Pipelines

Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Lebanon County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation

Lebanon Cnty Commissioners Forwarding Anti’s 1K-Page Tome to FERC
May 20, 2016May 20, 2016

We wonder if the anti-pipeline/anti-fossil fuel zealots in Lebanon County, PA are trying to kill members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) by boring them to death. The local antis–a small yet vociferous group of nattering nabobs–have hounded the Lebanon County Board of Commissioners into sending along a 1,000-page tome to FERC listing their concerns with two pipeline projects. Along with the bore-you-to-death document, the Commissioners have included a letter requesting FERC extend the comment period on the Atlantic Sunrise Project by an extra 30 days. Which sounds reasonable–except at the end of that 30 days the antis will ask for another extension, then another, and another. That’s the strategy. If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with, well, you know what…
Read More “Lebanon Cnty Commissioners Forwarding Anti’s 1K-Page Tome to FERC”
Columbia Pipeline Group | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | TC Energy/TransCanada

TransCanada’s July 1 Merger with Columbia Pipeline Advances
May 19, 2016May 19, 2016

In March MDN reported that Canadian midstream giant TransCanada wants a bigger piece of the Marcellus/Utica pipeline pie and has decided to buy Columbia Pipeline Group for $10 billion (see TransCanada Makes Play to Buy Columbia Pipeline for $10B). Columbia Pipeline shareholders are due to vote on the deal in June (see Columbia Pipeline Shareholders to Vote on TransCanada Deal June 22). There are numerous regulatory hoops to jump through before the merger/purchase becomes official. TransCanada has announced another such hoop has been successfully jumped through. On Tuesday, TransCanada announced the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust Improvements Act (HSR Act) was terminated early by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. That means the FTC has taken a look and doesn’t object…
Read More “TransCanada’s July 1 Merger with Columbia Pipeline Advances”
Albany County | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Regulation

Albany Common Council Votes to Oppose Pilgrim’s (Pipeline) Progress
May 19, 2016May 19, 2016

Pilgrim Pipeline – click map for larger version

Last November, MDN told you about Pilgrim Pipeline Holdings, developing an East Coast pipeline to carry refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, and jet and aviation fuel northbound from Linden, New Jersey to Albany, New York (178 miles). In addition, a second Pilgrim pipeline will carry crude oil from Albany south to NJ and other locations. Two pipelines, side by side, liquids flowing through them in different directions (see Will Pilgrim Pipeline be Allowed to Settle in the NY World?). In April we told you about a strategy by New York anti-fossil fuel freakers to stop Pilgrim’s progress by using local town bans (see NY Antis Attempt to Stop Pilgrim Pipelines with Local Bans). Although it’s not a full-blown ban, the liberal Democrats who infest Albany, NY’s City Common Council voted on Monday night to approve a non-binding (i.e. toothless) resolution voicing their irrational opposition to the Pilgrim Pipeline project. Why? Because they view it as “an environmental risk” and a “public health hazard.” In other words, they have no reason why, other than to score political points with their base of crazy Democrat voters…
Read More “Albany Common Council Votes to Oppose Pilgrim’s (Pipeline) Progress”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Pipelines | Statewide NY | Williams

Williams Sues NY Over Constitution Pipe – DEC May Lose Authority
May 17, 2016May 22, 2016

Three cheers for Williams. Hip hip horray! Williams announced yesterday a two-pronged legal challenge against New York State and its decision to deny stream crossing permits for the federally-approved Constitution Pipeline project (see NY Gov. Cuomo Refuses to Grant Permits for Constitution Pipeline). The first prong is a lawsuit filed in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit–challenging the decision itself as “arbitrary and capricious.” The second prong is a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York–seeking recognition by the court that New York doesn’t even have jurisdiction over the project. It is this second case that should have Cuomo, the DEC and the antis VERY worried. If the case goes against them, it means that New York will forever be cut out of decision-making with regard to any FERC-approved projects. Properly so. NY has shown itself to be motivated by politics and not by science and certainly not by common sense. It’s time to remove NY from the equation. Staffers at the state Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) feared this might happen and counseled Cuomo to approve the Constitution project–sage advice he ignored…
Read More “Williams Sues NY Over Constitution Pipe – DEC May Lose Authority”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY | Williams

NY Attorney General Asks FERC to Investigate Constitution Pipe
May 17, 2016May 17, 2016

NY AG Eric Scheniderman

Apparently the lawless attorney general of New York State, Eric Schneiderman, suspected Williams would sue the state over the Constitution Pipeline (see today’s lead story). In anticipation of such a lawsuit, last Friday Schneiderman sought to provide the corrupt Gov. Cuomo and his corrupt Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) with political cover by demanding a federal investigation into the Constitution Pipeline. Schneiderman petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) accusing Williams of (gasp) cutting down some trees along the pipeline route before New York’s dictatorial governor granted his “Mother, May I?” permission to do so. The petition/request is a not-so-transparent attempt to smear the Constitution project and deflect attention away from the lawless way in which the state has acted in not allowing this federally-approved project from advancing. In this case the feds trump the state–and that very issue will now play out in court…
Read More “NY Attorney General Asks FERC to Investigate Constitution Pipe”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Williams

Williams Announces Open Season for Northeast Supply Enhancement
May 17, 2016May 17, 2016

Transco Northeast Supply Enhanacement Project map – click for larger version

Last week MDN brought you the news that Williams has pre-filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the the Northeast Supply Enhancement project–a project to expand the Transco pipeline to increase pipeline capacity and flows heading into northeastern markets (see Williams Pre-Files with FERC to Expand Tranco Pipeline in PA, NY). Yesterday Williams announced an official, “binding” open season for the project–to sign customers to long-term contracts to use the expanded capacity…
Read More “Williams Announces Open Season for Northeast Supply Enhancement”
Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

List of 5 Pipeline Projects in Marcellus/Utica Delayed or Canceled
May 17, 2016May 17, 2016

The Constitution Pipleine from northeastern Pennsylvania into east-central New York State is not the only pipeline project to get delayed. It is one of five highly important projects for drillers in the Marcellus/Utica region that are either delayed–or even canceled. What are the other four projects? Read on…
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Allegheny County | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Supply Chain

New Pipeline Safety Company Launches in Pittsburgh
May 17, 2016May 17, 2016

Dan Garcia

We don’t run every “hey we have new business starting up to service the oil and gas industry” story that’s sent our way. But we do sometimes–especially those that catch our eye and tickle our fancy. Pipeline Compliance Group is one such startup. Dan Garcia, a pipeline safety attorney (we didn’t know there were such things) has started up a new consulting company in Pittsburgh to provide pipeline safety consulting to local governments, regulators and even pipeline operators. We took a look at the website (www.pipelinecgllc.com) and liked what we saw–including the fact that Mr. Garcia is a veteran…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines | Statewide VA | Virginia

Atlantic Coast Pipeline Wins Another Virginia Court Case
May 16, 2016July 7, 2016

Atlantic Coast Pipeline Route – Virginia (click for larger version)

Last year MDN reported that anti-drilling landowners in Nelson and Augusta counties (Virginia) who don’t want a pipeline to mar their weekend horse farm pastures refused to allow surveyors for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline access to their precious pastures. Dominion, the company building the 550-mile, $5 billion natural gas pipeline that will run from West Virginia, through Virginia and into North Carolina, took the antis to federal court and won (see Fed Judge Tosses VA Landowner Lawsuit to Stop Pipeline Surveys). The same landowners won’t leave it alone and took Dominion back to court (county court in this case) over the surveys. The county judge found that Dominion’s survey notices are “insufficient” because they use imprecise language about when the surveys will take place. But the judge essentially threw out everything else. In other words, this was yet another victory for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline–a pipeline that WILL get built…
Read More “Atlantic Coast Pipeline Wins Another Virginia Court Case”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

Antis Want FERC to Use Communism Instead of Capitalism
May 16, 2016May 16, 2016

A general warning and heads-up on the newest/latest attack in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Well, maybe it’s not all that new–it’s been going on for a few years–but the intensity and pace of the attacks have picked up. We’re talking about the argument being made by anti fossil-fuelers that FERC doesn’t, by law, consider all pipelines when it evaluates a single pipeline–i.e. “cumulative effects.” For example, if three different pipeline requests for the same region are filed with FERC, FERC does not have the authority to decide only one of the three is really “needed” and that building all three would be “overbuilding.” FERC evaluates them one by one and (properly so) and lets the free market (i.e. capitalism) decide which one(s) will get built. FERC is not in the business of Communistic command-and-control decisions over private companies. FERC’s concern is that a given, single pipeline project doesn’t harm the environment and shows a need. Period. Antis, detecting an opportunity, want to force FERC, either by social pressure or by the courts, to take into consideration larger regional concerns–and even mythical global warming concerns–before making decisions. Here’s the latest example, from Virginia…
Read More “Antis Want FERC to Use Communism Instead of Capitalism”
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”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide PA | Williams

Dela. Riverkeeper Launches Lawsuit Against Atlantic Sunrise Project
May 13, 2016May 13, 2016

It’s time to sue THE Delaware Riverkeeper out of existence. The group is a litigious nuisance and anti-American. It is led by Maya van Rossum and fed by money from the Heinz Endowments and William Penn Foundation. Even with repeated calls the IRS has refused to investigate violations of the group’s non-profit status. The latest outrage from this group of virulent radicals is to launch a lawsuit to try and stop Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project through southeastern PA. Just last week Williams received a favorable Environmental Assessment (EA) from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (see Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Positive EIS from FERC). That was all it took. The writing is on the wall that FERC will approve the project and Williams will build it. This is a last-ditch effort by van Rossum and other radicals to shut down the project…
Read More “Dela. Riverkeeper Launches Lawsuit Against Atlantic Sunrise Project”
Accidents | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Spectra Energy | Westmoreland County

Spectra Says PA Pipeline Explosion “Unacceptable,” Blames Pipe Tape
May 12, 2016May 12, 2016

Last night representatives from Spectra Energy held a town hall meeting at the Congruity Presbyterian Church in Westmoreland County, PA to discuss the explosion of Spectra’s Texas Eastern Transmission’s (TETCO) “Delmont Line 27” which exploded in Westmoreland County, PA on April 29 (see Texas Eastern Pipeline Explodes near Pittsburgh, Antis Celebrate). Speaking and taking questions from the audience were Devin Hotzel, manager of stakeholder outreach, Tom Wooden, vice president of operations, Andy Drake, vice president of operations, and Randy Putt, local area manager. According to Spectra, they think a tape coating used on the welds of the pipeline is the culprit–having corroded over time. There may be other contributing factors, but right now they are concentrating on the tape coating which they say was only used for a short period of time–in the early 1980s when the pipeline was built. Here’s a report from the meeting…
Read More “Spectra Says PA Pipeline Explosion “Unacceptable,” Blames Pipe Tape”
Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines

Open Season to Expand 2 Midwest Pipelines for More Marc/Utica Gas
May 12, 2016May 12, 2016

NGPL Chicago Market Expansion Project – click for larger version

In October 2014 MDN told you about plans by Kinder Morgan subsidiary Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) to expand their Gulf Coast mainline pipeline from the Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) interconnection in Moultrie County, Illinois, to points north on NGPL’s pipeline system, called the Chicago Market Expansion Project (see Kinder Morgan Plans Chicago Pipeline Expansion for Marcellus/Utica). In March of this year, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved it (see FERC Approves Pipeline to Move More Marcellus/Utica Gas to Chicago). Kinder Morgan is also planning a second project called the Gulf Coast Southbound Expansion Project to send Marcellus/Utica (and other shale locations) gas to the Gulf Coast. Two days ago NGPL announced a non-binding open season–a period of time when drillers and others seeking capacity for each project–can register their interest in each project. NGPL already has customers signed up for the Chicago Market Expansion Project. This new open season is an attempt to see if there’s interest in expanding the Chicago Market Expansion project even more–and to register interest from drillers going the other way–to the south–via the Gulf Coast Southbound Expansion Project. The timing of the announcement is interesting. Observers theorize that Kinder Morgan is trying to make up for recently announced canceled Northeast Energy Direct (NED) pipeline project in New England (see NED is Dead – Kinder Morgan Suspends $3.3B New England Pipeline). Kinder won’t comment. Here’s the details on the new open season…
Read More “Open Season to Expand 2 Midwest Pipelines for More Marc/Utica Gas”
Accidents | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Spectra Energy | Westmoreland County

TETCO Pipeline Up & Running Post-Explosion; Antis Exploit Accident
May 11, 2016June 9, 2016

An update on Spectra Energy’s Texas Eastern Transmission’s “Delmont Line 27” which exploded in Westmoreland County, PA on April 29 (see Texas Eastern Pipeline Explodes near Pittsburgh, Antis Celebrate). We previously told you that not only was Line 27 out of commission, so too were three other pipelines running through the same corridor, meaning 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day is not reaching certain mid-Atlantic markets (see Update on Spectra Pipeline Explosion Near Pittsburgh). The early evidence points to corrosion along welded seams, although the jury is still out and the exact cause may not be known for months (see Preliminary Guess on TETCO Pipeline Explosion Cause: Corrosion). That doesn’t stop antis from engaging in wild speculation and “I told you so” statements, as they are now engaged in. THE Delaware Riverkeeper, which opposed the expansion of horsepower/capacity at a compressor station close to the explosion, is now saying the increased flow rate through the pipeline caused the corrosion. Which all sounds reasonable–until you read the words “I can’t say for certain there is a cause-effect relationship between the increases in [compressor] horsepower and the pipeline explosion, but it is information that should be part of the public discussion about this incident and pipeline safety in general.” Translation: “We won’t let this crisis go to waste. It doesn’t matter what the real cause was, we’ll amp up this explosion in sympathetic anti-drilling news outlets like the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and spread fear everywhere we can–so we can shut down natural gas in this country.” Below is an update from Spectra Energy that one of the four pipelines is now operating again, along with the latest attempt to demagogue and unfortunate accident with absolutely no evidence…
Read More “TETCO Pipeline Up & Running Post-Explosion; Antis Exploit Accident”
Economic Impact | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Statewide NY

Gov Cuomo Turns NY into Sacrifice Zone with Frack & Pipeline Bans
May 11, 2016May 11, 2016

Karen Moreau

Yesterday API (American Petroleum Institute) New York Executive Director Karen Moreau held a conference call with reporters to discuss the importance of investing in energy infrastructure in the Empire State. By the way, API New York used to be called the API New York State Petroleum Council. Moreau spoke about Gov. Cuomo’s reckless actions in banning shale drilling, and now in preventing an important pipeline project–the Constitution–from being built. She pointed out that New Yorkers pay an average of 50% more for our electricity than residents in other states–mostly because of lack of pipelines and infrastructure in the state. When everyone thought Cuomo was about to allow fracking in select counties on a trial basis, antis called those counties “sacrifice zones.” We’re going to borrow their own language and use it against them. Gov. Cuomo has turned upstate NY into one, big economic sacrifice zone–sentencing residents to a life of poverty and enslavement. Why? To appease the people who vote him into office every four years (mostly located in New York City). A quid pro quo. Here’s an update on what Moreau said yesterday to reporters…
Read More “Gov Cuomo Turns NY into Sacrifice Zone with Frack & Pipeline Bans”