NEXUS gains approval for Ohio pipeline

NEXUS is a 36 in. diameter natural gas pipeline that will carry up to 1.5 billion ft3/d of natural gas from the Utica and Marcellus shales to users in Ohio, Michigan and Canada. 

The 255 mile pipeline will start near Hanoverton in Columbiana County and connect to existing pipelines in Michigan. 

Detroit-based DTE Energy and Spectra Energy, which merged this year with Enbridge, a Canadian company, are partners in the project. FERC approved NEXUS in late August. 

“After more than three years of public and agency review, we are pleased to have received this authorization from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to proceed with construction activities in Ohio and Michigan,” NEXUS spokesman Adam Parker wrote in an email. “This receipt marks another key milestone that authorises the project to commence construction activities in the days ahead and keeps the project on track to meet its targeted in-service late in 3Q18.” 

Construction will start this month, and the company expects the process to take seven to 10 months. But weather, terrain and time of year will factor into the timeline. 

A company release says it made 239 changes to pipeline route for engineering, at landowner request or to avoid sensitive areas.