[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7504-7506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4490]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP95-500-001 , et al.]


Southern Natural Gas Company, et al.; Natural Gas Certificate 
Filings

February 21, 1996.
    Take notice that the following filings have been made with the 
Commission:

1. Southern Natural Gas Company

[Docket No. CP95-500-001]

    Take notice that on February 14, 1996, Southern Natural Gas Company 
(Southern), Post Office Box 2563, Birmingham, Alabama 35202-2563, filed 
an amendment to its original application in Docket No. CP95-500-000, 
requesting that the Commission amend its Order Issuing Certificate 
issued October 16, 1995, (October 16 Order), 73 FERC para. 61,085. 
Southern states that the amendment complies with the October 16 Order 
and modifies the proposal authorized therein, all as more fully set 
forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and open 
to public inspection.
    Southern states that in the October 16 Order, the Commission 
authorized Southern's proposed expansion of its Toca Compressor Station 
and related facilities, subject to Southern's filing 10-year firm 
transportation service agreements for the capacity of the proposed 
project within 120 days. Southern states that it has now entered into a 
10-year firm Transportation Service Agreement dated February 7, 1996 
with Shell Offshore Inc. (Shell) for 100 percent of the 140 Mmcf/d 
proposed firm Transportation Service (Shell Service Agreement). In 
connection with the filing of the Shell Service Agreement, Southern 
proposes to make minor changes to the Receipt and Delivery Point 
modifications approved in the October 16 Order as necessary to provide 
service to Shell thereunder.
    It is stated that the compression facilities at Toca, the 
modifications to provide for delivery at the Tennessee-Toca 
interconnection and the expansion of the delivery point at the Transco-
Frost interconnection approved in the October 16 Order are still 
required for service under the Shell Service Agreement. Southern 
contends that the remaining Receipt and Delivery Point modifications 
approved in the October 16 Order will not be necessary. Furthermore, 
Southern states that the 140 Mmcfd capacity of the expansion is not 
altered by the minor changes proposed herein.
    Southern proposes to delete the following Receipt and Delivery 
Point modifications approved in the October 16 Order, but which are not 
required to provide service to Shell: (1) Columbia - Shadyside meter 
station modifications; (2) LRC - Erath meter station modifications; (3) 
Acadian - Sugar Bowl No. 6 meter station modifications; (4) Main Pass 
Block 306 receiving station piping; and (5) Main Pass Block 293 
receiving station piping. In addition, in order to provide service to 
Shell under the Shell Service Agreement, Southern requests 
authorization to substitute the following Receipt and Delivery Point 
modifications for the ones proposed to be deleted above: (1) construct, 
install and operate interconnection piping to provide for delivery at 
its existing Transco-Frost interconnection; and (2) to construct and 
install receipt meters to be located on Shell's platform at Main Pass 
Block 289 and near Southern's existing facilities at Venice, Louisiana. 
It is stated that the cost of the proposed Receipt and Delivery Point 
modifications is estimated to be $1.4 million. The revised estimated 
cost for the construction and installation of the Toca compression 
facilities, the Tennessee-Toca modifications, the expansion of the 
Transco-Frost interconnection and the proposed Receipt and Delivery 
Point modifications is $14.3 million.
    Southern contends that, consistent with the application, there 
would be no rate impact on current shippers resulting from the 
construction of the proposed facilities over the 10 years because the 
revenues generated would offset the incremental costs attributable 
thereto on a present value basis. Based on the current estimate of the 
cost of service of the facilities, Southern states that the Reservation 
charge for this production area transportation for the 10 year period 
is $1.48 per Mcf per month. It is stated that the October 16 Order 
approved rolled-in rate treatment for the expansion facilities, but 
Southern's general Part 284 transportation rates would begin to reflect 
the cost of the facilities only after the 10-year term of the firm 
transportation contract expires.
    Southern states that its request for minor modifications of the 
Receipt and 

[[Page 7505]]
Delivery Points to be utilized does not alter the underlying basis of 
the finding in the October 16 Order, and was, in fact, contemplated in 
Southern's application. Further, it is stated that the estimated cost 
of the proposed modifications is less than the estimated costs of 
Southern's original proposal. Accordingly, southern submits that the 
proposed Toca expansion project utilizing the revised Receipt and 
Delivery Points described herein is in the public interest and that the 
amendment should be granted. In order to accommodate Shell's 
development plans, Southern contends that it needs to be in a position 
to commence the firm transportation service contemplated herein by 
January 1, 1997, or as soon thereafter as possible. Therefore, Southern 
requests that its amendment be handled expeditiously by issuing an 
order amending the October 16 Order by May 1, 1996, in order to enable 
Southern to have an opportunity to meet an in-service date of January 
1, 1997, or as soon thereafter as possible.
    Comment date: March 13, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
F at the end of this notice.

2. Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation

[Docket No. CP96-187-000]

    Take notice that on February 13, 1996, Texas Eastern Transmission 
Corporation (Texas Eastern), P.O.Box 1642, Houston, Texas 77251-1642 
filed with the Commission in Docket No. CP96-187-000 an application 
pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and Part 157 of 
Commission's Regulations for permission and approval to abandon by sale 
to Elliot Oil & Gas Company (Elliot) the Sally Laterals comprising (3) 
3-inch laterals located in DeWitt and Goliad Counties, Texas, all as 
more fully set forth in the application which is on file with the 
Commission and open to public inspection.
    Texas Eastern and Elliot entered into a Facilities Sale Agreement 
dated November 28, 1995, which provides for the sale of the Sally 
Laterals to Elliot. Texas Eastern states that there are no volumes of 
natural gas currently being transported by Texas Eastern on these lines 
and that the lines have been idle and out of service since 1974.
    Comment date: March 13, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
F at the end of this notice.

3. GPM Gas Corporation

[Docket No. CP96-188-000]

    Take notice that on February 13, 1996, GPM Gas Corporation (GPM), 
1300 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 800, Houston, Texas 77056, filed, in 
Docket No. CP96-188-000, a petition for declaratory order requesting 
that the Commission find that certain facilities to be acquired from 
ANR Pipe Line Company (ANR) are gathering facilities exempt from the 
Commission's Regulations pursuant to Section 1(b) of the Natural Gas 
Act (NGA) all as more fully set forth in the petition which is on file 
with the Commission and open to public inspection.
    On February 12, 1996, ANR filed in Docket No. CP96-185-000, a 
related application seeking approval for the abandonment of the 
facilities to be acquired by GPM.
    GPM and ANR have entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement 
(Agreement) dated January 12, 1996, wherein GPM has agreed to acquire a 
total of 1,550 miles of gas gathering pipelines and 14 compressor 
stations with a total of about 44,000 horsepower that now handle 
approximately 200 Mmcf per day of gas from 1,142 meter stations. Also 
included with these facilities to be acquired is a 15.1 mile pipeline 
segment which is currently functionalized as transmission by ANR. The 
affected gas gathering systems are comprised of five discrete areas in 
northwest Oklahoma: (i) Laverne; (ii) Lovedale; (iii) Woodward; (iv) 
Korfman; and (v) Weatherford. GPM, in turn, will assume all operations 
of these facilities and provide gathering services through them.
    GPM proposes to purchase the above facilities by transferring like-
kind properties to ANR, the value of which will equal the purchase 
price set forth in the above referenced Agreement. GPM has requested of 
ANR by letter that ANR request of the Commission, confidential 
treatment of this pricing information which is contained in the 
Agreement and in Exhibit Y to ANR's abandonment application.
    Comment date: March 12, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
F at the end of this notice.

4. NorAm Gas Transmission Company

[Docket No. CP96-196-000]

    Take notice that on February 16, 1996, NorAm Gas Transmission 
Company (NGT), 1600 Smith Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed in Docket 
No. CP96-196-000 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 operate certain facilities in Arkansas 
under NGT's blanket certificate issued in Docket No. CP82-384-000, et 
al., 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.
    NGT proposes to operate an existing delivery tap on NGT's Line OM-1 
in Franklin County, Arkansas to deliver gas to Arkla, a distribution 
division of NorAm Energy Corp. (Arkla). NGT states that it plans to 
utilize the existing tap to deliver gas to a customer other than the 
right-of-way grantor for whom the tap was originally installed in 1995. 
NGT estimates the additional volumes to be delivered to this delivery 
tap are approximately 85 MMBtu annually and 1 MMBtu on a peak day. NGT 
states there are no construction activities or cost associated with the 
proposed operation of this existing tap. NGT also states that it has 
sufficient capacity to accomplish the deliveries without detriment or 
disadvantage to its other customers.
    Comment date: April 8, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph 
G at the end of this notice.

Standard Paragraphs

    F. Any person desiring to be heard or make any protest with 
reference to said filing should on or before the comment date file with 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E., 
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 385.211 and 385.214) 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 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 filing 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 is 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 

[[Page 7506]]
required, further notice of such hearing will be duly given.
    Under the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for the applicant to appear or be represented at 
the hearing.
    G. Any person or the Commission's staff may, within 45 days after 
the 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 
therefore, 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. 96-4490 Filed 2-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P