HomeMy WebLinkAbout1.09 Availability of water for hidrostatic testing of natural gas pipelinesMOSES, WITTEMYER, HARRISON AND WOODRUFF, P.C.
JAMES R. MONfGOMER Y
TIMOTHY J. BEATON
RICHARD J. MEHREN
AARONS. LADD
CAROLYN R. STEFFL
WILLIAM M. STENZEL
Christopher Durrant
Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.
370 17th Street, Suite 1700
Denver, CO 80202
LAW OFFICES
1002 WALNUT STREET, SUITE 300
BOULDER, COLORADO 80302
TELEPHONE: (303)443-8782
FAX: (303)443-8796
www.mwhw.com
ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO:
P. 0. BOX 1440
BOULDER, CO 80306-1440
October 13, 2010
CHARLES N. WOODRUFF
(1941-1996)
COUNSEL
RAPHAELJ. MOSES
JOHN WITTEMYER
DAVID L. HARRISON
BY EMAIL AND MAIL
Re: Availability of Water for Hydrostatic Testing of Natural Gas Pipelines
Dear Chris:
This firm represents Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. ("Encana") with respect to its
Colorado River basin water right matters. Encana has asked us to provide our opinion as to
whether the water rights it owns in the Colorado River Basin will provide sufficient volumes of
water for hydrostatic testing of the below-described natural gas pipelines that are proposed for
construction by Encana.
Encana owns the water rights described in the June II, 2004 Quit Claim Deed
attached as Exhibit A to this letter. Encana's primary Colorado River water right is referred to as
the "Pumping Pipeline" and is identified in the top table on page A-1 of the Quit Claim Deed.
Encana owns 108.5 cubic feet per second of the 118.5 cubic feet per second originally decreed to
the Pumping Pipeline on September 5, 1952 in Civil Action No. 4004, Garfield County District
Court. A flow rate of one cubic foot per second is equivalent to approximately 449 gallons per
minute. Therefore, Encana has the right to divert its Pumping Pipeline water right from the
Colorado River at a flow rate of approximately 48,716.5 gallons per minute (108.5 cubic feet per
second X 449).
I understand that Encana' s proposed natural gas pipelines described as follows
require the specified volumes of water to complete the hydrostatic testing of those pipelines:
(I) East Dry Hollow Phase I Addition Pipeline -386,060 gallons; (2) Hunter Mesa to Pumba
Pipeline -320,000 gallons; and (3) High Mesa Discharge Pipeline -246,000 gallons. In my
opinion, Encana's Pumping Pipeline water right decreed in for diversion from the Colorado
River in the amount of 108.5 cubic feet per second can legally and physically provide the
volumes of water required for hydrostatically testing the above-described natural gas pipelines.
MOSES, WITTEMYER, HARRISON AND WOODRUFF, P.C.
Christopher Durrant
October 13,2010
Page 2
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need any additional
information.
RJM/jab
Sincerely yours,
MOSES, WITTEMYER, HARRISON AND
WOODRUFF, P.C.
Richard J. ehren