Rover gas line approved for full flows

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave Energy Transfer Partners' (ETP) Rover natural gas pipeline approval to reach full flows of 3.25 Bcf/d (92mn m³/d), effectively ending a delayed timeline for the embattled project.

FERC today approved ETP's request to place its Phase 2 facilities from Ohio to Michigan into service.

The pipeline connects Appalachian shale gas to pipeline interconnects in West Virginia and markets in Ohio, Michigan and Ontario, Canada. Rover has experienced multiple delays and regulatory setbacks during construction as a result of fluid spills, soil erosion, the unauthorized destruction of historic property and robust opposition from environmentalists and landowners along its path.

The project in December 2017 began Phase 1 flows of 1.7 Bcf/d from Cadiz to Defiance, Ohio.

FERC's approval allows the project to begin full commercial operational flows, but ETP said it still has some construction work on the project to complete later this quarter.

Independent producer Antero Resources has secured capacity on Rover, and last week said it was ready to begin flowing gas from 24 wells in the Marcellus, boosting its output by as much as 400mn cf/d.

Range Resources last week that it expects to fill its Rover capacity by the fourth quarter of this year.