Energy & Infrastructure

We’re Moving Equipment – And Here’s What You Need To Know

Staff Reports
Deethanizertower

Williams employee Allan stands next to one of the de-ethanizer towers that will be transported to our Oak Grove facility.

Update: The move may begin as early as Thursday, Feb. 20, weather permitting.

Williams is going to move two process towers from our CSX Benwood rail yard to our Oak Grove facility located on Fork Ridge Road in Moundsville, W.Va.

The move will occur during February and March.

Since weather plays a significant role in scheduling the moves, we have posted electronic traffic notification signs that will alert you to the exact dates the work will occur.

You can find the signs at the following intersections:

  • WV 2 and WV 86
  • WV 86 and WV 88
  • WV 88 and US 250
  • US 250 and WV 17, also called Fork Ridge Road
  • WV 17/ Fork Ridge Road and 12th St. in Moundsville

We will conduct the moves during daylight hours to minimize disruption to normal traffic patterns.

The route and possible traffic delays:

Our contractor has worked with the State of West Virginia and Marshall County Sherriff’s department to select the safest route.  The towers will proceed from the CSX Benwood rail yard in McMechen onto southbound WV 2.  It will then proceed to WV 86, turn onto WV 88, before turning onto US 250, and finally onto CR 17/Fork Ridge Road.

As the tower progresses along the route, there will be rolling shutdowns of the roads traveled.   This can impact the amount of time you need to reach your destination; for that reason, you may want to plan to take an alternative route or factor in a longer travel time.  Please know that we will work to minimize traffic disruptions.

What does a de-ethanizer do?

The de-ethanizer tower will be a key component of the Oak Grove facility. When it’s put into service, the tower will take out the ethane from the natural gas stream at the facility. Once that process is finished, pipelines connected to our facility will transport the ethane to our customers, who will then process it further.

Some of the resulting products include PVC pipe, medical supplies, polyester fibers, cleaning products, shampoo and hand sanitizers, among others.

Please check back to this site to learn more about the moving process. We will post regular updates as the move progresses.