The United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved starting the Phase 1B of the US$4.2bn Rover gas pipeline, which will enable the operator Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) to commission the 1,164 km trunk and carry up to 1.7 bcf/d (48 mcm/d, i.e. around 17.5 bcm/year).
The Rover project is operated by Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) and is designed to transport 3.25 bcf/d (92 mcm/d or 33.5 bcm/year). The project will stretch over 713 miles (1,609 km) from the Marcellus and Utica shale fields in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia 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. The Rover gas pipeline has been in partial service from Cadiz to Defiance in Ohio since August 2017, capable of transporting 1 bcf/d (28 mcm/d or 10.3 bcm/year) of natural gas. Once the Phase 1B commissioned, the pipeline shippers will gain access to six additional receipt points with an incremental receipt capacity of 2.45 bcf/d (69 mcm/d or 25 bcm/year).
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. The final phase of the facility is expected to come onstream and begin commercial operations by the end of the first quarter of 2018.