March 2015, Vol. 242, No. 3

Projects

MVP Project Would Add Capacity from Marcellus, Utica

The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) will provide 2 Bcf/d of natural gas transportation capacity from the the Marcellus and Utica production areas to the Mid- and South-Atlantic regions by the end of 2018 if all goes as planned.

The 300-mile pipeline, a joint venture of EQT Midstream Partners and NextEra U.S. Gas Assets, will run from northwest West Virginia to southern Virginia, extending the Equitrans transmission system to Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company’s compressor station in Pittsylvania County, VA. EQT Midstream will operate the pipeline and own a majority interest.

As planned, the 42-pipeline will require about 75 feet of permanent easement and 125 feet of temporary easement during construction. Additionally, the project will require as many as four compressor stations at locations to be determined once the route is finalized. Several commercial and engineering aspects must be completed before construction can begin on the MVP project, the company said. This will allow for about two years of project planning and two years of construction.

In announcing the project, Blue Jenkins, executive vice president of EQT, said the pipeline would create jobs and add about $14 million annually in property taxes to local county coifers where the pipeline is located.

The current proposed route avoids crossing the Holly River State Park, the Monongahela National Forest and the Bluestone Wildlife Management Area, and does not cross the New River. However, the pipeline would cross the Jefferson National Forest in two locations for about two miles, primarily along existing corridors.

MVP, which began its environmental review process with FERC in late October, has yet to secure the 20-year contracts commitments it will seek for the 2 Bcf/d capacity.