[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 136 (Monday, July 17, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36410-36412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-17450]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP94-109-002, et al.]


Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corporation, et al.; Natural Gas 
Certificate Filings

July 10, 1995.
    Take notice that the following filings have been made with the 
Commission:

1. Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corporation

[Docket No. CP94-109-002]

    Take notice that on July 3, 1995, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line 
Corporation (``Transco''), Post Office Box 1396, Houston, Texas 77251, 
pursuant to and in accordance with Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act 
(``NGA'') and Part 157 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's 
(``Commission'') regulations, filed an application in Docket No. CP94-
109-002 to amend the certificate of public convenience and necessity 
issued by the Commission on December 21, 1994 in Docket No. CP94-109-
000 (``December 21 Order'') authorizing Transco's 1995/1996 Southeast 
Expansion Project (``SE95/96''). Specifically, Transco requests 
authorization to (i) increase the certificated horsepower of the 
compressor additions authorized in the December 21 Order at Transco's 
Station Nos. 90, 100 and 150, (ii) increase, commencing with SE95/96 
Phase II service, the firm transportation capacity under the project 
from 165,000 Mcf/d to 170,000 Mcf/d as a result of such increased 
horsepower, and (iii) reduce the certificated initial rate for Phase II 
service to reflect such increased firm transportation capacity under 
the project.
    Transco states that its SE95/96 certificate includes the 
authorization to construct and operate 12,600 horsepower compressor 
additions at Transco's Station Nos. 90 and 150. Transco states that it 
contemplated installing compressor units at those stations which 
equalled 12,600 horsepower because those units were commercially 
available at the time of its original application. However, Transco 
states that the units now available from the manufacturer in this size 
range are rated at 14,100 horsepower, and, therefore, the manufacturers 
have replaced the specified units with 14,100 horsepower units. Thus, 
Transco will install the 14,100 horsepower units at Station Nos. 90 and 
150 instead of the 12,600 horsepower units. Transco states that until 
further certificate authority is received, it will operate the 14,100 
horsepower units at the 12,600 horsepower level certificated by the 
Commission in the December 21 Order. Transco states that limiting the 
operation of those units to the 12,600 horsepower level, however, will 
not take advantage of their full operational capability. Therefore, 
Transco requests that it be permitted to operate the units up to the 
14,100 horsepower level commencing with the placement into service of 
Phase II of the project.
    Transco further states that at Station No. 100, Transco is 
currently authorized by the SE95/96 certificate to install and operate 
6,500 horsepower of additional compression in Phase II of the project. 
Transco now proposes to increase that certificated addition by 2,000 
horsepower, to 8,500 horsepower. Transco states that it will accomplish 
this 8,500 horsepower increase at Station No. 100 by (i) derating 
existing compressor units 3, 4, 5 and 9 at the station by an aggregate 
amount of 4,000 horsepower, and (ii) installing an additional 12,500 
NEMA rated horsepower unit. Transco's determination to derate the 
existing units is based on actual operating data for the units and the 
removal of steam injection from unit 5 due to water shortages 
experienced at the station. The 12,500 horsepower unit is the size unit 
that was furnished by the manufacturer. Accordingly, Transco requests 
that it be permitted to make these Phase II modifications at Station 
No. 100 and install and operate 8,500 horsepower of additional 
compression in lieu of the 6,500 horsepower addition certificated in 
the December 21 Order.
    Transco states that the horsepower increases and compressor 
modifications proposed herein will be performed in compliance with the 
Commission's environmental requirements, including the environmental 
conditions set forth in Appendix B of the December 21 Order.
    Transco also requests authorization to increase the firm 
transportation capacity under SE95/96 from 165,000 Mcf/d to 170,000 
Mcf/d commencing with Phase II service. Transco states that this 
additional 5,000 Mcf/d of firm transportation capacity will be created 
as a result of the compressor modifications described above. The 
additional capacity will extend from the main line interconnect with 
the Mobile Bay Lateral to points upstream of Transco's Station No. 140. 
Pursuant to the terms of the Precedent Agreements executed with the 
SE95/96 shippers, Transco has executed letter agreements with 12 of the 
SE95/96 shippers for such additional firm transportation service. Those 
letter agreements require Transco and the shippers to execute, within 
30 days after Transco's receipt and acceptance of the authorizations 
requested, a restated Rate Schedule FT Service Agreement for service 
under SE95/96 providing for the increased level of service.
    Transco further states that the initial monthly reservation rate of 
$9.86 per Mcf certificated by the Commission for Phase II service was 
based in part on billing determinants of 165,000 Mcf/d times 12. As a 
result of the 5,000 Mcf/d of increased firm transportation service that 
Transco will be able to render under SE95/96 beginning with Phase II, 
the billing determinants for Phase II service will be increased to 
170,000 Mcf/d times 12. Based on these revised billing determinants and 
the estimated costs, rate design and cost of service factors approved 
by the Commission in the December 21 Order, Transco requests approval 
of a revised initial monthly reservation rate of $9.57 per Mcf for 
Phase II service.
    Comment date: July 31, 1995, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
F at the end of this notice.

2. Pacific Interstate Offshore Company

[Docket No. CP95-588-000]

    Take notice that on June 29, 1995, Pacific Interstate Offshore 
Company (PIOC), located at 633 West Fifth Street, Suite 5200, Los 
Angeles, CA 90071-2006, filed in Docket No. CP95-588-000, an 
application pursuant to Section 

[[Page 36411]]
3 of the Natural Gas Act and Sections 153.10-153.12 of the Commission's 
Regulations for Section 3 authorization and a Presidential Permit 
pursuant to Executive Order 10485, as amended by Executive Order 12038, 
to construct, connect, operate, and maintain certain pipeline and 
metering facilities (the Border Crossing Facilities) in El Paso County, 
Texas, in the vicinity of the International Boundary between the United 
States and the Republic of Mexico.
    PIOC states that the Border Crossing Facilities will be used to 
provide natural gas transportation service from upstream pipeline 
facilities to downstream facilities to be built in Mexico to serve the 
Samalayuca II gas-fired electric generating plant which is to be 
located approximately 30 miles south of the Cities of Juarez, Mexico, 
and El Paso, Texas. PIOC further states that it will operate the Border 
Crossing Facilities as ``open access'' facilities to be interconnected 
with upstream facilities which are not yet constructed. If PIOC is 
successful in negotiating a gas transportation agreement with the 
Comision Federal de Electricidad, it will file an application under 
Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act seeking authority to construct the 
upstream pipeline facilities which will interconnect with existing 
facilities of El Paso Natural Gas Company.
    The facilities will have a capacity of 175 Mmcf/d. PIOC estimates 
the cost of the proposed facilities to be approximately $792,000.
    Comment date: July 31, 1995, in accordance with the first paragraph 
of Standard Paragraph F at the end of this notice.

3. Northwest Pipeline Corporation

[Docket No. CP95-589-000]

    Take notice that on June 29, 1995, Northwest Pipeline Corporation 
(Northwest), 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84158, filed in 
Docket No. CP95-589-000 a request pursuant to Sections 157.205 and 
157.211 of the Commission's Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 
CFR 157.205, 157.211) for authorization to construct and operate 
upgraded metering facilities at a new location for the Duvall/Cottage 
Lake Meter Station in King County, Washington, under Northwest's 
blanket certificate issued in Docket No. CP82-433-000 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.
    Northwest proposes to construct and operate upgraded metering 
facilities at a new location for the Duvall/Cottage Lake Meter Station 
in King County, Washington, which will have a design capacity of 32,450 
Dth/d at 400 psig. It is stated that these facilities, which would cost 
$597,900, would be used to provide firm deliveries to Washington 
Natural Gas Company under existing agreements.
    Comment date: August 24, 1995, in accordance with Standard 
Paragraph G at the end of this notice.

4. Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation; Columbia Gulf Transmission 
Company; Koch Gateway Pipeline Company

[Docket No. CP95-600-000]

    Take notice that on July 3, 1995, Columbia Gas Transmission 
Corporation (Columbia), 1700 MacCorkle Avenue, S.E., Charleston, West 
Virginia 25314-1599, Columbia Gulf Transmission Company (Columbia 
Gulf), 1700 MacCorkle Avenue, S.E., Charleston, West Virginia 25314-
1599, and Koch Gateway Pipeline Company (Koch Gateway), formerly United 
Gas Pipe Line Company, 600 Travis Street, Houston, Texas 77002, jointly 
as the Companies, filed in Docket No. CP95-600-000, an application 
pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act for an order granting 
permission and approval to abandon a certain exchange service which was 
once required for exchange of gas among the Companies. The Companies 
received authority for the exchange service on February 23, 1981. The 
rate schedules for which the Companies are seeking abandonment 
authority are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Volume                    Rate   
             Docket No.                (Mcfd)      Company     Schedule 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CP80-543...........................     10,000  Columbia....  X-100     
CP80-543...........................     10,000  Columbia....  X-75      
                                                Gulf........            
CP80-543...........................     10,000  Koch........  X-137     
                                                Gateway.....            
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Columbia's Rate Schedule X-100, Columbia Gulf's Rate Schedule X-75, 
and Koch Gateway's Rate Schedule X-137 provided for the exchange of up 
to 10,000 Mcf per day of natural gas among the companies. Koch Gateway 
received up to 10,000 Mcf per day for Columbia's account at the 
producer's platform in Eugene Island Block 43 and at an existing meter 
in the Lake Hatch Field, and redelivered equivalent volumes to Columbia 
at the outlet side of Sea Robin's meter near Erath, Louisiana. Columbia 
Gulf received up to 10,000 Mcf per day for Koch Gateway's account at a 
subsea tap in Vermilion Area Block 245 and transported the gas through 
the Bluewater Project for delivery to Koch Gateway or for Koch 
Gateway's account at the outlet side of Sea Robin's meter near Erath. 
Imbalances in deliveries were corrected on a monthly basis. The 
benefits derived from the exchange of volumes were substantially equal 
and mutually beneficial, so there was no transportation charge 
involved. There has been no gas transported under the exchange 
agreement since July 1991 and there are no imbalances. Columbia Gulf is 
currently providing Koch Gateway alternative Part 284 interruptible 
transportation services under ITS-1 and ITS-2 rate schedules filed 
under Docket Nos. ST94-5135 and ST92-1926, respectively.
    Comment date: July 31, 1995, in accordance with 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, 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 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 

[[Page 36412]]
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 Section 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 Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-17450 Filed 7-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P