A binding open season was launched Friday by Williams to gauge interest in Regional Energy Access, an incremental expansion of the Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co., aka Transco, interstate system to move more natural gas from Appalachia to the Northeast as soon as November 2022.

Regional Energy Access is being designed to provide up to 1 million Dth/d of firm transportation capacity to the Transco northeastern market, including existing Pennsylvania and New Jersey local distribution companies and power generators.

“Regional Energy Access is a cost-effective expansion along an existing Transco corridor that will ultimately deliver more than 1 Bcf/d of new natural gas supply with minimal environmental footprint,” said Williams’ Scott Hallam, senior vice president of the Atlantic-Gulf Operating Area. “The project will expand existing infrastructure to meet the region’s growing demand for natural gas while helping reduce air emissions.”

The proposed system would minimize environmental impacts by maximizing the use of existing Transco pipeline infrastructure and rights of way. Preliminary design consists of additional compression and selected pipeline loop segments along the existing Transco pipeline corridor.

“Although the final capacity, scope and cost of the project will be determined by the results of the open season, it is anticipated that the project will include approximately 34 miles of pipeline looping and additional compression along existing Transco facilities,” the Tulsa operator said.

The project would connect Appalachia gas supply from receipt points along the Transco’s Leidy Line in Luzerne County, PA, to delivery points in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including the Station 210 Zone 6 Pool in Mercer County, NJ, the Lower Mud Run Road interconnect in Northampton County, PA, as well as along Transco’s mainline to Station 200, Marcus Hook lateral and Trenton Woodbury lateral.

The proposed project would be subject to approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other agencies. The open season runs through April 8. For more information, contact Kelsie Van Hoose at (713) 215-2396.