Completed Laser line ready to send gas to market

BY STACI WILSON

Through the past nine months more than 700 people worked to construct a pipeline that would finally take the area’s gas to market.

Laser Northeast Gathering Company celebrated with contractors, employees and elected officials the completion of Phase I of its pipeline Thursday in Montrose.

“No project this complex ever gets done in a straight line or easily,” said Laser’s Tom Karam.

The 33-mile Laser PA-NY gathering line runs fromSusquehannaCountyintoBroome County,N.Y.where it connects into the Millenium pipeline.

Five companies – Linde, Otis Eastern, Rodenberg Diversified, Rockford and Wyatt Construction- worked through blizzards, hurricanes and floods to complete their portions of the pipeline, Karam said.

“This is really just the beginning,” Karam said. “We’re celebrating the completion of Phase I – next year will be Phase II andIII.”

Karam said when complete, the pipeline will have the capacity to pump 1.7 billion cubic feet of gas per day from Susquehanna,BradfordandWyomingcounties inPennsylvaniaand “hopefully sometime in Broome County (N.Y.).”

Phase II of the pipeline project will extend south from Laser’s Montrose Lateral line and connect with the Tennessee Gas Pipeline near Springville and continue into Wyoming County through Lemon Twp.

Susquehanna County Commissioner Michael Giangrieco who lobbied against Laser’s public utility status request last year came out in praise of the company on Thursday.

Giangrieco said, “It turns out, they really didn’t need (eminent domain). They treated people fairly.”

The commissioner also said Laser set a high standard other pipeline companies would have to meet.

“People can now begin to see the benefits of development,” Giangrieco said.

Rep. Tina Pickett said the project which in the beginning appeared as if it might be contentious, “turned out very, very well for landowners.”

“You set out to do it in a way to make it work,” Pickett said to Karam.

Pickett said, “Pennsylvaniasees it as a huge economic opportunity. There are so many growth opportunities; so many financial benefits. (Natural gas development) is turning the tide inPennsylvaniafor the way we are able to do business.”