Williams cleared to put Gulf Connector expansion into service

U.S. pipeline operator Williams has been given the permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to put the remaining portion of the Gulf Connector expansion project facilities in service.

The Gulf Connector expansion project is a 475,000 dekatherm per day expansion of the Transco pipeline system in Texas and Louisiana to connect U.S. natural gas supplies with global liquefied natural gas (LNG) markets.

The 475,000 dekatherm/day Gulf Connector, an expansion to the Transco pipeline, will deliver natural gas to Cheniere’s Corpus Christi LNG export facility as well as the Freeport LNG project in Texas.

Under the latest FERC order, Williams is allowed to place in service compressor station 17 in San Patricio County and compressor station 32 in Wharton County, Texas.

Williams told Platts that since 2017, the company has added over 2 billion cubic feet of export capacity via the Transco system.

Cheniere has already shipped the first commissioning cargo from the Corpus Christi LNG facility, while Freeport LNG is expected to start up its first liquefaction train in the third quarter of the year.