Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (REX) has formally asked FERC for authorization to put in service the remaining 210-mile portion of REX-West that runs from an ANR Pipeline meter station in Brown County, KS, to Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line in Audrain County, MO.

“REX is on schedule to introduce gas into the [REX-West] line for purposes of ‘purge and pack’ by the end of this week,” the pipeline told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week. “Thus, it is anticipated that the pipeline will be ready to commence commercial service by April 23.” Only cleanup and restoration matters remain, both of which have been impeded by snow and rain over the past months, it said.

“REX hereby requests authorization to commence full service of its new facilities, including mainline pipeline, associated compressor stations, meter stations and mainline valves…effective April 23.”

The majority of the REX-West leg began operation in mid-January (see Daily GPI, Jan. 14). That included 500 miles of pipe from the Cheyenne Hub in Weld County, CO, to the ANR meter station in Kansas. The throughput on that segment was approximately 1.8 Bcf/d.

The nearly 1,700-mile REX pipeline system is being built in three main sections, including the 327-mile REX-Entrega line, the 710-mile REX-West leg and the 640-mile REX-East portion, which would take gas from Audrain County to Clarington, OH. The REX-Entrega pipeline, which is in operation, 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. The REX-East portion of the pipeline is still in the environmental permitting stage at FERC. The REX-East leg received a favorable final environmental nod from the agency last month (see Daily GPI, April 14).

The $4 billion REX pipeline, which will carry Rockies gas to Ohio, will be the largest built in the United States in more than 20 years. The pipeline is owned by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP, Sempra Pipelines & Storage and ConocoPhillips.

©Copyright 2008Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. The preceding news reportmay not be republished or redistributed, in whole or in part, in anyform, without prior written consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.