AMP Yellow Jacket Pipeline Supplemental Information

Are you affected by the AMP Yellow Jacket Pipeline?  Here’s more information from Attorney Philip Hundl to supplement our earlier video about this project.  You can call 800-266-4870 for an appointment with Mr. Hundl or click this link for a no-obligation case evaluation.  We have offices in Wharton and El Campo in Wharton County and Richmond and Fulshear in Fort Bend County.

Summary of the AMP Yellow Jacket Pipeline Video

– Hi, I’m Philip Hundl, with the law firm of Wadler, Perches, Hundl & Kerlick. My practice area focuses on land litigation, primarily condemnation work, representing landowners.

Today I’d like to talk about a new project that we’ve become aware of. It’s one of many projects that AMP Texas Pipelines or Aspen Midstream has in the Washington, Fayette and Austin County areas. This is the area just north of La Grange, north of the town of Fayetteville and then west of Bellville and then south of Burton. So it’s in that area there’s a lot of gas production.

Aspen Midstream has quite a few gathering lines as well as transmission, or trunk lines running from that area. In the past we’ve talked to you all about first, the AMP 30 Express Line and then also the AMP NGL line, that’s what they refer to it as. Those are larger lines, the AMP Express is a 30 inch line, and the NGL is also a large line, I believe a 24 inch line.

We’ve discussed some of these other smaller projects they’ve had, essentially gathering lines. They refer to them using a lot of different names. The Smackdown, the Winner’s Rich gathering line, even a 12 inch Super Duty line.

This particular project I want to talk to you all about today is a 12 inch diameter line, it’s called the Yellow Jacket pipeline. It’s a natural gas gathering pipeline. The reason why I want to bring it to your attention is they’ve just recently submitted their new construction report to the Railroad Commission.  That was submitted to the Railroad Commission, the Railroad Commission acknowledged it and approved their new construction report June 7, 2019.

In this report, AMP talks about their plan to start construction around August of 2019. Oftentimes the construction doesn’t start as soon as they say that they intend to start construction. This Yellow Jacket pipeline project is approximately 23 miles of pipe, once again, 12 inch diameter pipe. It looks like the operating pressure is at 1440. The pipe thickness is .25 inch thickness and the counties affected are primarily Washington and Fayette Counties. There’s some mention of Austin county as well with some of their other projects. But for the Yellow Jacket pipeline project, only Fayette and Washington Counties are affected.

So, as always, if you’re contacted by a right-of-way agent related to this project or any others, just know that you have rights as the landowner. The pipeline company, the right-of-way agents will mention the pipeline company is seeking an easement, a permanent and temporary easement for their pipeline. The permanent easement will contain the pipeline, and the temporary easements are for the construction of the pipeline. The pipeline company in this case, AMP is seeking those temporary and permanent easements.

As a landowner you have rights. You may feel pressure from the right-of-way agents to enter into an easement agreement. Be careful with that easement agreement. There are lots of terms and conditions that can permanently affect your property.  So it’s important to make sure those easement agreements are as favorable as possible to the landowner.

It’s very important for you to get an attorney to go over that easement agreement with you to talk about compensation. You should discuss what compensation components are involved — compensation for the part taken and compensation for the damage to the remainder of your property because of the pipeline.

Let’s say, for example, you have a hundred acre tract, and this pipeline is essentially only going to “take” three acres for the actual pipeline.  That’s the permanent easement.

The other 97 acres will be also be affected by the existence of the pipeline and its value will be diminished because of the permanent pipeline easement over the three acres. So it’s really important to value the damage to the remainder as well.

There is also a cost to cure your property. Once the pipeline is put in, there’s going to be some sinkage, there’s going to be some issues like that to correct so that you can return to using the land on top of the pipeline.

So with that, as always, I recommend that you contact an attorney who focuses on condemnation representing landowners, so that you can better understand your rights and the condemnation process. So with that, good luck. Once again, this is the AMP Yellow Jacket line, a 12 inch line in Washington and Fayette Counties, thanks.

Let Us Help If You’re Affected by the Yellow Jacket Pipeline

The decisions you make and the documents you sign will likely permanently affect your land.  You should make sure you know exactly what you’re signing and whether you should be signing.  Attorney Philip Hundl can help you understand the effects of the documents you’re given, and he can help you negotiate better terms and better compensation.  Call 800-266-4870 for an appointment at any of our offices or click this link for a no-obligation case evaluation.

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