FERC last Wednesday granted Rockies Express Pipeline LLC more time to complete work on Phase II of a 327-mile pipeline system that would tie in with the rest of the mammoth Rockies Express pipeline in northern Colorado. The proposed pipeline is owned by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP, Sempra Pipelines & Storage and ConocoPhillips.

The project, formerly EnCana’s Entrega Gas Pipeline, was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in August 2005, and called for a 327-mile line to be built in two phases. Phase I of the pipeline extends from the Meeker Hub in Rio Blanco County, CO, northward to the Wamsutter Hub in Sweetwater County, WY, and then southeastward to the Cheyenne Hub in Weld County, CO. The entire Phase I was placed into service in February.

Phase II includes the construction of three compressor facilities — 15,400 hp of compression at the Meeker Hub Compressor Station, 30,000 hp at the Big Hole Compressor Station in Moffat County, CO, and 20,620 hp at the Wamsutter Compressor Station. The compression is expected to boost pipeline capacity to 1.5 Bcf/d. Construction on this part of the project was scheduled to be completed by Aug. 9.

“Rockies Express states that it is in the process of constructing the Meeker and Wamsutter Compressor Stations, but does not anticipate having all the testing and commissioning complete until later in the year in order to meet an in-service date [of] no later than Jan. 1, 2008,” the FERC order said [CP04-413].

In addition, Rockies Express said it “does not have a need for the Big Hole Compressor Station until June 30, 2009.” FERC approved extended in-service deadlines for all three compressor facilities.

Upon completion of both Phase I and II, the facilities would connect at Cheyenne Hub with the proposed Rockies Express-West portion of the pipeline system, which would extend to Audrain County, MO. There, the Rockies Express is expected to interconnect with a number of major interstate pipeline systems that would take natural gas eastward.

The $4 billion, 1,663-mile pipeline that will carry Rockies gas eastward to Ohio will be the largest built in the United States in more than 20 years.

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