by Kate Shunney
According to progress reports filed by TC Energy/Columbia Gas Transmission, a 3.4-mile natural gas pipeline project from Fulton County, Pa. to northern Morgan County, W.Va. is approaching the end of its pipeline construction period.
Drilling and excavation appear to be complete on the 8-inch diameter pipeline, which runs under the Potomac River and emerges at the Mountaineer Gas site along U.S. 522 north of Berkeley Springs.
Company reports say the projected “in-service” date is tentatively set for July 19, 2026.
Mountaineer Gas still has to construct a structure on the receiving end of the pipeline, which will bring gas in from Pennsylvania and transport it to the Eastern Panhandle region.
Environmental inspectors in late March found that a tank on the piepeline work site near Hancock had released 500-750 gallons of drilling fluid onto the ground at Locher Road.
“The fluid had migrated to the installed silt fence, leaked under the fence and impacted Wetland W7 (a farm pond) at the time of observation,” an inspection report from TC Energy says.
“Upon investigation, it appeared that the frac tank had been overfilled and had released drilling fluid from the overfill pipe, which was missing its cap. The tank had been pumped out at the time of the observation and was no longer leaking. Cleanup was conducted using vacuum trucks to remove drilling fluid from the ground and remove the settled fluid from the bottom of the pond,” the report said.
The Non-compliance was resolved on March 24, said company officials in their report to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
