Circumstances

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line’s (Transco) proposed 142,000 Dth/d expansion, the Mid-Atlantic Connector (MAC), which calls for the construction of 42-inch diameter pipeline extending from Transco’s Compressor Station 185 in Prince William County, VA, to Fairfax County, VA; the abandonment and replacement of pipeline in Fairfax County; and the construction of a 3,550-hp internal combustion-driven compressor unit at Transco’s existing Compressor Station 165 in Pittsylvania County, VA [CP11-31]. Transco, a subsidiary of Williams Partners LP, also plans to install one 33,000-hp electric motor-driven compressor unit at its Compressor Station 175 in Fluvanna County, VA, and to abandon four 4,400-hp internal combustion-driven compressor units, leaving it with a net addition of 15,400 hp at Compressor Station 175. The pipeline estimates that the expansion, to be completed in late 2012, will cost $55 million (see NGI, July 20, 2009). When completed, the MAC expansion will provide Virginia Power Services Energy Corp. Inc. and Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. with incremental firm transportation capacity from a Transco interconnection with East Tennessee Natural Gas pipeline in Rockingham County, NC, to delivery points as far north as Maryland. Other supply points in the path of the project include interconnects with Columbia Gas Transmission, Dominion Transmission and Dominion Cove Point.

Despite production rates that would have been considered impressive under different circumstances, Penn Virginia Corp. (PVA) on Tuesday expressed disappointment in results from its first three horizontal wells on its Marcellus Shale leasehold in Pennsylvania.

The “fundamentals” for oil and gas remain unchanged, but new opportunities have arisen because of “technology or changed circumstances,” Schlumberger Ltd. CEO Andrew Gould said Monday.

State and local air permitting authorities should select the best available greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction option for their own circumstances, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which said it anticipates that the most cost effective option in most cases will be energy efficiency.

State and local air permitting authorities should select the best available greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction option for their own circumstances, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which said it anticipates that the most cost effective option in most cases will be energy efficiency.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the 14-inch Romere Pass Line offshore southeastern Louisiana (see Daily GPI, July 7; July 18) could be back in service on or around Aug. 11, Sonat said Friday. The line ruptured July 5, causing the shut-in of up to 100 MMcf/d at five receipt points. A repair plan has been completed and submitted to regulatory authorities for approval, the pipeline said. It expects that the approvals could be completed in time for work to begin on or about Thursday of this week. July 27. The estimated repair time is 10-15 calendar days.

Tennessee said road crossing work on its 800 Line will becompleted ahead of schedule. Barring unforeseen circumstances,service constraints upstream of Station 823 (Kinder, LA) will belifted for Saturday’s gas day.

Due to unforeseen circumstances that haven’t been in its favor,ANR Pipeline has asked FERC for permission to phase in constructionof the proposed Phase II expansion of its system between theJoliet, IL, hub and market areas in southeastern Wisconsin.

FERC last week gave the go-ahead for a mostly compressionupgrade that would add 315,218 Dth/d to Columbia Gulf Transmission,restoring its system to its original certificated capacity leveland then some.