The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission allowed Rover Pipeline LLC to increase throughput on its partially completed pipeline project to allow it to move up to 1.2 Bcf/d of gas supplies that producers in the Marcellus and Utica shales are ready to ship.

FERC granted the authorization in an Oct. 6 letter order. Rover asked for the authorization to begin partial service at a mainline compressor station after completing commissioning on three gas compression units.

"This requested in-service schedule is necessary to permit Rover's shippers to make the requisite contractual and operational arrangements to flow natural gas on the Rover Pipeline system beginning as early as October 7, 2017," the Energy Transfer Partners LP company said in an Oct. 5 request that asked for immediate authorization.

On Sept. 19, Rover had asked the commission to start service at the same compressor station before Sept. 22.

"The addition of the three units [at Mainline Compressor Station 1 in eastern Ohio] will increase the potential throughput of the Rover Pipeline system from approximately 680 [MMcf/d] to 1.2 [Bcf/d]," Rover said. "Rover customers have indicated that they have supply available at this time to utilize this additional capacity."

FERC has allowed Rover to start service Aug. 31 on the first part of the project, a limited portion of the pipeline that includes interconnects with other systems and a lateral. After delays stemming from construction problems and related investigations by FERC and Ohio, Rover plans for the entire $4.2 billion, 3.25-Bcf/d pipeline to enter full commercial service at the end of the first quarter of 2018. (FERC docket CP15-93)