FERC on Wednesday gave Equitrans LP the green light to switch the function of certain jurisdictional natural gas transmission/storage facilities in Pennsylvania and West Virginia to non-jurisdictional gathering.

However, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission did not address the issue of abandonment authority in the order because Equitrans, the pipeline subsidiary of Pittsburgh-based Equitable Resources, did not seek permission to transfer any of the facilities to another entity.

The agency order grants Equitrans the authority to refunctionalize to gathering five systems, including approximately 275 miles of low-pressure, predominantly small diameter pipeline; 14 compressor engines, located at eight compressor stations, having a total of 14,395 horsepower; and various meters and associated facilities [CP04-76].

The facilities are located in Armstrong and Green Counties in western Pennsylvania, and Braxton, Doddridge, Lewis, Marion and Wetzel Counties in northern West Virginia, the order noted.

Equitrans told FERC the facilities are primarily used to gather gas from numerous gas wells in the two states and to transport the gas to Equitrans’ interstate transmission pipeline or other interstate pipelines.

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