Rockies Express Pipeline

Overview

type	natural gas
map caption	Location of Rockies Express Pipeline
country	United States
operator	Tallgrass Development
partners	Tallgrass Development Phillips 66 Sempra U.S. Gas & Power
length mi	1679
discharge	3.6 e9cuft/d
direction	west-east (Zones 1 and 2) bi-directional (Zone 3)
est	2009
start	Meeker, Colorado
finish	Clarington, Ohio
through	Wyoming Nebraska Kansas Missouri Illinois Indiana

The Rockies Express Pipeline is a 1679 mi long high-pressure natural gas pipeline system from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to eastern Ohio. The pipeline system consists of three sections running through eight states.[1][2] It is one of the largest natural gas pipelines ever built in North America.[3][4][5] The final section of the pipeline was completed on 12 November 2009.

Partnership

The pipeline is operated by Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC, a partnership between Tallgrass Energy Partners, Phillips 66 and Sempra Energy.[6]

Technical description

The diameter of 1679 mi long pipeline system varies between 36 and 42 in, being primarily 42 in.[9] The capacity of the pipeline is 3.6 e9cuft/d. It operates at a maximum allowable operating pressure of 1480 psi. The initial cost of the pipeline was around US$5 billion.[1][7][10]

REX – Entrega (Zone 1)

REX – Entrega is the 328 mi long former Entrega Pipeline between the Meeker Hub in Rio Blanco County, Colorado, and the Cheyenne Hub in Weld County, Colorado. Construction of this pipeline was authorized in August 2005.[9] The pipeline project was acquired by Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC in February 2006. The 136 mi long segment from the Meeker Hub to the Wamsutter Hub in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, is a 36 in pipeline, which has been in service since February 2006. The 192 mi long segment from the Wamsutter Hub to the Cheyenne Hub in Weld County, Colorado, is a 36 in pipeline, which has been in service since February 2007.[11]

REX – West (Zone 2)

REX – West is a 713 mi long 42 in pipeline from Weld County, Colorado, to Audrain County, Missouri.[11] It has a 5 mi long 24 in branch connecting pipeline with the Williams Energy owned Echo Springs Processing Plant.

On 31 May 2006, the Rockies Express Pipeline filed an application to construct and operate this section. The construction approval was issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on 20 April 2007.[12] The first 503 mi long segment of this pipeline was commissioned on 27 December 2007, and the second 214 mi long segment was commissioned on 16 May 2008. It is in full service since 16 May 2008.[9][13]

REX – East (Zone 3)

REX – East is a 638 mi long 42 in pipeline from Audrain County, Missouri, to Clarington in Monroe County, Ohio.[11] The Rockies Express Pipeline filed an application to construct and operate this section on 30 April 2007 and the FERC issued approval on 30 May 2008.[9][14]

In June 2014, REX placed the Seneca Lateral into initial service and in January 2015, the Seneca Lateral was placed into full service with the ability to move approximately 0.6 e9cuft/d onto the REX mainline in Zone 3. On August 1, 2015, REX placed its Zone 3 East-to-West Project into service, making Zone 3 of the mainline fully bi-directional with the ability to move approximately 1.8 e9cuft/d of Appalachian production to Midcontinent markets.

The diameter of 1679 mi long pipeline system varies between 36 and 42 in, being primarily 42 in.[9]The capacity of the pipeline is 3.6 e9cuft/d. It operates at a maximum allowable operating pressure of 1480 psi. The initial cost of the pipeline was around $5 billion.[1]

Rockies Express Pipeline

Partnership

Environmental concerns

Technical description

REX – Entrega (Zone 1)

REX – West (Zone 2)

REX – East (Zone 3)

See also

External links

References