Natural gas drilling in the Barnett Shale can fuel a bright economic future for Texas. Producing wells can yield valuable benefits in royalties, tax dollars and local revenue streams that will help keep Texas’ economy strong. Yet before all the economic benefits of the Barnett Shale can be realized, pipelines and compressors must be in place to move the gas to market — and eventually to power America’s energy needs.
With several decades of technology standing behind construction and installation methods, pipelines are the safest and most cost-effective means to transport natural gas.1 More than 2 million miles of natural gas pipelines currently crisscross our country.2 Just as you encounter electrical power lines in your daily travels, you pass by pipelines every day. Unlike power lines, pipelines, for the most part, are unseen and as a result, they remain out of sight and out of mind.
Planning and constructing pipelines is significantly more involved than simply connecting point A to point B, particularly in urban and environmentally sensitive areas.
From route development to site restoration, many factors are taken into account when laying pipelines. Factors considered both above and below the ground include pipeline constructability, effects on the environment, impacts on community life and existing infrastructure. As a result, communication and understanding between all parties is necessary for the successful construction of pipelines and compressor stations that will transport natural gas from the wellhead to the market.
Texas Midstream Gas Services (TMGS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chesapeake MLP Operating, L.L.C. (CMO). TMGS is the entity which owns the physical gathering assets that provide gathering service to both the upstream Chesapeake entity and other involved parties. TMGS owns assets in many areas of Texas, including the Barnett Shale.
Pipelines transport the valuable natural gas people need
to heat their homes, power their appliances and cook their food
Â
Sourcing References:
1 U.S. Department of Transportation
2 U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration