Midship Pipeline Company announced Monday that it has received full final approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to place its 234-mile pipeline into service.

The pipeline runs from southern Kingfisher County to Bryan County and opens a direct route to the Gulf Coast and southeast markets and beyond for natural gas produced in Oklahoma’s Anadarko basin.

Midship holds precedent agreements (contractual commitments to execute transportation agreements utilizing the pipeline) with Devon Energy, Marathon Oil, Gulfport Energy and Cheniere’s Corpus Christi export facility.

The company plans to begin accepting nominations to transport natural gas on the pipeline this week. (A natural gas shipper enters a nomination to put gas in the pipeline at a receipt point, usually a production station, and remove it at a specified delivery point.)

The Midship project represents over $1 billion of direct capital investment in Oklahoma, supporting thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of additional jobs.

Direct investment in the county’s portion of the pipeline project construction of the pipeline segment was expected to total nearly $8.6 million.

Final numbers on the actual amount of the company’s capital investment in the county were not available at press time.

“It took close coordination and communication with our partners, stakeholders, regulators, shippers, and members of the community to reach this milestone,” said Michael Manteris, President of Midship Pipeline Company.

“This authorization to commence operations means we can continue to support Oklahoma’s economy and energy sector jobs, at a time when it is needed most.”

Engagements in Oklahoma on the Midship Pipeline project began in November 2016 with open houses in communities along the route, as well as discussions with county commissioners and both community and tribal leaders.

Midship engaged more than 2,500 stakeholders through hundreds of meetings across all eight counties on the pipeline’s route to obtain feedback and adapt the project to the specific needs of each county.

FERC granted full Notice to Proceed in February 2019. Midship is appreciative of the efforts of all stakeholders to facilitate the timely completion of construction, commissioning and in-service authorization activities in the wake of unprecedented quarantines and shutdowns due to COVID-19.

“The Midship Pipeline is a major win for Oklahoman’s oil and gas producers,” said State Rep. Mike Sanders, R-Kingfisher. “With this approval, Midship can now move Oklahoma natural gas product safely and efficiently to the global market while supporting economic growth in our state.”

Kingfisher County also has been the beneficiary of Midship’s philanthropic efforts, including donations to Mercy Hospital Kingfisher for the purchase of personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies.

A member of the Kingfisher Chamber of Commerce, the company also has donated to local fire departments and Chisholm Trail Technology Center and contributed volunteer hours to projects such as Kingfisher Winter Nights.