Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff found that a proposed compression-based expansion of Texas Eastern Transmission LP's Gulf Coast natural gas pipeline system would not produce serious environmental impacts.
In a May 31 environmental assessment, FERC staff found that the two projects, united by location and timing, would not have a sizable impact to the environment if the developer follows mitigation measures. The Spectra Energy Partners LP subsidiary's expansion projects would allow for an additional 157,500 Dth/d of firm natural gas transportation for industrial and commercial customers in Texas and Louisiana. Enbridge Inc. owns Spectra Energy.
Texas Eastern applied for the projects, known as the Texas Industrial Market and the Louisiana Market expansions, in October 2017. Texas Eastern put both projects in a single application because the work would take place at the same site, the Gillis compressor station in Beauregard Parish, La., and in the same construction season. The partnership asked FERC to issue an order granting authorization by Sept. 1 to place the projects in service by as early as Aug. 1, 2019. FERC staff referred to the combined projects as the TX-LA Markets project.
The projects, estimated to cost about $16.2 million, would provide the additional reverse throughput capacity from receipt points on Texas Eastern's interstate mainline pipeline system from Opelousas, La., to Vidor, Texas. The projects' capacity is fully subscribed in precedent agreements that include primary terms of 20 years.
The Texas Industrial Market expansion project would provide up to 82,500 Dth/d of firm transportation capacity from a receipt point in Evangeline Parish, La., to a delivery point in Orange County, Texas, and to a future delivery point in Jefferson County, Texas.
The Louisiana Market expansion project would provide up to 75,000 Dth/d of firm transportation capacity from a receipt point in Calcasieu Parish, La., to a delivery point in Beauregard Parish. (FERC docket CP18-10)
