New pipeline projects increase Northeast natural gas takeaway capacity

A number of recently completed and upcoming natural gas infrastructure projects are expected to increase the reach of natural gas produced in the Marcellus and Utica regions of the Northeastern United States (see map). These projects are intended to transport natural gas from production centers to consuming markets or export terminals.

Over the past several years, natural gas production in the Marcellus and Utica areas has grown significantly: their combined growth of 12 billion cubic feet per day since 2011 accounts for 89% of the United States's total growth in natural gas production. The Marcellus and Utica shale plays are located primarily in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. The pipeline infrastructure discussed here is mainly in the Northeast region, which includes Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but not Ohio, based on the regional breakouts in EIA's natural gas pipeline data.

Partly as a result of strong domestic production growth, both domestic natural gas consumption and exports of natural gas by pipeline have increased, and exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States are set to begin this year. However, because infrastructure projects often have longer lead times than production projects, infrastructure growth in the Northeast has not kept pace with production growth, and capacity has been insufficient to move natural gas out of the Northeast to demand centers and export locations.

In the past several months, several new pipeline projects have come online to move natural gas either to nearby market areas in the Mid-Atlantic area (New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) or to feed into existing infrastructure that delivers natural gas to more distant regions, especially the U.S. Gulf Coast. Key projects that came online in late 2015 or early 2016 include:

- The Rockies Express Pipline (REX) reversal project had added westbound capacity to flow natural gas to the Midwest in 2014. In late 2015, Texas Eastern Transmission Companyâ€™s (Tetco) OPEN project added 550 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of pipeline takeaway capacity out of Ohio.

- Columbia Gas Pipeline's East Side Expansion, a 310 MMcf/d project that flows natural gas produced in Pennsylvania to Mid-Atlantic markets.

- Tennessee Gas Pipeline's Broad Run Flexibility Project, a 590 MMcf/d project originating in West Virginia that moves natural gas to the Gulf Coast states.

- Tetcoâ€™s Uniontown-to-Gas City project flows up to 425 MMcf/d of natural gas produced in the Marcellus region to Indiana.

- Williams Transcontinental Pipeline's Leidy Southeast project provides additional capacity to take Marcellus natural gas to Transco's mainline, which extends from Texas to New York. From there, the natural gas serves Mid-Atlantic market areas as well as the Gulf Coast.

Several other projects plan to add natural gas transmission capacity later in 2016: The Algonquin Incremental Markets expansion project will add 342 MMcf/d of capacity to Algonquin Gas Transmission's pipeline in the highly constrained New England region. The Constitution Pipeline will have the capacity to transport up to 650 MMcf/d of natural gas from the Appalachian Basin to the Iroquois Gas Transmission and Tennessee Gas Pipeline systems in New York, which will provide access to markets in the Northeast and New England. The Wright Interconnect Project expands Iroquois's facilities and supports the Constitution Pipeline where the Iroquois and Constitution pipelines interconnect in Wright, New York.

Other projects currently under construction, including liquefaction projects in Maryland and along the U.S. Gulf Coast, will enable natural gas produced in the Appalachian Basin to reach markets overseas.

More information about existing natural gas pipeline infrastructure is available in EIA's spreadsheet of State-to-State Capacity. Projects that are planned or under construction are listed in the Pipeline Projects spreadsheet.

We have a pipeline coming through a corner of our property in WV - whether we want it or not.

I’ve always supported energy production, but I can see how a lot of people sour on it after having dealt with the pipeline company. It’s a high pressure line going through the state, so there’s no benefit to the state, nor any benefit to us, although it renders a very picturesque part of our property unbuildable and the view destroyed permanently. It also creates a conduit for predators (both two and four legged) to access our otherwise remote property, and a means for livestock to escape.

But they’ll throw us a pittance and promise to plant some trees that won’t mature until we’re dead, while we continue to pay taxes on part of our property that we essentially can’t use forever. What a deal.

And, thanks to the fed involvement, they can take it with eminent domain. About the only choice we have is litigation.

Itâ€™s a high pressure line going through the state, so thereâ€™s no benefit to the state

There are no jobs associated with a pipeline? No taxes? No sales of Nat Gas into the pipeline?

nor any benefit to us

They are stealing your property? You are not paid for the easement?

it renders a very picturesque part of our property unbuildable and the view destroyed permanently.

We have pipeline in our neighborhood near the house. It provides permanent greenspace with pathways for walkers, and the wildlife (mostly deer) move through it. I really like that I know it will never get built over.

and a means for livestock to escape.

You don't have fences?

It’s the Mountaineer XL, I believe. Information is difficult to come by to be honest.

As I understand it, there will be no sales into the pipeline. There are no inputs and no outputs in the state. Just pipeline and pumping stations.

There might be temporary jobs. How many will go to locals? If fracking is any guide, the workers will come from out of state, do the job, and leave. This isn’t like a gas pipeline running to a home or business - it’s a 30” (IIRC) high pressure line. Doubtful any locals have experience with this sort of thing.

I don’t remember how wide they’re going to clearcut, but it’s something in the range of 30-50’ - more if the terrain demands. We have been given very little info - I’ve had to learn what I can from the preliminary reports on the web.

Its a huge gash in the forest that isn’t going to heal for decades - at least not in my lifetime - regardless of how many saplings they plant.

Right now, I have a fence in the middle of the woods.

In the future, I will have to put up a fence against a wide clearcut swath that runs in a straight lines for miles in either direction through the county and the neighboring one. It also isolates part of our property from the rest because it now has to be fenced on both sides of the swath. What would have been impassible for all practical purposes is now an animal highway in both directions. It’s a completely different situation to deal with keeping animals in and out, and the two legged animals are going to be the biggest problem. Just ask DOT how well they keep deer off the interstates if you want to know how effective fencing is, and they have a far larger fencing budget than I do. There are carcasses all over I-77 during the rut.

I don’t know if I’d call it stealing. What do you call it when you’re forced to sell something for far less than you value it?

The pipeline company is setting the price. If we don’t take their offer, they’ll use eminent domain to force us to accept a third party’s assessment, which will be based only on the resale value of the land. But the property has value to us beyond what the buyer or any third party would assign it. Most importantly, we don’t want to sell. We don’t want a tube of high pressure explosive gas under our isolated, rural land. They’re unwilling to go around us. If we don’t like it, and we don’t, our only option is to hire an attorney and try to fight a huge corporation who has the government’s imprimatur.

there will be no sales into the pipeline

False.

It will create approximately 2.7 billion cubic feet per day of firm transportation capacity from existing and new points of receipt along or near Columbia Transmission's system, providing producers in the Marcellus and Utica shale areas new transportation options to move gas out of the capacity-constrained supply basin and into the interstate market.

You have to understand that gas is first cleaned up at a multiple gas processing facilities before it becomes pipeline quality gas. Contaminants are first removed (C02, water, NGLs, etc). It is very rare for a gas well to produce on spec Nat Gas without any processing before ready to sell to customer.

Just pipeline and pumping stations.

Those have permanent jobs. I've been the lead engineer on several pipelines. They create lots of construction jobs, and permanent jobs. We always have to hire local people from dirt work, construction supplies, build drives, buildings, fences, a multitude of needs.

If fracking is any guide, the workers will come from out of state, do the job, and leave.

Hydro Frac treatments of wells don't create infrastructure that has to be maintained like pipe and compressor stations.

This isn't like a gas pipeline running to a home or business - it's a 30" (IIRC) high pressure line. Doubtful any locals have experience with this sort of thing.

High pressure pipe welding is something that requires certification. But lots of people in WV maintain compressors, pumps, valves, equipment. These are lasting jobs.

Right now, I have a fence in the middle of the woods.

So you had a fence and will continue to use a fence. Pipeline easements are routinely fenced to prevent traffic by anyone other than the land owner and pipeline needs. I've seen them through ranches and fields without requiring open ends, just locked gates.

if you want to know how effective fencing is

So are you planning a different type of fence than before?

What do you call it when you're forced to sell something for far less than you value it?

No different than roads, power lines and the like. You haven't sold it, you still retain the land, but you have been paid for the limited future use.

I understand it is not want you wanted, but you also expect the conveniences of modern society, and other people went through the same for the roads, power, telecomm and the like you enjoy today.

Thanks for the info.

I’d like to have been more informed, but getting info has been difficult. Obviously I was misinformed on some of the details. That project page has some good info. It didn’t exist last time I was searching. Trying to wade through the FERC documents was a bit maddening.

A few years ago, I’d have been saying the same things you are. It’s different when you live here, and I don’t mean that in the general sense, but in the specific “here” that we live. It’s why we chose this place after years living in an industrialized city. There aren’t many places left east of the Mississippi that are this isolated and untouched. It’s like going back in time in a lot of ways, and you really don’t grasp the totality of it until you are here for awhile. I’m not sure those who grew up here realize just how unique and special it is.

We’re not far from Burning Springs where they were pumping oil before the Civil War. There are oil and gas wells dotting the landscape with plenty of pipeline runs. This area has a lot of experience with energy companies, and not all of it is good - especially the long term promises and assurances.

But this project is something else entirely.

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