New delays for the Mariner East 2 pipeline mean its much-heralded startup could still be nearly a year away. Originally targeted by Sunoco Logistics Partners to open before the end of this year, natural gas liquids are now not likely to flow through the pipeline until the third quarter of next year.

The unexpected delays come through greater scrutiny in the permitting process by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

“The detail involved in the PDEP permit application has necessitated a longer-than-anticipated regulatory review process, but we are convinced that this project will be environmentally responsible and will be creating significant economic development in the commonwealth,” CEO Michael J. Hennigan said in a Philadelphia Inquirer report by Andrew Maykuth.

It’s hopeful that the Mariner East 2 project will be a boon to Marcus Hook, where Sunoco’s pipeline terminal would receive 5.5 times the current production of the Mariner East pipeline and almost four times its full capacity.

The project represents a $2.5 billion investment by the pipeline company in Newtown Square that would carry natural gas liquids across 300 miles and 17 counties from Marcellus Shale facilities in western Pennsylvania.

Read more about the Mariner East 2 delays in the Philadelphia Inquirer here, and check out previous DELCO Today coverage of the project here.