Pipeline giant Williams is expected to file initial paperwork soon with federal regulators for a large expansion project aimed at increasing natural gas deliveries to the Southeast.

The proposal, known as the Southeast Supply Enhancement project, targets Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama, as detailed on the company's website. It would expand the existing Transcontinental pipeline, a sprawling 10,000-mile system stretching from Texas to New York.

Williams aims to "pre-file" with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) this spring, following public outreach that began last winter. A formal application could be submitted by fall.

The project involves modifying existing compressor and metering stations, along with adding roughly 55 miles of new pipeline adjacent to existing Transco corridors.

The planned expansion comes amidst the Biden administration's temporary pause on approving new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects while it assesses their impact on domestic energy security, costs, and the environment. The decision has drawn mixed reactions from industry and environmental groups.

Williams CEO Alan Armstrong previously mentioned securing preliminary agreements exceeding 1.4 billion cubic feet per day for the project, offering takeaway capacity from a southern Virginia compressor station.

"It's comparable in size to major projects like the Atlantic Coast or Mountain Valley pipelines," said Greg Buppert, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center. According to Buppert, it is "the largest pipeline proposal in [the] region in at least a decade."

Buppert also expressed concerns about potential export focus, while acknowledging Southeast utilities facing scrutiny for proposing significant gas-fired generation additions could also utilize the extension.

Williams plans to leverage existing right-of-way and minimize permitting hurdles, according to Armstrong, who cited "urgent demands from initial customers" as motivation for pursuing the permitting process.

The project's potential environmental and regulatory implications remain to be seen as it progresses through the approval stages.