Williams hosts open house

RBC — Northwest Pipeline GP (Northwest), one of the Williams Companies, currently owns and operates an interstate natural gas pipeline which crosses portions of Rio Blanco County. The pipeline provides natural gas service to several states throughout the west including markets in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
Northwest is proposing to install a new 20-inch diameter natural gas pipeline known as the Colorado Hub Connection (CHC), which will extend for approximately 28 miles from a point on Northwest’s mainline in Douglas Creek to the proposed White River Hub to the existing Enterprise-Meeker Gas Plant near Piceance Creek.
Northwest is seeking input from interested parties (stakeholders) and would like to invite all stakeholders to an open house in Meeker, Colo., where you can learn more about the project and discuss your concerns.
The CHC project will provide customers on Northwest’s system with direct access to existing and oncoming Piceance Basin supplies as well as access to new markets resulting from proposed interconnects with various pipelines in the Meeker area. Along with CHC’s approximate 28 miles of pipeline, the following facilities will be installed:
n An interconnecting facility with the proposed White River Hub in Rio Blanco County. Questar, an energy company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, will construct the meter station facilities.
n An interconnecting facility with the existing Enterprise-Meeker Gas Plant in Rio Blanco County.
n A pressure regulation station at the lateral/mainline interconnect located in Rio Blanco County.
n Aboveground facilities which will include mainline valves located along the pipeline according to the U.S Department of Transportation’s spacing requirements (CFR 192.179).
n Accommodations for internal inspection tool launchers and receivers located at each end of the pipeline.
He project will be evaluated and authorized by the Federal Regulatory Commission (FERC) in Washington, D.C. The Bureau of Land Management’s White River office will participate as a cooperating agency and will issue the right of way grant across federal lands.
Northwest has developed a preliminary pipeline route and has filed an application with the BLM’s White River office as well as with the FERC under the agency’s pre-filing process. The FERC has assigned the project Pre-filing Docket Number PF08-8.
The purpose of the FERC’s pre-filing process is to gather input and resolve as many issues as possible early in the evaluation phase by seeking input from those who would be affected by or have an interest in the project.
Northwest anticipates starting construction on the CHC Project on or about May 1, 2009, to take advantage of the summer construction season and place the new facilities in service on or about Nov. 1, 2009.
The proposed pipeline route was selected based on several key factors including constructability, environmental impacts, cost and preliminary agency and landowner consultations. Some changes to the proposed route can be anticipated as a result of further analysis and stakeholder input. www.coloradohubconnectio.com
Before the decision is finalized, all interested parties have been given the opportunity to review the study area and provide suggestions. The comments gathered during this planning phase will help shape the final proposal. Northwest anticipates finalizing the project proposal and filing a formal application with the FERC in July 2008. A CHC project open house has been scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 26. The open house will run from 6-9 p.m. and will be held at the Rio Blanco County Fairfield Center Complex located at 200 Main St. in Meeker.
You can learn more about this project by visiting www.coloradohubconnection.com, calling toll free 877-547-5304 or emailing us at [email protected].
All documents and correspondence submitted to or issued by FERC regarding the CHC Project can be accessed by referencing docket number PF08-8 on the FERC Web site, http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/search/fercgensearch.asp.