Pipeline route development could become more complicated as natural gas operators tap into the rich Marcellus Shale. An expert team of engineers, construction, environmental and right-of-way specialists work to find the delicate balance between delivering a key domestic energy source and protecting the environment and the quality of life in New York.
After an intricate analysis of the available routes is completed, the options are closely scrutinized and a preferred route is identified. Issues regarding constructability, public impact, existing infrastructure and the strategic collection of natural gas are examined in great detail, as well as environmental sensitivity issues, such as wetlands, streams and historic sites.
Surveys provide much of the data the route development team relies upon to reach a decision when selecting a preferred location. During the survey, the surface and subsurface features of a tract of land are studied, providing important information on optimal areas to lay pipe. Prior to conducting a survey, the pipeline company may request a signed survey permission agreement with the landowner.
While Appalachia Midstream Services (AMS) strives to streamline the process and will consider sharing pipelines with other companies whenever possible, there are generally certain circumstances which prevent this, such as:
Contractual obligations - Gathering pipelines provide a transportation service to producers of natural gas through contractual agreements. These contracts may include dedications of pipeline capacity or other performance obligations that limit the availability of pipeline capacity for other parties.
Location - If one gas company has a concentration of leases in a particular area, a competing company would most likely not have any wellsites nearby, lessening any possibility of sharing a pipeline.
Timing - Delaying a pipeline to include multiple producers or waiting to use a pipeline that is already functioning at capacity could prevent producers from maximizing their output and impair the ability to move gas to market. Such considerations are frequently included in determining the contractual obligations of pipelines like AMS.