Expansion

Construction of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line’s (Transco) Leidy Southeast expansion, which would help alleviate capacity constraints in the Marcellus Shale, “would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment,” according to an environmental assessment (EA) prepared by FERC staff.

A unit of San Antonio-based refiner/transporter Tesoro Corp. started an open season Tuesday for its proposed crude oil processing terminal and pipeline expansion in the Bakken Shale play in North Dakota. The first of the expansions is to be operable by July 1.

Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) Friday gave final approval to a plan that would allow three investor-owned utilities to carry out a large-scale expansion of natural gas service throughout the state, adding 280,000 customers over the next 10 years.

Regulators in Connecticut gave preliminary approval on Wednesday to a plan that would allow three investor-owned utilities to carry out a large-scale expansion of natural gas service throughout the state, adding 280,000 customers over the next 10 years.

The rate hike reflects the larger-than-expected first-year total cost of service of $250.2 million for the expansion, which is expected to go into service on Nov. 1.

U.S. dry gas output continues to expand, but a lot of demand will begin tugging at supplies within a couple of years, according to analysts.

Transco filed the application in January to provide an additional 647,000 Dth/d of natural gas to New York City and the Rockaways portion of Queens.

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line (Transco) has filed an application at FERC to build and operate its Leidy Southeast expansion, which would supply an additional 525,000 Dth/d of capacity from its Leidy line in Pennsylvania as far south as Choctaw County, AL.

The anticipated in-service date for Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s (TGP) Line 300 Northeast Upgrade expansion, which would add 636,000 Dth/d of takeaway capacity from the Marcellus Shale, remains Nov. 1, although FERC has approved a delay until May 1, 2014 for completion of some facilities.