Transcontinental Gas Pipeline

From Global Energy Monitor
This article is part of the Global Fossil Infrastructure Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
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Transcontinental Gas Pipeline is an operating natural gas pipeline.[1]

Location

The pipeline runs from the Gulf coast of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania to deliver gas to the New Jersey and New York City area.[2]

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Project Details

  • Operator: Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco)
  • Parent Company: Williams Partners L.P.
  • Current capacity: 16.8 Bcf/d[3]
  • Length: 10,200 miles / 16,415 km
  • Status: Operating
  • Start Year: 1950

Background

The Transcontinental Gas Pipeline is operated by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco), a subsidiary of Williams Partners L.P.[4]

Settlements

In a 2002 settlement with the EPA and U.S. Department of Justice, Williams Partners agreed to test the soil and groundwater near some of its compressor stations for contamination. This settlement also included a $1.4 million fine and a cleanup program for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB).[5] “This settlement resolves Transco’s past illegal disposal practices and commits the company to a comprehensive testing and cleanup program that will protect public health and the environment,” said Sylvia Lowrance, EPA’s Acting Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.[5]

Connection to Sabine Pass LNG

In 2017 the pipeline was extended to connect to the Sabine Pass LNG facility in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.[6] In February 2018 the Federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration ordered a seven-day shutdown for a storage tank at the facility in which supercold natural gas leaked between the tank's inner and outer walls, on Jan. 22, 2017[7] An investigation of the leak uncovered 11 similar incidents that had occurred between 2008 and 2016.[7] "This incident is a reminder that the expansion of LNG projects poses a grave threat to our communities and our climate," said Nathan Matthews, a staff attorney for the Sierra Club, which released a copy of the report to the public after discovering it on Friday. "It's a relief that no one was hurt, but allowing the facility to continue to operate until it's clear how widespread these issues are would be extremely reckless."[7]

Financing

Recent financial support for Transcontinental's operations has involved debt financing via bond issues. In January 2016, a US$1 billion private bond placement was underwritten by Barclays, JP Morgan, RBC, Scotiabank and TD Bank.[8] This was followed in March 2018 by the refinancing of existing company debt through a US$1 billion bond issue involving JPMorgan Chase, Barclays, Crédit Agricole and Wells Fargo.[9]

Expansion projects

Virginia Interconnect Project

The Virginia Interconnect or VNG Interconnect expansion will add an interconnect between Virginia Natural Gas and the Transco Pipeline. VNG had planned to build the Interconnect in Northern Virginia primarily based off of plans from a previously cancelled project called the Header Improvement Project.[10] The project involves adding a new compressor station in Prince William County, Virginia and upgrades to the Mechanicsville, Virginia metering station.[11]

The project was cancelled in 2021, citing the shifting financial priorities of developers.[10]

  • Operator: National Grid
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 296 MMcfd[11]
  • Length: 10 miles / 16.1 km[11]
  • Diameter: 30 inches[12]
  • Cost: US$205 million[11]
  • Status: Cancelled
  • Start year: 2023[11]

Southeastern Trail Expansion Project

The project will add additional bidirectional capacity on the Transco pipeline. It received Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in-service approval on December 23, 2020. Full completion and service of the pipeline was delayed until March 1, 2021 due to winter conditions. As of April 2021 the project was partially complete.[11]

  • Operator: National Grid
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 296 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd)[11]
  • Length: 8 miles / 12.9 km[11]
  • Diameter:
  • Cost: US$405 million[11]
  • Status: Proposed[11]
  • Start Year: 2021[11]

Rivervale South to Market Expansion Project

In September 2017 Transco applied to FERC for permission for the Rivervale South to Market project, which would consist of updating 10.35 miles of existing Transco pipeline, adding a 0.61-mile pipeline loop, and upgrades and modifications to existing pipeline facilities, all in New Jersey.[13] The project would increase capacity by 190 mcfd.[13] The planned in-service date is November 2019.[13]

There have been no development updates since the project was first proposed in 2017, and it it presumed to be cancelled.[13]

  • Operator: National Grid
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 190 million cubic feet per day[13]
  • Length: 0.61 miles / 0.98 km[13]
  • Diameter:
  • Cost:
  • Status: Cancelled[13]
  • Start year: 2019[13]

Northeast Supply Enhancement Project

The Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) project, included the enhancement of existing Transco infrastructure (the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline) in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The initial application for permits for the project were submitted in June 2017.[14]

In January 2019, Williams Companies applied for permits to build the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Pipeline as an extension of the Transco that would add ten miles of pipeline in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and 27 miles in New Jersey and New York.[15] The pipeline was proposed to transport gas from Pennsylvania through New Jersey, travel underwater in the Raritan Bay and Lower New York Bay, ending about three miles offshore the Rockaway Peninsula in the Queens Borough of New York City.[16]

In May 2019 the New York Department of Environmental Conservation rejected the pipeline, stating, "Construction of the NESE pipeline project is projected to result in water quality violations and fails to meet New York State’s rigorous water quality standards."[17][2]

Environmentalists warned that the proposed expansion would damage wetlands in New Jersey. The pipeline would require a trench to be dug in the wetlands, a natural infrastructure that provides wildlife habitats, filters storm water and act as a flood buffer, noted Hackensack Riverkeeper Bill Sheeran."[18] "The wetlands are the first line of defense against really bad things that can happen to really good people," Sheeran said. "This is just another corporation trying to chip away at the environmental quality of the Meadowlands."

Ahead of the May 17, 2020 deadline for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to rule on a key permit for the pipeline expansion project, more than 100 protesters participated in a virtual rally against the proposed expansion which would cut through northern New Jersey and then out approximately 23 miles into New York Harbor to connect with the city's existing gas system. New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer said: “We can’t pretend we are making progress on combating climate change if we continue to build out fracked gas infrastructure that will lock in emissions for years to come.” National Grid has been criticised by groups such as the Environmental Defense Fund and NY Renews, an environmental justice coalition of more than 200 groups across New York State, for failing to analyse the emissions impacts of various gas supply scenarios which the company has published since its original pipeline proposal was rejected by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation in May 2019.[19]

In July 2020, Forbes reported that the NESE expansion had been cancelled in light of the developer's failure to obtain the necessary water permit.[20]

In March 2021, Transco requested a two-year extension of the time to construct and place the pipeline into service.[21] According to EIA, as of May 2021, the status of the project os 'Announced' and expected to begin service in 2023[22]

The project had encountered heated opposition from activists due to the expected costs and ultimate impacts on climate change, human health.[23]

In May 2024, after multiple rejected permits, Williams abandoned the expansion project.[24]

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  • Operator: National Grid
  • Owner: Transco[25]
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 400 million cubic feet per day[22]
  • Length: 37 miles / 60 km[22]
  • Diameter: 42-inches[22]
  • Cost: US$ 927 million[22]
  • Status: Cancelled[22]
  • Start year: 2020[22]

Diamond East Expansion Project

The expansion would have added 1 billion cubic feet of gas transport capacity per day through Pennsylvania and New York. There have been no development updates since 2014 and the expansion project is presumed to be cancelled.[22][2]

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, as of April 2021 the project was officially on-hold.[26]

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  • Operator: Transcontinental Gas Pipeline[22]
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 1,000 million cubic feet per day[22]
  • Length: 50 miles / 80.5 km[22]
  • Cost: US$ 800 million[22]
  • Status: Cancelled[22]
  • Start year:

Gateway Expansion Project

In November 2017, Transco applied to FERC for permission to proceed with its Gateway Expansion Project, which includes building a new compressor unit at Transco’s existing Compressor Station 303 in Essex County, NJ, a new valve and electric transformer also in Essex County, and equipment upgrades at a metering station in Passaic County, NJ.[27]

The expansion project involves the replacement of valves, compressors, and associated equiptment to improve natural gas deliverability. It does not include laying any additional miles of pipeline. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) construction was completed in November of 2019, but the in-service date remains 2021.[22]

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, construction was completed in November of 2019.[28]

  • Operator: Transcontinental Gas Pipeline[22]
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 65 million cubic feet per day[22]
  • Length: 0.0 new kilometers[22]
  • Cost: US$ 85 million[22]
  • Status: Construction[22]
  • Start year: 2021[22]

Sabine Pass Compression Project Expansion Project

The expansion will add additional compression pressure to increase the natural gas transport capacity to the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal in Louisiana, USA.[22]

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  • Operator: Natural Gas Pipeline Co[22]
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 400 MMcf/d[22]
  • Length: 50 mi[22]
  • Diameter: 36 in[22]
  • Cost: US$61 million[22]
  • Status: Operating[29]
  • Start year: 2020[22]

Hillabee Expansion Project, Phase 1

The expansion runs through Alabama.[2]

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  • Operator: Natural Gas Pipeline Co[22]
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 818 MMcf/d[2]
  • Length: 22 mi[2]
  • Diameter:
  • Cost:
  • Status: Operating[2]
  • Start Year: 2017[2]

Hillabee Expansion Project, Phase 2

The expansion adds additional pipeline to the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline in Alabama.[22] It entered service in May 2020.[30][2]

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  • Operator: Transcontinental Gas Pipeline[22]
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 206 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d)[22]
  • Length: 11 miles / 17.7 km[22]
  • Diameter: 42-inches[22]
  • Cost: US$60 million[22]
  • Status: Operating[30]
  • Start year: 2020[22]

Hillabee Expansion Project, Phase 3

The expansion will add additional pipeline to the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline in Alabama. It is the continuation of the Hillabee Expansion Project, Phase 2. It has been approved by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.[22][2]

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  • Operator: Transcontinental Gas Pipeline[22]
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 70 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d)[22]
  • Length: 1.40 miles / 2.3 km[22]
  • Diameter: 42-inches[22]
  • Cost: US$16 million[22]
  • Status: Proposed[22]
  • Start Year: 2023[26]

Regional Energy Access Project (Phase I and II)

The expansion project will create three delivery paths from Chapin B, Puddlefield B, and Carverton B reciept points on the Leidy lateral to three delivery points on Mud Run Road (PA, 210 MMcf/d Phase I), Station 210 Delivery Pool (NJ, 640 MMcf/d, Phase I), and Trenton Delivery CPH (NJ, 190 MMcf/d, Phase II). The new delivery paths will run from Pennsylvania to New Jersey.[22]

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, as of April 2021 the project had not yet applied for FERC approval.[22]

By March 2023, it was approved by FERC.[22]

As of mid-2023, the project was on track for completion by 2024.[31]

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  • Operator: Transcontinental Gas Pipeline[22]
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 1,050 MMcf/d[22]
    • Alternatively quoted as 850 MMcf/d[31]
  • Length: 34 miles / 54.7 km[22]
  • Diameter: 30-inches, 42-inches[26]
  • Cost:
  • Status: Proposed[22]
  • Start year: 2024[31]

Gulf Connector Expansion

The Gulf Connector Project expands the Transco pipeline’s delivery capacity by 475 million cubic feet per day, providing service to Cheniere Energy’s Corpus Christi liquefaction terminal and Freeport LNG Development, L.P.’s liquefaction project.[32]

The expansion provides additional transmission capacity from Station 65 in Louisiana to deliver points in Wharton and San Patricio Counties, Texas.[33]

  • Operator: Transcontinental Gas Pipeline[22]
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 475 million cubic feet per day[32]
  • Length: 0 new kilometers
  • Status: Operating[32]
  • Start year: 2019[32]

Appalachian Connector

The Appalachian Connector, also referred to as the Western Marcellus Pipeline[34][35], was a proposed extension to the Transco Pipeline that would have added gas supply from fields in the Marcellus basin in order to meet both demand domestically and for LNG exports abroad. The pipeline was proposed in 2017 but disappeared from Williams' investor documents and suggestions thereafter. As of December 2021, it had been over four years since development had occurred on the project, so it is considered cancelled.

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  • Operator: Transcontinental Gas Pipeline[34]
  • Owner: Transco
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity:
  • Length:
  • Status: Cancelled
  • Start year: 2018[34]

Texas to Louisiana Energy Pathway

This is a proposed expansion on the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline primarily to serve LNG demand on the U.S. Gulf Coast. According to the EIA, the developer has applied to FERC for approval.[11]

  • Operator: Transcontinental Gas Pipeline[11]
  • Owner: Transco[11]
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[11]
  • Capacity: 364 MMcf/d[11]
  • Length:
  • Status: Proposed[11]
  • Start year: 2025[11]

Southeast Supply Enhancement Project

In late October 2024, Williams Companies submitted an application to FERC for an expansion in Virginia and North Carolina, as part of an expansion throughout the region for the company.[36]

  • Operator: Transcontinental Gas Pipeline[36]
  • Owner: Transco[36]
  • Parent company: Williams Companies[36]
  • Capacity: 1.5 Bcf/d[36]
  • Diameter: 42 in[36]
  • Length: 54 mi[36]
  • Status: Proposed[36]
  • Start year: 2027[36]

Articles and resources

References

  1. ↑ Transcontinental Gas Pipeline, Wikipedia, accessed January 2018
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 National Energy and Petrochemical Map , FracTracker, February 28, 2020 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "ftmap" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "ftmap" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "ftmap" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "ftmap" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "ftmap" defined multiple times with different content
  3. ↑ "Transcontinental Gas Pipeline". rextag.com. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  4. ↑ Transco Initiates Private Debt Issuance Williams, Jan. 19, 2016
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation (Transco) Multimedia Settlement, EPA, Feb. 1, 2002
  6. ↑ Williams Partners Expands Pipeline Capacity to Deliver Natural Gas to Cheniere’s LNG Export Facility at Sabine Pass, Williams, Feb. 1, 2017
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Sabine Pass LNG ordered to shut down leaking gas storage tanks, The Times-Picayune, Feb. 10, 2018
  8. ↑ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company (Transco) Additional Facility, IJGlobal, accessed Aug. 10, 2020.
  9. ↑ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company Refinancing 2018, IJGlobal, accessed Aug. 10, 2020.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Laura Cofsky, VNG concludes the Interconnect Project is “no longer needed”, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, March 23, 2021
  11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 11.19 11.20 11.21 11.22 11.23 11.24 11.25 11.26 11.27 11.28 11.29 11.30 Natural Gas, Pipeline Projects, Energy Information Administration, accessed July 12, 2021
  12. ↑ "Application of Virginia Natural Gas for approval and Certification of Natural Gas Facilities" (PDF). Virginia Natural Gas. 2020. Retrieved 12 September, 2023. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 Transco seeks FERC approval for Riverdale (sic) South project, Kallanish Energy, Sep. 5, 2017, archived from the original, archive accessed Aug. 27, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation". www.dec.ny.gov. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
  15. ↑ Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project, Department of Environmental Conservation, accessed March 2020
  16. ↑ "Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation". www.dec.ny.gov. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
  17. ↑ New York Rejects Keystone-Like Pipeline in Fierce Battle Over the State’s Energy Future, New York Times, May 15, 2019
  18. ↑ Gas pipeline plan in Meadowlands concerns environmentalists, NJ.com, Sep. 17, 2017
  19. ↑ Does New York need a new natural gas pipeline? It’s about to decide., Grist, May 11, 2020
  20. ↑ Scott Carpenter, Oil And Gas Pipelines Increasingly Losing Legal Challenges, Forbes, July 6, 2020
  21. ↑ "https://centraljersey.com/2021/03/26/nese-pipeline-granted-two-year-extension/". Retrieved 2022-07-25. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ↑ 22.00 22.01 22.02 22.03 22.04 22.05 22.06 22.07 22.08 22.09 22.10 22.11 22.12 22.13 22.14 22.15 22.16 22.17 22.18 22.19 22.20 22.21 22.22 22.23 22.24 22.25 22.26 22.27 22.28 22.29 22.30 22.31 22.32 22.33 22.34 22.35 22.36 22.37 22.38 22.39 22.40 22.41 22.42 22.43 22.44 22.45 22.46 22.47 22.48 22.49 "Natural Gas Data, Pipeline Projects," Energy Information Agency, September 12, 2023
  23. ↑ "https://www.stopthewilliamspipeline.org/". Retrieved 2022-07-25. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ↑ "https://citylimits.org/2024/05/14/williams-pipeline-saga-ends-but-the-fight-to-phase-out-gas-continues/". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ↑ "https://centraljersey.com/2021/03/26/nese-pipeline-granted-two-year-extension/". Retrieved 2022-07-25. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 U.S. natural gas pipeline projects, U.S. Energy Information Administration, April 29, 2021
  27. ↑ Williams Files FERC Appl for Transco “Gateway Expansion Project”, Marcellus Drilling News, Nov. 16, 2017
  28. ↑ "Natural Gas Data, Pipeline Projects," Energy Information Agency, November 16, 2020
  29. ↑ Kinder Morgan Announces Results for Third Quarter of 2020; Maintains $0.2625 Per Share Dividend, Business Wire, Oct. 20, 2020
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Williams Announces Phase II of Hillabee Expansion Now in Service, Williams Press Release, May 1, 2020
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 "https://read.nxtbook.com/gulf_energy_information/pipeline_and_gas_journal/august_2023/projects_august.html". {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 Gulf Connector Project placed into service, Williams Newsroom, Jan 4, 2018, accessed Sep. 5, 2021.
  33. ↑ The Williams Companies, Inc. Form 10-K, US SEC Annual Report, accessed Sep. 5, 2021.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 "Williams Announces Open Season For Transco Western Marcellus Pipeline Project". Hart Energy. Retrieved 2022-01-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ↑ "Natural Gas Pipelines in Virginia: Expanding the Transmission Network After Fracking". www.virginiaplaces.org. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4 36.5 36.6 36.7 36.8 Radmacher, Dan (2024-10-29). "Williams Companies submits federal application for massive new methane pipeline". Appalachian Voices. Retrieved 2024-10-30.

Related GEM.wiki articles

External resources

External articles

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