Williams’ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line (Transco) bought $119million worth of pipe and compressor facilities for the MarketLinkexpansion Wednesday despite the project’s lack of final approvalfrom FERC. Construction is scheduled to begin when MarketLinkclears all its regulatory hurdles in the late spring or earlysummer of next year.

Final environmental approval from FERC is not expected untilSeptember, Transco spokesperson Amy Kaiser said. When asked ifTransco was being premature about buying pipe for a project thathasn’t received final FERC approval, Kaiser said “We are thatconfident. The draft recommendation was very positive and we wantto get going as soon as the final passes are given.”

The order for 42- and 36-inch diameter pipeline was made withNapa Pipe Corp. and Berg Steel Pipe Corp., while the compressorunits were ordered from Solar Turbines and Dresser-Rand. Pipelineand compressor design work is ongoing with engineering contractorsGulf Interstate Engineering Company and Paragon EngineeringServices Inc.

“Commitments to contractors and suppliers are being made toensure that we have all the materials in place, ready to go oncethe regulatory process concludes,” said Cuba Wadlington Jr., seniorvice president and general manager, Williams’ Transco pipelinesystem.

The MarketLink project, along with the associated Independenceproject, received a positive draft environmental impact statement(DEIS) from FERC last month (See Daily GPI,April 20). Some of the reasons for the FERC staff recommendationincluded 67% of the proposed pipeline routes would be adjacent to oroverlap existing pipeline and powerline rights-of-way and bothIndependence and MarketLink have agreed to use mitigation proceduresto reduce soil and water-related impact.

“We are encouraged by the recent progress the project has made,especially in light of the DEIS prepared by the FERC,” Wadlingtonsaid. “The DEIS confirmed our position that we have chosen anappropriate route for the project, which is particularly criticalto serving the increasing natural gas demand throughout the easternseaboard.”

Transco expects the $528 million expansion, which will transportgas from the Leidy Hub in western Pennsylvania to New York City, tobe in service Nov. 1, 2000.

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