U.S. natural gas pipeline projects currently under construction could bring the total takeaway capacity out of the Northeast to over 23 Bcf/d by the end of 2018, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said.
If all the pipeline projects come online by expected in-service dates, the buildout would offer a significant boost from the roughly 16.7 Bcf/d of capacity available from the same region at the end of 2017 and more than three times the capacity available at the end of 2014, the agency said in a May 18 report. The projects provide the Midwest, Southeast and Gulf Coast in the U.S. and Eastern Canada access to Marcellus and Utica shale supplies.
The projects expected to be operational by the end of 2018 include 4.2-Bcf/d of Columbia Pipeline Group Inc. expansion projects, Leach Xpress and Mountaineer Xpress; Columbia Pipeline Group's up to 800-MMcf/d WB Xpress project; the Atlantic Sunrise, Mountain Valley pipeline and Equitrans expansion projects, which will add over 3 Bcf/d of gas transportation capacity connected to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC's system; Energy Transfer Partners LP's 3.25-Bcf/d Rover pipeline project; and the Nexus pipeline project, which will add 1.5 Bcf/d.
