Binding open season extended for Utica Marcellus Texas Pipeline

Kinder Morgan Inc. plans to extend its current binding open season to review shipper comments and interest received to date for the proposed Utica Marcellus Texas Pipeline (UMTP) project.

The binding open season originally scheduled to end Sept. 15 will now end at 5 p.m. CST Dec. 15, 2015.

The extended open season will give Kinder Morgan more time to seek commitments for the UMTP project, which would transport natural gas liquids and condensate produced from the Utica and Marcellus basins to delivery points along the Texas Gulf Coast, including connectivity to a Kinder Morgan dock located along the Houston Ship Channel.

“We continue to receive strong interest from shippers for this opportunity to transport products from the Utica and Marcellus basins to the Gulf Coast,” says Don Lindley, president of Kinder Morgan’s natural gas liquids and product pipelines. “This extension allows Kinder Morgan to align our transportation solution with shipper interests based on the feedback we’ve received on the project.”

According to a press release, the proposed project involves the abandonment and conversion of 964 miles of natural gas service on Kinder Morgan’s existing Tennessee Gas Pipeline; the construction of about 200 miles of new pipeline from Louisiana to Tennessee; new storage in Ohio; and 120 miles of new laterals to provide basin connectivity.

The $4 billion UMTP project will be designed to transport propane, butanes, natural gas, Y-grade and condensate in batches along the system, with a maximum design capacity of 430,000 barrels per day. Subject to shipper commitments, Kinder Morgan says the pipeline will be in service by the fourth quarter of 2018.