The United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved Energy Transfer Partners’ (ETP) plans to start natural gas service on the final laterals required to complete the US$4.2bn Rover gas interstate pipeline project. All the other laterals and the associated compression and metering facilities located in West Virginia are now in service and the whole pipeline, which started operations in August 2017, is on the brink of completion.
The Rover project is operated by the midstream company Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) and will be designed to transport 3.25 bcf/d (33.5 bcm/year) over 713 miles (1,609 km) from the Marcellus and Utica shale gas production areas in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia (United States) up to the Canadian province of Ontario.
The pipeline will interconnect with the Midwest Hub near Defiance, Ohio, where 68% of the gas will be delivered for distribution to markets across the US. The remaining 32% will supply the state of Michigan via the Vector pipeline. Controversy has surrounded all phases of the Rover pipeline construction steps so far, including namely its route in Ohio, Michigan and now Virginia as well as concerns about environmental violations and disputes with local landowners.