,000 matching grant with Williams to purchase new equipment–simply because they’re so opposed to anything to do with natural gas and fossil fuels…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

PA Gov Corbett Makes Political U-Turn on Pipeline Project
August 27, 2014August 27, 2014

Last week Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett waded into the thorny issue of whether or not the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) should approve the Williams Tranco pipeline expansion project. Dubbed the Atlantic Sunrise project, the $3 billion project which reaches far beyond just PA, would carry PA Marcellus Shale gas to the East Coast and to southern states (see Williams Open House Sheds more Light on Transco Atlantic Sunrise). Last week Corbett sent a letter to FERC asking the feds to look carefully at the Atlantic Sunrise expansion project because he’s hearing a lot of noise from voters about it. He also requested FERC to zoom out and look at the big picture–consider all of the proposed pipeline projects for PA and whether as a whole it makes sense–and not just look at each project individually…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

Williams to Expand Transco Pipeline Again, More Marcellus to NE
August 27, 2014August 27, 2014

There’s no doubt that Williams is a major midstream player in the Marcellus and Utica Shale. Williams is in the process of growing–massively–by purchasing Access Midstream (see Big News: Williams Partners Buying Access Midstream for $6B). Williams is also the owner of the Transcontinental (or Transco) pipeline, a 10,200-mile pipeline system, extending from South Texas to New York City. Williams wants to further expand the Transco with it’s Atlantic Sunrise project to bring Marcellus gas to the northeast and southern states (see Williams Plans $2.1B Transco Pipeline Expansion, 100% Sold Already). Yesterday Williams announced an open season (period of time when new customers can sign up) for yet a another expansion of the Transco, this time to bring more Marcellus Shale gas to places like New Jersey and New York City. This newest expansion is being called the Diamond East Project and Williams expects to pony up $500-$800 million to make it happen by 2018…
Read More “Williams to Expand Transco Pipeline Again, More Marcellus to NE”
Broome County | Chenango County | Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Delaware County | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Schoharie County | Susquehanna County | Williams

Final EIS for Constitution Pipeline Delayed Another 2 Months, Ugh
August 26, 2014August 26, 2014

The Constitution Pipeline, which MDN has covered for more than two years, is a $683 million Williams pipeline project with backing from Cabot Oil & Gas that will run from Cabot’s gas fields in Susquehanna County, PA all the way to Schoharie County, NY. It’s an important project for Cabot Oil & Gas since it will move an additional half billion cubic feet of natural gas per day for the company. A month ago MDN told you the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was due “any day” (see Constitution Pipeline Update from Cabot – Final EIS Due Any Day). The EIS was already delayed, and now we learn that it’s delayed yet again. According to top energy blogger and analyst Richard Zeits, the EIS for the Constitution is now delayed until the end of October–another two months…
Read More “Final EIS for Constitution Pipeline Delayed Another 2 Months, Ugh”
Columbia County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Luzerne County | Lycoming County | Monroe County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Transco | Williams

FERC Says “No Significant Impact” from Leidy Southeast Pipeline
August 13, 2014August 13, 2014

Williams is one very important step closer to beginning construction–this fall–on their Transco Leidy Southeast Expansion project. Last fall Williams filed an official application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for permission to proceed with the project, a $610 million project designed to increase the Transco pipeline’s capacity by 525,000 decatherms per day–enough natural gas to serve 2 million homes (see Williams Takes Next Step with Transco Leidy Pipeline Expansion). The expansion will pipe cheap, abundant NEPA Marcellus Shale gas to points from New York City to the southeastern U.S. The project includes construction of approximately 30 miles of additional pipe segments, called loops, in PA and NJ, in addition to modifying some existing compressor stations and valve sites. Earlier this week FERC reported the proposed changes would have “no significant impact” on the environment. What does that mean?…
Read More “FERC Says “No Significant Impact” from Leidy Southeast Pipeline”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Supply Chain | Transco | Williams

Lancaster, PA Business Adds Pipeline Manufacturing Facility
August 11, 2014August 11, 2014

Don’t tell the anti-drillers in Lancaster, PA (and nearby Lebanon, PA), but the prospect of a new pipeline coming through that area, along with increased drilling in the Marcellus, is helping to drive the expansion of a Lancaster business. Goodhart Sons Inc., an industrial fabricator in Lancaster announced last week the development of a new pipe fabrication facility at their Lancaster, PA headquarters. Anti-drillers have opposed the pipeline proposed by Williams called the Atlantic Sunrise Project (see Williams to Lay Pipeline in “Pristine” Lancaster County, PA). Now, the hated pipeline will help to drive economic expansion and new jobs at the 79 year-old Goodhart Sons manufacturing operation in Lancaster. Anti-drillers are on the horns of a dilemma!…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

Pipeline will Violate “Virgin” Land, Cross “Prized Farmland” (Gag)
August 5, 2014August 5, 2014

Did you know that if you build a natural gas pipeline through an area where previously there wasn’t a pipeline, it’s the equivalent to violating a virgin? And if the ground happens to be farm fields, the gas flowing through the pipeline would be “coursing” through that line (almost recklessly) and that farm fields are magically converted to be “most prized farmland”? Those are the pejorative adjectives and metaphors used by a liberal reporter for the Harrisburg Patriot-News as he introduces an article on the proposed Williams Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project that extends the Transco pipeline and reverses the flow of natural gas to bring Marcellus Shale gas from PA to markets in the northeast and south…
Read More “Pipeline will Violate “Virgin” Land, Cross “Prized Farmland” (Gag)”
Access Midstream Partners | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Williams

Williams 2Q14 Update: Selected Comments, Slides & Databook
August 1, 2014August 1, 2014

Williams, a major midstream company in the U.S. and one of two major midstream companies in the Marcellus/Utica region (MarkWest Energy being the other) released their second quarter 2014 update on Wednesday. Much of the update deals with the monster deal Williams is in the middle of with acquiring all of Access Midstream, the old Chesapeake Midstream (see Big News: Williams Partners Buying Access Midstream for $6B). We’ll link to the update below if you want to wade through it. However, we found the obligatory analyst call much more informative when it comes to Williams news about the Marcellus and Utica. We’ve scoured the transcript and pulled out those sections where Williams talks about their northeast operations. We’ve also embedded the slide presentation they used and a copy of their latest “databook” (now where did they get that name?!)…
Read More “Williams 2Q14 Update: Selected Comments, Slides & Databook”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Will Get Environmental Impact Statement
July 29, 2014July 29, 2014

Last week regulators at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) announced they will perform a full blown environmental impact statement (EIS) on Williams’ proposed $3 billion Atlantic Sunrise Expansion pipeline project that will expand the Transco pipeline in Pennsylvania in order to feed cheap, abundant Marcellus Shale gas into a pipeline running to southern states. MDN has a copy of the FERC “Notice of Intent” to conduct an EIS. As part of the review process, FERC will hold four public hearings throughout PA next week to get feedback on the project…
Read More “Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Will Get Environmental Impact Statement”
Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Susquehanna County | Williams

Cabot CEO Dinges Talks Marcellus, Midstream Challenges
July 25, 2014July 25, 2014

MDN brought you the Cabot Oil & Gas second quarter update today in a related post. The company released their update yesterday. They also held a call for analysts and investors in which CEO Dan Dinges talked pretty frankly about his frustrations with Williams over problems with pipelines in Susquehanna County, PA where Cabot has drilled all of their PA Marcellus wells–to date anyway. Seems that Williams had some difficulties during the harsh winter and those difficulties stretched into 2Q14 as well…
Read More “Cabot CEO Dinges Talks Marcellus, Midstream Challenges”
Coterra Energy (Cabot O&G) | Energy Companies | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Williams

Constitution Pipeline Update from Cabot – Final EIS Due Any Day
July 25, 2014July 25, 2014

The Constitution Pipeline, as MDN has covered numerous times before, is a 30-inch, 124-mile pipeline from Susquehanna County, PA to Schoharie County, NY to carry cheap, abundant Marcellus Shale gas to markets that include New York City and New England (see Vicariously Attend FERC Scoping Hearing on Constitution Pipeline). The $683 million project will be built by Williams, although Cabot is also a partner in the project. In fact, the pipeline will carry mostly Cabot natural gas–another half billion cubic feet of Cabot gas per day will flow through it. So it was no surprise that Cabot CEO Dan Dinges took time to mention the Constitution in an analyst call yesterday. Here’s what he said about timing for the project:
Read More “Constitution Pipeline Update from Cabot – Final EIS Due Any Day”