Pipelines

Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

FERC Issues Final EIS to Restore Atlantic Coast Pipeline ROWs
January 4, 2022January 4, 2022

Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) had laid 31 miles of pipeline and had cut trees for 222 miles along the 600-mile route before Dominion Energy, the builder, decided in 2020 it no longer wants to be in the interstate pipeline business, canceling ACP (see Dominion Cancels Atlantic Coast Pipe, Sells Pipe Biz for $9.7B). In January 2021, Dominion filed a plan with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to clean up and “undo” the project (see Dominion Files Plan with FERC to “Undo” Atlantic Coast Pipe Work). On Dec. 17 FERC staffers issued a final environmental impact statement (EIS) that will allow Dominion to finish tidying up the pipeline right-of-way.
Read More “FERC Issues Final EIS to Restore Atlantic Coast Pipeline ROWs”
Accidents | Butler County | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines

Explosion, Fire at Revolution Pipe Compressor in Bulter County, PA
January 3, 2022January 3, 2022

Energy Transfer’s (ET) Revolution Pipeline in southwestern Pennsylvania runs through Bulter, Beaver, Allegheny, and Washington counties. The 24-inch gathering pipeline shifted and exploded in September 2018, just as it was entering service (see Revolution Pipeline Near Pittsburgh Explodes – Home & Barn Destroyed). After more than $30 million in fines, court actions, and outright acrimony, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) finally allowed ET to fix the problems and bring the pipeline back online in March of 2021 (see PA DEP Finally Allows Revolution Pipe to Restart – After $125K Fine). On Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021, the “Galaxy” compressor station in Butler County that is part of the Revolution system experienced an explosion and fire during “pigging” operations.
Read More “Explosion, Fire at Revolution Pipe Compressor in Bulter County, PA”
Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide WV | West Virginia

WV DEP Issues Key Water Permit for Mountain Valley Pipeline
January 3, 2022January 3, 2022

Some really good (and expected) news to report. The West Virginia Dept. of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) issued a key permit for the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) to finish work crossing rivers and streams in the Mountain State. MVP, a 303-mile pipeline from West Virginia into southern Virginia, is currently 94% built and in the ground. There are several portions left to complete it, including crossing rivers and streams in both Virginia and West Virginia. The permits needed to do so come from three sources: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Virginia Water Control Board, and WV DEP.
Read More “WV DEP Issues Key Water Permit for Mountain Valley Pipeline”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Chester County | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide PA | Sunoco Logistics

Bitter Antis Admit Defeat – ME2 Pipeline to be Completed in 1Q22
January 3, 2022January 3, 2022

In early December the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) agreed to allow Energy Transfer to change the way it will install the Mariner East 2 (ME2) pipeline in the Marsh Creek Lake area in Chester County, PA (see PA DEP Approves ME2 Plan to Finish Pipe Thru Marsh Creek Lake Area). Two weeks later the DEP issued the necessary permits to allow construction to commence (see PA DEP Issues Revised Permits for ME2 Pipe Near Marsh Creek Lake). The Marsh Creek Lake work is the final big project to complete ME2. Needless to say, anti-fossil fuel zealots are distraught. Antis get funny when they get upset.
Read More “Bitter Antis Admit Defeat – ME2 Pipeline to be Completed in 1Q22”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Enbridge | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines

MA Court Rejects Appeal to Cancel Permit for Weymouth Compressor
January 3, 2022January 3, 2022

In November 2020 the town of Weymouth, Massachusetts dropped a legal fight to block an Enbridge compressor station under construction in the town (see Weymouth, MA Drops Opposition to Compressor in Return for $38M). The price to get the town to shut up was an initial $10 million lump-sum payment (due within 30 days) followed by $28 million more in property taxes over the next 35 years, for a total price tag of $38 million smackeroos. However, leftist wackos who truly believe this plant will cause man-made global warming didn’t get the memo. A group of wackos co-filed with the town to appeal a state permit allowing the plant to get built. A three-judge panel ruled last week the wackos don’t have standing to appeal a state agency approval of the compressor project.
Read More “MA Court Rejects Appeal to Cancel Permit for Weymouth Compressor”
Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

O&G Industry Wakes Up, Opposes Fed Control Over Gathering Pipelines
December 23, 2021April 18, 2022

In early November MDN told you about a massive new power grab being attempted by the Biden Dept. of Transportation’s PHMSA, implementing new regulations to take control of local gathering pipelines, in contravention to the U.S. Constitution (see Massive Power Grab Proposed by Biden DOT: Regulate Gathering Lines). At the time it appeared that the oil and gas industry was asleep at the switch and would not oppose this madness. It seems the industry has finally woken up and is now pushing back against the power grab.
Read More “O&G Industry Wakes Up, Opposes Fed Control Over Gathering Pipelines”
Electrical Generation | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Virginia

Regulators: Chickahominy Pipeline Subject to Va. State Oversight
December 23, 2021April 18, 2022

MDN first told you about plans to build the Chickahominy Power Station, a 1,650 megawatt state-of-the-art natural gas-fired power plant planned for Charles City County (near Richmond, Va.) in June 2018 (see Huge New Marcellus-Fired Power Plant Coming Near Richmond, VA). In September of this year, the Chickahominy project asked the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), which oversees intrastate pipelines for utility companies, to excuse itself from regulating and overseeing the construction of a pipeline that will feed the Chickahominy power plant (see Va. Power Plant Says State Doesn’t Need to Approve Feeder Pipeline). The SCC ruled yesterday that yes, they will indeed oversee and regulate this proposed pipeline, thank you very much.
Read More “Regulators: Chickahominy Pipeline Subject to Va. State Oversight”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Columbia Pipeline Group | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide VA | Virginia

Radicals Convince FERC to Cancel Deal with Pipe Contractor in Va.
December 23, 2021April 18, 2022

Score another victory for the forces of evil. Based on the flimsiest of excuses, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has canceled a $102 million contract with Burns & McDonnell, an environmental engineering and construction firm, to perform an environmental review of a Columbia Gas Transmission pipeline project that includes upgrading a meter station and two compressor stations in Virginia. Anti-fossil fuel zealots are responsible.
Read More “Radicals Convince FERC to Cancel Deal with Pipe Contractor in Va.”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

FERC’s 3rd Democrat Commissioner Spells Trouble for O&G Industry
December 23, 2021April 18, 2022

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Richard “Dick” Glick never met a pipeline project he actually likes. Now Glick has ammunition to torpedo every single newly proposed pipeline project that comes across his desk in the person of newly added Democrat Commissioner Willie Phillips, a swamp-dwelling D.C. apparatchik (see Senate Confirms D.C. Swamp-Dwelling Democrat Lawyer to FERC). This was the nightmare scenario we warned you about prior to the 2020 election, that FERC will be politicized and refuse to authorize any new pipelines. We hate being right about these things.
Read More “FERC’s 3rd Democrat Commissioner Spells Trouble for O&G Industry”
CNG/LNG | Commodity Price | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines

Boston NatGas Futures Hit Nearly $30/MMBtu, Spot Price $38/MMBtu
December 22, 2021April 20, 2022

New England has a problem, and Massachusetts Senator Elizbeth “Pocahontas” Warren is clueless as to its source. The problem is super high, continuously spiking prices for natural gas, which in turn lead to high and spiking prices for electricity (most of New England’s electricity is generated by natural gas-fired power plants). This week the futures price for natural gas traded at the Algonquin Citygate, the major gas delivery hub near Boston, hit almost $30 per MMBtu. Earlier this week the spot price for physically traded gas at Algonquin went over $38/MMBtu. The reason? New England depends on imported LNG to help with heating and electric production, and LNG cargoes have gotten a LOT more expensive.
Read More “Boston NatGas Futures Hit Nearly $30/MMBtu, Spot Price $38/MMBtu”
Columbia Pipeline Group | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Maryland | Pipelines | Regulation | TC Energy/TransCanada

Pipe Under Potomac River Comes Back to Life; Maryland Mixed Signals
December 21, 2021April 20, 2022

Columbia Gas, a subsidiary of Canada-based TC Energy, wants to build a tiny 3.37-mile, 8-inch pipeline under the Potomac River from Maryland to West Virginia. The Eastern Panhandle Expansion, as it is called, is being blocked by the lefties in Maryland (see Fed Judge Upholds Maryland Decision to Block Pipe Under Potomac). Maryland used the same flawed legal argument that New Jersey used to block PennEast Pipeline–that eminent domain can’t be used against land owned or controlled by a state. PennEast won its case against NJ in the U.S. Supreme Court in June (see PennEast Pipeline Squeaks Out 5-4 Supreme Court Victory Over NJ). Columbia now has grounds and is challenging Maryland in court once again. Columbia expects to win, and for good reason.
Read More “Pipe Under Potomac River Comes Back to Life; Maryland Mixed Signals”
Chester County | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Regulation | Sunoco Logistics

PA DEP Issues Revised Permits for ME2 Pipe Near Marsh Creek Lake
December 20, 2021April 20, 2022

One week ago MDN told you that the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) signaled, via a listing in the weekly issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin, the department’s intent to issue or reissue remaining permits for erosion and sediment control needed to finish up work on the Mariner East 2 (ME2) pipeline (see PA DEP Signals Reissue of Erosion & Sediment Permits for ME2 Pipe). One week later (this past Saturday), the DEP posted another notice in the PA Bulletin issuing permits for ME2 in the most contentious and critical portion of the project to finish up–the area near Marsh Creek Lake and State Park in Chester County.
Read More “PA DEP Issues Revised Permits for ME2 Pipe Near Marsh Creek Lake”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Pipelines | Regulation

“We Hate Pipelines” Rhetoric from FERC’s 3 Democrat Commissioners
December 20, 2021December 20, 2021

Richard “Dick” Glick

Last Thursday at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) open meeting in Washington, D.C., the three Democrat Commissioners uttered policies and statements that amount to an “I hate pipelines” philosophy. This is a bit odd, given their statutory role and responsibility as FERC commissioners is to enable pipelines, not stop them. Yet the Democrat Party is now completely radicalized and is corrupting agencies like FERC. The Dem FERC commissioners have lost their way and believe FERC is an environmental agency when, in fact, it’s an economic agency. Elections have consequences folks, and we repeatedly warned you in 2020 that FERC would be a casualty under Joe Biden. It is–in spades.
Read More ““We Hate Pipelines” Rhetoric from FERC’s 3 Democrat Commissioners”
Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Industrywide Issues | Ohio | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide OH

FERC Threatens ET with $40M Fine Over Long-Completed Rover Pipe
December 17, 2021April 20, 2022

Yesterday the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), under the leadership of Richard “Dick” Glick, served Energy Transfer with an “Order to Show Cause and Notice of Proposed Penalty” over the years-ago completed Rover Pipeline, a $3.7 billion, 711-mile Marcellus/Utica natural gas pipeline that runs from Pennsylvania, West Virginia and eastern Ohio through Ohio and into Michigan. The proposed fine is a staggering $40 million, based on a drilling mud accident from 2017 that showed there was diesel fuel in the mud.
Read More “FERC Threatens ET with $40M Fine Over Long-Completed Rover Pipe”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Equitrans/EQT Midstream | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | Pipelines

Radicals Using MVP Case to Void Eminent Domain for All Pipelines
December 17, 2021April 20, 2022

In 2019 a group of Virginia landowners filed a lawsuit against the Equitrans Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project, because they didn’t like how the pipeline left a mark across their horse pastures. The landowners arrogantly argued Congress improperly delegated its legislative powers to FERC and that ALL pipeline approvals made by FERC that have led to property being “taken” against a landowner’s wishes, including MVP, should be invalidated. In May 2020 a federal court dismissed the case (see Lawsuit Seeking to Gut FERC Eminent Domain for MVP has Failed). Using money from Big Green groups (who are funded by foreign countries like Russia and China), the uppity landowners appealed once again and, unfortunately, the case remains active and live, now in a higher court.
Read More “Radicals Using MVP Case to Void Eminent Domain for All Pipelines”
Energy Services | ESG | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Statewide OH | Statewide PA | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Tennessee Gas Pipeline Announces Responsible Gas Pooling Service
December 16, 2021December 16, 2021

Yesterday Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP), a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, filed a proposal with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to implement a “responsibly sourced natural gas (RSG) supply aggregation pooling service” at select locations across the TGP system. Translation: Utilities and other buyers will be able to buy RSG certified natural gas for their customers, costing them more money.
Read More “Tennessee Gas Pipeline Announces Responsible Gas Pooling Service”