Wyoming Interstate Co. (WIC) is seeking US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorization to perform certain modifications to its Wamsutter Compressor Station located in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, as part of its Cheyenne to Piceance Expansion project. The purpose of the project is to create operational efficiencies that will generate an additional 180,000 dekatherms per day of east-to-west firm transportation capacity from points at the Cheyenne Hub area to western points on WIC’s mainline.
The Wamsutter Compressor Station is currently comprised of two compressor units along with various appurtenant facilities. Unit 1 is a 10,310-hp (7691-kW) Solar Taurus 70-10302S engine driving a Solar C45 compressor configured to compress in an easterly direction. Unit 2 is a 10,310-hp Solar Taurus 70-10302S engine driving a Solar C40 compressor and is the dedicated “jumper” unit configured to compress natural gas from WIC’s mainline into WIC’s Threemile Lateral. To meet the increased demand, WIC is proposing to replace the compressor associated with Unit 1 to match the Unit 2 staging and compressor frame. The replacement will result in no net change in the horsepower capacity of the WIC station.
As part of the compressor replacement project, the currently permitted Cummins GTA12 natural gas-fired emergency generator engine will be replaced with a larger electrical generator to support the larger cooling fans for the new CT-1 compressor. The replacement emergency generator engine will be an 801-hp (598-kW) natural gas-fired Waukesha VGF-L36GL four-stroke, lean burn, reciprocating internal combustion engine.
In addition, WIC will install new pipe spools to connect the new compressor, install sixteen station valves, install gas coolers with new piping headers, install one inlet filter separator, install various plant yard piping, install additional appurtenant-type facilities, and upgrade existing control systems to incorporate additional modes, pressure/temperature transmitters, a natural gas-fired boiler, emergency shutdown piping, and valves with venting.
