Pipeline Development Increases Natural Gas Supply to Midwest

Tallgrass Energy recently commissioned the Cheyenne Connector Pipeline, a large diameter, 70-mile interstate natural gas pipeline that will give producers in the Denver-Julesburg Basin access to reach new markets across the U.S.

PROJECT STATS

CLIENT
Tallgrass Energy

LOCATION
Colorado

COMPLETION DATE
June 2020

Tallgrass Energy — a midstream energy company that transports crude oil and natural gas to the Rocky Mountains, Upper Midwest and Appalachian regions — sought to add to its over 8,000 miles of natural gas pipeline with the development of the Cheyenne Connector pipeline.

The Cheyenne Connector pipeline transports natural gas from Colorado’s Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin in Weld County, Colorado, to the Rockies Express Pipeline Cheyenne Hub near the Colorado‑Wyoming border. The DJ Basin has long relied on only one pipeline — the Colorado Interstate Gas pipeline — to transport gas to the rest of the country. The Cheyenne Connector allows producers to broaden their delivery to reach end‑users in Midwest metropolitan areas such as Chicago and Detroit, as well as the Gulf Coast and Southeast. With an abundance of natural gas at the DJ Basin, this project also minimizes natural gas flaring.

Tallgrass Energy selected Burns & McDonnell to provide the engineering, design and procurement for the Cheyenne Connector project. This is the first major cross-country pipeline project for Tallgrass Energy — a 36-inch and 70-mile interstate natural gas pipeline with an initial design capacity of 1 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) and room for expansion.

Read The Project Profile

Early collaboration and an integrated team deeply involved in the project from strategy to planning and execution has facilitated an expedited schedule for permitting, contractor selection and construction packaging. With a range of experienced professionals working on one team to drive project success, we maintained effective communication and kept a pulse on all aspects of the project. This led to our ability to design and plan this large-scale project on an accelerated timeline.

The Cheyenne Connector project, in the largest pipeline in Colorado, had to overcome geographic and stakeholder challenges. The pipeline design needed to accommodate obstacles including the South Platte River, which required 18 horizontal directional drills, three actuated mail line valves (MLVs) and multiple auger bore crossings. Projects of this scale have a broad impact on a wide range of stakeholders, from area residents to leaders of local businesses and communities. Our team supported the project’s stakeholder management, working to instill transparency and thoroughness in the pipeline design and construction.

Throughout construction, Tallgrass Energy and its various contractors were able work in close partnership with our engineering and design professionals, keeping the project moving seamlessly. Despite project complexities, the Cheyenne Connector was completed on an accelerated schedule and is an avenue for natural gas producers to reach new markets.

 

1st

GAS PIPELINE CPCN FOR AMEREN
 

9

POTENTIAL PIPELINE ROUTES IDENTIFIED
 

9

MONTHS TO OBTAIN CPCN APPROVAL
Slavin-David-Burns-McDonnell

David Slavin

Senior Project Engineer

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