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2001 News Releases
Date: Oct. 2, 2001
Gulfstream
Commences Mainline Pipeline Construction in Florida
HOUSTON - Gulfstream Natural Gas
System L.L.C., announced today it has received Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission approval to commence mainline pipeline
construction in Florida. With this approval, Gulfstream now has
all major segments of its 753-mile pipeline project under
construction and on schedule to deliver natural gas in June
2002.
"A primary reason the project is on schedule is because of
the timely reviews and approval we have received from the staff
of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as well as other
federal and state agencies," said Guy Buckley, Gulfstream
senior vice president of business functions. "This is a
good example of government and private enterprise working
together to ensure the necessary energy infrastructure is in
place."
"This approval for onshore construction comes at a time
when half of the offshore construction is complete and means
that we remain on schedule to meet our scheduled June 2002
in-service date," said Nancy Schultz, Gulfstream senior
vice president of technical functions.
An update of the construction progress through Oct. 1, 2001:
- More than 200 of the 431 miles
of offshore pipe have been laid in the Gulf of Mexico.
Offshore construction began in early July and will be
completed later this fall.
- In Florida, Gulfstream has
laid approximately five miles of pipe in parts of Polk and
Manatee counties, completing construction through several
environmentally sensitive construction areas and three of
the 10 horizontal directional drills scheduled for 2001.
- In Alabama, compressor station
construction began in June and remains on schedule.
Installation of equipment foundations, compressor buildings
and fabrication of the main gas piping is currently under
way.
- Following through on its
environmental commitment, Gulfstream has begun deploying the
first of 250 specially designed reef habitat modules in the
vicinity of its pipeline in federal and state waters.
Gulfstream has also initiated mitigation and restoration
activities at several on shore locations.
Once complete, the $1.6 billion
Gulfstream system will be the largest pipeline in the Gulf of
Mexico, with capacity to transport approximately 1.1 billion
cubic feet of natural gas per day.
Gulfstream Natural Gas System, L.L.C. is a joint interstate
natural gas pipeline development of Williams (NYSE:WMB) and Duke
Energy (NYSE:DUK) approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission Feb. 22, 2001. Construction of the 753-mile pipeline
project began June 1, 2001. The pipeline will extend from
Mississippi and Alabama across the Gulf of Mexico to Florida. It
is designed primarily to serve Florida utilities and
power-generation facilities that will use high-efficiency
natural gas turbines to meet the increasing demand for electric
energy.
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