Name of the Project
Mountain Valley pipeline (MVP) project and Equitrans expansion project (EEP).
Location
The combined MVP and EEP pipeline system will span an estimated 484 km, from north-western West Virginia to southern Virginia, in the US.
The MVP will extend the Equitrans transmission system in Wetzel County, West Virginia, to Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company’s (Transco) Zone 5 compressor station 165 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.
Client
The MVP will be built and owned by Mountain Valley Pipeline, which is a joint venture (JV) between EQT Midstream Partners, NextEra US Gas Assets, Con Edison Gas Midstream, WGL Midstream; Vega Midstream MVP, and RGC Midstream. EQT Midstream Partners will operate the pipeline and own a significant interest in the JV.
The EEP pipeline and compressor station assets associated with the expansion project will be operated by Equitrans – a wholly owned subsidiary of EQT Midstream Partners, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Project Description
The MVP project aims to build and operate a new 489-km-long 107-cm-diameter pipeline in West Virginia and Virginia.
This will include three new compressor stations, totalling about 127 962 kW; four new meter stations and an interconnection; three new taps; five new pig launchers and receivers; and 36 new mainline block valves.
The purpose of the MVP is to transport about 57-million cubic metres a day of natural gas from production areas in the Appalachian basin to markets in the mid-Atlantic and south-eastern US.
EPP aims to build and operate about 13 km of various diameter pipelines in six segments in Pennsylvania and West.
Above-ground facilities will include the new 24 086 kW Redhook compressor station, four new taps and an interconnection, and four new pig launchers and receivers.
Equitrans also plans to abandon and dismantle the existing 3 579 kW Pratt compressor station, for which it is seeking permission from the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission.
The EEP is designed to transport about 11.33-million cubic metres a day of natural gas north to south on Equitrans’ existing system to improve system flexibility and reliability, and serve markets in the north-east, mid-Atlantic and south-east through interconnections with various other interstate systems, including the proposed MVP.
Jobs to Be Created
During peak employment, the MVP project is expected to contribute more than 4 400 jobs to the Virginia economy and an estimated 4 500 jobs to West Virginia’s economy.
Value
Not stated.
Duration
Subject to regulatory approvals, the targeted in-service dates for both projects is during the fourth quarter 2018.
Latest Developments
The FERC has prepared a final environmental-impact statement (EIS) for both projects and has concluded that construction and operation of the projects will result in some adverse environmental impacts.
In the case of the clearing of forest, effects may be long term and significant. However, for most other environmental resources, effects should be temporary or short term, and impacts will be reduced to less-than-significant levels with the implementation of the applicants’ proposed mitigation measures and the additional measures recommended in the EIS. The FERC and cooperating agencies have also developed site-specific mitigation measures that Mountain Valley and Equitrans should implement to further reduce the environmental impacts that will otherwise result from construction of their projects.
Key Contracts and Suppliers
None stated.
On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.
Contact Details for Project Information
MVP, email mail@mountainvalleypipeline.info. EEP. email equitransproject@eqt.com.