Abandonment And Expansion For Regional Energy Access Expansion Project

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company (Transco) has received a favorable final environmental impact statement from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for its Regional Energy Access Expansion (REAE) project, an expansion of Transco’s existing pipeline system. The purpose of the REAE project is to enable Transco to provide an additional 829,400 dekatherms per day of firm transportation service to shippers and to abandon certain compression facilities.

As part of the REAE project, Transco proposes to construct 22.3 miles (35.9 km) of 30-in. (0.76-m) pipeline in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; construct 13.8 mi. (22.2 km) of 42-in. (1.1-m) pipeline in Monroe County, Pennsylvania; increase the certificated station compression by 5000 hp (3730 kW) at its existing Compressor Station (CS) 195 in York County, Pennsylvania; modify its existing CS 200 in Chester County, Pennsylvania; construct the new 11,107-hp (8286-kW) CS 201 in Gloucester County, New Jersey; increase the certificated station compression by 4100 hp (3059 kW) at its existing CS 207 in Middlesex County, New Jersey; construct an additional 15,800 hp (11,787 kW) at its existing CS 505 in Somerset County, New Jersey; construct an additional 46,742 hp (34,870 kW) at its existing CS 515 in Luzerne County; as well as complete additional modifications to tie-ins, regulators, and delivery meter stations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Compressor Station 195

Transco will uprate and rewheel two existing electric motor-driven compressor units at existing CS 195 in York County. CS 195 is currently equipped with two 13,000-hp (9698-kW) electric motor-driven (EMD) DeLaval centrifugal compressor units and two 4000-hp (2984-kW) Cooper Model 12V250 engine-driven integral reciprocating compressor units.

The planned modifications for the REAE will consist of uprating each EMD compressor unit from 13,000 hp to 15,500 hp (11,563 kW), and the older Cooper model compressors will be retired. As a result, the total capacity of the station EMD compressor units will be 31,000 hp (23,126 kW).

Compressor Station 200

Transco will perform valve and piping modifications to connect the Transco Mainline A to the suction discharge line at existing CS 200 (no compressor additions or modifications).

Compressor Station 201

The new CS 201 will consist of one turbine-driven compressor unit, consisting of an 11,107-hp Solar Taurus 70S turbine-driven compressor unit driving a Solar centrifugal gas compressor. It will be equipped with gas cooling, and the turbine-compressor will be installed inside an acoustically insulated metal building. Auxiliary equipment includes a lube oil cooler, a turbine exhaust system with an adequate muffler system, a turbine air intake filter system designed with in-duct silencer, gas piping and associated piping components, and a gas aftercooler. CS 201 will also employ a unit blowdown/vent system, and the unit blowdown is expected to include a blowdown silencer.

Compressor Station 207

For CS 207, Transco will uprate one existing EMD compressor unit in Middlesex County to increase the certificated station compression by 4100 hp. The station currently includes three EMD gas compressor units. Two of the units are EMD Solar C402 centrifugal gas compressors (via a Vorecon gearbox), rated to operate at 7700 hp (5744 kW) each. Unit 3 is a variable-speed EMD Solar centrifugal gas compressor (via a Lufkin gearbox), rated to operate at 26,400 hp (19,694 kW). By uprating the operating capacity of Unit 3 to 30,500 hp (22,753 kW), Transco will add 4100 hp for the station’s total capacity.

Compressor Station 505

As part of the REAE project, Transco will add two gas-fired turbine-driven compressor units with a combined 31,800 hp (23,723 kW) to the existing CS 505 in Somerset County. This will accommodate the abandonment and replacement of 16,000 hp (11,936 kW) from eight existing and less energy-efficient gas-fired reciprocating engine driven compressor units, which will increase the certificated station compression by 15,800 hp. The station is currently equipped with eight Ingersoll-Rand Model 412KVS natural gas engine-driven reciprocating compressor units, rated 2000 hp (1492 kW) each.

The two new 15,900-hp (11,861-kW) Solar Mars 100 natural gas turbine-driven compressor units will drive two centrifugal gas compressors via a gearbox. The turbines and compressors will be installed inside a separate acoustically insulated metal building. In addition, the older engine-driven compressor units will be retired.

Additional auxiliary equipment for CS 505 are a turbine exhaust system, including an exhaust silencer system and a selective catalytic reduction system; a turbine air inlet system, including an air inlet silencer system; outdoor aboveground gas piping for each compressor unit; a lube oil cooler for each compressor unit; and modifications to the Centerville Regulator, as related to the REAE, which includes upsizing control valves, replacing the R4 valve, replacing an annubar, and replacing four valve actuators. Each new compressor unit will also employ a unit blowdown system with a blowdown silencer.

Compressor Station 515

Changes to CS 515 will involve the addition of two gas-fired turbine-driven compressor units with a combined 63,742 hp (47,552 kW), as well as the modification of three existing compressors in Luzerne County. This will accommodate the abandonment and replacement of approximately 17,000 hp (12,682 kW) from five existing and less energy-efficient gas-fired reciprocating engine-driven compressors and increase the certificated station compression by 46,742 hp. The station is currently equipped with three Cooper GMWC-10 engine-driven integral reciprocating 3400-hp (2536-kW) compressors, two Cooper 10-V-250 engine-driven integral reciprocating 3400-hp compressors, two Solar Mars 100 turbine-driven Solar centrifugal 16,000-hp compressors, and one Solar Mars 100 turbine-driven Solar centrifugal 15,000-hp (11,190-kW) compressor.

The five Cooper compressors will be replaced by two 31,870-hp (23,775-kW) Solar Titan 250 turbine-driven centrifugal gas compressors. Additional new auxiliary equipment and other components include a lube oil cooler for each compressor unit, a turbine exhaust system, a turbine air intake filter system, gas piping and piping components, and a gas aftercooler for each compressor unit.