The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Feb. 19 released for comment an environmental assessment (EA) on the Columbia to Eastover gas pipeline project, which will aid a coal-to-gas conversion project at an International Paper facility in South Carolina.
The project has been proposed by Dominion Carolina Gas Transmission LLC (DCG). Comment on the EA are being taken until March 21.
DCG requests authorization to construct, install, own, operate and maintain certain facilities located in Calhoun, Richland, and Lexington counties, South Carolina. This project would enable DCG to provide 18,000 dekatherms per day of firm transportation service to the existing International Paper Plant in Eastover, South Carolina. The proposed project includes:
- 28 miles of new 8-inch-diameter pipeline;
- a pig launcher;
- a joint new pig receiver and meter and regulator station;
- cathodic protection; and
- eight mainline valves along the pipeline.
In May 2015, Dominion Carolina Gas Transmission applied for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity on this project. The new facilities would generally be within Calhoun and Richland counties with the exception of a section of access road that crosses a portion of Lexington County. The pipeline would interconnect with the existing DCG 20-inch-diameter Salley to Eastman Line at the existing DAK Americas LLC facility in Calhoun County and terminate at the proposed joint pig receiver and International Paper Meter and Regulator Station (M&R station) within the International Paper facility in Richland County. The Columbia to Eastover Project has a proposed in-service date of Aug. 12, 2016.
DCG states the purpose of the project is to provide the International Paper facility with 18,000 Dt/d of firm natural gas transportation service to serve two boilers. International Paper currently uses one fuel oil powered lime kiln, one compressed natural gas (CNG) fueled lime kiln, one biomass powered boiler, and one coal powered boiler at this facility. If supplied with natural gas, International Paper would convert one coal powered boiler from coal to natural gas in order to comply with maximum achievable control technology (MACT) environmental air quality standards, also known as the “Boiler MACT” regulations. According to International Paper in a letter to FERC on Dec. 16, 2015, the CNG fueled lime kiln would also switch to use natural gas from this pipeline project and CNG would no longer be trucked into the facility.
