FERC to prepare environmental data for Rockies Express gas line

Washington (Platts)--9Jan2006

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said Friday it would prepare
an environmental impact statement for the western section of the proposed
1,300-mile Rockies Express pipeline project to ship gas from Wyoming to Ohio.

     The project sponsors, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners and Sempra Pipelines
& Storage, envision the western phase to include construction of about 710
miles of 42-inch-diameter pipeline and facilities in Colorado, Wyoming,
Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. The pipe would begin at the Cheyenne Hub in
Weld County, Colorado, and the Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line system in Audrain
County, Missouri.

     FERC's announcement kick-starts the regulatory assessment process for one
of the largest gas pipeline projects in decades. The project is a critical
part of a broader push by producers to deliver Rocky Mountain natural gas to
growing Midwest and eastern markets. Developers intend to build the pipe in
three different phases that would require separate FERC certificates.

     The notice said FERC staff has started meeting with developers, other
regulatory agencies and project stakeholders, including attending public open
houses in the project area in December. Nine FERC scoping meetings are
scheduled for Jan 23-27 along the route.

     In November, FERC also granted sponsors the go-ahead to begin the
prefiling process, which requires developers to address state and local
environmental issues prior to filing a formal certificate application.

     According to FERC, the sponsors estimate that the western phase would
include five new compressor stations with 116,500 horsepower of compression,
42 mainline valves and 12 interconnects.

                    ---Joel Kirkland, joel_kirkland@platts.com

     For more information, take a trial to Platts Inside FERC at
http://insideFERC.platts.com.

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