Washington — Double E Pipeline is seeking permission to start construction on the 135-mile, 1.35 Bcf/d natural gas pipeline project that would link growing production areas in the Delaware Basin to delivery points near the Waha Hub.
The Summit Midstream Partners-sponsored project asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Jan. 4 for approval within four days “to allow sufficient time to complete plans to mobilize for activities leading up to construction.”
The request covered construction on all project facilities as well as approval of Double E’s implementation plan submitted Dec. 3.
As one of the few large-scale pipeline projects in the FERC queue moving toward construction, Double E will interconnect with three major eastbound pipeline projects: Gulf Coast Express, Permian Highway Pipeline and Trans Pecos Pipeline. The project will allow for increased transportation of Permian supply, which is forecast to reach 15.5 Bcf/d in 2023, according to S&P Global Platts analytics, further connecting the core producing basin to downstream demand markets.
Bureau of Land Management notification to Congress
In making the request to FERC, Double E noted that the Bureau of Land Management has initiated a notification to Congress needed for a right-of-way for BLM lands the project will traverse in New Mexico. It indicated the BLM’s Carlsbad field office would sign a right-of-way grant as soon as notification letters were sent to House and Senate committees.
“Double E will notify the commission when the letters are sent and the ROW grant has been executed and understands that construction may not commence until that time,” Double E said in its request.
The project is owned by Summit Midstream Partners’ subsidiary Summit Permian Transmission (70%) and ExxonMobil Permian Double E Pipeline (30%).
It received certificate approval from FERC Oct. 15 by a 2-1 vote. Pushing back the targeted in-service while it was awaiting FERC approval, Double E last fall set a new target of placing the project into service in the fourth quarter of 2021. In its original application, Double E requested a FERC order by July 31, to enable a September 2020 start of construction and September 2021 in-service date (CP19-495).
Commissioner Richard Glick, a Democrat, dissented on the certificate approval, arguing that the commission failed to properly consider the significance of climate impacts. Glick also argued precedent agreements between Double E and XTO, both of which are affiliated with ExxonMobil, were not were not enough to show a need for the project. But the majority wrote in the order that the 10-year, firm precedent agreements for about 74% of the project’s capacity demonstrated the need.
Environmental groups filed a late motion to intervene in the FERC review in April, but the commission rejected the request over Glick’s objections.
