FERC staff has issued a favorable environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed Adelphia Gateway Project, which would add facilities to a pipeline near Philadelphia.

Staff concluded that if implemented with appropriate mitigating measures the project would not significantly affect “the quality of the human environment” [CP18-46].

The EA comes one year after New Jersey Resources Corp. subsidiary Adelphia Gateway LLC asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for a certificate of public convenience and necessity to operate the existing pipeline system, which it acquired for expansion in 2017 to serve growing natural gas demand in Philadelphia and beyond.

Part of the pipeline was already moving gas to two power plants in Northampton County, PA, but Adelphia wants to repurpose the southern segment to move more. The system once delivered oil to a refinery near Philadelphia.

The project would add facilities including two 16-inch diameter laterals, two 5,625 hp compressor stations, five meter and regulator stations, and four pig launcher/receiver facilities in Northampton, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester and Delaware counties in Pennsylvania, and New Castle County, DE.

Adelphia would also purchase an existing system currently owned and operated by Interstate Energy Co. LLC that includes an 84-mile stretch of 18-inch diameter mainline from Northampton County to Delaware County; a 4.4 mile stretch of 20-inch diameter mainline; and associated facilities. Adelphia wants to terminate the system’s Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission certificate for oil transport service and operate the pipeline as an open-access transporter under FERC’s jurisdiction. It is also requesting a blanket certificate as the company has never provided interstate service.

The system has been designed to move 175,000 Dth/d on Zone North A, 350,000 Dth/d on Zone North B and 250,000 Dth/d on Zone South. Adelphia is targeting an in-service date of early 2019.

FERC is accepting comments on the 333-page EA through Feb. 3.