Our look at the
Cryogenic Gas Plant
on Route 519 near Houston, PA
CHARTIERS TOWNSHIP, PA - What a difference a couple years around Marcellus Shale can make! Ever since MarkWest purchased just over 100-acres of farmland west
of Houston, Pa for approximately $5 million in early 2009,
construction has been nonstop. Photos on this page illustrate that
progress, with development progression photos showing the addition of an electric substation
using high voltage towers, and the addition of a railroad line in
2012 for the transportation of gas liquids like propane and ethane.
28-acres of the 106-acres
purchased for this facility were taken off Clean & Green (C&G)
favorable tax status in 2010, changing the Washington County
taxation rating to "Industrial." This change increased county taxes
from $103 per year in 2008 to $8,732 per year in 2011.
Ongoing construction at the MarkWest plant
July 2011
The pace of construction
has been brisk at this rapidly growing cryogenic facility in
Chartiers Township.
MarkWest has also built numerous
compressor stations around Washington County, Pa, numbering
around a dozen at the end of 2010.
Neighbors living near the MarkWest plant in Houston, Pa
were treated to a Sunday afternoon 'burn-off' on
September 18, 2011
[Video]
Compressor stations that
initially began with two compressors were shortly afterwards
converted to four or five compressor stations, addressing the ever
increasing demand for compression to move Marcellus Shale gas.
Pipeline
construction between Marcellus gas wells, compressor stations
and this large cyrogenic facility is proceeding nonstop into 2011.
July 2011
This Houston plant comes on the
heels of five other new gas plants constructed by MarkWest in the
Appalachia region over a 10-year period: Boldman, KY in 1996,
Kenova, WV in 1997, Maytown, KY in 2000, Kermit, WV in 2001 and
Cobb, WV in 2005.
MarkWest's most controversial
Pennsylvania project to date is construction of the
Welling Compressor Station near Washington, Pa. With
construction due to be completed in March 2012, it will be one of
the largest compressor stations in the US with 14 compressors. Total
compression horsepower will more than double what was situated next
to DISH, Texas in 2010.
Excerpt from Pa. DEP Plan Approval dated October 4, 2012:
This
is a major Title V facility for CO and greenhouse gas emissions and
as such, actual emissions may equal or exceed the following in any
consecutive 12-month period:
100.0 tons of CO (CARBON
MONOXIDE)
100,000 tons of CO2e
(CARBON DIOXIDE EQUIVALENT)
100.0 tons of CO2
(CARBON DIOXIDE)
100.0 tons of CH4
(METHANE)
This
is a natural minor facility with respect to all remaining pollutants
and as such, actual emissions can not equal or exceed the following
in any consecutive 12-month period:
100.0 tons of NOx
(NITROGEN OXIDES)
100.0 tons of SOx
(SULFUR OXIDES)
100.0 tons of PM-10
(PARTICULATE MATTER < 10 MICRONS)
50.0 tons of VOC
(VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS)
10.0 tons of a SINGLE
HAP (HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANT)
25.0 tons of ALL HAP
COMBINED
Comments due by September
24, 2012
PENNSYLVANIA BULLETIN,
VOL. 42, NO. 34, AUGUST 25, 2012
Intent to Issue Plan
Approvals and Intent to Issue or Amend Operating Permits under the
Air Pollution Control Act and 25 Pa. Code Chapter 127, Subchapter B.
These actions may include the administrative amendments of an
associated operating
permit.
63-00936F: MarkWest
Liberty Midstream and Resources, LLC (1515 Arapahoe Street
Tower 2, Suite 700, Denver, CO 80202-2126) Notice is hereby given in
accordance with 25 Pa. Code §§ 127.44—127.46 that the Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) intends to issue Air Quality Plan
Approval: PA-63-00936F to allow the installation and initial
temporary operation of a deethanizer, depropanizer, 113.2 MMBtu/hr
hot oil heater, 5.5 MMBtu/hr regenerative heater, and rail load-out
vapor recovery system at the Houston Gas Plant located in
Chartiers Township, Washington County.
This authorization also
allows for increased throughputs of most natural gas liquids from
the Houston Gas Plant. Potential to emit increases from the new
sources including the modified rail load-out terminal are estimated
to be 18.73 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 27.06 tons of
carbon monoxide (CO), 15.74 tons of volatile organic
compounds (VOC), 2.67 tons of particulate matter (PM), 0.15 ton of
total hazardous air pollutants (HAP), and 70,620 tons of carbon
dioxide equivalents (CO2e) per year. Best available technology
(BAT) for the proposed sources is implementation of a leak detection
and repair (LDAR) program, use of ultra-low NOx burners including
flue gas recirculation (FGR) and staged fuel combustion, and good
combustion practices including operation and maintenance according
to the manufacturer’s recommendations. The authorization is subject
to State regulations including 25 Pa. Code §§ 123.1, 123.2, and
123.31; and Federal New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)
including 40 CFR Part 60 Subpart KKK for equipment leaks of VOC from
onshore natural gas processing plants. The reporting of greenhouse
gas emissions in the form of CO2 equivalent and on a mass basis has
also been included in this Plan Approval. Plan Approval has been
conditioned to ensure compliance with all applicable rules. This
includes testing, work practice, monitoring, recordkeeping, and
reporting conditions. Once compliance with the Plan Approval is
demonstrated, the applicant will subsequently submit a revision to
its pending Title V Operating Permit (TVOP) application as necessary
in accordance with 25 Pa. Code Subchapters F and G.
Those who wish to provide
the Department with additional written information that they believe
should be considered prior to the issuance of the Plan Approval may
submit the information to Alan Binder, Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA,
15222. Each written comment must contain the name, address and
telephone number of the person submitting the comments,
identification of the proposed Plan Approval (PA-63-00936F) and a
concise statement regarding the relevancy of the information or
objections to issuance of the Plan Approval. All comments must be
received prior to the close of business 30 days after the date of
this publication. For additional information
you may contact Alan Binder at 412-442-4168.
September 13,
2012 Permit Update
Authorization ID:
921014
Permit
number:
63-00936F
Site:
HOUSTON GAS PLT
Client:
MARKWEST
LIBERTY MIDSTREAM & RESOURCES LLC
Authorization type:
Minor
Facility Plan Approval New Source Performance Std
Application type:
New
Authorization is for:
FACILITY
Date
received:
03/30/2012
Status:
Pending
Sub-Facilities for Authorization
Sub-Facility ID
Sub-Facility Name
Description
1047679
ENCLOSED FLARE
Air
Pollution Control Device
1084925
HOT
OIL HEATER
Combustion Unit
1084948
HOUSTON DEETHANIZER
Process
1047676
RAIL
LOAD-OUT TERMINAL
Process
1084923
VAPOR
RECOVERY SYSTEM
Air
Pollution Control Device
1084942
WV
DEPROPANIZER
Process
PENNSYLVANIA BULLETIN
December 24, 2011
Southwest Region: Air Quality Program, 400 Waterfront Drive,
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4745 Contact: Mark Gorog and Barb Hatch,
Environmental Engineer Managers—Telephone: 412-442-4163/5226
63-00936E: MarkWest Liberty Midstream and Resources,
LLC (1515 Arapahoe Street Tower 2, Suite 700, Denver, CO
80202-2126) on December 8, 2011, to install and begin initial
temporary operation of a rail load-out terminal for the transfer of
up to 402 million gallons of natural gas liquids produced at the
Houston Gas Plant located in Chartiers Township, Washington
County.
December 11, 2011
Pennsylvania DEP Permitting
Houston Gas Plant
Authorization ID:
870568
Permit number:
63-00936E
Site:
HOUSTON GAS PLANT
Client:
MARKWEST
LIBERTY MIDSTREAM & RESOURCES LLC
Authorization type:
Minor Facility Plan Approval New
Source Performance Std
Application type:
New
Authorization is for:
FACILITY
Date received:
03/07/2011
Status:
Pending
Sub-Facilities
for Authorization
Sub-Facility ID
Sub-Facility Name
Description
1047679
ENCLOSED FLARE
Air Pollution Control Device
1047676
RAIL LOAD-OUT TERMINAL
Process
Task - Sub Task
Status
Start Date
Due Date
Date Completed
Begin/End Administrative
Review
3/7/2011
3/22/2011
5/11/2011
B/E Appl Complete Review
On the Clock
3/11/2011
3/26/2011
5/11/2011
Participate in Phone Call
Off the Clock
3/11/2011
3/11/2011
3/11/2011
Send Deficiency Notice/Receive
Response
Off the Clock
4/25/2011
4/25/2011
5/11/2011
Begin/End Technical
Review 1
6/24/2011
8/18/2011
10/15/2011
B/E App Engineering Review
On the Clock
6/24/2011
8/18/2011
8/3/2011
Participate in Phone Call
Off the Clock
7/14/2011
7/14/2011
8/1/2011
Send Draft Permit/End of Comment
Prd
Off the Clock
8/6/2011
8/6/2011
10/15/2011
Begin/End Technical
Review 2
10/15/2011
12/9/2011
12/8/2011
B/E App Engineering Review
On the Clock
10/15/2011
12/9/2011
12/8/2011
B/E EPA Comments
On the Clock
11/7/2011
11/7/2011
12/7/2011
Begin/End Decision
Review
Receive Response(s)/Make a
Decision
On the Clock
September 13,
2011
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE AN AIR QUALITY PLAN APPROVAL
Notice is hereby
given in accordance with 25 PA Code §§ 127.44(b) that the
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) intends to issue
Air Quality Plan Approval: PA-63-00936E to MarkWest Liberty
Midstream Resources, LLC, 1515 Arapahoe Street Tower 2,
Suite 700, Denver, CO 80202-2126, to allow the installation and
initial temporary operation of a rail load-out expansion for
the transfer of up to 402 million gallons of natural gas liquids
produced at the Houston Gas Plant located in Chartiers Township,
Washington County.
Potential to emit from the rail load-out expansion is estimated
to be 4.53 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 24.63 tons of
carbon monoxide (CO), 9.85 tons of volatile organic compounds
(VOC), 1.03 tons of hazardous air pollutants (HAP), and 9,387
tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. Best available
technology (BAT) for the proposed sources is the load-out of
natural gas liquids into railcars under positive pressure or
under normal pressure conditions with control by a vapor
collection unit and enclosed flare. Minimization of natural gas
liquids loss during loading hose disconnects and equipment
inspection for the presence of leaks is also required. The
authorization is subject to State regulations including 25 Pa.
Code §129.57. The reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
in the form of CO2 equivalent and on a mass basis has also been
included in this Plan Approval. Plan Approval has been
conditioned to ensure compliance with all applicable rules.
This includes testing, work practice, monitoring, recordkeeping,
and reporting conditions. Once compliance with the Plan
Approval is demonstrated, the applicant will subsequently apply
for or amend a Title V Operating Permit in accordance with Pa.
Code Title 25 Subchapter F. Houston Gas Plant has become a
Title V facility based solely on GHG emissions through Step 2 of
U.S. EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule.
Interested persons may submit written comments, suggestions or
objections concerning the proposed Plan Approval to the regional
office within 30 days of publication of this notice. Written
comments submitted to the Department during the 30-day public
comment period shall include the following:
Name, address and telephone number of the person submitting the
comments.
Identification of the proposed Plan Approval (PA-63-00936E).
Concise statements regarding the relevancy of the information or
objections to issuance of the Plan Approval.
A public hearing may be held if the Department of Environmental
Protection, in its discretion, decides that such a hearing is
warranted based on the comments received. All persons
submitting comments or requesting a hearing will be notified of
the decision to hold a hearing by publication in the newspaper
or the Pennsylvania Bulletin or by telephone, where DEP
determines such a notification is sufficient. Written comments
or requests for a public hearing should be directed to Alan
Binder, Air Quality, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA
15222. For additional information you may contact Alan Binder
at 412-442-4168.
A purity-ethane
project to the Gulf Coast will maximize producer economics
MarkWest Liberty will
modify the Houston and
Majorsville plants to recover ethane.
MarkWest Liberty will
construct a 45-mile liquid ethane pipeline.
Sunoco Logistics will
convert its existing 250-mile, 8-inch refined products pipeline
running across Pennsylvania to liquid ethane service. The
pipeline will have a capacity of approximately 50,000 bbl/day.
Sunoco Logistics will
construct refrigerated ethane store facilities and load it onto
refrigerated LPG carriers. LPG carriers will transport the
ethane to Gulf Coast markets.
The Mariner Project will be
operational in 2012.
NiSource Midstream Services and
MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources Announce Commencement of
Majorsville Processing Complex
HOUSTON and
DENVER
PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network
September 27, 2010
- PRESS RELEASE
Source: NiSource Gas Transmission & Storage
NiSource Gas
Transmission & Storage unit NiSource Midstream Services (NMS), and
MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources, L.L.C., a partnership
between MarkWest Energy Partners, L.P. and The Energy & Minerals
Group, today announced the commencement of operations of jointly
developed natural gas gathering, processing, and transmission
projects in Majorsville, West Virginia.
The Majorsville
complex is the first integrated gathering and processing system
serving Marcellus production in northern West Virginia and
significantly augments the midstream infrastructure that NMS and
MarkWest Liberty independently operate in southwest Pennsylvania.
The gathering and processing facilities are fully contracted and
will serve various producers, including affiliates of Chesapeake
Energy Corporation, Chief Oil & Gas, CONSOL Energy/CNX Gas, Range
Resources, and Statoil.
On August 1,
2010, NMS completed a re-functionalization of pipeline and
compression assets in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, including the
re-commissioning of the Majorsville compressor station. The pipeline
and compression assets allow NMS to gather and deliver 88,000
dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of liquid-rich Marcellus gas production
from Washington and Greene Counties in Pennsylvania and 250,000 Dth/d
from Marshall, Wetzel, and Doddridge Counties in West Virginia to
the new MarkWest Liberty Majorsville processing plant. Residue gas
from the processing plant is currently delivered into the NGT&S
interstate pipeline system and, in October, construction will begin
on a pipeline to deliver residue gas to the Texas Eastern Windridge
compressor that will provide significant additional outlet capacity
to eastern markets. A January 2011 in-service date is planned.
On September 7,
2010, MarkWest Liberty commenced operations of a 120 million cubic
feet per day (MMcf/d) cryogenic natural gas processing plant at the
Majorsville complex and a 35-mile natural gas liquids (NGL) pipeline
that connects the Majorsville complex to MarkWest Liberty's
midstream complex in Houston, Pennsylvania, where NGLs are
fractionated, transported, stored, and marketed into high-value
markets in the northeastern United States.
In 2011,
MarkWest Liberty plans to expand its cryogenic processing capacity
at the Majorsville complex to 270 MMcf/d. Concurrently, the Houston
cryogenic processing capacity will be expanded from 155 MMcf/d to
355 MMcf/d. To accommodate the significant increase in NGL
production resulting from the processing expansions, MarkWest
Liberty is constructing fractionation capacity of 60,000 barrels per
day, which will allow for the production of commercial iso-butane,
normal butane, and natural gasoline in addition to the current
capabilities of producing purity propane. When combined with an
existing 24,000 barrel per day fractionation, storage, and marketing
facility near Portsmouth, Ohio, MarkWest's combined NGL
infrastructure in the Marcellus and Appalachian basin will include
nearly 85,000 barrels per day of fractionation, storage, and
marketing capacity.
"With the
commencement of the Majorsville processing complex, producers in the
Marcellus Shale region will now have access to the additional
capacity they have long needed to move their gas to downstream
markets," said Christopher A. Helms, executive vice president and
group CEO for NGT&S. "A significant initiative for NGT&S is to offer
new solutions to customers for transportation of supplies to
valuable markets, and our joint project with MarkWest Liberty is a
great example of this. We will continue our strategy of disciplined
investment in growth projects to adapt our system to provide
critical services to our customers."
"We are pleased
to jointly announce with NiSource Midstream Services the
commencement of the Majorsville gathering, processing, and
transmission complex," commented Frank Semple, Chairman, President
and Chief Executive Officer of MarkWest. "MarkWest Liberty is the
largest provider of midstream services in the Marcellus and we
continue to invest a significant amount of capital to provide the
critical midstream infrastructure necessary to economically develop
this world-class resource. The Majorsville expansion further
demonstrates MarkWest Liberty's commitment to develop the facilities
required to meet our producer customers' long-term needs."
For more
information about NiSource Gas Transmission & Storage, please visit
www.ngts.com.
As units of
NiSource, Inc., the NGT&S companies include Columbia Gas
Transmission, Columbia Gulf Transmission, Crossroads Pipeline, Hardy
Storage, Millennium Pipeline and NiSource Midstream Services.
Combined, the companies operate about 15,000 miles of interstate
natural gas pipeline and 37 storage fields, delivering over 1
trillion cubic feet of natural gas per year.
About
NiSource
NiSource Inc.
(NYSE: NI), based in Merrillville, Ind., is a Fortune 500 company
engaged in natural gas transmission, storage and distribution, as
well as electric generation, transmission and distribution. NiSource
operating companies deliver energy to more than 3.8 million
customers located within the high-demand energy corridor stretching
from the Gulf Coast through the Midwest to New England. Information
about NiSource and its subsidiaries is available via the Internet at
www.nisource.com.
NI-F
About
MarkWest Energy Partners
MarkWest Energy
Partners, L.P. is a master limited partnership engaged in the
gathering, transportation, and processing of natural gas; the
transportation, fractionation, marketing, and storage of natural gas
liquids; and the gathering and transportation of crude oil. MarkWest
has extensive natural gas gathering, processing, and transmission
operations in the southwest, Gulf Coast, and northeast regions of
the United States, including the Marcellus Shale, and is the largest
natural gas processor in the Appalachian region.
About The
Energy & Minerals Group
The Energy &
Minerals Group is the management company for a series of private
equity funds totaling in excess of $2 billion of commitments. EMG
focuses exclusively on making direct investments across the natural
resources industry in conjunction with experienced management teams
focused on hard assets that are integral to existing and growing
markets.
NiSource
Forward-Looking Statements
This news
release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section
21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Those
statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or
current expectations of NiSource and its management. Although
NiSource believes that its expectations are based on reasonable
assumptions, it can give no assurance that its goals will be
achieved. Readers are cautioned that the forward-looking statements
in this news release are not guarantees of future performance and
involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and that actual results
could differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking
statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking
statements include, but are not limited to, the following: weather;
fluctuations in supply and demand for energy commodities; growth
opportunities for NiSource's businesses; increased competition in
deregulated energy markets; the success of regulatory and commercial
initiatives; dealings with third parties over whom NiSource has no
control; actual operating experience of NiSource's assets; the
regulatory process; regulatory and legislative changes; the impact
of potential new environmental laws or regulations; the results of
material litigation; changes in pension funding requirements;
changes in general economic, capital and commodity market
conditions; and counter-party credit risk, and the matters set forth
in the "Risk Factors" section in NiSource's 2009 Annual Report on
Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q, many of
which risks are beyond the control of NiSource. NiSource expressly
disclaims a duty to update any of the forward-looking statements
contained in this release.
MarkWest
Energy Partners Forward-Looking Statements
This press
release includes "forward-looking statements." All statements other
than statements of historical facts included or incorporated herein
may constitute forward-looking statements. Actual results could vary
significantly from those expressed or implied in such statements and
are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Although
MarkWest believes that the expectations reflected in the
forward-looking statements are reasonable, MarkWest can give no
assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that
affect operations, financial performance, and other factors as
discussed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Among the factors that could cause results to differ materially are
those risks discussed in periodic reports filed with the SEC,
including MarkWest's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2009, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended June 30, 2010. You are urged to carefully review and consider
the cautionary statements and other disclosures made in those
filings, specifically those under the heading "Risk Factors."
MarkWest does not undertake any duty to update any forward-looking
statement except as required by law.
Westland, Pa and pipeline construction in the distance
MarkWest facility with new flares and pipelines
Liquefied gas storage continues to expand
Loading area for LPG tractor trailers
Most locally produced 'wet' gas ends up here
Another pad for the growing tank farm
Neighbors report this flare stack can create
a 100-foot tall flame, usually at night
Piles of railroad ties and construction activities
related to the rail load-out expansion
The initial rail load-out will allow for the transfer of up to
402 million gallons of natural gas liquids, with the potential to emit
an estimated 4.53 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx), 24.63 tons of
carbon monoxide (CO), 9.85 tons of volatile organic compounds
(VOC), 1.03 tons of hazardous air pollutants (HAP), and 9,387
tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year.
