The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorized Columbia Gas Transmission LLC to begin construction on its 1.3-MMDth/d WB XPress natural gas pipeline project connecting Appalachian shale to regional markets in West Virginia and Virginia.
The Dec. 4 notice was issued in response to the Columbia Pipeline Group Inc. company's request to build the project, which will provide bidirectional gas transportation service and boost transportation capacity to a local distribution company and interstate pipelines. FERC also authorized 20 construction variances.
The construction authorization covers activities in Kanawha, Grant, Upshur, Randolph, Pendleton and Hardy counties in West Virginia and Shenandoah, Warren, Clark, Fauquier and Loudoun counties in Virginia. Activities for Braxton and Clay counties in West Virginia and Fairfax County in Virginia have not yet been approved.
The project, which received a certificate order from the commission on Nov. 17, will include 26.2 miles of various-diameter replacement pipeline, 3.1 miles of new pipeline, two new compressor stations, and modifications to seven compressor stations and a metering station. Columbia Gas filed an abbreviated application for the approximately $780 million project in December 2015.
The Columbia Pipeline Group is part of TransCanada Corp. (FERC docket CP16-38)
