Recent News
Sawgrass files for certification
Sawgrass has requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issue an order granting Sawgrass a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to develop its underground natural gas storage project (the Project) by December 31, 2011. The issuance of a certificate order by this date will enable Sawgrass to commence construction in March 2012, and should allow Sawgrass to place the Project into service in March of 2013.
The Project entails converting a depleted natural gas production reservoir located near Downsville, Louisiana in Lincoln and Union Parishes, into a natural gas storage facility. The reservoir conversion is designed to have a working gas storage capacity of approximately 30 billion cubic feet (“Bcf”) and be capable of delivering gas at the rate of approximately 300 million cubic feet per day (“MMcf/d”) and receiving gas for injection at a rate of approximately 300 MMcf/d. As part of the Project, Sawgrass also proposes to construct a 13.9-mile, 30-inch high pressure pipeline extending northeast from the storage facility to an interconnection with the interstate pipeline system of Midcontinent Express Pipeline (MEP) at a location approximately 9 miles southeast of Farmerville, Louisiana.
Sawgrass proposes to operate the Project to provide firm and interruptible storage services and interruptible hub (parking, loaning, balancing and imbalance trading) services to shippers in the production regions of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana at market-based rates, pursuant to the terms a pro-forma tariff included in the FERC certification filing. The Project will help meet the growing demand for natural gas storage in the United States, especially in the gas producing regions served by MEP, with minimal adverse impacts on the environment, landowners, and the surrounding community.
May 11, 2011
As part of its FERC prefiling process, Sawgrass Storage held an
open season late in 2010 to obtain non-binding expressions of
market interest in its proposed storage and hub development
project, strategically located just west of Perryville in
Northeast Louisiana. Based on feedback from open season
participants, Sawgrass has modified its planned facilities to
optimize the project’s configuration to meet market preferences.
The project now is designed to initially provide 30 Bcf
(expandable to 40 Bcf) of storage capacity with access to several
pipelines in the Perryville area. Project facilities will include
an 18,900 horsepower compression station, and 13 horizontally
drilled wells, providing natural gas injection and withdrawal
capabilities of 300 million cubic feet per day. Approximately 13.5
miles of 30” pipeline will connect the facilities to the
Perryville-area marketplace.
Sawgrass has updated its prefiling information with FERC to reflect the reconfigured design and plans to file its formal application in June, 2011. Sawgrass anticipates obtaining regulatory approval for the project by the end of 2011 and expects to begin providing firm storage services in March, 2013.
May 2, 2011
Based on feedback from Sawgrass open season participants, Sawgrass
has modified its planned facilities to optimally configure the
project to market preferences. Sawgrass is updating its prefiling
information with FERC with the reconfigured design and plans to
file its formal application in June, 2011.
October 13, 2010
Sawgrass Storage has announced that it is holding a non-binding open
season for storage capacity with firm service projected to commence
on June 1, 2012. The open season began on October 12, 2010 and will
extend through November 16, 2010.
The open season is part of Sawgrass’ ongoing effort to best configure and evaluate its proposed storage and hub development project, strategically located just west of Perryville in Northeast Louisiana. The project is designed to provide up to 25 Bcf of initial working gas capacity and it has the ability to expand to 40 Bcf as dictated by market demand. Firm injection and withdrawal capabilities of 250 MMcfd and 625 MMcfd respectively, provide capabilities to Sawgrass’ customers to cycle their storage inventories up to three and a half (3.5) times per year.
The open season is seeking to obtain non-binding expressions of interest for the initial 25 Bcf of working capacity. Upon a successful close of the open season, Sawgrass intends to negotiate with successful bidders in developing Precedent Agreements. Learn More »
September 13, 2010
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is proceeding on
its preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the
proposed Sawgrass storage project. FERC collected public comments
during a scoping period that closed on September 7 regarding
issues to address in the EA that focus on the potential
environmental effects, reasonable alternatives, and measures to
avoid or lessen environmental impacts.
August 6, 2010
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a notice of
intent to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the
proposed Sawgrass storage project. The notice announces the
opening of the scoping process FERC will use to gather input from
the public and interested agencies on the project. FERC is
requesting public comments on the scope of the issues to address
in the EA that focus on the potential environmental effects,
reasonable alternatives, and measures to avoid or lessen
environmental impacts. The scoping period will close on September
7, 2010.
Additional information about the project is available
from FERC’s Office of External Affairs, at (866) 208-FERC, or on
the FERC website (www.ferc.gov) using the eLibrary link. Click on
the eLibrary link, click on “General Search” and enter the docket
number, excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field
(i.e., PF10-20-000).
July 28, 2010
Sawgrass Storage representatives held two Open House meetings to
discuss the prospective project. The first meeting was held on
July 27th at the Downsville Memorial Hall. A second meeting was
held in Sterlington on Wednesday, July 28th at the Sterlington
Town Hall. Over one hundred and fifty landowners and interested
parties were in attendance to hear about topics such as land use,
environmental compliance, the FERC approval process, and to become
familiar with the project sponsors. The project as proposed
consists of a storage field on the border of Lincoln and Union
Parishes with an associated pipeline continuing eastward into
Ouachita Parish and the Sterlington area. Area residents in
attendance appeared to be supportive of the proposed project
during the two meetings.
June 2, 2010
On June 2, 2010, Sawgrass
submitted a pre-filing to the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee
(FERC) regarding the proposed natural gas storage field. The
public is welcome to attend the following Open House meetings to
receive information on the project:
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Tuesday, July 27, 2010 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM Downsville Memorial Hall 9521 Highway 145 Downsville, LA |
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Sterlington Town Hall 503 Hwy 2 Sterlington, LA |
