Interstate Natural Gas Pipeline Segment

Two-thirds of the lower 48 States are almost totally dependent upon the interstate pipeline system for their supplies of natural gas.

On the interstate pipeline grid, the long-distance, wide-diameter (20-42 inch), high capacity trunklines carry most of the natural gas that is transported throughout the nation. In 2007, more than 36 trillion cubic feet of natural gas (Tcf) was transported by interstate pipeline companies on behalf of shippers. The 30 largest interstate pipeline systems transported about 81 percent (29.8 Tcf) of the total. In many instances, natural gas must be routed through several interstate pipeline systems before it reaches it final destination.

The interstate portion of national natural gas pipeline network represents about 71 percent of all natural gas mainline transmission mileage installed in the United States. The 30 largest interstate pipeline companies own about 77 percent of all interstate natural gas pipeline mileage and about 72 percent of the total capacity (183 billion cubic feet) available within the interstate natural gas pipeline network.

Some of the largest levels of pipeline capacity exist on those natural gas pipeline systems that link the natural gas production areas of the U.S. Southwest with the other regions of the country. Sixteen of the thirty largest U.S. natural gas pipeline systems originate in the Southwest Region, with four additional ones depending heavily upon supplies from the region.

Today, almost every major metropolitan area in the United States is supplied by, or is the final destination of, one or more of the major interstate pipeline companies or their affiliates. For instance,

New York City is a major delivery point on several of the largest pipeline systems, including:
    ·  Texas Eastern Transmission Company
    ·  Transcontinental Gas Company
    ·  Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, and
    ·  Iroquois Gas Transmission Company.

In the Midwest, Chicago, Illinois, is served by:
    ·  Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America,
    ·  Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Company,
    ·  ANR Pipeline Company,
    ·  Alliance Pipeline Company, and
    ·  Northern Border Pipeline Company.

Regional natural gas pipeline system profiles...