[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 104 (Friday, May 30, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29335-29336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14155]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP97-533-000, CP97-534-000, CP97-535-000]
Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Venice Gathering Company, Venice Gathering
System, L.L.C., Venice Energy Services Company; Notice of Application
May 23, 1997.
Take notice that on May 20, 1997, Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (Chevron),
1301 McKinney, Houston, Texas 77010; Venice Gathering Company (VGC),
1301 McKinney, Houston, Texas 77010; Venice Gathering System, L.L.C.
(VGS), 1000 Louisiana, Houston, Texas 77002-5050, and Venice Energy
Services Company (VESCO), 1000 Louisiana, Houston, Texas 77002-5050,
jointly filed an application with the Commission in Docket Nos. CP97-
533-000, CP97-534-000, and CP97-535-000 pursuant to Sections 7(b) and
7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) for permission and approval for
Chevron, VGC, and VESCO to abandon by transfer certain offshore
Louisiana pipeline facilities to VGS; authority for VGS to construct
and operate certain new offshore Louisiana pipeline facilities; and
authority for VGS to operate and provide service on both the
transferred and proposed facilities under open-access rates, terms, and
conditions, all as more fully set forth in the application which is
open to the public for inspection.
Chevron, VGC, VGS, and VESCO state that the purpose of their joint
application is, in part, to comply with the Commission's April 17,
1997, order in Docket No. CP95-202-000 where the Commission denied a
petition for a declaratory order for a determination that certain
offshore pipeline facilities owned and/or operated by the applicants
were not subject to the Commission's jurisdiction under the NGA.
Chevron, VGC, VGS, and VESCO request, therefore appropriate
certificate, rate, and tariff approvals to conform the subject
facilities and services to the requirements applicable under the NGA.
VGS proposes in Docket No. CP97-533-000 to construct and operate
52.4 miles of 24-inch diameter pipe (Timbalier Expansion) from
Chevron's South Timbalier Block 151 platform to an existing West Delta
Block 79 platform. The proposed Timbalier Expansion would increase the
delivery capacity of the Venice System from the current 482,000 Mcf per
day of natural gas to approximately 810,000 Mcf per day. VGS states
that one or more of its parent corporate affiliates would use
internally generated funds to pay the estimated $39.1 million
construction cost for the proposed Timbalier Expansion.
VGS requests in Docket No. CP97-534-000 that the Commission grant
VGS Part 284, Subpart G blanket transportation authority to perform
open-access, self-implementing, non-discriminatory transportation
service in interstate commerce with pregranted abandonment and subject
to the applicable provisions of Part 284 of the Commission's
Regulations. VGS states that it would comply with the applicable
conditions set forth in Part 284, Subpart A of the Regulations.
VGS also requests in Docket No. CP97-535-000 that the Commission
grant VGS Part 157, Subpart F blanket authority to engage in certain
construction and operational activities from time to time as may be
required on a self-implementing basis. VGS states that when
constructing ``eligible
[[Page 29336]]
facilities'' under Subpart F blanket authority it would install,
inspect, test, operate, replace, and maintain facilities in accordance
with all applicable safety standards and plans for maintenance and
inspection, including those set forth in 49 CFR Part 192.
Chevron, VGC, and VESCO also propose in Docket No. CP97-535-000 to
abandon by transfer the Venice System, offshore Louisiana, to VGS. The
Venice System consists of the following facilities:
(1) 70.4 miles of 26-inch diameter pipe from a Chevron production
platform in South Timbalier Block 151 the onshore Delta Gathering
Station, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana;
(2) 10.9 miles of 14-inch diameter pipe from a Chevron platform in
South Timbalier Block 177E to Chevron's South Timbalier Block 151
production platform;
(3) 0.9 mile of 8-inch diameter pipe from a South Timbalier Block
130 platform to a subsea connection with the 70.4 miles of 26-inch
diameter pipe mentioned above;
(4) 26.15 miles of 20-inch diameter line from a Chevron platform in
South Timbalier Block 35 to a subsea connection with the 70.4 miles of
26-inch diameter pipe mentioned above in item number 1;
(5) Four relatively short segments (totaling 4.1 miles) of 12-inch
diameter pipe extending from other platforms in South Timbalier Blocks
35, 36, and 37 to connection points of the 26.15 miles of 20-inch
diameter pipe mentioned above in item number 4;
(6) 20.4 miles of 22-inch diameter pipe extending from a Marathon
platform in West Delta Block 79 to the Delta Gathering Station;
(7) 1.0 mile of 26-inch diameter pipe and 1.7 miles of 20-inch
diameter pipe connecting Marathon's West Delta Block 79 platform to
other West Delta Block 79 platforms;
(8) 0.4 mile of 16-inch diameter pipe connecting another West Delta
Block 79 platform to the 1.7 miles of 20-inch diameter pipe mentioned
above in item number 7; and,
(9) 15.8 miles of 12-inch diameter pipe connecting Samedan's South
Timbalier Block 163 platform to Chevron's South Timbalier Block 151
platform.
Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with
reference to said application should on or before June 2, 1997, file
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 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 NGA (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 NGA 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
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 Chevron, VGC, VESCO, and VGS to appear or be
represented at the hearing.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-14155 Filed 5-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M
