Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC is seeking US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorization to increase the horsepower capability at Compressor Station 168 in Bailey County, Texas, as part of its Delaware Basin North Project. The project will increase firm transportation capacity on Natural’s existing Amarillo Mainline System from the Permian Zone, which accesses the prolific Delaware Basin in West Texas and southern New Mexico. Natural proposes to replace an older, less efficient compressor unit with a larger compressor unit and make certain modifications to an existing compressor unit, thereby increasing the design capacity in Segment 8 of Natural’s Permian Zone in order to provide 50,000 dekatherms per day of incremental firm transportation service to the project shippers.
CS 168 contains two 4000 hp (2984 kW) compressor units (Unit 1 and Unit 2). In recent years, Natural has experienced operational issues with Units 1 and 2, which have prevented Natural from operating the station reliably.
The project scope of work includes: (1) installing a new Caterpillar 5500-hp (4103 kW) G3616 compressor (unit 3) and ancillary equipment, intake and exhaust system, control unit, cooler unit, and station piping and valves; (2) modifying Unit 1 with a new fuel meter and replaced logic controls; and (3) abandoning Unit 2 in place. New or modified structures will include a new compressor with a muffler/silencer.
