Sabal Trail, Hillabee projects get two more years from US FERC to complete work

Sabal Trail Transmission and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line's related Hillabee Expansion Project will have two more years to complete the final stages of their respective natural gas pipeline projects, according to US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission orders issued June 15.

Since coming online in July 2017, the 500-mile Sabal Trail project, stretching from Tallapoosa Interconnection in Alabama to the Central Florida Hub, has expanded the previously limited gas supply sources for Florida.

But Sabal Trail April 7 asked FERC for more time to complete two compressor units associated with the 1.075 million Dt/d, 500-mile natural gas pipeline project, citing delays in reaching full commercialization for the final 76,000 Dt/d as well as economic impacts associated with the coronavirus (CP15-17).

The Hillabee project, involving 43.5 miles of pipe looping facilities and 88,500 hp of compression, is one of three connected pipelines that allow Sabal Trail to access upstream supplies through a long-term lease agreement.

On April 12, Transco sought more time from FERC to complete Phase III of the project, involving 13 miles of pipeline looping, while stating that it had already constructed and placed into service over 90% of the total project capacity. In seeking the extension, it also cited the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on global economic activity beginning in early 2020 (CP15-16).

FERC's June 15 staff letter orders, which approved the extensions to complete construction until May 1, 2023, noted that no protests or adverse comments were filed for either project request.

In a sign FERC is continuing a practice of generally granting such extensions, Transco May 20 secured a two-year extension from FERC as well for its Northeast Supply Enhancement project, over objections from environmental groups and a flood of individuals commenting in the docket. The project would provide an additional 400,000 Dt/d of gas supply to National Grid USA, serving the Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island boroughs of New York City.

During its application process, Sabal Trail faced litigation and challenges from environmental groups, as well, culminating in a US Court of the Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit decision requiring FERC to supply more detail about its downstream greenhouse gas emissions considerations. But Sabal Trail's extension request passed quietly, with no protests.