INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company is planning to replace nine existing compressor units at its natural gas compressor station #40 in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. This is being referred to as the “horsepower replacement project.”

INDUSTRY NEWS (Cleveland, OH) – Lincoln Electric is offering a day-long Pipeline Welding Productivity Seminar intended for professionals in the pipeline industry. The session will take place on Tuesday, March 16, from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at Lincoln Electric’s corporate headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio.

With the growing demand in energy markets, rehabilitation of existing infrastructure and construction of new cross-country and subsea pipelines will continue to increase.The seminar will focus on this topic, as well as new solutions for overall improved safety, productivity and quality.

This one-day session will cover:

• A comprehensive overview of the pipeline market
• Solutions to common pipeline welding challenges
• Welding consumables selection
• Understanding hydrogen cracking -Automating your welding processes
• Ways to increase overall productivity
• An update on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
• Administration’s (PHMSA) latest findings

Session topics will be followed by welding demonstrations and facility tours. The Lincoln Electric Company, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, robotic arc welding systems, fume extraction equipment and plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment. The company holds a leading global position in the brazing and soldering alloys market. For more information, visit their Web site at www.lincolnelectric.com.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Rosebush, MI) Mears – The completion of another record breaking pipe installation, this time at Parris Island, a marine training base in Beaufort, South Carolina, marks a series of successful and lengthy crossings of Fusible PVC™ (FPVC®) pipe. Beaufort Jasper Water & Sewer Authority (BJWSA) contracted Mears Group, Inc. to horizontally directional drill two crossings, 6,400 feet of 16 inch DR 18 FPVC and 600 feet of 16 inch DR 21 FPVC under Archers Creek and Malecon Drive, respectively. Underground Solutions, Inc. (UGSI) supplied and fused the Fusible PVC™ product pipe for this project.

These installations are part of a project to divert the Parris Island wastewater flows to a BJWSA regional facility. The military base, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, trains about 17,000 recruits each year. BJWSA had previous experience with both Mears Group and UGSI during installation of 5,120 feet of 10 inch FPVC® in 2008 to deliver reuse water to the Secession Golf Course on Lady’s Island. For two years, that stood as the record breaking crossing in a single pull using thermoplastic pipe.

The first crossing of this most current project is the longest installation of Fusible PVC™ with a drilled length of 6,400 feet. Installing the crossing from Jericho Island to Little Horse Island, the Mears’ crew drilled under tidal marshland on either side of Archers Creek. Mears utilized their 500,000 lb. rig on the entry side at Jericho Island. They set up their 140,000 lb. rig at the exit side of the crossing at Little Horse Island to assist in the pre-reaming operations. Mears used a jet sub with a 9 7/8 inch bit during the pilot hole drilling. Drilling through clays, cemented sands, shells and gravel took careful steering. During pre-reaming, Mears opened the hole in three stages starting off with an 18 inch hole opener, then 26 inches, and finally 34 inches. Before attempting to install the pipeline in the drilled crossing a barrel reamer was used to swab the hole.

Because of the space restrictions and a requirement to keep traffic flowing on a busy road on the military base until the last minute, two prefabricated pipeline strings had to be fused together the day before the pullback.

Down hole pressures and pull force were monitored carefully throughout the 20 hour installation period. For this project with known conditions and confidence in the experience of the HDD contractor, UGSI allowed a maximum pulling load of 175,000 lbs on the pipe – in practice the maximum tensile load applied at the drilling rig was only 83,000 lbs.

The second crossing was across Malecon Drive, which is the main road on Parris Island. During this 600 feet crossing, soft sands were encountered during drilling. Mears, using its 140,000 lb. rig, pulled the FPVC® pipe into place within two hours. The two drilled crossings are being connected in a conventional manner with restrained MJ fittings.

Horizontal directional drilling with FPVC® has become an economical approach for installing pipelines. Fusible PVC™ has a high strength to weight ratio, limited stretch under long duration loading, and corrosion resistance. Mears and UGSI have partnered together on many projects and successfully set record breaking crossings. The installation of FPVC® on Parris Island marks yet another record in length.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – PipeLine Machinery International (PLM) President Mel Ternan is pleased to announce that Ruofei ‘Charles’ Zheng has joined the PLM team operations in China. Charles takes the new role of China Territory Manager. He will focus on maintaining and expanding PLM’s relationships with clients in China and coordinating PLM’s China operations.

Charles joins a PLM presence in the Asia Pacific region that is expanding to serve the needs of a rapidly growing pipeline construction industry. New staff and office locations are either planned or in place in Australia, Singapore, and China. The China operations will be headquartered in Beijing, near the ‘Pipeline City’ of Langfang (home to China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau).

“We look forward to having Charles directly on hand in Beijing for our major pipeline customers,” said Ternan. “PLM has enjoyed equipment supply success in China and is Caterpillar’s designated equipment supplier for China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau. By establishing PLM’s base in Beijing, we are better serving this growing market.”

The expansion of PLM’s team is designed to address the rapid and long-term growth in the China pipeline construction industry, both within the country and the rapidly increasing use of Chinese contractors for projects in other countries. As development continues, opportunities for reliable, efficient Caterpillar purpose- built and traditional equipment grows.

“Charles has been working with Caterpillar and the China market for several years,” said Scot Jenkins, PLM’s general manager – Asia Pacific. “I’m looking forward to having his expertise and relationships base to help guide our China operations. He will be working closely with our customers and with local Cat Dealers on product support, parts and service.”

PLM was established in 2005 and is the first Caterpillar dealership to focus on a particular industry on a global basis. PLM provides purpose-built and traditional construction equipment to the mainline pipeline construction industry on projects around the world. PLM works closely with pipeline owners, contractors and local Caterpillar dealers to provide solutions tailored to the unique product and service needs of this industry.

PLM’s worldwide activities are currently supported through the headquarters office in Houston, Texas, the Canadian operations headquarters in Edmonton, Alberta, the European operations headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. In 2010, an Asia Pacific regional headquarters will be established in Singapore.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Tulsa, OK) – Darby Equipment Company of Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.A. has relocated its administrative offices and manufacturing facilities. The company will remain in Tulsa. The new location provides significantly more manufacturing space and present construction will more than double administrative office space by year end. Larger overhead cranes at the new facility will increase lift capacity needed in manufacturing future product offerings.

“We’ve secured enough land surrounding the facility to accommodate expansion for the foreseeable future,” according to Bob Darby, president of Darby Equipment. “This should be our permanent home.” The company was founded in 1982 by Lee Darby and has been a supplier of pipeline construction equipment from its inception.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – CRC-Evans/Global Pipelines will provide onshore double jointing of production lines for the EnCana Deep Panuke natural gas field located about 250 kilometers southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Acergy S.A., under contract to EnCana for subsea installation of 14.7 kilometers of natural gas pipeline and 1.6 kilometers of acid disposal lines, has awarded Global Pipelines the double jointing project.

In addition, CRC-Evans/Global Pipelines will supply offshore welding services (personnel and welding equipment) to the Acergy Falcon construction ship for the offshore pipe-lay of the 8.625-inch diameter gas lines, as well as the three-inch acid disposal lines.

CRC-Evans/Global Pipelines has set up a custom-built double jointing facility for this project at its headquarters location in Invergordon, Scotland. The clad pipes will be delivered in nominally six-meter lengths to Invergordon, where they will be double jointed to 12-meter lengths. When this process is finished, the pipes will be transported to the coating yard.

The double jointing operation at Invergordon begins in November, with offshore installation due to take place in May 2010.

From its base in Scotland, CRC-Evans/Global Pipelines also provides turnkey operation of spoolbase projects; conventional laybarge, J-Lay, S-Lay and Reel-Lay managed services; specialized welding; and rental/sales of automatic welding equipment for the offshore market. CRC-Evans/Global Pipelines is a subsidiary of CRC-Evans Pipeline International, a leading provider of specialized equipment and services for the construction and maintenance of pipelines. CRC-Evans manufactures pipeline construction equipment and automatic welding systems, and provides managed subsea services, field joint coating, weighting, heat treatment, and inspection services. Based in Houston, Texas, CRC-Evans maintains offices in North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Tulsa, OK) – Darby Equipment Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.A. has hired three employees to fill key management and engineering positions.

Nick Minden joined Darby as Chief Financial Officer. He has 20 years experience in accounting, financial and operations management with various manufacturing and distribution companies. Minden received an undergraduate degree from the University of Tulsa, an MBA from the University of Kansas and CPA certification from the State of Missouri.

Joining Darby as Senior Mechanical Engineer is Jeff Rollow with 17 years engineering design experience in the petroleum industry. Rollow holds a Mechanical Engineering Technology degree from Oklahoma State University.

Robyne Chatham is now the Purchasing Agent at Darby. Her experience includes 28 years of purchasing and materials management. She has an Associate in Applied Science degree in Purchasing and Materials Management. She is currently working toward dual degrees in Business Management and Marketing and is also a Certified Production Manager.

Darby Equipment Company is an equipment manufacturer located in Tulsa, Oklahoma providing bending machines, bending mandrels, line-up clamps, pipe facing machines, roller cradles, air compressors and pipeline accessories for the worldwide pipeline constructio

INDUSTRY NEWS (Tulsa, OK) – Williams Cos. Inc. will expand its Transco pipeline by approximately 142,000 dekatherms to serve additional natural gas markets in the mid-Atlantic region, the Tulsa-based company announced recently.

The Mid-Atlantic Connection expansion would deliver fuel from an interconnection with East Tennessee Natural Gas in Rockingham County, N.C., to delivery points as far north as Maryland, according to a Williams news release. The deal needs Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval.

The expansion work includes adding three miles of pipeline looping and upgrades to compressor facilities in Virginia, the release stated. Estimated cost of the expansion is $55 million, with a projected completion date of November 2012.

“This project demonstrates how our Transco pipeline is well positioned to serve its customers’ growing needs for clean-burning natural gas while providing access to a diverse mix of supply sources,” Williams gas pipeline unit President Phil Wright said in a statement. “It’s another example of Transco expansions that are timed and sized to the market demand.”

Williams two months ago put Transco’s Sentinel expansion into operation, adding up to 102,000 dekatherms per day through Pennsylvania and New Jersey, according to reports. The company’s proposed $38 million project to add 380,000 dekatherms by expanding the Mobile Bay lateral in the Southeast is awaiting FERC approval.

INDUSTRY NEWS (St. Louis, MO) – Corrpro Companies, Inc. a subsidiary of Insituform Technologies, Inc., announced recently that it has received a $3.6 million task order from the United States Navy. This order was received under an existing Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract valued at up to $8.0 million per year. The United States Navy has the option to renew the contract, which expires in September 2010, for up to four years at a value of up to $8.0 million per year.

The task order requires Corrpro to perform engineering services as well as design and installation of cathodic protection systems, field inspections and surveys in military installations worldwide. It is expected that the majority of the work will be located in the United States, Japan, Korea and the South Pacific Islands. Other locations may include military installations in Western European countries. Corrpro has worked with the US Navy on similar projects for over 15 years. Corrpro recently completed a similar IDIQ contract valued at $4.0 million per year, under which it performed approximately $15.0 million of work over five years.

Spencer Turpin, Regional Vice President of Corrpro said, “We are extremely pleased to perform these services for the US Navy around the world. Identifying and installing cathodic protection systems assists the US Navy in protecting important military infrastructure from corrosion. Our certified engineers and corrosion experts are committed to providing quality service and materials on this project.”

Corrpro was selected to bid on the project after undergoing a thorough pre-qualification process. As the general contractor, Corrpro will work with several subcontractors, including locallyowned small businesses, minority-owned businesses and womenowned businesses.

Corrpro will begin work on this project immediately and expects to complete this portion of the work by August 2010.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Pearland, TX) – Driver Pipeline, one of the country’s most successful pipeline construction companies, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, has opened its fifth regional field office in Waskom, Texas, approximately 15 miles from Shreveport, Louisiana. Driver chose the six and a half-acre site as their primary headquarters for servicing the needs of its customers in the Haynesville Shale located in Louisiana, southwestern Arkansas and eastern Texas.

A major player in helping to bring the Barnett Shale to market in north Texas, Driver expects to supply the same pipe-in-ground resources in the Haynesville field. “We are excited about our new Haynesville Division and the opportunity to build a new facility in the area” said Jim Shaffer, President of Driver Pipeline. “Our goal is to bring the experience we have gained helping our Barnett customers to the Haynesville field.”

Harold Peters, District Manager of Driver’s Haynesville Division, is equally optimistic about the prospect of Driver’s newest Division. “Many of the production companies we work with in other areas such as the Barnett field already have operations in the Haynesville field, which is very encouraging” Peter’s said. “That alone doesn’t guarantee us anything unless we perform at the same high level as we have in the past. So far, the reception has been very encouraging. ”

According to Peters, when fully operational, Driver’s Haynesville Division will employ between 150 to 200 people laying anywhere from 4” to 36” pipe. As drilling and production in the Haynesville Shale continues to expand, the need for the pipeline infrastructure that Driver Pipeline supplies will continue to grow.

While the price of natural gas remains somewhat anemic, the rig count in North Louisiana remained positive at 129 in late January 2010. Understandably, with the expectations that Haynesville will become the largest natural gas producing field in North America by 2019, surpassing the Barnett Shale, Driver Pipeline’s Haynesville Division fully expects to play a major role in bringing the gas to the marketplace.

In 2007, Driver completed the construction of its new shops and offices consisting of 5 buildings located on over 30 acres in Irving, TX. These facilities have greatly enhanced the company’s ability to support its teams out in the field. The move has provided additional space for a growing fleet of trucks and equipment, as well as, a greatly expanded fabrication shop, new 18 bay maintenance shop, training center and corporate offices.

What began as a small family business serving a single customer has grown into a fully integrated oil and gas pipeline construction company known for its vast equipment fleet, talented pipeliners, “can-do” spirit and commitment to safety.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Tulsa, OK) – Magellan Midstream- 3.6 billion gallons a year. 1,800 miles long. $4 billion dollars. 20-inch diameter. These numbers describe a new ethanol pipeline plan unveiled last week by Poet Ethanol Products and Magellan Midstream Partners. If built, this would be the first long-distance pipeline in the U.S. and would run from the midwest to the east coast. In some areas, the biofuel pine would run alongside existing petroleum pipelines. In others, it would need to blaze new paths. Poet and Magellan say that 80,000 new jobs would be needed to build the thing, and then 1,100 people would be employed operating it. The soonest that the pipeline could be opened would be four years from now, which would be early 2013. In late 2008, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners successfully tested ethanol in a pipeline, so the technology apparently works. There has also been political support for a project like this, and Poet and Magellan say that the pipeline is dependent on getting a U.S. Department of Energy loan guarantee.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – Duke Energy is considering a multimillion-dollar plan to install a 19-mile natural gas pipeline that would cross the Ohio River from Kentucky and run along the Southern Indiana shoreline to reach the utility’s Gallagher Station near New Albany. Under a December legal settlement with the U.S. Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, Duke is considering converting two of its four coal-burning generators to gas. The goal of the project — estimated to cost about $80million with the pipeline and other upgrades — is to cut emissions and improve the region’s air quality. But the project is likely to raise new environmental concerns about the impact of drilling and installing the pipeline beneath the river and on riverside wetlands. Army Corps of Engineers spokeswoman Carol Laboshosky said regulators don’t know much yet about Duke’s plans, but any permit application would have to address how water quality would be protected and damage to the river and wetlands would be minimized.

Officials at two environmental groups — American Rivers, based in Washington, D.C., and the Kentucky Waterways Alliance — declined to comment, saying they had little information about the project. Duke representatives sent letters in early January to affected property owners. They’ve begun meeting with local political leaders to explain the proposal, which involves connecting a 20- inch steel line to an existing Texas Gas pipeline near the Kosmosdale area in Louisville and extending it west across the river, then north along Ind. 111 to the power plant. Besides requiring approval from the Corps of Engineers, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other regulatory agencies, Duke would need to buy easements from dozens of Hoosier landowners, a water company, a sand quarry and the Horseshoe Southern Indiana Casino.

It’s not clear if the project would affect area natural gas supplies or prices charged to Louisville Gas and Electric Co. customers. Duke planners haven’t estimated how much gas the utility would need annually but said they don’t expect the amount would affect the flow to Louisville.

INDUSTRY NEWS (New York, NY) – Millennium Pipeline Co said recently it would begin a binding open season on Jan. 25 in order to gauge interest in natural gas transportation on its system, linking production areas in the Marcellus Shale to New York’s City’s island of Manhattan. The Marcellus Shale, located in parts of Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia, is reported to contain enough natural gas trapped in rock to meet domestic needs for a decade or more.

The open season for firm transportation will run through Feb. 12, for service beginning Nov. 1, 2013, the company said in a statement.

“Our initiative improves the state’s energy infrastructure and encourages development of the state’s gas production and storage resources consistent with the New York State energy plan resulting in economic stimulus and job creation for New Yorkers,” said Millennium’s president Dick Leehr.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – Spectra Energy Corp has recently signed binding precedent agreements with Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Consolidated Edison and Statoil Natural Gas for an expansion of its existing Texas Eastern Transmission and Algonquin Gas Transmission pipeline systems to deliver new, critically needed natural gas supplies to the New Jersey and New York area.

These shippers’ commitment to this proposed project provides sufficient market support to proceed with the expansion.

The proposed pipeline would be capable of transporting up to 800 million cubic feet per day of new natural gas supplies to the region and is targeted to be in service in the fourth quarter 2013. Specific facilities design and related costs will be finalized following the results of the project’s open season, which will be announced shortly. However, aspects of the proposed expansion include:

• construction of a new, 16-mile pipeline extension that connects Texas Eastern’s existing pipeline in Staten Island, N.Y., to a new interconnect with Con Edison in New York City, NY;
• replacement of five miles of existing pipeline in New Jersey and New York with larger diameter pipeline, and
• additional facilities on Spectra Energy’s existing Algonquin pipeline system.

“We’re extremely pleased to be working with Chesapeake, Con Edison and Statoil on this important project. This is a project we have been pursuing for some time, which will enhance natural gas service reliability in the Greater New York City area and increase consumers’ access to diverse and abundant natural gas supplies,” said Greg Ebel, president and chief executive officer, Spectra Energy Corp. “With this expansion, we’ll be delivering cleanburning natural gas to heat homes and businesses, and fuel much needed gas-fired electric generation in these critical markets.”

“This project aligns with our strategy to develop and construct right-sized, well-timed expansion projects for our customers in the Northeast and further extends our ability to serve these key customers in New Jersey and New York, including Manhattan,” continued Ebel.

Aubrey K. McClendon, Chesapeake’s chief executive officer, commented, “Chesapeake is pleased to be a key shipper on Spectra Energy’s new service to the New York City area, an area of rapidly growing demand for clean-burning natural gas. Chesapeake’s industry-leading position in the Marcellus Shale provides the perfect supply source to help energy consumers in the New York City area reduce their dependence on expensive imported oil and carbon-heavy coal. With the newfound abundance of domestic natural gas through shale development unfolding in many areas of the U.S., American energy consumers can now more fully embrace the substantial economic and environmental benefits of natural gas.”

“The new pipeline will help us meet the growing energy needs of our area, strengthen the reliability of the natural gas system, and improve air quality for all New Yorkers. The Spectra Energy project will also help us achieve the goals of the Mayor’s and Governor’s long-term energy and environmental goals as outlined in PlaNYC and the state energy plan,” said Kevin Burke, president, chairman and chief executive officer, Con Edison.

The project will utilize existing utility corridors and rights-of-way where possible in order to minimize the effects on landowners and the environment.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – Duke Energy is considering the construction of a 19-mile natural gas pipeline that would tunnel beneath the Ohio River and through Floyd and Harrison counties.

The line installation, which is still a proposal at this point, relates to a recently-announced air quality settlement between the company and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

A decade ago, the EPA sued Cinergy — which became Duke Energy through a 2006 merger — for, among other things, adding two new coal burners its Gallagher Station power plant in New Albany without getting proper permits. That increased emissions at the power plant.

As a part of the settlement announced in late December, Duke can either can either shut the burners down or convert them to natural gas.

The company hasn’t decided which route to take, said Angeline Protogere, spokesperson for the company. However, she said, in order for Duke to keep its options open, the company is contacting affected landowners about the prospect of installing the line. Protogere said that as many as 100 parcels of land could be affected by the line, but was not sure how many property owners that adds up to.

The pipeline would begin at a new interconnection with Texas Gas near Kosmosdale, in far southwestern Jefferson County, Ky. It would run west, under the Ohio River, to Harrison County and follow the river northward to the power plant. Protogere said existing utility and roadway corridors would be used whenever possible.

The project is still in its early phases and the route would have to be approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Public hearings would have to be held as a part of that approval but no dates have been set.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston TX) — Denso North America, the leaders in corrosion prevention and sealing technology, announced recently the release of Protal 7300, the newest coating product from the industry leader. Protal 7300 has been created especially for the exterior coating of pipelines, structures or other steel surfaces that may be wet or damp to the weather or environmental conditions.

Protal 7300 is a VOC- free, 100-percent solids epoxy coating specially formulated to coat dry, damp or wet surfaces. It is a high build liquid coating that can be applied in one coat either in the field or shop with a Denso Protal Applicator Pad, roller or brush.

“We developed Protal 7300 as a single-product solution to the challenges presented by working on steel in various climates and weather conditions,” said Jeff Baker, Regional manager for Denso North America. “The fact that Protal 7300 can be applied to either wet or dry surfaces makes it an ideal coating when moisture is an issue.”

Protal 7300 can be applied at temperatures ranging from 41°F to 150°F (5°C to 65°C). The recommended application thickness is 30 mils. Protal 7300 is available in both 1 liter and 1 gallon kits.

Denso has offices throughout the World and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Winn & Coales International originally established in London, England in 1883.

Denso is the first and original manufacturer of petrolatum tape, which was developed over 80 years ago for the “Long Life Protection” of buried steel pipelines against corrosion.

Denso’s anti-corrosion and sealing products have a proven track record of solving problems in all kinds of challenging environments worldwide, above or below ground and underwater.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – Spectra Energy-Giant energy companies of the nation have shared that they are looking at a major expansion of natural gas pipeline across the New York City, which will not only boost the metropolitan’s use of natural gas while simultaneously pulling down the pollution produced as a result of use of alternate heating sources, but also benefit residents of New Jersey. Spectra Energy Corp. shared that a possible expansion of the Texas Eastern Transmission and Algonquin Gas Transmission pipeline will end up delivering up-to 800 million cubic feet of natural gas every single day, and this will go mostly to Consolidated Edison Inc., which is responsible for serving nearly 1 million natural gas customers in New York. The project is expected to be completed by 2013’s fourth quarter, but no confirmations about the costs involved. Provider of the natural gas, Chesapeake Energy Corp., has said that while the prime beneficiaries would be residents of New York, New Jersey people would also see more supplies. “The relative proximity of abundant Marcellus natural gas reserves to New York City will provide the public, utilities and businesses with a clean-burning alternative to existing dirtier fuel sources”, Chesapeake CEO Aubrey K. McClendon said.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Richmond, VA) – Dominion Resources said recently it will spend $253 million to upgrade a network of natural gas pipelines in West Virginia that was never designed to handle the gas bonanza that has been uncovered in the region. Large portions of the state sit on top of the Marcellus shale, where a massive deposit of natural gas that touches five states is locked in tight rock formations.

Dominion, which operates one of the largest natural gas storage systems in the country, said it has simply been overwhelmed in West Virginia. The work will ease pressure within its system and increase the amount of gas that producers can move out of the state.

The expansion includes nine new units for compressing gas, 25 miles of new and replacement pipe, and two new processing plants in Pleasants and Lewis counties. Daily capacity is expected to increase approximately 50 million cubic feet to 280 million.

Richmond, Va.-based Dominion, which serves about 2.4 million customers on the East Coast, said drilling companies have been lobbying to move more natural gas out of the state.

The drive to use more natural gas, which is a cleaner burning fuel than coal, could create new jobs in the power sector. Dominion said that will certainly happen with the project in West Virginia.

Geologists have known for generations of the deposits, but the technology to retrieve it economically has only been developed in the last decade or so.

Gas is being recovered at such a rapid rate that volumes going into storage have reached record levels. Storage facilities all over the country, are at or near capacity.

Other shale deposits have been found from Texas to North Dakota. The question now is what to do with a suddenly abundant and homegrown energy source. This week, Exxon Mobil rattled the market when it announced it was making a $30 billion bid on the future of natural gas, buying XTO Energy, a big producer. The West Virginia project is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP announced recently that each of its 42-inch pipeline projects, the East Texas Pipeline, Southeast Expansion and the Gulf Crossing Pipeline, have received authorization from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to operate at their full design capacity of .80 of the specified minimum yield strength (SMYS) effective immediately. Previously, each of these projects had been operating at .72 SMYS. Rolf Gafvert, Chief Executive Officer for Boardwalk, said, “We are pleased to receive this approval from PHMSA and look forward to operating our 42-inch pipeline systems as they were originally designed.”

Recently, Boardwalk announced the sale of an additional 156 million cubic feet per day of capacity on the Haynesville Project under a 15-year agreement. The additional capacity was contingent upon receiving today’s approval to operate at .80 SMYS.

The East Texas Pipeline originates near Carthage, Texas and proceeds to Harrisville, Mississippi. The Southeast Expansion project originates near Harrisville, Mississippi and extends to an interconnect with Transcontinental Pipe Line Company in Choctaw County, Alabama (Transco Station 85). The Gulf Crossing Pipeline originates near Sherman, Texas and proceeds to the Perryville, Louisiana area.

Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP, is a limited partnership engaged, through its subsidiaries, Gulf Crossing Pipeline Company LLC, Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP, and Texas Gas Transmission, LLC, in the interstate transportation and storage of natural gas. Boardwalk’s interstate natural gas pipeline systems have approximately 14,200 miles of pipeline and under ground storage fields having aggregate working gas capacity of approximately 163 Bcf.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, Texas) – CRC-Evans Automatic Welding is providing equipment for a gas pipeline project that is currently underway in France and scheduled for completion in early 2010.
Known as the Beauce-Mantois Link, the project is designed to supplement the existing Beauce pipeline with a pipeline between Saint-Arnoult-des-Bois and Fontenay-Mauvoisin, an area west-southwest of Paris. Pipeline owner GRTgaz and contractor Ghizzoni S.p.A. are constructing the pipeline link that will comprise approximately 40 miles (65 km) of 36-inch pipe. For the job, Ghizzoni has chosen the Internal Welding Machine, and the P260 and P600 fill pass automatic welding machines manufactured by CRC-Evans.

The P260 welder provides tip-to-work tracking, 32-pass programmable welding, PDA downloads in the field, and positionbased parameter control. The P600, the latest generation in external welding equipment, features either dual or single torch, a secure smart card and an onboard computer that ensures precise control of parameters.

“Our experience has led to technology innovations that make a real difference in quality and productivity on jobs like this,” said Brian Laing, president and COO of CRC-Evans Pipeline Equipment and Automatic Welding Group. “The P260 and P600 welders will be powerful assets on the French pipeline project.”

CRC-Evans Automatic Welding designs and builds the world’s most widely used automatic welding system for land or offshore pipeline construction. In addition to renting or selling these systems to contractors on a project basis, the division provides other specialized services such as engineering, on-site technicians, and training. The company is a subsidiary of CRCEvans Pipeline International, a leading provider of specialized equipment and services for the construction of pipelines. CRC-Evans manufactures pipeline construction equipment and automatic welding systems, and provides managed subsea services, field joint coating, weighting, heat treatment, and inspection services. Based in Houston, CRC-Evans maintains offices in North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Channelview, TX) – Worldwide Machinery Pipeline Division recently provided U.S. Pipelines with an SPD-350 for their Alberta Clipper project for Enbridge. The pipe sizes for this project, which is located neat Bemidji, Minnesota, are 20″ and 36″ and is 180 miles.

In addition to the SPD-350 Worldwide Machinery was allowed to demo the gargantuan SPD-450. With a screening area of 90 sq. ft., this is the biggest and newest addition to SUPERIOR Manufacturing’s line of padding machines.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – PipeLine Machinery International (PLM) President Mel Ternan, on behalf of the Board of PLM is pleased to announce that Anthony J. (Tony) Fernandez has taken on the new position of Senior Vice President with PLM. Tony will expand his current Americas role and will take on all global sales and operations responsibility for the company.

“Tony has done an excellent job working closely with our customers and has led our Americas team through the challenges presented by the extraordinary level of growth since our formation in 2005,” said Ternan. “With Tony taking responsibility for daily operational and sales issues, we will have more opportunity at the president level to concentrate on strategic and PLM expansion plans.”

Tony Fernandez has been with PLM since its inception in May 2005. He was previously with Ring Power Corporation for 17 years in the roles of international accounts manager and later, pipeline division manager. Tony participated in the early discussions that resulted in a four-dealer partnership to form PLM and provide global focus from Caterpillar to the pipeline industry. He will continue his valued contributions as a member of the executive advisory team.

PLM was established in 2005 and is the first Caterpillar dealership to focus on a particular industry on a global basis. PLM provides purpose-built and traditional construction equipment to the mainline pipeline construction industry on projects around the world. PLM works closely with pipeline owners, contractors and local Caterpillar dealers to provide solutions tailored to the unique product and service needs of this industry.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Dallas, TX) – Regency Energy Partners LP announced plans recently to construct the second phase of the expanded Logansport gathering system in north Louisiana. The $40 million expansion will transport natural gas gathered from a producer’s dedicated acreage in DeSoto to Regency Energy’s Logansport gathering system.

The project also includes construction of an associated amine treating facility. Including this project, Regency and the Haynesville Joint Venture will have about $790 million invested in gathering and transportation projects in the Haynesville Shale to meet producers’ demands in this prominent play, Byron Kelley, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Regency, says in a news release. “This fee-based project further strengthens our position in the Haynesville Shale, which is a key component of our growth strategy.”

Regency Energy will install 4.5 miles of 10-inch gathering lines, route 7.5 miles of 12-inch pipe through more than 17 sections of acreage in DeSoto and add about 3.2 miles of 24- inch pipe to connect to its 24-inch Logansport first expansion.

Regency Energy also will install a gas treating facility with capacity of up to 300 mmcf/d. Construction is expected to begin in early December with completion targeted for the second quarter of 2010.

In addition to its expansion plans, Regency Energy is increasing the diameter of the previously announced 20- inch, 17-mile Logansport expansion pipeline to 24 inches. That pipeline will interconnect with CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission’s Line CP.

This will provide Regency Energy’s Logansport system with about 450 mmcf/d to 485 mmcf/d of capacity along the corridor that crosses the Gulf South East Texas Lateral, as well as the proposed Energy Transfer Tiger Pipeline. Regency Energy also is increasing the Logansport system’s incremental interconnect delivery capacities to Tennessee Gas Pipeline and Louisiana Intrastate Gas by about 100 mmcf/d and 30 mmcf/d, respectively.

“We are pleased to implement a solution that provides both needed takeaway capacity and also the potential to further expand Regency’s gathering capabilities for production within the surrounding areas of Logansport and DeSoto Parish,” Kelley said.

INDUSTRY NEWS (New Iberia, LA) – The Bayou Companies, Inc. (“Bayou”), a subsidiary of Insituform Technologies, Inc. announced recently the completion of its $12.25 million (CAN) acquisition of Garneau, Inc’s pipe coating and insulation facility and associated assets located in Camrose, Alberta Canada. The acquisition was effected through Bayou Perma-Pipe Canada, Ltd. (“BPPC”), a joint venture between Bayou and Perma-Pipe, Inc. (“Perma-Pipe”), and will serve as the operating company for Bayou’s Canadian operations.

Bayou announced its agreement to acquire the Camrose facility on September 30, 2009. The Garneau shareholder approved the transaction on October 28, 2009 and the closing occurred today. Bayou expects that this additional pipe coating and insulation facility in Western Canada will increase its addressable market by approximately $200 million.

Jerry Shea, Bayou’s Managing Director, Business Development, said, “We are confident our partnership with Perma-Pipe will add significant value to our customers in the Canadian energy and mining industry. Perma-Pipe is the leading manufacturer of preinsulated district heating and cooling piping systems in North America and will bring their expertise in pipe insulation to our operation.” Bayou, which was founded in 1942, provides pipe coating, fabrication and logistics capability and is headquartered in New Iberia, Louisiana. Mr. Shea also announced the appointment of Eldridge Indest as President of Bayou Perma-Pipe Canada. Mr. Indest brings his experience as a 32-year veteran with Bayou, most recently serving as Director of Technical Planning in Bayou’s New Iberia operations. Mr. Indest will be relocating to Camrose.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – CRC-Evans Automatic Welding equipment is at work on a 29-mile section (Spread I) of the Rockies Express Pipeline project under construction in Ohio. Contractor Henkels & McCoy has specified the CRC-Evans P600 External Welder for the job.

The Rockies Express Pipeline East (REX-East) is a development of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, Sempra Pipelines & Storage, and ConocoPhillips. The eastern portion of the pipeline will cross approximately 638 miles from Missouri to Ohio. Spread I is located between Muskingum County, Ohio and Fairfield County, Ohio, and the CRC-Evans P600 External Welder will be used on 3,518 welds from the start to end point on this section.

The P600 dual-torch system provides through-the-arc tracking, smart card programming, onboard data collection and touch screen control. It offers precise control of welding parameters such as voltage, wire feed speed, and travel speed. Its ergonomic design is smaller and lighter for less operator fatigue. CRC-Evans is the only company to offer full digital control in its automatic welding systems. All system components communicate digitally without the need for analog conversions.

Full in-service operation on REX-East to Clarington, Ohio is scheduled for November 1, 2009.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, LP and Copano Energy, LLC announced that they have entered into a letter of intent for a 50/50 joint venture to provide gathering, transportation and processing service to natural gas producers in the Eagle Ford Shale resource play in south Texas.

In its first phase, the joint venture will construct a roughly 22- mile, 24-inch natural gas gathering pipeline and will enter into new commercial arrangements with Kinder Morgan and Copano Energy. Originating in LaSalle County, Texas, and terminating in Duval County, Texas, the natural gas pipeline will have an initial capacity of 350 million cubic feet per day and is expected to be completed in mid-year 2010.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Houston, TX) – Enterprise Products Partners and Duncan Energy Partners announced plans to expand the Louisiana intrastate natural gas pipeline system.

The natural gas pipeline system, governed by the joint venture Acadian Gas LLC, will extend into northwest Louisiana to bring gas from Haynesville shale deposits to regional customers.

The Haynesville extension has a design capacity to deliver 1.4 billion cubic feet per day through a 249-mile pipeline connecting existing infrastructure to the affiliated Cypress gas pipeline.

Enterprise said the extension provides natural gas shippers advantages in terms of price while diversifying the gas sector in the south Louisiana market. For producers, the company said, the extension offers more options for transactions with their end users.

“The expansion of the Acadian system provides our partnership with another major foothold in a significant non-conventional natural gas producing area,” said Michael A. Creel, president and chief executive officer of Enterprise.

Enterprise said the service date for the pipeline is scheduled for September 2011.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Charlotte, NC) – Piedmont Natural Gas recently announced an agreement with Progress Energy Carolinas to provide natural gas delivery service to the electric utility’s recently announced state-ofthe- art power generation facility to be built at Progress Energy Carolinas’ Wayne County, N.C., energy complex. The plans call for Piedmont to construct 38-miles of 20-inch pipeline along with additional compression facilities to provide natural gas delivery service to the plant by July, 2012. Piedmont’s investment in the pipeline and compression facilities is estimated at $85 million and is supported by a long-term service agreement with Progress Energy Carolinas.

Progress Energy Carolinas announced its plan for the new power plant August 18. The plan includes retiring three existing coalfired units at the adjacent H.F. Lee Plant in Wayne County once the new gas-fueled units come online. Progress Energy Carolinas expects the new combined-cycle natural gas plant to increase the amount of electricity produced at the site while reducing overall emission rates for carbon dioxide by an estimated 60 percent, mercury rates by 100 percent, sulfur-dioxides by nearly 100 percent and nitrogen oxides by more than 95 percent.

Piedmont Natural Gas Chairman, President and CEO, Thomas E. Skains commented on the agreement, “We’re excited about this opportunity to work with Progress to deliver clean and efficient natural gas to their new power generation facility. In addition to the environmental benefits associated with using natural gas at this new plant, the construction of the natural gas pipeline for this project will also add to our natural gas infrastructure in the eastern part of North Carolina and enhance future opportunities for additional economic growth and development.”

Progress Energy Carolinas CEO and President, Lloyd Yates said, “We are pleased that our project is moving forward and that it will be the catalyst for extending natural gas supply more deeply into Eastern North Carolina. This is an important milestone for our customers and our company, as we bring a cleaner electricity generation technology to the region.”

INDUSTRY NEWS (Salt Lake City, UT) – A subsidiary of Questar Pipeline Co. is seeking federal approval for a natural gas pipeline across a stretch of southwest Wyoming that would tie into another pipeline destined to serve West Coast consumers.

Questar Overthrust Pipeline Co. wants to construct a line that would run 43 miles from a compressor station near Rock Springs west to Blacks Fork, Wyo., southeast of Opal, spokesman Steve Chapman said Friday.

The 36-inch pipeline would run alongside Interstate 80 for most of the way. It would parallel an existing Questar pipeline running from Wamsutter to Blacks Fork and on to Opal.

The new pipeline would feed natural gas into a line that Houstonbased El Paso Corp. hopes to build to serve northern California. The so-called Ruby pipeline would start in Opal, cross northern Utah and Nevada and terminate in Malin, Ore., There, it would connect with lines extending into California.

“California is a real large natural gas market. This pipeline that El Paso is building — they have commitments for approximately 1.1 billion cubic feet per day,” said Shelley Wright, director of business development for Salt Lake City-based Questar Pipeline. If the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approves Questar’s application, construction could start next summer. The line could be ready in March 2011.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Corning, N.Y.) – Empire Pipeline Inc. is currently in the early stages of the project, which would stretch approximately 16 miles from the northwest corner of Tioga County, Pa., north through Caton to the town of Corning.

The pipeline would bring gas produced from the Marcellus Shale and Trenton-Black River formations up to a compressor station on Quackenbush Hill in Corning, and would “transport abundant supplies of domestic, clean-burning natural gas to consumers in this region and beyond,” according to a release from Empire Pipeline.

From the Corning compressor station, the proposed pipeline would connect with the Millenium Pipeline, a major artery across the Southern Tier which ships gas as far away as the New York City and Boston areas.

Empire Pipeline currently has a pipeline, roughly in the shape of a “T,” that stretches from 157 miles from Buffalo to Syracuse, and 76 miles from Rochester to Corning. The proposed segment would extend the Rochester-Corning pipeline south into Pennsylvania to service new drilling areas, said Donna DeCarolis, Empire Pipeline spokeswoman.

The company is doing environmental and engineering studies, DeCarolis said, and preparing to apply for approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
“We’re still in the preliminary stages,” DeCarolis said.
An informational meeting was held in Corning earlier this week to brief property owners along the proposed route, who would receive compensation for allowing the pipeline to be dug on their land.

“We had contacted all the landowners by letter, and we had a good turnout at the meeting,” DeCarolis said. “There was a lot of very good dialogue with everybody, and we got a lot of good questions.”

According to the release from Empire Pipeline, public meetings on the project will be held this winter, and the company could begin negotiating right-of-way agreements with landowners next summer.

DeCarolis said compensation would vary depending on factors such as acreage owned.
The company hopes to begin construction in spring 2011 and begin operating the pipeline in the fall of 2011. Landscape restoration efforts would begin shortly after construction.

The project is expected to create 70 construction jobs, and will generate revenues for local businesses who supply and service the project, according to Empire Pipeline.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Perrysburg, OH) Welded Construction– Grady McBurnett has announced that he has retired effective October 31, 2009.  Grady has been responsible for business development since joining Welded in 2004.

His pipeline experience began with Houston Contracting Company in 196 where he worked as a Laborer, Welder and Operator for many different pipeline contractors.  He joined CRC Pipeline Equipment International in 1972 as an outside salesman, calling on both contractors and operating companies throughout the Midwest.  During his 32-year tenure with CRC, he was responsible for the introduction of many innovations to the U.S. pipeline right-of-way, some of which include, Automatic (Mechanized) Welding, Line-Travel Shot Blast Cleaning and the Self-Loading Ditch Padder.
Speaking for all of Welded, Don Thorn said “We wish him all the happiness life can bring as well as continued good health allowing him to enjoy his retirement years”.

“Please join us in congratulating Grady McBurnett on his retirement”.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Saint Louis, MO) – Insituform Technologies, Inc. announced recently that the Mexican national oil and gas company Petróleos Mexicanos (“Pemex”) has awarded an additional $13.9 million contract to United Pipeline de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (“UPM”), Insituform’s Mexican joint venture. This contract complements Insituform’s award of a $12.4 million pipeline project for Pemex which was announced in September 2009.

As with the initial contract announced in September, it is expected that Insituform will utilize its subsidiaries to provide additional services required for this project. Corrpro Companies, Inc. will provide installation of a cathodic protection system and The Bayou Companies. Inc. will provide prefabrication services for skid-mounted equipment. Dorwin Hawn, Vice President – United Pipeline Systems for Insituform, said, “By contracting this work simultaneously with the associated pipeline construction and rehabilitation activities, this additional project allows Pemex to benefit from improved economies of scale.”

The 2009 acquisitions of Corrpro and Bayou have led to a broader product and service offering and augment Insituform’s United Pipeline Systems’ division. “Pemex has quickly realized the value of Insituform’s family of companies in our Energy and Mining division and we’re pleased to see this coordinated effort benefits our customer,” remarked J. Joseph Burgess, Insituform’s President and CEO. Project Management will be handled by UPM from its offices in Poza Rica, Veracruz.

Work on this project, which is expected to begin in November and take approximately 24 months to complete, will be performed simultaneously with the associated pipeline infrastructure work awarded in September. This project includes building and connecting pipelines and associated infrastructure to tie in the well production and process oil produced in various districts of Mexico’s Chicontepec oil region.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Cleveland, OH) – Lincoln Electric, the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, has rolled out 108 new products over the past nine months, the most aggressive new product launch in the arc welding industry. The accelerated program was designed to bring the Company’s improved and more efficient products to the market faster and increase the breadth of Lincoln Electric’s welding solutions to its customers.

“We have always had an ambitious and customer-focused product development program” said George Blankenship, SVP and president of Lincoln Electric North America. “The current economic environment challenged us to better leverage our talent, resources and capabilities for the long term, and this group of new products is a result of that effort. We developed, tested and delivered to the market in record time a full array of new Lincoln welding solutions.”

Lincoln maintains the most comprehensive product development program in the arc welding industry, with technology focused on providing customers tangible cost savings and increased productivity. The new product launch schedule was made possible with a company investment of over 400,000 hours of research, development, testing, documentation and marketing.

Each product was put through Lincoln’s comprehensive testing and review process, which includes reliability testing in the Company’s lab chambers, where products are rigorously tested to withstand dust, rain, humidity, extreme temperatures, dropping, jerking and other real-world conditions. Testing also included hands-on use by welders in the field.

“Our goal is to launch products that help our customers be successful by saving them money, improving quality and increasing productivity,” said Blankenship. “We are confident our products will accomplish that result faster and more efficiently than any other company.”

The 108 new product introductions cover the full range of Lincoln offerings, including: Expansion of the advanced Power WaveŽ line – Power Wave C300, S350 and AC/DC 1000Ž SD New welding wire, electrodes and flux, including UltraCoreŽ carbon steel and stainless steel wires, ExcaliburŽ and PipelinerŽ stick electrodes and WTX submerged arc flux New MagnumŽ PRO welding guns and VikingT helmets New eCellT LR, System 15, Education robotic welding cells and Down- FlexT tables and Modular Extraction Hood fume extraction equipment A new line of portable engine-driven welders, including OutbackŽ and BulldogT models For more information about Lincoln’s new product offerings, visit www.lincolnelectric.com.

INDUSTRY NEWS (New Iberia, LA) – The Bayou Companies, Inc. (”Bayou”), a subsidiary of Insituform Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq Global Select Market: INSU), today announced its agreement with Garneau, Inc. to acquire Garneau’s pipe coating and insulation facility and associated assets located in Camrose, Alberta Canada. Bayou Perma-Pipe Canada, Ltd., a joint venture between Bayou and Perma-Pipe, Inc., will acquire the Garneau facility and assets and serve as the operating company for Bayou’s Canadian operation.

“This acquisition represents another strategic step for Insituform’s energy and mining division. A pipe coating and insulation facility in Western Canada will allow Bayou to better serve its customers and will increase Bayou’s addressable market by approximately $200 million,” said Jerry Shea, Bayou’s Managing Director, Business Development. Shea further commented, “Bayou has the largest pipe coating, fabrication and logistics capability on the Gulf Coast. This acquisition will allow Bayou to broaden that reach and extends Bayou’s geographic coverage and its ability to serve important customers in Canada.” With over 40 years of operating experience, Garneau has developed significant expertise as well as innovative technologies. Garneau also has maintained a long-term focus on continuously improving the pipe coating process with costeffective quality coatings. The Camrose facility, constructed in 1997, was upgraded in 2007 and provides over 75,000 square feet of space in its coating facility.

Bayou’s joint-venture partner, Perma-Pipe, is the leading manufacturer of pre-insulated district heating and cooling piping systems in North America. Perma-Pipe also offers pre-insulated products for subsea oil and gas gathering, LNK terminals and long distance petroleum pipeline transportation. Bayou and Perma-Pipe have been partners in Bayou Flow Technologies (”BFT”) for approximately 10 years. BFT markets subsea flow assurance products and services to oil companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fati Elgendy, President of Perma-Pipe said, “Perma- Pipe’s long history with Bayou has been very successful. We’re honored to join them in this endeavor to bring insulation solutions to the portfolio of products offered in Canada.” Garneau’s shareholders are expected to vote on the agreement, which has been approved by its Board of Directors, in late October 2009. The transaction is expected to close on or before October 31, 2009.

INDUSTRY NEWS (Williamsville, NY) – National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation which is part of the Pipeline and Storage segment of National Fuel Gas Company has announced that it held a binding Open Season for incremental transportation capacity from new and existing system interconnects in the Marcellus Shale fairway in central Pennsylvania. The expansion facilities will serve key northeast markets via the Leidy, Pennsylvania, natural gas market hub. The new pipeline and compression facilities will be constructed largely along existing Supply Corporation infrastructure in central Pennsylvania and may be constructed in two phases, as determined by shipper requests.

“This announcement is further demonstration of the strategic value of National Fuel’s portfolio of assets. Current requests from active Marcellus producers for access to interstate pipeline capacity makes this the logical first step or phase to what we’ve called our ‘West-to-East/Appalachian Lateral’ project. We are uniquely positioned and ready to offer flexible, reliable and efficient transportation services to producers and other customers seeking to create access to the prolific supplies of natural gas currently being developed from the Marcellus Shale. By integrating these initial segments of the West-to-East/ Appalachian Lateral project with our existing infrastructure, Supply Corporation can provide much-needed services to the marketplace in a timely manner,” said Ronald J. Tanski, President, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation.

Supply Corporation is prepared to construct this expansion project in phases. Phase I will be designed to transport approximately 200,000 dekatherms per day (dth/d) from the Marcellus producing area through a new 32-mile pipeline to be constructed through Elk, Cameron, and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania, to the Leidy hub, with an anticipated in-service date of November 2011. Phase II facilities will be designed to provide additional transportation capacity for at least 300,000 dth/d, and will consist of approximately 50 miles of new pipeline and compression, extending the Phase I facilities through Clearfield and Jefferson Counties, Pennsylvania, to Supply Corporation’s Line K in western Elk County, for an anticipated in-service date of November 2012.

This expansion is being offered as a stand-alone project, but the facilities are projected to become part of the previously announced West-to-East/Appalachian Lateral project. The longer-term West-to-East/Appalachian Lateral project involves additional upstream and downstream pipeline and compression designed to provide a transportation path from Clarington, Ohio, to Corning, New York. Previous non-binding Open Seasons for capacity on this project have received strong interest and Supply Corporation will be working with those potential customers as part of this binding Open Season.