The Broad Run expansion project, located on Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) system in the south-east central region of the US, will provide 200,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) additional capacity.

The $500m pipeline expansion project involved the construction of four new compressor stations and modification of two existing compressor stations on the TGP pipeline system in Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Undertaken by Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP), a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, the Broad Run expansion project was brought into partial service by October 2018. The project is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2018.

Broad Run pipeline development details

Construction of the Broad Run expansion project followed the Broad Run flexibility project, which was placed into service in November 2015.

The Broad Run Flexibility project added 590,000 Dt/d of firm transportation capacity from a receipt point on TGP’s existing Broad Run Lateral gas pipeline in West Virginia to delivery points in Mississippi and Louisiana.

The Broad Run expansion project was undertaken to provide an incremental 200,000Dt/d transportation capacity along the same path.

The two projects, developed with a combined investment of $800m, resulted from Antero Resources awarding Kinder Morgan a total of 790,000 Dth/d of 15-year firm capacity on the Broad Run Lateral pipeline in West Virginia, in 2014.

TGP received the Certificate Order for the Broad Run expansion project from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in September 2016 and received the FERC approval for the construction of new compressor stations in February 2017.

Broad Run expansion design and infrastructure details

The Broad Run expansion project is designed to increase the gas transportation from TGP's Broad Run Lateral in West Virginia to delivery points along the Gulf Coast.

The expansion project involved the construction of four new compressor stations, namely CS 118A, CS 119A, CS 875, and CS 563.

The 118A and 119A are new compressor stations built in the Kanawha County of West Virginia, whereas compressor stations 875 and 563 are developed in Madison County, Kentucky, and Davidson County, Tennessee, respectively.

The 118A is a bi-directional compressor station fitted with a Solar Taurus 70 turbine/compressor unit rated at 10,771hp. It is connected to the 20-inch-diameter TGP 100-1 pipeline. The compressor station is supplied electricity through a 6,500ft-long 12.47kV new transmission line.

The 119A compressor station is equipped with a 20,500hp Solar Titan 130 turbine compressor unit and connects the 24-inch-diameter TGP100-2 pipeline. The compressor station receives electricity via a 1,700ft-long 12.47kV new transmission line.

The CS 875 comprises a 16,000hp Solar Mars turbine compressor unit and provides interconnection to the existing 30-inch diameter TGP 800-1 pipeline and 36-inch diameter TGP 800-2 pipeline. The compressor station is grid-connected through a 2.2km-long 15kV new power line.

The CS 563 is fitted with two 30,000 hp Solar Titan 250 turbine compressor units and provides connections to the TGP 30-inch diameter 800-1 and the 500-1 pipelines, as well as the 36-inch diameter TGP 500-2 line. The compressor station is powered by a 1,115ft-long, 29.5kV new transmission line.

The Broad Run expansion project also involved modification and replacement of the existing CS 106 and CS114 compressor stations in Powell County and Boyd County, Kentucky, respectively.