Williams’ Gulf Connector Project Placed Into Service

TULSA, Okla.—The Williams Cos. (NYSE: WMB) on Jan. 4 announced that its Gulf Connector Project has been placed into full service, further connecting its Transco pipeline—the largest-volume interstate natural gas pipeline in the U.S.—with global LNG markets.

The Gulf Connector Project expands the Transco pipeline’s delivery capacity by 475 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d), providing service to Cheniere Energy’s Corpus Christi liquefaction terminal and Freeport LNG Development, LP’s liquefaction project.

“Since 2017, Williams has now added more than two billion cubic feet per day of capacity to directly serve global LNG export facilities,” said Alan Armstrong, president and CEO of Williams. “Projects like Gulf Connector, which leverage existing gas pipeline infrastructure, make it possible to connect abundant domestic supply with emerging international markets, giving a boost to the U.S. economy while helping meet the world’s increasing demand for clean energy.”

Williams is well-positioned to take advantage of the projected surge in LNG demand growth, as its Transco pipeline passes through every U.S. state with an LNG export facility currently under construction. Natural gas demand to serve LNG export facilities along the Transco pipeline corridor is expected to grow by approximately 11 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by 2025.

Gulf Connector is Williams’ second project designed to serve Gulf Coast LNG terminals. In February 2017, Williams placed into service its Gulf Trace Project, providing 1.2 Bcf/d to Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass Liquefaction project in Cameron Parish, La.

Train one of Cheniere Energy’s Corpus Christi liquefaction terminal began commissioning in August 2018 with completion estimated in first-quarter 2019. The first three trains, in commissioning and under construction, will have a liquefaction capacity of 13.5 million tons per annum (mtpa). Train one of Freeport LNG export terminal is expected to enter commercial operation in third-quarter 2019. The Freeport facility has three liquefaction trains under construction with an export capacity of over 15 mtpa.