FERC has issued favorable environmental assessments to CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission Co. (CEGT) and Williams’ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line (Transco) to carry out mostly compression expansions of their pipeline systems.

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recommended approval of the projects, saying they “would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.”

CEGT proposes to build a 15,000-hp compressor unit at its Westdale Compressor Station in Red River Parish, LA; another 15,000-hp compressor unit at its Vernon Compressor Station in Jackson Parish, LA, and associated facilities. The proposed Carthage-to-Perryville Project Phase IV is expected to raise the capacity of Line CP by 274,000 Dth/d to 1.87 Bcf/d to help meet producer and shipper demand for Haynesville Shale natural gas in northwestern Louisiana. CEGT owns and operates Line CP, currently a 1.55 Bcf/d pipeline that extends from Carthage, TX, to the Perryville Hub in Louisiana.

The expansion, which is currently targeted for service in April 2010, would satisfy the forward-haul requirements in an agreement that CEGT inked earlier this month to transport Haynesville Shale gas for Chesapeake Energy Corp.(see Daily GPI, March 4). The long-term firm forward-haul agreement provides for 230 MMcf/d of capacity, effective when CEGT’s Phase IV Line CP compression expansion goes into service.

Transco plans to build a new compressor at Station 85 and associated facilities at the interconnection of the Mobile Bay Lateral with Transco’s mainline in Choctaw County, AL. The facilities would provide 253,500 Dth/d of incremental year-round firm transportation capacity from Transco’s Compressor Station 85 to delivery points on the Mobile Bay Lateral, including an existing interconnection with Gulfstream Natural Gas System in Coden, AL, the pipeline said (see Daily GPI, Sept. 23, 2008).

The Mobile Bay South project calls for the construction of a new 9,470-hp compressor facility at Station 85. Williams estimates that the project facilities will cost approximately $37 million.

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