Williams Partners has received Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval to expand its Transco natural gas pipeline, which extends from South Texas to New York, US.

The Transco pipeline is a 10,000 mile pipeline system, which currently transports 9.6 million decatherms per day of natural gas to markets throughout eastern US.

Under the expansion phase, approximately three miles of new pipeline will be constructed and the compressor facilities in Virginia will be upgraded at a total cost of $55m.

On completion, the pipeline is expected to provide an additional 142,000Dth of incremental firm natural gas transportation capacity to serve the Mid-Atlantic region by November 2012.