Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a joint venture between Dominion, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas and AGL Resources, has awarded a contract to Spring Ridge Constructors for the construction of the proposed 600-mile natural gas pipeline from Virginia to North Carolina, US.

Spring Ridge Constructors is a joint venture formed by Price Gregory International, US Pipeline, SMPC; and Rockford.

It will serve as lead construction contractor for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project, which is due to receive approval from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Dominion Energy president Diane Leopold said: "The selection of our lead construction contractor is another significant milestone for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and represents one more step toward making this project a reality and securing the energy future of our region."

Estimated to cost between $4.5bn and $5bn, the project would run from Harrison County through Virginia with an extension to Chesapeake, Virginia, and then south through central North Carolina to Robeson County.

The project, which is scheduled to be commissioned in late 2019, will have an initial capacity of 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.

Construction work on the pipeline is planned to commence in the fall of 2017.

The pipeline is designed to provide a new route for direct access to the production in the Marcellus and Utica shale basins of West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Dominion has 45% stake in the joint venture while Duke Energy holds 40%. Additionally, Piedmont and AGL Resources hold 10% and 5% stakes respectively.


Image: The US intends to meet growing natural gas demand. Photo: courtesy of supakitmod/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.