Sunoco

The Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board (EHB) has granted Sunoco Pipeline LP’s request to resume horizontal directional drilling (HDD) for the Mariner East (ME) 2 pipeline at select sites across the state to preserve equipment and prevent environmental damage.

Sunoco Pipeline LP’s Mariner East (ME) 2 natural gas pipeline project on Tuesday was ordered by the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board (EHB) to halt all horizontal directional drilling (HDD) until Aug. 7, when environmental groups are scheduled to argue against the pipeline following a series of violations.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday responded to public concerns about horizontal directional drilling (HDD) operations for the Mariner East (ME) 2 pipeline project, which have resulted in several releases of drilling mud and well water contamination in the southeast part of the state.

Sunoco Pipeline LP resumed construction of the Mariner East (ME) 2 pipeline over the weekend after it was forced to suspend horizontal directional drilling (HDD) last week when families in southeast Pennsylvania reported that their well water was affected by the operations.

Sunoco Pipeline LP has asked the Huntingdon County Common Pleas Court for permission to remove landowners and their supporters from a property in southern Pennsylvania where an encampment has cropped up to prevent construction of the Mariner East (ME) 2 natural gas pipeline.

The Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas has denied Sunoco Pipeline LP’s request to summarily dismiss a lawsuit filed last year by the Clean Air Council (CAC) and two landowners that challenges the constitutionality of the Mariner East 2 pipeline, clearing the way forward for one of the last remaining legal efforts to stop the project.

Energy Transfer Partners LP (ETP) unitholders have voted to approve a merger with Sunoco Logistics Partners LP. ETP said 88% of its units voted in favor of the deal, which is expected to close on Friday (April 28). Sunoco said in November it would acquire ETP in an all-stock deal valued at nearly $20 billion to create the nation’s second largest midstream master limited partnership by enterprise value. The combined company is keeping the ETP name. The deal comes about five years after ETP acquired Sunoco Inc. in a $5.3 billion deal.

Sunoco Logistics Partners LP will proceed with the construction of a third Mariner East (ME) pipeline known as ME 2X now that it’s received the necessarypermits from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Sunoco Logistics Partners LP can start construction of the Mariner East (ME) 2 pipeline — a natural gas liquids project that’s been in the works for years — after the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) late Monday approved 20 key permits.