Northwest Pipeline Gears Up for White River Pipeline Replacement Project

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Northwest Pipeline Corporation (Salt Lake City, Utah) is in the planning & permitting phase for its White River Pipeline Replacement Project. Northwest is proposing to construct and operate approximately 4,300 feet of both 30" & 26" diameter pipeline looping near Enumclaw in King County Washington. The natural gas pipeline looping will originate near milepost 1356.24 and terminate at milepost 1355.33.

Northwest will also abandon partially by removal and partially in place 3,300 feet of both 30" & 26" diameter pipeline looping being replaced by the relocated facilities. 665 feet of 26" diameter pipeline crossing the White River that was originally abandoned in place will have to be removed as well.

On a previous occasion, Northwest had constructed temporary structures and sheet pilings on the banks of the river to maintain the safety and integrity of the twin lines but as a result of erosion over the years and flood conditions in 1996 Northwest is seeking a more permanent solution. At the same time, Northwest intends to restore the natural environment of the riverbanks and floodplains by planting new trees, and removing bank structures.

Northwest is planning on a two-year construction schedule due to the environmental limitations placed on the construction windows. The $29.4 million project is pending final approval by the FERC. Northwest hopes to receive its final certificate shortly, so horizontal drilling on the restoration project can begin in the summer of 2003 and the pipeline component can be completed in the fall of 2004.

Northwest Pipeline Corporation is a subsidiary of Williams Companies, Incorporated (NYSE:WMB)(Tulsa Oklahoma) and operates a 3,932-mile natural gas pipeline system with a capacity of 2.9 Bcf/d of natural gas with compression supplied by 43 compressor stations. The system originates at pipeline intersections with El Paso Natural Gas Company & Transwestern Pipeline Company near Blanco New Mexico in the San Juan Basin. From there the system transverses Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and terminates near Sumas Washington where it interconnects with both Duke Energy Gas Transmission and Sumas International Pipelines Inc. Northwest draws its supplies from the San Juan Basin, Rocky Mountains and Canada and has a seasonal storage capacity of 11.43 Bcf.

In other projects Northwest is planning the $220 million Georgia Strait Crossing Project with BC Hydro and in others Northwestern is in the planning or construction phases of nearly 100,000 horsepower in new compressor additions & uprates and over a 100-miles of new pipeline looping additions between its Evergreen & Rockies Projects.