U.S. FERC allows ETP Rover natgas pipe to move fuel to Michigan

The U.S. Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission (FERC) on Tuesday authorized Energy Transfer PartnersLP to start service through several parts of the Rovernatural gas pipeline between Ohio and Michigan:

* The $4.2 billion Rover project is designed to carry up to3.25 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of gas from the Marcellusand Utica shale fields in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginiato the U.S. Midwest and Gulf Coast and Ontario in Canada.

* The latest order allowed Rover to start service on theVector delivery meter, Defiance compressor station and MarketSegment of the pipeline.

* The Market Segment runs from the Rover mainline innorthwest Ohio to the Vector pipeline in Michigan. The 1.3-bcfdVector runs from Joliet, Illinois in the Chicago area toOntario. Vector is owned by a joint venture betweenCalgary-based Enbridge inc (60 percent) andDetroit-based DTE Energy Co (40 percent), according tothe company's website.

* The Rover pipeline, which is entering service in phases asETP completes a section, is already capable of transporting 1.7bcfd from southwest Ohio to northwest Ohio. One billion cubicfeet is enough gas to supply about five million U.S. homes for aday.

* ETP said it expects to have the full Rover project inservice by the end of the second quarter.

* Major producers that signed up to use Rover include unitsof privately held Ascent Resources, Antero Resources Corp , Range Resources Corp , Southwestern Energy Co , Eclipse Resources Corp and EQT Corp .

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino)