[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 30 (Monday, February 14, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3339]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: February 14, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP94-183-000, et al.]
El Paso Natural Gas Co., et al.; Natural Gas Certificate Filings
February 4, 1994.
Take notice that the following filings have been made with the
Commission.
1. El Paso Natural Gas Co.
[Docket No. CP94-183-000]
Take notice that on January 14, 1994, El Paso Natural Gas Company
(``El Paso''), a Delaware corporation, whose mailing address is Post
Office Box 1492, El Paso, Texas, 79978, filed an application at Docket
No. CP94-183-000, pursuant to section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act
(``NGA'') and Sec. 157.5 et seq., of the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission's (``Commission'') Regulations Under the NGA, for an order
granting abandonment authority effective January 1, 1996, and
terminating certain certificates of public convenience and necessity in
effect on such date to the extent such certificates apply to El Paso's
gas gathering, dehydration, purification, and products extraction
facilities, with appurtenances.
El Paso states that it intends, effective January 1, 1996, to
complete a major corporate restructuring in which all of El Paso's gas
gathering, treating, and processing functions will be transferred to
and assumed by El Paso Field Services Company (``Field Services''), El
Paso's wholly-owned subsidiary. After facility transfer, El Paso will
no longer perform any gathering, dehydration, purification, or products
extraction activities, nor will it own any facilities for that purpose.
El Paso states that, first, it desires abandonment authorization
only with respect to those facilities that the Commission finds
constitute nonjurisdictional gathering or processing facilities under
section 1(b) of the NGA. Second, Field Services requires and, in its
Petition for Declaratory Order filed concurrently with El Paso's
abandonment application, requests a determination that it may establish
the rates, terms, and conditions for the nonjurisdictional services it
provides through negotiations with the parties requesting such
services. With respect to gathering facilities that were certificated,
El Paso seeks and order: (1) Determining that the facilities are not
jurisdictional facilities; and (2) upon said determination, granting
abandonment authority with respect to any certificate that would
otherwise be in the effect on January 1, 1996, to the extent such
certificate applies to a nonjurisdictional facility. All of the
certificated facilities for which abandonment is sought constitute
nonjurisdictional gathering or processing facilities under the primary
function test developed in Farmland Industries Inc., 23 FERC 61,063
(1983), it is asserted.
El Paso states that the certificated facilities which constitute
part of El Paso's gathering systems, and for which abandonment is
requested represent only $77.418,883 of gross plant out of a total of
$519,464,972 of gross plant for all facilities to be transferred to
Field Services and, on a net plant basis, only $43,151,458 out of the
$221,296,764 of total gathering system net plant (as of November 30,
1993).
In addition, El Paso states that although it will cease to provide
gathering and related services currently being rendered under its part
284 Transportation Service Agreements (``TSA''), Field Services, as
described in its Petition for Declaratory Order, intends to offer to
provide all of such services on an open-access basis. Thus, there will
be no interruption of the services available to any party currently
receiving service under such a TSA.
In addition to its part 284 transactions, El Paso sets forth that
in a few instances El Paso provides transportation services pursuant to
arrangements that are filed as ``special rate schedules'' in Volume No.
2 of El Paso's FERC Gas Tariff. Special Rate Schedule Z-8 is a
Gathering Agreement between El Paso and TOC-Rocky Mountain Inc., as
successor to Tenneco Oil Company, dated May 9, 1984, providing for
gathering services in the San Juan Basin. Special Rate Schedule Z-9 is
a similar Gathering Agreement between El Paso and Conoco Inc. also
dated May 9, 1984, and providing for gathering services in the San Juan
Basin. Inasmuch as all of the facilities required for performance under
the Agreements will be transferred to Field Services, El Paso intends
to assign the two Agreements to Field Services effective January 1,
1996. El Paso requested Commission authorization to cancel special Rate
Schedules Z-8 and Z-9 and for such abandonment authorization as may be
necessary for that purpose.
El Paso also requests such authorization as may be necessary to
abandon services under special Rate Schedule T-14 (Volume No. 2
Combination Agreement with Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America)
insofar as it provides for gathering or related services utilizing the
facilities to be transferred to Field Services. In addition, with
respect to certain exchange arrangements contained in El Paso's Volume
No. 2 Tariff which provides for El Paso to redeliver gas received on
its mainline system to delivery points on its gathering system, El Paso
intends to enter into appropriate arrangements with Field Services to
accomplish the redeliveries required and thus does not request any
Commission authorization with respect to such arrangements. El Paso
sets forth that Field Services will provide service as an open-access
transporter and specifically intends to provide any necessary gathering
services.
El Paso states that the conveyance of El Paso's gathering
facilities to Field Services on January 1, 1996, will not have any
impact on El Paso's existing gas sales obligations and arrangements,
nor will it affect El Paso's performance under any existing gas
purchase contract.
El Paso avers that all mainline services currently provided by El
Paso will continue to be provided in accordance with El Paso's FERC Gas
Tariff. No material rate issues are raised by the transfer of these
facilities. Finally, there will be no adverse environmental effects
from the abandonment proposed herein.
Comment date: February 25, 1994, in accordance with Standard
Paragraph F at the end of this notice.
2. Columbia Gas Transmission
[Docket No. CP94-202-000]
Take notice that on January 28, 1994, Columbia Gas Transmission
Corporation (Columbia Gas), 1700 MacCorkle Avenue, SE., Charleston,
West Virginia 25314-1599, filed in Docket No. CP94-202-000 a request
pursuant to Sections 157.205 and 157.211 of the Commission's
Regulations under the Natural Gas Act for authorization to install a
new point of delivery for interruptible transportation service to
Commonwealth Gas Services, Inc. (Commonwealth), as existing customer,
under its blanket certificate issued in Docket No. CP86-240-000, all as
more fully set forth in the request which is on file with the
Commission and open to public inspection.
Columbia Gas states that Commonwealth has requested the new point
of delivery. Columbia Gas indicates that the estimated maximum daily
quantity and the estimated annual quantity of natural gas that it will
provide through the new delivery point is 55,000 Dth and 20,075,000
Dth, respectively. Columbia Gas further states that the quantities to
be provided through the new delivery point will be provided on an
interruptible basis and therefore, there is no impact on Columbia Gas'
existing design day and annual obligations to its customers as a result
of the construction and operation of the new point of delivery for
interruptible transportation service.
Comment date: March 21, 1994, in accordance with Standard Paragraph
G at the end of this notice.
3. Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co.
[Docket No. CP94-205-000]
Take notice that on January 31, 1994, Tennessee Gas Pipeline
Company (Tennessee), P.O. Box 2511, Houston, Texas 77252, filed a prior
notice request with the Commission in Docket No. CP94-205-000 pursuant
to Section 157.205 of the Commission's Regulations under the Natural
Gas Act (NGA) for authorization to operate three existing delivery
point facilities (which were constructed under Section 311(a) of the
Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978) under Tennessee's blanket certificate
issued in Docket No. CP82-413-000 pursuant to Section 7 of the NGA, all
as more fully set forth in the request which is open to public
inspection.
Tennessee proposes to operate the Franklin Gas Lift delivery point
in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana; the Hurricane Sales delivery point in
Putnam County, West Virginia; and the Plymouth Sales delivery point in
San Patricio County, Texas, under its blanket certificate. Tennessee
asserts that since it now renders significant transportation service
under its Subpart G blanket certificate, operation of the delivery
points would provide more flexibility in using its facilities to the
benefit of all customers on Tennessee's system. Tennessee states that
the delivery of natural gas volumes through these existing delivery
points would not impact Tennessee's peak day and annual deliveries;
that its tariff permits the proposed activity; and that it has
sufficient capacity to accommodate the proposed changes without
detriment or disadvantage to Tennessee's other customers.
Comment date: March 21, 1994, in accordance with Standard Paragraph
G at the end of this notice.
4. Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation
[Docket No. CP94-206-000]
Take notice that on January 31, 1994, Texas Eastern Transmission
Corporation (Texas Eastern) 5400 Westheimer Court, Houston, Texas
77056-5310, filed in Docket No. CP94-206-000, a request pursuant to
Sections 157.205 and 157.211 of Commission's Regulations under the
Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.205) for authorization to install a new
delivery point in order to deliver natural gas to Kentucky Utilities
Company (KUC) under the blanket certificate issue in Docket No. CP82-
535-000 pursuant to Section 7 of the Natural Gas all as more fully set
forth in the request that is on file with the Commission and open to
public inspection.
Texas states that it proposes to install a new delivery in order to
deliver natural gas under the agreement covering service for KUC under
Rate Schedule IT-1. Texas Eastern states that the peak and average day
deliveries at the point will be 100,000 Dth/d.
Texas Eastern also states that the installation of the delivery
point will have no effect on Texas Eastern's peak day or annual
deliveries. Texas Eastern submits that its proposal will be
accomplished without detriment or disadvantage to Texas Eastern's other
customers.
The delivery point will be located on Texas Eastern's 30-inch Line
Nos. 10 and 15 at M.P. 438-28 in Garrard County, Kentucky. The
facilities will include two 12-inch taps to be installed by Texas
Eastern on Texas Eastern's Line Nos. 10 and 15. KUC will cause to be
installed approximately 11 miles of 20-inch pipeline from Mete Station
No. 72926 to its existing facilities in Mercer County, Kentucky. The
approximate cost of such facilities 109,000 and will be 100%
reimbursable by KUC.
Comment date: March 21, 1994, in accordance with Standard Paragraph
G at the end of this notice.
5. Southern California Gas Co.
[Docket No. CP94-207-000]
Take notice that on February 1, 1994, Southern California Gas
Company (SoCalGas), 555 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles, California
90013-1011, filed an application in Docket No. CP94-207-000. The
application requests authorization under Section 3 of the Natural Gas
Act, and the issuance of a Presidential Permit under Executive Order
10485, as amended by Executive Order 12038. SoCalGas seeks the Section
3 authorization and the Presidential Permit so that it may construct,
connect, operate, and maintain certain natural gas pipeline and
metering export facilities. The export facilities will be located in
Imperial County, California, near the International Boundary between
the United States and the Republic of Mexico.
SoCalGas proposes to construct and operate the following export
facilities:
(1) One metering station consisting of one 8-inch turbine meter run
and one 12-inch turbine meter run; and,
(2) Either approximately:
(a) 900 feet of 16-inch diameter pipeline, with appurtenances,
connecting the meter station to the border, (Bowker Road Alternative);
or,
(b) 4,800 feet of 16-inch diameter pipeline, with appurtenances,
connecting the meter station to the border, (Calzada Justo Sierra
Alternative).
SoCalGas says that it will notify the Commission of the particular
site of the border crossing no later than May 1, 1994. The export
facilities will have a capacity of 40,000 Mcf per day. SoCalGas
estimates the cost of the Bowker Road Alternative to be about
Sec. 350,000 and the cost of the Calzada Justo Sierra Alternative to be
about Sec. 590,000.
SoCalGas says that the export facilities will be used to provide
natural gas transportation service from receipt points on the SoCalGas
systems to the United States--Mexico border. The rates for this service
will be rates on file with, and approved by, the California Public
Utilities Commission. Any third-party shippers or exporters will be
required to obtain the proper export authorization from the United
States Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy.
A connecting pipeline to receive the exported natural gas will be
built on the Mexican side of the border and operated by Petroleos
Mexicanos. SoCalGas also describes certain other related facilities
which are scheduled to be built by it in Imperial County. SoCalGas says
that these facilities, (about 31 miles of pipeline, with
appurtenances), are under the jurisdiction of the California Public
Utilities Commission. SoCalGas says that they will be used to serve
native California natural gas load, in conjunction with the export
transportation service.
SoCalGas says that this overall project will permit the export of
natural gas to the City of Mexicali, Mexico, to serve both the existing
local distribution system in Mexicali and industrial end-users in the
Mexicali area. SoCalGas says that these customers presently use
propane-air, liquefied petroleum gas, diesel fuel, high sulfur fuel oil
and other petroleum products. SoCalGas says that the replacement of
these products by natural gas will result in a reduction in air
pollution in the U.S.-Mexico border area.
SoCalGas requests that approval of this application be granted no
later than June 1, 1994.
Comment date: February 25, 1994, in accordance with Standard
Paragraph F at the end of this notice.
6. Northern Natural Gas Company
[Docket No. CP94-209-000]
Take notice that on February 1, 1994, Northern Natural Gas Company
(Northern), 1111 South 103rd Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68124-1000, filed
in Docket No. CP94-209-000 a request pursuant to Sections 157.205 and
157.212 of the Commission's Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18
CFR 157.205, 157.212) for authorization to construct and operate new
facilities to provide additional natural gas deliveries to Peoples
Natural Gas Company, a Division of UtiliCorp United Inc. (Peoples),
under Northern's blanket certificate issued in Docket No. CP82-401-000
pursuant to Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act, all as more fully set
forth in the request that is on file with the Commission and open to
public inspection.
Northern proposes to install a small volume measuring station and
appurtenant facilities as a new delivery point to accommodate a new
service by Peoples to Dodge City Cooperative Exchange, a commercial
end-user. Northern indicates that the delivery point would be located
at an existing farm tap in Section 34, T27S, R25W, Ford County, Kansas,
and states that the gas would be provided to Peoples under Northern's
currently effective transportation service agreement and rate
schedules. Northern advises that the peak day and annual volumes are
expected to be 24 Mcf per day and 5,000 Mcf, respectively. Northern
estimates that the facilities would cost $1,890 which would be paid by
Peoples as a contribution in aid of construction.
Comment date: March 21, 1994, in accordance with Standard Paragraph
G at the end of this notice.
7. El Paso Field Services Company
[Docket No. CP94-184-000]
February 7, 1994.
Take notice that on January 14, 1994, El Paso Field Services
Company (Field Services), El Paso Natural Gas Company's (El Paso)
wholly-owned subsidiary, filed a petition for declaratory order in
Docket No. CP94-184-000, pursuant to 18 CFR 385.207, requesting that
the Commission declare that certain gathering and production area
services proposed to be transferred from El Paso and assumed by Field
Services will no longer be subject to the Natural Gas Act and the
Commission's jurisdiction, as more fully set forth in the petition
which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection.
Specifically, Field Services seeks a declaratory order from the
Commission finding that the rates, terms, and conditions applicable to
gas gathering and other production area services to be rendered by
Field Services commencing January 1, 1996, will not be affirmatively
regulated by the Commission but instead may be established through
negotiations between Field Services and the shippers receiving such
services, consistent with the Commission's decision in Northwest
Pipeline Corp., 59 FERC 61,115 (1992).
Field Services states that El Paso is filing concurrently with its
petition an application under Section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act to
abandon, effective January 1, 1996, certain certificated facilities
which are used to perform the gathering and production area services.
Field Services asserts that it has been established and organized
to provide, on a stand-alone basis, non-jurisdictional production area
services and upon the transfer of the facilities described in its
petition, will effectively step into El Paso's shoes with respect to
gathering and other production area services now being provided by El
Paso and will continue to provide these services on an uninterrupted
basis.
Comment date: February 25, 1994, in accordance with the first
paragraph of Standard Paragraph F at the end of this notice.
Standard Paragraphs
F. Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with
reference to said application should on or before the comment date,
file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20426, a motion to intervene or a protest in accordance with the
requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18
CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the Natural Gas Act
(18 CFR 157.10). All protests filed with the Commission will be
considered by it in determining the appropriate action to be taken but
will not serve to make the protestants parties to the proceeding. Any
person wishing to become a party to a proceeding or to participate as a
party in any hearing therein must file a motion to intervene in
accordance with the Commission's Rules.
Take further notice that, pursuant to the authority contained in
and subject to the jurisdiction conferred upon the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission by sections 7 and 15 of the Natural Gas Act and
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, a hearing will be
held without further notice before the Commission or its designee on
this application if no motion to intervene is filed within the time
required herein, if the Commission on its own review of the matter
finds that a grant of the certificate and/or permission and approval
for the proposed abandonment are required by the public convenience and
necessity. If a motion for leave to intervene is timely filed, or if
the Commission on its own motion believes that a formal hearing is
required, further notice of such hearing will be duly given.
Under the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised,
it will be unnecessary for applicant to appear or be represented at the
hearing.
G. Any person or the Commission's staff may, within 45 days after
issuance of the instant notice by the Commission, file pursuant to Rule
214 of the Commission's Procedural Rules (18 CFR 385.214) a motion to
intervene or notice of intervention and pursuant to Sec. 157.205 of the
Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.205) a protest to the
request. If no protest is filed within the time allowed therefor, the
proposed activity shall be deemed to be authorized effective the day
after the time allowed for filing a protest. If a protest is filed and
not withdrawn within 30 days after the time allowed for filing a
protest, the instant request shall be treated as an application for
authorization pursuant to Sec. 7 of the Natural Gas Act.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-3339 Filed 2-11-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P
