by Elmer Ronnebaum Largest pipeline in U.S. crosses northeast ith price tags reported Rockies Express Pipeline System is The first 136-mile segment from ranging up to $4 to $4.5 as follows: 's Western Slope into billion, the Rockies Express • Meeker Hub to Cheyenne Hub western opened in pipeline being – in service February 2006. The second phase constructed in 2007 is the • Cheyenne Hub to Audrain was recently opened; it runs 192 largest pipeline project ever County, Mo. – federal miles from western Wyoming to Wundertaken in the U.S. Construction regulatory authorization Weld County, north of Denver. of the pipeline crosses rural water received; construction The next segment, dubbed the districts in Washington, Marshall, underway with a proposed Rockies Express-West, will run 713 Nemaha, Brown and Doniphan completion of December 2007. miles from Weld County to Audrain Counties. • Audrain County, Mo. to County in eastern ; it's Rockies Express, or REX as it is Clarington, – federal expected to be complete in 2007. nicknamed, is a joint project by regulatory application filed The last segment, called Energy Partners April 30, 2007. Rockies Express-East, will extend L.P., Sempra Energy and - The pipeline will include more 622 miles from eastern Missouri to Phillips. The new pipeline will link than 25 interconnects to intrastate Ohio and is expected to be producing areas in the Rocky and interstate pipelines. The completed in the first half of 2009, Mountain region to the upper pipeline is being built in three according to the company Web site. Midwest and Eastern U.S. phases, with the last phase Virtually all of the Rockies The Rockies Express pipeline is scheduled for completion by June Express-West pipeline route being constructed with 42-inch 2009, given timely regulatory parallels existing pipeline and diameter pipe and sufficient approvals. utility corridors, using siting compression and associated facilities to provide transportation capacity of 1.8 billion cubic feet per day. Rockies Express Pipeline Project-West is a 713-mile natural JULESBURG CS gas pipeline project from Weld MP 144 BERTRAND LAUNCHER / RECEIVER County, Colo., to Audrain Co., Mo. SEDGWICK Co, CO MP 267 PHELPS Co, NE REX-West is a part of the Rockies Express Pipeline, the STEELE CITY CS MP 432 1,679-mile-long pipeline under GAGE Co, NE construction from Colorado to Clarington, Ohio. Work on the pipeline also is under way in other states. A recent media tour was KMIGT attended by Pete Koenig of Kansas KEARNEY Co, NE Rural Water. The tour included

watching internal and external NGPL welding on the pipe with the most JEFFERSON Co, NE NNG ANR REX WEST GAGE Co, NE BROWN Co, KS modern welding equipment in PIPELINE operation and observing a road bore operation in an area east of Oketo and north of Home City in Marshall County. Those attending learned This graphic illustrates the magnitude of the western section of the new Rockies that the current status of Express pipeline under construction across northeast Kansas. construction activities for the

50 THE KANSAS LIFELINE November 2007 guidelines from the Federal Energy access the natural gas supplies. check for leaks, unauthorized Regulatory commission, which Experts claim use of natural gas in construction and other factors that helps minimize the amount of new the U.S will increase 50% by 2020. may affect safety. Pipelines are land that is affected. In Kansas, The Federal Energy Regulatory protected against corrosion by REX is following the Platte Commission is the lead federal using cathodic protection – which Pipeline route. The Platte system agency in developing an employs an electric field to halt delivers Canadian and U.S. Rocky Mountain oil to markets in Kansas and , and other inter- In Kansas, REX is following the Platte Pipeline route. connecting carriers. It is connected at Casper, Wyo., to the Express The Platte system delivers Canadian and U.S. Rocky system which takes crude oil Mountain oil to markets in Kansas and Illinois, produced at , and delivers it to market in and other inter-connecting carriers. , Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. In operation since 1952, the existing 12-inch Platte Pipeline environmental impact statement for corrosion. Before pipelines are runs 895 miles from Casper to approving and overseeing the placed into service, they are tested Wood River, Ill. project. To build interstate pipeline by filling the pipeline with water A typical right-of-way is 75 facilities or operate pipelines, under great pressure to ensure the feet for temporary workspace and companies must obtain a certificate strength and integrity of the line. 50 feet for permanent right-of-way. of public convenience and In-line or internal inspections are The pipe will have 3 feet of cover. necessity from the regulatory done by using “smart pigs,” Latex Construction Company, commission. mechanical devices that travel Conyers, Ga., is the project Certificates are awarded only inside the pipe to check for contractor. after it is demonstrated that a deformities, pipe-wall metal loss A 42-inch-diameter high- pipeline will benefit consumers, is caused by corrosion or other factors strength steel is being used for the compatible with the environment that could cause a failure. pipeline. The project fills a national and will minimize interference with

Left: Latex Construction, Conyers, Ga., is the energy need, company the public and landowners along general contractor installing the Rockies Express spokespersons stated on the recent the pipeline rights of way. The pipeline which will carry natural gas from media tour. The project is a commission also oversees the Wyoming to Audrain County, Mo. and eventually significant investment in the U.S. public participation process to further east to Clarington, Ohio. energy infrastructure and will help ensure that affected citizens are Center: This worker is pre-heating the pipe prior meet the nation’s need for energy, informed and have the opportunity to the next joint being butted for welding. company reps said. Local to be heard. Right: Workers insert the internal welding robot communities along the pipeline Rights-of-way are routinely and bring the next section into alignment. route will have the opportunity to inspected by pipeline personnel to

November 2007 THE KANSAS LIFELINE 51 Largest pipeline . . .

Left: A worker rubs flux around the joint as the pipeline TransCanada to seek approval to is being welded from the inside. Center: This shack provides a better environment so build $2.1 billion Keystone Oil Pipeline that workers can complete six external welds. The Another pipeline, the Keystone border to go south across shacks are air-conditioned. Oil Pipeline, is proposed to parallel Kansas to end at Cushing, Okla. The Right: It all looks so simple! This section of pipeline is the Rockies Express along the same proposed route will involve ready for installation, complete with correct bends easement route in northeast Kansas. easements in Washington, Clay, matching the profile of the landscape. Keystone would be the third pipeline Dickinson, Marion, Butler and on the Platte easement, which was Cowley counties. barrels per day of crude from established in the early 1950s, as The proposed $2.1 billion Hardisty, Alberta to Patoka, Ill. mentioned earlier. Keystone is also Keystone Pipeline will be capable of through a 1,830-mile pipeline proposed to spur off at the Kansas- transporting approximately 435,000 system. The pipeline can be PipesPipes crossingcrossing pipespipes ural water districts that serve areas surrounding the new REX pipeline have been impressed with the R concern shown by the Latex Construction crews for existing rural water pipelines. “Even though the new gas line is 42-inches in diameter, they will be going under most of our existing rural water lines,”says Paul Strathman, Manager of Nemaha County RWD 3. Strathman and other RWDs in Washington and Marshall counties have been pleased with the diligence and concern that Latex has afforded the water districts. “We have very good locations of where our rural water lines are; it’s a pleasure to work with a contractor that sends out crews to help spot our lines,”Strathman says. “They bring in a Vac-Tron (water jetting/vacuum equipment) and backhoe to spot our pipelines and expose them,”Strathman says. The installation of the new gas line will involve boring of most of the RWD lines, but in some cases will involve exposure and support with steel beams while the new gas line is placed below the waterline. Nemaha RWD 3 has waterlines serving an area 32 miles from east to west and 26 miles north to south; the new pipeline is crossing the width of the RWD Above: Workers bore a township road to install a segment of the REX pipeline. This diagonally from northwest to southeast and involves machine drives an auger inside the casing; workers clear the drilling from the machine. crossing Nemaha RWD 3 lines at 26 different locations. Inset: What's the secret? Dawn's liquid soap is applied for lubricant as the bore is made.

52 THE KANSAS LIFELINE November 2007 expanded to 590,000 barrels per Proposed Keystone Pipeline day with additional pump stations. In addition to approximately 1,070 miles of new pipeline construction in the , the Canadian portion calls for approximately 230 miles of new pipeline and the conversion of approximately 530 miles of existing TransCanada pipeline facilities from natural gas to crude oil transmission, according to the owner, TransCanada pipeline. Additional commercial commitments support the expansion of the Keystone Pipeline to a capacity of approximately 590,000 barrels per day and will involve the construction of a 294- mile extension of the U.S. portion of the pipeline from the The proposed Keystone Pipeline is being planned for the same right-of-way as the Platte and Nebraska/Kansas border to a hub Rockies Express pipeline across northeast Kansas. It will be a 30-inch diameter line and will near Cushing, Okla. The expansion carry crude oil from Hardisty, Alberta, Canada to Patoka, Ill. Another segment is proposed to and extension target in-service date split off from Washington County, cross Kansas and end in Cushing, Okla. is fourth quarter 2010. Keystone will be a 30-inch estimated operating pressure will The company held hearings diameter pipeline with a minimum be 1,440 psi; the Cushing extension to receive public comments in depth of cover of four feet, that will cross Kansas will be 36- September with one at Seneca depending on land use. The inch diameter pipe. on Sept. 17.

November 2007 THE KANSAS LIFELINE 53