The fully contracted expansions of the existing Transco pipeline, which runs through Hardin, Jasper and Newton counties, were designed and built to reduce land use and minimize community and environmental impact while delivering additional natural gas volumes to the region, reported GasCompressionMagazine.com.
“I congratulate our team for the efficient completion of these projects, demonstrating our ability to execute large-scale expansions in a safe and environmentally responsible manner,” said Alan Armstrong, president and chief executive officer for Williams. “Demand for affordable, reliable, and clean natural gas continues to grow across U.S. markets, driven by increasing electric power generation, reshoring of energy-intensive manufacturing, data center load growth and LNG exports. Williams is committed to meeting this demand with 12 high-return transmission projects currently in execution, which will add more than 3.25 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) to our transmission systems over the next several years.”
Texas to Louisiana project
The Texas to Louisiana Energy Pathway project expands Transco’s capacity in Texas and Louisiana by 364 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) to support reliability and diversification of energy infrastructure along the Gulf Coast, a growing demand center for domestic needs and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export activity.
The project includes a new 15,900-hp compressor station in Fort Bend County; modification of six existing compressors at Compressor Station 40 in Hardin County, to accommodate new flow conditions; and programming updates at existing Compressor Station 23 in Victoria County to allow for enhanced system operation in the northbound direction. The new Compressor Station 33 houses a 15,900-hp Solar Mars 100 gas-fired turbine-driven unit.
Southeast Energy Connector
The Southeast Energy Connector supports the conversion of electric power generation in Alabama from coal to natural gas and provides 150 MMcf/d of natural gas to meet the area’s clean energy needs. The project included the construction of approximately 1.9 miles of 42-in. pipeline loop on Transco’s existing Mainline E in Chilton and Coosa Counties, Alabama; removing existing pig traps at Mileposts 909.63 and 911.53 on its Mainline E; and installing an additional 11,110-hp gas-fired, turbine-driven compressor unit its Compressor Station 105 in Coosa County, Alabama. Compressor Station 105 now includes five turbine-driven compressor units. Unit 1 is a 15,000-hp (11,190-kW) Solar Model Mars 100 driving a Dresser-Rand (DR) Model 50PDI centrifugal compressor. Units 2 and 3 are 15,000-hp Solar Model Mars 100S gas turbine driving a DR Model 50PDI centrifugal compressor. Unit 4 is a 20,500-hp (15,293-kW) Solar Titan Model 130 gas turbine driving a Solar Model C752 centrifugal gas compressor unit. Unit 5 is an 11,110-hp Solar Taurus 70 turbine-driven centrifugal gas compressor unit. Additional auxiliary equipment includes a turbine exhaust system designed with an outside stack and exhaust silencer system, turbine air intake filter system designed with associated filter/silencer system, aboveground gas piping and associated components, an outdoor lube oil cooler that serves the compressor, and outdoor gas cooling.
Piecing it together
The completed expansions follow recent record-breaking natural gas transmission volumes. Transco recorded 19 of the 20 highest-volume days ever this past winter, driven by a combination of heating, electric power generation loads, and LNG exports along the Transco corridor.
Williams owns and operates Transco, a 10,000-plus mile natural gas transportation system extending from South Texas to New York City. Transco is the nation’s largest-volume natural gas pipeline system, transporting about 20% of the natural gas produced in the U.S.
With the expansions, the pipeline’s system-design capacity has increased to over 20 Bcf/d. Williams owns and operates the Northwest Pipeline and MountainWest pipeline systems, which are also undergoing expansions to serve growing demand in the West and Pacific Northwest.
