Project Name: Hess Corporation Gas Pipeline Right-of-Way Amendment

NEPA Number: DOI-BLM-MT-C030-2017-0004-CX

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Project Information

NEPA Number

DOI-BLM-MT-C030-2017-0004-CX
Project Name

Hess Corporation Gas Pipeline Right-of-Way Amendment
Project Type

CE
NEPA Status

Completed - Completed
Lead Office

North Dakota Field Office
Last Updated

Project Description

In 1992, Hess Corporation received a right-of-way (NDM 81496) to construct, operate, maintain, and terminate a 10.75” diameter natural gas pipeline (identified as Line 6 on Exhibit A), across federal lands managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in McKenzie and Williams Counties, North Dakota.  The ROW included an underwater crossing across Lake Sakakawea (a reservoir of the Missouri River, specifically located between North Charlson Compressor Station and the North of River Valve Station identified on Exhibit B), utilizing the same trench previously dug in 1956 to house three similar pipelines (Lines 1, 2, and 3) operated by Hess, authorized under a USACE easement (DA-32-016-CIVENG-56-667, replaced in 2007 with DACW45-2-07-8002).

When Hess built the underwater portion of the 10.75” diameter pipeline (Line 6) in 1992, they also constructed two additional 8” pipelines (Lines 4 and 5), for a total of six lines in the underwater trench.  At that time, the BLM and USACE thought these two new 8” pipelines were replacing two of the 1956 pipelines (Lines 2 and 3), but in reality these two 1956 lines were taken out of service and reserved for future use.

In 2012, Hess applied to repurpose their six underwater pipelines, by amending their 1992 BLM ROW Grant (NDM 81496) and their 2007 USACE Easement (DACW45-2-07-8002), and constructing two new 12” diameter pipelines, to tie into the existing underwater pipelines, under a new BLM ROW Grant, NDM 103935.  The BLM analyzed these actions under an Environmental Assessment (DOI-BLM-MT-C030-2015-146-EA), and granted the amendment and new grant in 2015, in conjunction with USACE’s amendment.  While no new underwater crossings were approved under these actions, Lines 2 and 3 were put into usage again.  However, in a later file review, USACE and BLM realized that only four of the underwater pipelines were officially authorized, owning to confusion from the 1992 BLM ROW Grant, NDM 81496.

Hess formally filed an application with the BLM on September 26, 2016, to amend NDM 81496 to formally incorporate the two existing 8” underwater pipelines (Lines 4 and 5) constructed in 1992.  No additional construction or disturbance would occur.

Project Location

City	State/Territory	Zip Code	County(ies)
New Town	North Dakota	58763

Application Information

Applicant

Hess Corporation
Case File Number

NDM 81496

Project Dates

Start Date

10/24/2016
NEPA Completion Date

2/8/2017

Project Office Information

Lead Office

North Dakota Field Office
Offices

North Dakota FO

Contacts

Contact 1 Name

Seth Jackson
Contact 1 Email

[email protected]
Contact 1 Phone

701-227-7700