Rockies Express Pipeline, USA

The Rockies Express (REX) project is a new natural gas pipeline that is being constructed in the US. The pipeline is being constructed in three segments and will stretch the 1,679 miles (2,702km) between the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and eastern Ohio (passing through eight states).

The new gas pipeline will cost about $5.6bn (the original estimated cost in 2005 was $3bn) and will have the capacity to supply about 16.5bn m³ of natural gas a year. The project will create one of the largest gas pipelines ever constructed in the US.

Elements of the pipeline will vary in diameter between 36in (910mm) and 42in (1,070mm) at various sections. The final sections of the pipeline are expected to be on-stream by June 2009.

The partners

The pipeline is being constructed by Rockies Express Pipeline LLC, which will also operate the entity. Rockies Express Pipeline is a partnership between Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, ConocoPhillips and Sempra Energy.

Part of the pipeline system is the Entrega pipeline, which was owned by Entrega Gas Pipeline Inc, a subsidiary of EnCana Corporation. The Entrega pipeline was incorporated into the project when Kinder Morgan Energy Partners and Sempra Energy acquired Entrega Gas Pipeline Inc in February 2006.

ConocoPhillips bought into the project directly, acquiring 24% of the project in June 2006.

The three segments

The REX Entrega section is 328 miles (528km) long and was formerly owned by Entrega Pipeline. The gas line runs between the Meeker Hub (Rio Blanco County, Colorado) and the Cheyenne Hub (Weld County, Colorado). The construction was authorised in August 2005 and the pipeline is in two diameters.

The first 136 mile (219km) section, running from the Meeker Hub to the Wamsutter Hub in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, is in 36in pipe and has been in operation since February 2006. The second 192 mile (309km) section running from the Wamsutter Hub to the Cheyenne Hub is in 42in (1,070mm) pipe and has been in operation since February 2007.

The REX West section, which is divided into seven spreads, runs 713 miles (1,147km) in 42in (1,070mm) pipe from Weld County in Colorado to Audrain County in Missouri, near St Louis. The fifth spread of the project running from Gage County to Doniphan County, Kan was installed by the Latex Construction Co.

There is also a 5 mile (8km), 24in (610mm) branch connecting to the Williams Energy-owned Echo Springs Processing Plant. REX West was approved on 20 April 2007 by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the first 503 mile (810km) section was commissioned on 27 December 2007.

The final 214 miles (344km) of REX West was commissioned and operational on 16 May 2008. The final section of the pipeline, REX East, will be a 639 mile (1,027km) long, 42in (1,070mm) pipeline from Audrain County, Missouri, to Clarington, Monroe County, Ohio.

FERC approval was granted to begin construction on 30 May 2008. This section of the project involves 1,700 plots of land between Missouri and Ohio, 18 of which have been acquired using eminent domain (compulsory purchase).

There will be seven new compressor stations and 19 meter stations along this section as well as 13 interconnections to 19 other inter- and intra-state pipelines.

Construction

HC Price Construction is a key contractor on the REX East, working through the 46.7 mile section through Douglas and Edgar Counties towards the Indiana state line (Spread C). Associated Pipe Line Contractors Inc of Houston is installing 67.8 miles of pipeline in Indiana (spread D).

The pipeline is mostly buried with a minimum of 5ft of sub-soil cover and the restored topsoil (pipes are therefore about 6ft underground) and there is also a 100ft wide construction right of way, which will be reduced to 50ft across the pipeline and permanently maintained.