Pipelines

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    NJ DEP Temporarily Rejects PennEast Request for Wetland Permits

    The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has temporarily rejected PennEast Pipeline’s Freshwater Wetlands Individual Permit and Water Quality Certificate application, submitted April 6. NJDEP said in their response that PennEast has not provided enough detail about the project–leaving out key pieces of information for two-thirds of the pipeline’s 37-mile trek through NJ. NJDEP says they want the application refiled within 30 days, and if PennEast doesn’t give them what they want within 60 days, the DEP will consider the application “withdrawn.” The news from NJ comes on the heels of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also telling PennEast they need more information too. Radicalized antis are rejoicing and their mouthpieces in mainstream media are painting this as a grim development for PennEast–perhaps the death rattle has begun. PennEast, on the other hand, is treating the news as a minor bump in the road–the application has just a “few outstanding items” that PennEast needs to track down and provide to the DEP, and then all will be just fine. We suppose the next 30-60 days will tell the tale…
    Read More “NJ DEP Temporarily Rejects PennEast Request for Wetland Permits”

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    Rover Pipeline Paying $2.3M for Knocking Down Historic OH House

    On Feb. 3, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave its final approval to Energy Transfer’s Rover Pipeline project–a $3.7 billion, 711-mile Marcellus/Utica natural gas pipeline that will run from PA, WV and eastern OH through OH into Michigan and eventually into Canada (see ET Rover Pipeline Gets Final Approval by FERC). Normally when FERC approves such a project, they issue a “blanket certificate” that allows the pipeline company to move forward with construction without getting “Mother May I?” permission for every step along the way. But FERC denied ET a blanket certificate for Rover. Why? Because Rover demolished a house that was under consideration for a national registry of historic homes, without first telling FERC (see Rover Pipeline in Hot Water Over Demolishing Historic House in OH). In May 2015, Rover purchased a house in Carroll County, OH, located near where the pipeline, and a compressor station for that pipeline, is due to run. Rover bought the house to use for offices for several Rover affiliate companies. After buying it, Rover determined the house was “ill-suited for its intended purpose” and decided to demolish it. Problem was/is, that house was under consideration to be added to the National Register of Historic Places. The house was not yet on the list of Historic Places, but was on a list of properties under consideration. FERC says Rover should have reported their decision to demolish the house, which has Rover in hot water with FERC and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. That’s the last we had heard about the “historic” house–until we spotted an article that makes reference to a deal Rover agreed to, to pay out $2.3 million “to a fund administered by the Ohio History Connection Foundation and the State Historic Preservation Office. A total of $1 million is for preservation work in the 18 counties crossed by the pipeline. The rest of the money will be used for projects across the state.” So Rover didn’t pay a fine. Instead, they paid hush money. A shakedown, with money going to a PRIVATE nonprofit organization…
    Read More “Rover Pipeline Paying $2.3M for Knocking Down Historic OH House”

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    Michigan AG Schuette Wishy-Washy on Support of NEXUS Pipeline

    Bill Schuette

    NOTE: MDN corrected the story below. In a previous version we had confused Rover with NEXUS. We regret the mistake. However, the gist of our story was/is correct–that Schuette appears to support NEXUS, but has also filed comments against it with the MPSC.

    Last fall MDN speculated Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette’s (Republican) keynote speech at the Michigan Oil and Gas Association’s Annual Meeting was likely an effort to repair the damage he had done to his reputation in aggressively attempting to shake down Chesapeake Energy over supposed lease collusion (see Michigan Succeeds in Shaking Down Chesapeake for Measly $25M). During his speech, Schuette gave his full support to the NEXUS Pipeline project (see Michigan AG Lends His Full Support to NEXUS Pipeline). Yet Schuette is also on record opposing a key request needed by one of the partners to build the pipeline. One of the partners in NEXUS is DTE Energy. DTE’s electric customers will benefit from NEXUS (cheaper natural gas to power electric plants, giving them cheaper electricity), so DTE Electric will charge those customers a small fee in their electric bill to help build the project. Schuette, at the prompting of Michigan Environmental Council and the Sierra Club, filed a brief with the Michigan Public Service Commission opposing DTE Electric’s plan to begin assessing the charge this year, in 2017. Why? Schuette says with the delays at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) due to lack of a quorum, there’s no way NEXUS will go online this year. NEXUS disagrees and maintains it will be online by November. So essentially Schuette took a swipe at NEXUS, after he had lauded them last fall. And what caused us to investigate and write about all of this is because two days ago MDN (and presumably other media outlets) got a brief statement from Schuette’s office, once again praising and expressing support for the project, admitting it “will be moving forward.” Whaaaat? He loves it, then he sides with antis against at it, then he loves it again. What’s going on?…
    Read More “Michigan AG Schuette Wishy-Washy on Support of NEXUS Pipeline”

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    23 Drillers Sign Up to Complete Against M-U via TransCanada Pipe

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    TransCanada, one of Canada’s leading midstream/pipeline companies, cooked up a deal last year to pipe natural gas from Canada’s West Coast to the East Coast in order to fend off cheap supplies of Marcellus/Utica gas that will flow into Canada when/if the NEXUS and Rover pipelines get built (see TransCanada Pipe Drops Price 42% to Compete with Marcellus/Utica). TransCanada dropped their pipeline price to lure drillers by (theoretically) making it less expensive to get gas from Western Canada, some 2,400 miles away, than from the Marcellus, just 400 miles away. In October, TransCanada launched an open season to lock up customers for the new, lower-priced option. The open season was a bust because TransCanada insists on a 10-year commitment (see TransCanada Plan to Lowball M-U Gas Using Canada Pipeline a Bust). TransCanada rejiggered the terms being offered and reopened the open season. This time it worked (see TransCanada Says Plan to Lowball M-U Gas Worked, Shippers Sign Up). Thanks to a filing TransCanada has made with the Canadian National Energy Board (NEB), we now know who has signed up to use the lowball service from Canada’s West Coast to Ontario. Some 23 Canadian drillers, with some big names in the list, are waiting to use the service. TransCanada is begging/pleading/cajoling the NEB to issue a final approval–so TransCanada and these drillers can preemtively strike a blow at the cheap natgas that will come to the Dawn Hub in Ontario once Rover and NEXUS are built. Below is the list of 23 that plant to go head to head with cheap M-U gas…
    Read More “23 Drillers Sign Up to Complete Against M-U via TransCanada Pipe”

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    Anti-Govt Radicals Begin 24/7 Tree Sit in PA to Block ME2 Pipe

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    A group of radical (we’d call them criminal) environmentalists–some of the same ones who broke the law in North Dakota while “protesting” the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL)–are now trying to replicate the DAPL “protest” (i.e. illegal action) against Sunoco Logistics’ Mariner East 2 pipeline in Pennsylvania. The radical group Earth First! recently issued a “call to action”–their version of ringing the dinner bell for hungry dogs to come running from all other the country (even from other countries). The “call to action” invites hippies and hippie wannabes (those who can put down their bongs for five minutes) to come to Huntingdon County, PA–to Camp White Pine–to stretch wires and ropes from tree to tree and sit, suspended, to prevent crews from clearing trees in the path of the pipeline. According to Mob Rule Now! (aka Democracy Now!), the nutters have now “launched ongoing 24-hour tree-sits” to stop Mariner East 2…
    Read More “Anti-Govt Radicals Begin 24/7 Tree Sit in PA to Block ME2 Pipe”

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    PR Campaign Gets Atlantic Sunrise Pipe to Change Course in PA

    Nesbitt Memorial Hospital – click for larger version

    If you’re a landowner and want to dissuade a pipeline, like, say, the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline, from crossing your property–what can you do? It helps if your property belongs to one of the local dynasties (i.e. BIG money) and if you can hire high-priced lawyers and issue a blizzard of press releases via Business Wire at $500 a pop. Apparently that’s what it takes to convince a pipeline company to change its course. At least, that’s the lesson we take away from Geraldine Nesbitt, landowner of The Nesbitt Parcel in Dallas Township (Luzerne County, near Wilkes-Barre), PA. Nesbitt has been 100% against the Atlantic Sunrise project since learning its proposed route would cross her big-monied estate. Nesbitt’s heir, Abram Nesbitt, once built a hospital in Kingston, PA that reminds of Downton Abbey (see the picture). Atlantic Sunrise is 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 February the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave its final seal of approval for the project (see Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Final Approval by FERC). After FERC’s approval, Ms. Nesbitt’s lawyers began an aggressive publicity campaign to try and convince FERC to stop the project. Last week Williams (builder of Atlantic Sunrise) filed a request with FERC to adopt an alternative route around the Nesbitt estate–and all of a sudden Ms. Nesbitt “has never been opposed to natural gas pipelines.” What disgusting hypocrisy. If Joe Farmer wants the pipeline rerouted around his prized hay field–good luck with that. But if an old-line establishment family with BIG MONEY like the Nesbitts wants a reroute, they get it. We don’t like it…
    Read More “PR Campaign Gets Atlantic Sunrise Pipe to Change Course in PA”

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    New 3.5 Mile Pipeline Project to Drill Under the Potomac River

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    Columbia Pipeline, now owned by TransCanada, recently (in March) filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to build a 3.5 mile, 8-inch pipeline that will carry natural gas from Pennsylvania to connect the Mountaineer Gas system in West Virginia with the Columbia Gas Pipeline in Pennsylvania. The purpose of the Eastern Panhandle Expansion project is to deliver natural gas via local distribution channels to a new industrial facility in Berkeley County, WV (scheduled to open in Fall 2017), and to provide gas to other local businesses and residents in the Tri-State area. Most of the pipeline crosses through a tiny sliver of Washington County, Maryland. The main issue with the project is that the pipeline will be drilled underneath the Potomac River, which serves as the border between WV and MD. That has antis in an uproar. The good news is that FERC has agreed to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) for the project. That is, this is now a real project with a high degree of likelihood it will get built…
    Read More “New 3.5 Mile Pipeline Project to Drill Under the Potomac River”

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    NY Landowner Group Asks Pres. Trump for Help Battling Gov. Cuomo

    The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York (JLCNY), a group representing over 70,000 landowners with a collective 1 million acres of land that could be leased for oil and gas drilling, only if, has just sent off a letter to President Trump asking for his help. The JLCNY, via the letter, alerts Trump to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s shenanigans in blocking natural gas pipelines. The letter also asks Trump to support legislation we’ve previously highlighted by Congressman Tom Reed to protect landowners in New York (and other states) from government actions that block oil and gas development (see JLCNY Rally in NY to Support Defense of Property Rights Bill). Here’s what the JLCNY sent along to The Donald…
    Read More “NY Landowner Group Asks Pres. Trump for Help Battling Gov. Cuomo”

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    NFG Sues NY DEC in Fed Court re Northern Access Pipe Rejection

    Earlier this month MDN brought you the sad (and angering) news that once again Gov. Andrew Cuomo has caved to political pressure from environmental Nazis and instructed the now-corrupted Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to deny stream crossing permits for National Fuel Gas Company’s (NFG) Northern Access Pipeline project (see Cuomo’s Corrupt NY DEC Blocks NFG Northern Access Pipeline Permit). A few days later, NFG issued a statement to say their proposed pipeline project would have FAR LESS impact on the environment “than either exploding an entire bridge structure and dropping it into Cattaraugus Creek (Route 219) or developing and continuously operating a massive construction zone in the middle of the Hudson River (Tappan Zee Bridge) for a minimum of five years” (see NFG Calls Cuomo DEC Denial of Northern Access Pipe “Troubling”). Both of those projects were reviewed and approved by Cuomo’s DEC, yet the DEC rejected a benign pipeline project. At the time we said this: “While there is no mention of a lawsuit against the DEC, you can bet your bottom dollar such a suit is coming.” Once again, we were right. Last Friday NFG sued the DEC in federal court, asking the court to review the DEC’s action in rejecting permits for the federally-approved project…
    Read More “NFG Sues NY DEC in Fed Court re Northern Access Pipe Rejection”

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    TGP’s Extraordinary Security to Build 2-Mile Pipeline in Mass.

    In March 2016–more than a year ago–the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s (TGP) $86 million Connecticut Expansion project (see FERC Approves TGP Connecticut Expansion Pipeline Project). The project includes building 13.42 miles of new pipeline loops in three states: Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. When completed, the new looping will serve an additional 72,100 dekatherms of (mostly) Marcellus Shale gas to three utility companies in Connecticut. A pretty low-key project overall with just 13.42 miles of new pipeline. But anti-fossil fuel kooks object to very square inch of new pipelines–no matter where they are constructed. (Perhaps if pipelines flowed marijuana instead of fossil fuels, they’d feel differently about them? But we digress.) The State of Massachusetts did its best to block construction there, but eventually lost and was forced to grant an easement for a lousy 2 miles of pipeline. And now, more than a year after getting a green light from FERC, TGP is finally beginning construction. The security they must maintain to construct a lousy 2-mile pipeline is, in a word, extraordinary…
    Read More “TGP’s Extraordinary Security to Build 2-Mile Pipeline in Mass.”

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    Report: Blocking Pipelines in Northeast an Economic Disaster

    Last year the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, via their Institute for 21st Century Energy intiative, launched a “What If…?” series to counter the radical “keep it in the ground” movement–a movement that irrationally hates the use of fossil fuels. In August 2016, the Chamber released their first such report, titled “What If…Energy Production was Banned on Federal Lands and Waters?” (see Chamber Report Details Why ‘Keep it in the Ground’ a Disaster). In September 2016, the Chamber released their second report (see Report: What If America’s Energy Renaissance Never Happened?). In October 2016, they released the third report (see Report: What If the U.S. was Forced to Pay EU Energy Prices?). And in November 2016, just prior to election day, the Chamber released the fourth report, titled “What If…Hydraulic Fracturing Was Banned?” (see Report: What if Fracking was Banned, as Hillary Wants?). The Chamber is back with a fifth report, titled “What if…Pipelines Aren’t Built Into The Northeast?” (full copy below). Like the Chamber’s other reports, it offers sobering details about what’s coming with a lack of pipeline construction. In the states examined–New England plus New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia–the report finds that lack of additional pipeline infrastructure would cost over 78,000 jobs and $7.6 billion in GDP by 2020. New York State alone would see $1.6 billion less in state GDP, and the loss of 17,400 jobs. Scary stuff…
    Read More “Report: Blocking Pipelines in Northeast an Economic Disaster”

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    Dela. Riverkeeper Protects Wm. Penn Foundation’s Tax Exemption

    MDN friend Tom Shepstone has long pointed out the incestuous connection between THE Delaware Riverkeeper and the William Penn Foundation. William Penn is a nonprofit that, according to its nonprofit charter, cannot use its considerable wealth to engage in political activities. So like an organized crime ring, William Penn uses Riverkeeper as the front organization to do its dirty work–investing millions in the Riverkeeper to carry out its (William Penn’s) radical environmental agenda. All at an arm’s length–to protect William Penn’s tax exempt status (hello IRS and PA Attorney General’s office, are you reading this?). It is a thinly-veiled shell game of money changing hands. The William Penn/Riverkeeper shell game is exposed in a recent article in the Washington Examiner…
    Read More “Dela. Riverkeeper Protects Wm. Penn Foundation’s Tax Exemption”

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    Dear President Trump: FERC Needs a Quorum. NOW.

    We reported back in February that a group of far-left House of Representatives Democrats sent a letter to President Trump imploring him to appoint new members to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (see Anti-Drilling Democrats Ask Pres. Trump to Fill Up FERC). Then in March, a group of lefty Senate Dems did the same thing (see Senate Democrats Send Letter to Trump Requesting New FERC Members). FERC is the agency that, among other things, reviews and approves interstate oil and gas pipeline projects. The agency has been without a quorum since Feb. 3, when Norman “cry baby” Bay quit in a huff (see FERC Commissioner Resigns Threatening Major M-U Pipeline Projects). So why would those who hate FERC want it staffed up and humming along? Because without a quorum, FERC can’t hear requests for re-hearing. In Democrat-land, you want to get to a liberal judge as quickly as possible to stop a pipeline project. Dems can’t litigate until FERC denies a request for re-hearing a decision to green light a pipeline project. Without a quorum, previous decisions stand and pipelines are getting built–a five alarm emergency is radical enviro-land. So they’re trying to pressure Trump to appoint at least one more commissioner, stat. But the antis aren’t the only ones. Now those on the pro-drilling, pro-pipeline side of the isle are joining the chorus and attempting to “encourage” (pressure, cajole, goose) President Trump into getting more commissioners appointed asap. The Natural Gas Supply Association, American Gas Association, Energy Equipment & Infrastructure Alliance, Independent Petroleum Association of America and Interstate Natural Gas Association of America penned a joint, open letter to President Trump, published in a major Washington, DC newspaper, requesting he get at least one FERC appointment done. Soon. ASAP. Now. Even if that happens, it’s likely to take another two months before the new commissioners are seated and working…
    Read More “Dear President Trump: FERC Needs a Quorum. NOW.”

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    Mariner East 1 Sprang a Small NGL Leak Near Philly, on Apr 1

    Mariner East Pipeline Project map – click for larger version

    The Mariner East 1 pipeline sprung a small leak and spilled 20 barrels (~840 gallons) of ethane and propane in Berks County, near Philadelphia, on April 1. Sunoco Logistics Partners, builder and maintainer of the pipeline, shut it down and fixed it over the next several days. The entire episode, which happened 20 days ago, is only now coming to light. Sunoco is being criticized by antis for not taking out a major advertising campaign to announce the leak. Sunoco says they alerted the National Response Center (NRC), the proper federal authority (a program of the U.S. Coast Guard). Apparently it is the job of the NRC to alert the public. Although this was a small leak which was quickly contained and with no long-term effects, Sunoco seems to have missed an important life lesson: He who gets there with the bad news first, wins. Sunoco LP should have (in our opinion) been more proactive in publicly announcing the leak and the steps taken to contain and fix it–and to reassure folks that measures will be taken to prevent any such leaks in the future. There would have been a day or two of hit pieces by “mainstream” media, and then the story would have disappeared. Now, the story will linger and be used against the company should any more minor spills happen…
    Read More “Mariner East 1 Sprang a Small NGL Leak Near Philly, on Apr 1”

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    Rover Update: Half of 15K Workers Now Hired, 2% Pipeline Laid

    Two weeks MDN brought you the news that Energy Transfer’s $3.7 billion, 711-mile Rover Pipeline needs up to 15,000 workers to build it. At the time, it was reported they currently have ~4,500 workers. And they want to complete the first stage of the pipeline by July (see Help Wanted: 15,000 Workers Needed for Rover Pipeline, STAT!). MDN’s story went viral. It has, so far, been read over 18,000 times on the MDN website–a new record for an MDN story just two weeks old. The headline and blurb we posted on Facebook has been seen by over 75,000 people! The result was that we were flooded with this simple question: Where do I sign up to work on the pipeline? The answer, unfortunately, is not straightforward. We reached out to Energy Transfer multiple times and got less-than-satisfactory answers. Energy Transfer’s answer to the question is this: If you are a contractor or want to try your hand at becoming a contractor, you can try applying via Rover’s contractor online application process. However, most people are not interested in that route. They just want to sign up and begin working. For those folks, Rover responded, “Rover is committed to utilizing Union labor 100% for this project. Laborers looking for work, can contact their local union halls.” No help with identifying those local union halls. So MDN provided a list (see How to Apply for one of the 15K Jobs Building the Rover Pipeline). Perhaps MDN had a hand in a flood of new recruits, because as of a construction report filed by Rover with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission earlier this week, they now have 7,570 people working on the pipeline. It’s an interesting update (full copy below). Rover includes a table for how much of each phase the pipeline is complete. Tree felling? 100% done. Tree clearing? For the mainline, 51% done. How much of the main pipeline is now laid and ready for welding? Just 2%. Also interesting is a brief note that back on April 7, there was a small spill of bentonite drilling mud into a swap…
    Read More “Rover Update: Half of 15K Workers Now Hired, 2% Pipeline Laid”

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    Encana Says Montney Gas Can Compete with M-U at Dawn Hub

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    Canadian driller Encana issued a press release two days ago with a pretty big boast. The release touts Encana’s leased acreage in the Montney Shale basin. Where’s that? It’s located along the border of Canada’s British Columbia and Alberta provinces–not far from the West Coast in the northern reaches of Canada. Encana is claiming they will use cheap pipeline rates now offered by TransCanada to transport up to 316 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of natural gas to the Dawn Hub in Ontario (our neck of the woods), and do so more cheaply than gas arriving at the Dawn Hub from the Marcellus/Utica. You may recall that TransCanada cooked up a plan to cut the price of transporting gas from Western Canada to Ontario in a bid to compete with cheap Marcellus/Utica gas (see TransCanada Says Plan to Lowball M-U Gas Worked, Shippers Sign Up). Look at the map we’ve provided. TransCanada claims it can make it less expensive to get gas from Western Canada, some 2,400 miles away, than from the Marcellus, just 400 miles away. Encana is the first driller we are aware of it give it a go…
    Read More “Encana Says Montney Gas Can Compete with M-U at Dawn Hub”