Christopher E. Smith
OGJ Pipeline Editor
HOUSTON, Aug. 11 -- El Paso Midstream Group Inc., a subsidiary of El Paso Corp., on Aug. 9 began a 30-day, nonbinding open season to solicit interest for its proposed Marcellus Ethane Pipeline System (MEPS).
The open season is scheduled to close Sept. 10. Subject to sufficient customer interest, MEPS plans to negotiate terms with interested parties that would be contained in transportation agreements. A binding open season is scheduled for October.
MEPS would transport as much as 60,000 b/d ethane at fractionation plants in the Marcellus shale to destination interconnect points with third-party ethane pipelines and storage facilities in the Baton Rouge, La. MEPS would use a combination of new pipeline and existing pipeline segments, expected to be acquired from Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. and converted to ethane service. El Paso has targeted an in-service date of Apr. 1, 2013.
Both MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC and Cumberland Plateau Pipeline Co. LLC also have proposed systems to move Marcellus ethane to the US Gulf Coast (OGJ Online, June 4, 2010).
Contact Christopher E. Smith at [email protected].