Transcript Marcellus Shale Citizen Surveillance and Organizing Skills

Community Impacts of
Mariner East Pipelines
Prepared for West Cornwall Public Meeting
November 21, 2014
Presented by Sam Koplinka-Loehr, Clean Air Council
Presentation Overview
• Introduction
• Mariner East 1 & 2
• Pumping Station Specifics
• Air Pollutants and Public Health
Photo Source: Bob Donnan: http://www.donnan.com/EPA_Air-Quality_92711.htm
Clean Air Council
Marcellus Shale Program
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Track current rulemaking and write comments on regulations
Work with residents to comment and testify on natural gas infrastructure
Lawsuits against polluters or agencies
Community actions to achieve goals outside of regulatory pathways
64% of PA is above Marcellus Shale. In 2013, PA had over 6,000 wells
with 3 trillion cubic feet of gas production. These gas products have flooded
regional markets and companies are trying to build pipelines to sell overseas.
Mariner East 1
Mariner East 1 Basics
• New Pipeline
50 miles
Western PA
• Existing Pipeline
300 miles
Over 80 years old
Oldest pipelines 4%
Source: 4% of US gas transmission pipelines were built before 1940
Canary LLC CEO Dan Eberhart http://canaryusa.com/aging-us-pipelines/
Sunoco Logistics’ Plan
• Switch the pipeline direction to pump natural
gas liquids from wells near Houston, PA to the
Marcus Hook Refinery near Philadelphia
• Increase pressure from 800 pounds per square
inch (PSI) to 1400 PSI
• 18 new pumping stations and 17 new valve
control stations
• 70,000 barrels per day
Natural Gas Liquids - Ethane
• Mariner East will
transport 100%
ethane as of 2015
• Extracted as gas, but
under pressure
becomes a liquid
• Used industrially for
plastics, anti-freeze,
and detergents
• Extremely flammable
Public Utility Commission (PUC)
• Sunoco Logistics is currently before the PUC
requesting exemption from local zoning laws
for pumping station buildings
• Current PUC process will determine whether
or not pumping stations are “reasonably
necessary for the convenience and welfare of
the public” as well as whether Sunoco
Logistics is a public utility
Sunoco Logistics Pipeline Incidents
Source: PHMSA, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/
reports/operator/OperatorIM_opid_18718.html?nocache=259#_OuterPanel_tab_2
Mariner East 2
Just the Beginning
Details
Sunoco Logistics Claims:
• Mariner East 1 will be operational by Fall 2014
with 70,000 barrels per day of ethane and
propane
• Mariner East 2 will be operational by 2016
with 275,000 barrels per day of natural gas
liquids
West Cornwall Pumping Station
Previous Spill History
Emission Sources at Pumping Stations
• Electric Pump Motors
• Flaring of gas during maintenance operations
and constant flaring of fugitive emissions
Source: Data and images from State-only operating permit filed with DEP
Flare Design
Flare Volume
• Maximum expected annual flaring:
– 312,800 standard cubic feet
– Equivalent to 8,696 gallons
– 23 gallons daily
• Could be more if there are maintenance issues
Flare Frequency
• Flare will operate 24/7, igniting fugitive
emissions from the motor and pipeline seals
Fugitive Emissions: Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs)
• Equal to 5 constantly idling school buses
Carbon Emissions
• 35.8 tons of carbon annually, equal to:
– Annual carbon sequestration from 26 acres of forest
– Burning 34,884 pounds of coal
Taking Action to Protect
our Communities
Zoning and Air Permit
• Zoning Appeal
• DEP Hearing
– 500 requests
– Follow-up with
Tom Hanlon
[email protected]
Contact Info
• Sam Koplinka-Loehr, CAC Shale Gas Organizer
[email protected]
Questions?