Pipelines

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

Atlantic Sunrise Pipe Gets Water Permits from Army Corps, PA DEP
September 1, 2017September 1, 2017

The red lines show the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline expansion. The light blue lines are the existing Transco system.

Great news to report! Both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) and the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) have now issued federal Clean Water Act stream crossing permits for the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline–a $3 billion, 198-mile pipeline project running through 10 Pennsylvania counties to connect Marcellus Shale natural gas from northeastern PA with the Williams’ Transco pipeline in southern Lancaster County. In addition, portions of the project that don’t include laying new pipeline (the “brownfield” part of the project) running from Lancaster County, PA all the way to Choctaw County, Alabama go online today–reversing the mighty Transco and increasing its flow rate by 400 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d). One permit remains to be issued–an air permit–by the PA DEP. Williams expects to begin construction on the new pipeline (“greenfield” part) later this month…
Read More “Atlantic Sunrise Pipe Gets Water Permits from Army Corps, PA DEP”
Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH

Big Portion of Rover Pipeline Now Up & Running – Thru Most of Ohio
September 1, 2017September 7, 2017

Click for larger version of map

On August 18th, Energy Transfer sent a request to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to begin flowing gas through a large portion of the Rover Pipeline project–called Phase 1A of the project–by August 31st (see Rover Pipe Ready to Flow! Seeks FERC Permission for Aug 31 Start). We’re happy to report the gas is now flowing through the mighty Rover, from Cadiz, OH, to Defiance, OH, which is across most of the state. This is a major milestone and victory. According to Natural Gas Intelligence (see this story), analysts estimate Phase 1A will flow up to 211 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of natural gas. That’s 211 MMcf/d of Utica/Marcellus gas finding its way to new markets, which will no doubt have an impact on the price drillers get for their gas. When Phase 1B comes online later this year, that number zooms up to 1.35 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). Eventually, when the full 713-mile project is online in 2018, some 3.25 Bcf/d will flow through it. Here’s the great news announcement that the first leg of this vital project is now flowing our gas through it…
Read More “Big Portion of Rover Pipeline Now Up & Running – Thru Most of Ohio”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Dela. Riverkeeper Loses 2nd Court Case Against NEPA Pipeline
August 31, 2017August 31, 2017

Last week MDN brought you the news that THE Delaware Riverkeeper had lost a federal lawsuit against Kinder Morgan’s Orion Project to expand the Tennessee Gas Pipeline in northeast Pennsylvania (see Dela. Riverkeeper Loses Fed. Court Case Against NEPA Pipeline). Riverkeeper argued that both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the PA State Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) should not have issued Clean Water Act stream crossing permits for the project. Last week a federal court ruled that the U.S. Army Corps was well within its right to do so. This week the other shoe dropped. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third District ruled that the DEP was also within its right to issue a permit. In this case, two strikes and THE Delaware Riverkeeper is out. The project, which received full Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval in February of this year, remains on track to be built/online in June 2018…
Read More “Dela. Riverkeeper Loses 2nd Court Case Against NEPA Pipeline”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Williams

Sisters of the Corn Say Fight to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Not Over
August 31, 2017August 31, 2017

We don’t often highlight news from the Amazon-owned Washington Post, since much of its reporting is fake news (outright lies, many times), but this time we couldn’t resist. A Washington Post article published yesterday appears to contain at least some truth–about a group of Lancaster nuns. We’ve previously written about a group we call Sisters of the Corn. They stuck a few wooden park benches in the middle of a corn field that they own (leased to a local farmer), and called it a “chapel” so they can claim the planned Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline that will go through that field violates their so-called religious freedom. It’s a sham–backed by local radicals calling themselves Lancaster Against Pipelines. As we reported on Monday, a PA judge, in an eminent domain case, ruled against the Adorers of the Blood of Christ (see Lancaster Sisters of the Corn Lose Bid to Stop Atlantic Coast Pipe). However, the Sisters have also filed a frivolous federal lawsuit claiming religious freedom violation, which could still go in their favor, odds about 99 to 1 against (see Lancaster Nuns Sue FERC to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline). If all else fails, the radical antis that the Sisters have aligned themselves with are pledging to sit their rear-ends in the middle of the corn field and “pray” (who knows to whom?) in a bid to prevent construction of the pipeline through the field. That is, they will engage in an illegal activity requiring police involvement to remove them–which of course will create a media circus. The kicker: the Sisters operate a retirement community on the same property–heated by natural gas…
Read More “Sisters of the Corn Say Fight to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Not Over”
Empire Pipeline | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Pipelines | Statewide NY

NFG Tells Court Constitution Decision DNA to Northern Access Case
August 31, 2017August 31, 2017

Yet more drama and intrigue in National Fuel Gas Company’s (NFG) lawsuit against the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Three years ago NFG proposed and filed to build the Northern Access Pipeline project–a $455 million project includes building 97 miles of new pipeline along a power line corridor from northwestern Pennsylvania up to Erie County, NY. The project also calls for 3 miles of new pipeline further up, in Niagara County, along with a new compressor station in the Town of Pendleton. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted final approval for the project in February of this year (see NFG’s Northern Access Pipe in NY/PA Gets FERC Approval). However, in April of this year, the DEC ruled against granting the project stream crossing permits, effectively killing it, at least for now (see Cuomo’s Corrupt NY DEC Blocks NFG Northern Access Pipeline Permit). NFG sued the DEC in the Second Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals to overturn their denial (see NFG Sues NY DEC in Fed Court re Northern Access Pipe Rejection). A similar court case was filed by the Constitution Pipeline against the DEC with the 2nd Circuit. The court ruled against the Constitution and for the DEC on August 18 (see Court Rejects Constitution Pipe’s Case Against NY DEC; Now What?). Predictably, the office of NY’s corrupt Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, filed a letter with the 2nd Circuit (copy below) saying, in essence, the Constitution case is just like this one, so the court should rule the same way: against NFG and for the DEC. However, a few days after that, NFG’s attorneys filed their own letter (copy below) pointing out the fallacy in the previous letter. NFG says the Constitution is very narrow, and in fact ultimately supports the NFG case against the DEC…
Read More “NFG Tells Court Constitution Decision DNA to Northern Access Case”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines | Transco | Williams

FERC Fights NJ Town Effort to Decertify Garden State Expansion
August 31, 2017August 31, 2017

Two New Jersey towns have sued in federal court, seeking to overturn a decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to approve Williams’ Transco Garden State Expansion pipeline project. MDN brought you the happy news in April 2016 that three Obama-appointed FERC commissioners had approved the $116 million project (see FERC Approves NJ Pipeline – More Marcellus Gas on the Way!). The project was created to address supply disruptions following Superstorm Sandy in 2012. By upgrading compressor stations and adding a new meter station, the Garden State Expansion project will supply an extra 180 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of natural gas to “a new delivery point on Transco’s existing Trenton Woodbury Lateral pipeline” (see NGI’s Shale Daily). Two towns in Burlington County (Bordentown and Chesterfield) where some of the work would be done for Phase 2 of the project filed a lawsuit asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to overturn FERC’s previous decision to allow the project. FERC has just responded (copy below) arguing they carefully considered the project, crossing all “T”s and dotting all “I”s before they authorized the project. Phase 1 of the project will likely go online next week. Phase 2 is due to be online by next summer, provided the 3rd Circuit doesn’t screw it up…
Read More “FERC Fights NJ Town Effort to Decertify Garden State Expansion”
Accidents | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Dauphin County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Sunoco Logistics

Big Green Group Makes Big Deal Out of Tiny ME2 Mud Spill
August 31, 2017August 31, 2017

Will anti-fossil fuel Big Green groups succeed in turning a molehill into a mountain? That’s what they are attempting to do with the latest tiny spill (50 gallons) of drilling mud by Sunoco Logistics Partners in underground drilling work for the Mariner East 2 pipeline project in Dauphin County, PA. Over the past several months, Sunoco has experienced some “inadvertent returns” (i.e. leaks) of drilling mud at various locations. One of those was in Chester County, where a serious leak temporarily fouled a water aquifer and clouded drinking water for 15 local households (see Sunoco Stops ME2 Drilling in Chester County Following Water Issue). Sunoco took extraordinary steps to make it right, going so far as to pay to run municipal water to affected homeowners. Earlier this month Sunoco struck a deal with several Big Green groups to provide stricter regulation for ME2’s underground drilling (see Sunoco Strikes Deal with Devil, “Settles” with Anti Groups re ME2). Part of the deal says if Sunoco experiences two leaks of drilling mud at the same location, they must shut down drilling in that location and wait for the state Dept. of Environmental Protection to further review drilling plans before they can restart. On August 24th there was a 50-gallon drilling mud spill into the Susquehanna River in Dauphin County related to ME2. (A quick reminder: drilling mud, or “bentonite,” is non-toxic–the same stuff found in toothpaste and kitty litter). Thing is, there was another spill of 495 gallons at the same location a week earlier. Antis say Sunoco must now shut down drilling in that spot until further notice. Sunoco is saying that particular location was not part of the signed agreement…
Read More “Big Green Group Makes Big Deal Out of Tiny ME2 Mud Spill”
Energy Services | EnLink Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Processing Plants | Statewide OH | Statewide WV | Trucking | West Virginia

Midstreamer E2 Energy Gets Major Investment from Tailwater Capital
August 30, 2017August 30, 2017

E2 Energy Services, which operates numerous natural gas processing facilities in the Marcellus/Utica, has just recapitalized “through an equity commitment from Tailwater Capital.” MDN first heard of E2 back in October 2014 when EnLink Midstream transferred ownership (“dropped down”) its investment in E2 Appalachian Compression, LLC and E2 Energy Services, LLC from one EnLink corporate entity to another (see EnLink Midstream’s Primary Focus in the Marcellus/Utica is…). EnLink, at least in 2014, owned a majority interest in E2–so we consider E2 a subsidiary of EnLink. Now comes word that a private equity investment company, Tailwater Capital, has committed a big slug of money, although we are not given the amount. When a company like E2 “recapitalizes” that typically means the company is swapping debt (bonds and notes) for equity (stocks). The announcement from E2 does not share the exact nature of the recapitalization. Below is the announcement, along with a list of E2’s assets and operations in the Marcellus/Utica region…
Read More “Midstreamer E2 Energy Gets Major Investment from Tailwater Capital”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Medina County | NEXUS Pipeline | Ohio | Pipelines | Statewide OH

Antis Continue to Fight Inevitable NEXUS Pipe, Change Strategies
August 30, 2017August 30, 2017

Anti fossil fuelers committed to stopping (NOT rerouting) the newly approved NEXUS Pipeline in Ohio continue to pin their hopes on a meritless lawsuit against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (see CORNballs Strike Again, File Lawsuit to Stop NEXUS Pipeline). However, just in case that doesn’t work (which of course it won’t), members of the Coalition to Reroute NEXUS (or CORN, folks we call CORNballs), have two more strategies up their sleeve which they hope will work. The first is to convince the Ohio EPA to deny a federal stream crossing permit for the project. That tactic worked in Communist New York State, so they hope maybe it will work in Ohio. Second, if all else fails, a couple of CORN members are running for the local town board in the districts where they live (in Media County). No doubt they plan to make mischief at the town board level, perhaps by introducing/passing illegal zoning ordinances to try and slow down or stop NEXUS…
Read More “Antis Continue to Fight Inevitable NEXUS Pipe, Change Strategies”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Transco | Williams

Williams Atlantic Sunrise Project to Begin Partial Service on Sept 1
August 29, 2017August 29, 2017

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline – click for larger version

An important piece of Williams’ $3 billion Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project, meant to flow Marcellus gas to new markets in the Mid-Atlantic and southeast, is about to go online in the next few days. You read that right. Most of the coverage here on MDN with respect to the Atlantic Sunrise project has been about the most controversial part of the project–183 miles of new “greenfield” (brand new) pipeline construction that will happen in Pennsylvania–a project referred to as the Central Penn Line. Small groups of antis in places like Lebanon and Lancaster counties have vigorously opposed the new pipeline portion of the project in their communities. However, upgrades to several compressor stations and fixes to the existing Transco pipeline as it runs through states like Maryland and Virginia are also needed in order to make Transco bi-directional–able to continue flowing gas from the Gulf to the northeast, but now, also able to reverse and flow gas from the Marcellus/Utica in the other direction. Although the greenfield portion of the project has not yet begun (should in the next few weeks), the “brownfield” or tweaks to the existing pipeline/compressor stations has been underway, since February, and is now ready. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has just granted Williams permission to bring the new tweaks online, which will allow Transco to reverse and flow an extra 400 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of natural gas from Lancaster County, PA all the way to Choctaw County, Alabama…
Read More “Williams Atlantic Sunrise Project to Begin Partial Service on Sept 1”
Broome County | CNG/LNG | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | NG Advantage | Pipelines

Judge Rules Against Broome Virtual Pipe, NG Advantage to Try Again
August 29, 2017August 29, 2017

A Broome County, NY judge ruled yesterday that the Town of Fenton Planning Board did not take a hard enough look at environmental and traffic issues related to their approval of NG Advantage’s plan to construct a facility in the town to compress and load natural gas onto tractor trailers for delivery to regional customers who desperately need the gas–what is called a “virtual pipeline.” MDN has chronicled the project from the beginning (see our NG Advantage stories here). Yesterday’s ruling was not an indictment of the project itself by the judge–only the way in which it was approved by the local town planning board. The judge left the door open for the town to re-do it’s approval process–this time including a full environmental impact study and an aquifer study. NG’s CEO Rico Biasetti said that while he is disappointed, the company remains committed to building the facility at the Fenton location and will work with Fenton to try again…
Read More “Judge Rules Against Broome Virtual Pipe, NG Advantage to Try Again”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Statewide VA | Virginia

CIA Veteran Says Russia Funneling Money to Va. Anti-Pipe Groups
August 29, 2017August 29, 2017

An extensive expose appearing on The Daily Signal blows the doors off collusion and money funneling from Russia to several Big Green groups using that money to oppose pipeline projects, including opposition to the Mountain Valley Pipeline and Atlantic Coast Pipeline projects here in the Marcellus/Utica region. A 29-year CIA veteran does a masterful job of connecting the dots between the Kremlin and so-called environmental groups that are using Russian money to oppose these American, much-needed pipeline projects. Group allegedly receiving Russian money include Virginia Organizing, Preserve Montgomery County and Friends of Nelson County in Virginia. Nationally, groups on the take with Russian money include the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. Are they committing treason? We report, you decide…
Read More “CIA Veteran Says Russia Funneling Money to Va. Anti-Pipe Groups”
Empire Pipeline | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY

NFG Asks FERC for Speedy Re-hearing to Bypass NY DEC re Pipeline
August 29, 2017August 31, 2017

There’s been an interesting twist in the saga of National Fuel Gas Company’s (NFG) Northern Access Pipeline project. The $455 million project includes building 97 miles of new pipeline along a power line corridor from northwestern Pennsylvania up to Erie County, NY. The project also calls for 3 miles of new pipeline further up, in Niagara County, along with a new compressor station in the Town of Pendleton. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted final approval for the project in February of this year (see NFG’s Northern Access Pipe in NY/PA Gets FERC Approval). Shortly after, NFG filed a request with FERC (in March) to bypass the New York Cuomo-corrupted Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) because the DEC was dragging its feet on a decision to grant stream crossing permits for the project (see Gutsy: NFG Asks FERC to Cut NY DEC Out of Pipeline Approval). Needless to say, the DEC didn’t like it. In April of this year, the DEC ruled against granting the project stream crossing permits, effectively killing it, at least for now (see Cuomo’s Corrupt NY DEC Blocks NFG Northern Access Pipeline Permit). After DEC’s denial, NFG sued the DEC in the Second Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals to overturn their denial (see NFG Sues NY DEC in Fed Court re Northern Access Pipe Rejection). OK, now is where it gets interesting. A similar court case was filed by the Constitution Pipeline against the DEC with the 2nd Circuit. The court ruled against the Constitution and for the DEC on August 18 (see Court Rejects Constitution Pipe’s Case Against NY DEC; Now What?). We’re sure NFG can see the writing on the wall for their lawsuit. So NFG has gone back to FERC and their request filed back in March that FERC bypass the DEC and go ahead and grant permission anyway. NFG made a motion for an “expedited request” by FERC last week. What if FERC agrees and overrules the DEC? And what if they don’t?…
Read More “NFG Asks FERC for Speedy Re-hearing to Bypass NY DEC re Pipeline”
Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | North Carolina | Pipelines | Statewide VA | Virginia

Atlantic Coast Pipeline to Give “Pollinator” Insects a Boost
August 29, 2017August 29, 2017

Dominion Energy’s $5 billion, 594-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP)–a natural gas pipeline that will stretch from West Virginia through Virginia and into North Carolina, will help butterflies, bees and other “pollinator” insects along the pipeline’s route. Last week Dominion announced an initiative to establish new habitats for pollinator insects. The plan will use 750 acres along roughly 50 miles of the proposed route in Virginia and North Carolina. It’ll be fun to see how so-called environmentalists will find fault with helping the environment…
Read More “Atlantic Coast Pipeline to Give “Pollinator” Insects a Boost”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | NEXUS Pipeline | Ohio | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide OH

New FERC Quorum Votes Final Approval for NEXUS Pipeline
August 28, 2017August 28, 2017

Two new members added to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by President Trump (Neil Chatterjee and Rob Powelson), added to the Obama-appointed member (Cheryl LaFleur) have not wasted any time in authorizing their first major pipeline project as a group. Last week the trio voted to approve the first major pipeline project since a quorum has been reestablished–NEXUS, a $2 billion, 255-mile interstate pipeline that will run from Ohio through Michigan and eventually to the Dawn Hub in Ontario, Canada. On August 4th, NEXUS, which is a jointly owned project between DTE Energy and Spectra Energy (now part of Enbridge), sent a letter to the new FERC quorum urging fast action (see NEXUS Pipeline to FERC: Please Approve Project – NOW). Perhaps the letter did the trick. On Friday, August 25th, the three issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity (full copy below) allowing the project to move forward. Because of the delay when FERC was without a quorum, NEXUS says the pipeline will now evaluate and supply a new construction schedule, but they do plan to have the pipeline up and running sometime in 2018…
Read More “New FERC Quorum Votes Final Approval for NEXUS Pipeline”
Accidents | Athens County | Enbridge | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Spectra Energy

Tetco Pipe Drilling in Athens, OH Hits Gas Pocket, Catches Fire
August 28, 2017August 28, 2017

Click for larger version of map

As part of drilling underground (directional horizontal drilling, or HDD), Enbridge hit a pocket of natural gas in Athens County, OH about 400 below the surface. The gas leaked out and caught fire last Wednesday, partially burning the drilling rig. Fortunately the rig operators have the presence of mind to evacuate quickly and no one was hurt. The fire closed a section of Route 681 southeast of Albany, OH until Friday afternoon. According to press reports, the work being done is for the Texas Eastern Transmission pipeline (Tetco). This next bit is our own conjecture (we are not 100% sure), but we think we know which Tetco-related project Enbridge was working on. A year ago, in August 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved three Spectra Energy pipeline projects all part of the same package to flow more Marcellus/Utica gas to the South (see FERC Approves 3 Spectra Energy Pipe Projects in Marcellus/Utica). The three projects, which together will add an additional 662 million cubic feet (MMcf/d) of capacity along Tetco, are Access South, Adair Southwest and Lebanon Express. We believe the work being done was for this trio of projects. Given the location of the fire (Athens County), it was likely the Adair Southwest project (see the project map). The Enbridge website lists Range Resources as the shipper that reserved capacity along the Adair Southwest portion of the upgraded Tetco (200 MMcf/d of capacity). Below is the news would could find regarding the fire…
Read More “Tetco Pipe Drilling in Athens, OH Hits Gas Pocket, Catches Fire”