Texas Eastern Transmission (Texas Eastern), an Enbridge company, is seeking US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval to abandon its Donaldson Compressor Station. Located on Texas Eastern’s Line 1 in Hot Spring County, Arkansas, the compressor station includes four 2000 hp (1492 kW) units that were installed in 1947.
In connection with this abandonment, Texas Eastern intends to abandon in-place all aboveground structures, equipment, and piping; including the compressor units and additional piping located at or below a depth of 2 feet (61 cm) below grade.
Line 1 was constructed as part of the War Emergency Pipeline (WEP) during World War II. Texas Eastern acquired the WEP from the US government to use the facilities to transport natural gas in interstate commerce. The WEP consisted of a 24-inch (61-cm) transmission line, Line 1, and a 20-inch (51-cm) transmission line, Line 2.
The WEP extends from a compressor station in Longview, Texas, and traverses through Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, and Illinois to a crossover transmission facility in Pickaway County, Ohio. In 2017, Texas Eastern obtained approval to abandon portions of its Line 1 System which extended further northeast. Based on an operational review of the Line 1 system and based on the current market and production development along that portion of the Texas Eastern system, Texas Eastern has determined that it will not require the Donaldson Compressor Station to provide any firm service on its system. No shipper has a primary receipt point upstream of or at the station. No primary firm service will be impacted by the abandonment of the Donaldson Compressor Station.
Due to changes in the operation of the Texas Eastern system over the last few decades, the Donaldson Compressor Station is no longer required to satisfy existing firm service obligations on the system. The project will eliminate the need for future operating and maintenance expenditures on a facility that is not required to meet firm service obligations. Further, abandonment of these facilities will not result in any impact on the certificated design parameters of Texas Eastern’s system or in a reduction in firm service to existing customers of Texas Eastern.
