Project Description

Williams Northwest Pipeline (Northwest) is proposing to build the Sundance Trail Expansion (Sundance Trail) project, which would include the construction of approximately 16-miles of 30-inch looped pipeline and the installation of incremental compression at Northwest’s existing Vernal compressor station.

Project Timeline

2008

  • Pre-filing process
  • File request for BLM grant

2009

  • FERC Certificate Application filed
  • EA written and reviewed
  • FERC issues EA and Certificate
  • BLM issues ROW grant

2010

  • Sundance Trail project construction begins
  • Proposed in-service for the Sundance Trail Expansion project

Sundance Trail would provide 150,000 dekatherms per day of transportation service utilizing available capacity on Northwest’s existing Piceance Lateral and the proposed Colorado Hub Connection Lateral in conjunction with available and expanded mainline capacity to transport natural gas supplies near the Greasewood and Meeker, Colo. Hubs in the Piceance Basin to delivery point interconnects at the Opal Hub in Wyo. Transportation service on the Sundance Trail project would be provided utilizing Northwest’s currently effective system-wide reservation and volumetric charges.

Video Tour
The next step in the process of obtaining approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on the Sundance Trail project is to initiate the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) pre-filing review process, which involves field surveys and consultations with the FERC, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, as well as all key state, county and local environmental, safety and security agencies. In addition, Northwest will solicit input from area citizens, and civic and governmental organizations, to insure that the application reflects the needs and concerns of all interested parties.

Following submittal of the applications, an Environmental Assessment (EA) will be written for the project. The EA will be subject to further review and public comment with final FERC approval anticipated by late 2009. Commercial operations of the Sundance Trail project are expected to begin in November 2010.