Building on increased Powder River Basin production, Fort Union Gas Gathering LLC has announced plans for a 200 MMcf/d expansion of capacity on its system.

Capacity on the 106-mile, 24-inch line from Gillette, WY, south to Glenrock will increase to 634 MMcf/d. The expansion, which involves about 60 miles of looping, is expected to be in service Oct. 1 in advance of the expansion downstream of Wyoming Interstate Company’s Medicine Bow Lateral, which is expected to be completed by Dec. 1 (see NGI, Oct. 2, 2000)

The Medicine Bow line is upping capacity from about 325 MMcf/d to 1 Bcf/d with the addition of a 36-inch loop line. In addition to Medicine Bow, the Fort Union system also connects with the Colorado Interstate Gas Powder River lateral and KN Intestate’s system.

“The expansion of Fort Union is necessary to accommodate the increase in natural gas production that is taking place in the Powder River Basin,” said Rick Estes, CMS Field Services vice president of gas supply.

According to a recent report by the Wyoming State Geological Survey, there are 25 Tcf of recoverable gas in the basin. “This eclipses previous estimates of recoverable gas that ranged from nine to 12 Tcf,” the survey said. The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission predicts as many as 5,000 new wells will be drilled in the basin this year.

The Fort Union partners include managing partner CMS Field Services, Crestone Powder River, Western Gas Wyoming LLC, field operator of Fort Union; CIG Resources Company, and Bargath, Inc., a subsidiary of Barrett Resources.

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