The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has given the green light for the construction and operation of the $1.27 billion, 506-mile Midcontinent Express gas pipeline. A joint venture between Kinder Morgan Partners LP and Energy Transfer Partners LP, the pipe will move gas through Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. As planned, the line will have a capacity of 1.5 billion cubic feet per day and will includes 30-, 36- and 42-inch pipe, a booster station and four mainline compressor stations. Both companies said they expect construction to begin before the end of the summer and the line to be in service by March 2009. As part of its approval, FERC gave the companies a list of 49 items that will have to be met to mitigate any potential impacts on the environment as the pipeline is being built.

–John A. Sullivan, News Editor, Oil and Gas Investor, www.OilandGasInvestor.com, jsullivan@hartenergy.com