8. NATURAL GAS
Infrastructure
Gas pipeline networks
The shale revolution has significantly changed the role of natural gas in the country’s energy mix. Gas pipeline infrastructure plays a key role in the co-ordination between the electricity and natural gas systems. This is supported by FERC initiatives such as Order No 809, published in 2015, on the co-ordination of the scheduling processes between interstate natural gas pipelines and public utilities (FERC, 2015a). Order No 809 was revised to better co-ordinate the scheduling practices of the wholesale natural gas and electric industries, as well as to provide additional scheduling flexibility to all shippers on interstate natural gas pipelines (FERC, 2018). Another relevant example is Order No 787, finalised in 2013, which provides explicit authority to interstate natural gas pipelines operators and electricity transmission public utilities to share operational information with each other to foster reliable services by pipelines or public utility systems (FERC, 2015b).
The US natural gas pipeline network is highly integrated and moves gas throughout the continental United States (referred to as the Lower 48 states) via interstate and intrastate pipelines. There are approximately 210 natural gas pipeline systems in the United States and over 300 000 miles (483 000 kilometres) of transmission pipelines. The density of pipelines is highly diverse. The state with the most developed natural gas pipelines by far is Texas (58 588 miles); the other five states with the most developed gas pipelines are Louisiana (18 900 miles), Oklahoma (18 539), Kansas (15 386), Illinois (11 900) and California (11 770).4
In 2017, the gas transportation network delivered about 25 trillion cubic feet (708 bcm) of natural gas to 75 million customers. Since around half of the network was built in the 1950sand 1960s, these pipelines have not always kept pace with recent changes in the volumes and geography of gas production. Although improvements and system expansions are under way, renovating ageing assets to keep pace with the necessary deliveries is essential to maintain a high level of safety and security of supply in the country.
In September 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Natural Gas Infrastructure research and development (R&D) programme with the objectives to co-ordinate existing R&D programmes, within and outside the federal government, to enhance pipeline reliability and identify research needs to improve pipeline deliverability and operational efficiency. This programme is designed to promote research on advanced materials and sensor technologies to improve gas infrastructure efficiency and reliability.
Development of technologies for emissions mitigation provides enhanced ability to assess risk and prevent leaks from natural gas infrastructure that can improve safety, reliability and operational efficiency across the natural gas value chain. Sharing the results of this research and making it available to industry players is also an important aspect to accelerating technology field deployment.
Ongoing projects in the Northeast and New England
For the United States, the share of natural gas in power generation in 2017 was 31%, up from 21% a decade ago, and is likely to further increase.
4 These figures are indicative and based on 2007 data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
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8. NATURAL GAS
Gas pipeline expansion projects in the Northeast and New England could deliver additional fuel to gas-fired power stations, which can help offset electricity production from the recent retirements of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power station (620 MW) and the Brayton Point coal-fired power plant (1 500 MW), as well as the expected retirement of the Pilgrim Nuclear Station (677 MW) in 2019.
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8. NATURAL GAS
Figure 8.13 Gas pipeline map, 2018
IEA (2019). All rights reserved.
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