[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14566-14567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-7923]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-256-000, et al.]


Koch Gateway Pipeline Company, et al., Natural Gas Certificate 
Filings

March 25, 1996.
    Take notice that the following filings have been made with the 
Commission:

1. Koch Gateway Pipeline Company

[Docket No. CP96-256-000]

    Take notice that on March 18, 1996, Koch Gateway Pipeline Company 
(Koch), P.O. Box 1478, Houston, Texas 77251, filed in Docket No. CP96-
256-000 a request pursuant to Sections 157.205 and 157.216 of the 
Commission's Regulations under the Natural Gas Act for authorization to 
abandon and remove a segment of inactive lateral pipeline formerly 
serving Ohio Gas Company (``Ohio''), under Koch's blanket certificate 
issued in Docket No. CP82-430-000 1 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.

    \1\ See, 20 FERC para. 62,416 (1982).
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    Koch requests authorization to abandon and remove 1,745 feet of 
six-inch pipeline designated as TPL 250-11 which connects to Koch's 
Sarepta-Sterlington 20-inch line located in Webster Parish, Louisiana. 
Koch states that this lateral line is inactive; and, there are no known 
potential production or delivery prospects. Koch will remove the line 
and all above-ground facilities. Koch states the pipeline was 
originally certificated in Koch's FPC Docket No. G-232 (3 FPC 863). 
Koch states the abandonment will be accomplished without detriment or 
disadvantage to its customers.
    Comment date: May 9, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph G 
at the end of this notice.

2. Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Company

[Docket No. CP96-261-000]

    Take notice that on March 19, 1996, Williston Basin Interstate 
Pipeline Company (Williston Basin), Suite 300, 200 North Third Street, 
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501, filed in Docket No. CP96-261-000 a 
request pursuant to Sections 157.205 and 157.216 of the Commission's 
Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.205 and 157.216) for 
authorization to abandon in place by sale to Montana-Dakota Utilities 
Company (Montana-Dakota), a local distribution company, certain 
facilities and related land rights associated with its existing 
operations in Sheridan County, Wyoming under Williston Basin's blanket 
certificate issued in Docket No. CP83-1-000 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.
    Williston Basin proposes to abandon in place and sell to Montana-
Dakota its Sheridan 5th Street Town Border Station and 9,987 feet of 8-
inch natural gas transmission pipeline beginning on the north side of 
the Sheridan Town Border & Telemetering Station and terminating at the 
Sheridan 5th Street Town Border Station. Williston Basin states that 
custody transfer and measurement of deliveries of gas to serve the town 
of Sheridan, Wyoming currently takes place at the Sheridan Town Border 
& Telemetering Station; consequently, Williston Basin no longer 
requires the facilities proposed to be abandoned herein. Williston 
Basin states that the sale price will not exceed $8,718, the actual net 
book value of the facilities as of December 31, 1995.
    Comment date: May 9, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph G 
at the end of this notice.

3. Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company

[Docket No. CP96-265-000]

    Take notice that on March 20, 1996, Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company 
(Tennessee), P.O. Box 2511, Houston, Texas 77252, filed in Docket No. 
CP96-265-000 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 operate three delivery points under 
Tennessee's blanket certificate issued in Docket No. CP82-413-000 
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.
    Tennessee proposes to operate three delivery points that were 
constructed under Section 311(a) of the NGPA. The delivery points are 
the Springfield-Rock Spring-Sales in Robertson County, Tennessee, Doe 
Run Sales in Green County, Kentucky, and the Hardeman-Fayette-Moscow 
Tennessee in Hardeman County, Tennessee.
    Comment date: May 9, 1996, in accordance with Standard Paragraph G 
at the end of this notice.

4. North American Resources Company

[Docket No. CP96-269-000]

    Take notice that on March 19, 1996, North American Resources 
Company (NARCo), C/O Covington & Burling, 1201 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., 
P.O. Box 7566, Washington, D.C. 20044-7566, filed in Docket No. CP96-
269-000 a petition under Rule 207 of the Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.207) for a declaratory order stating that a 
proposed pipeline project in Phillips County, Montana, will be exempt 
from the Commission's jurisdiction under 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.
    It is stated that NARCo is a subsidiary of The Montana Power 
Company (MPC) which owns and operates an integrated Hinshaw pipeline 
entirely located in Montana. NARCo states that it is a producer and 
marketer of natural gas and oil and owns an estimated 37 Bcf of proven 
natural gas reserves in the Bowdoin Dome area of northeastern Montana. 
NARCo states that it currently operates 125 wells in the Bowdoin Dome 
area. It is stated that the proposed Bowdoin Gas Pipeline is a 12.75-
inch

[[Page 14567]]
steel pipeline running approximately 18.75 miles between Whitewater, 
Montana, through a dense production area of the northern Bowdoin Dome, 
that interconnect with Northern Border Pipeline Company's mainline at 
the U.S.-Canadian Border.
    NARCo states that the pipeline will have a single compressor 
station located at the upstream end of the pipeline, will operate at a 
pressure of approximately 1,500 psi and will have a capacity of 
approximately 60,000 Mcf per day. It is stated that no processing will 
occur along the line and, initially, no wells will be directly 
connected to the pipeline. Rather, it is stated that the pipeline will 
interconnect in Whitewater with the gathering system that currently 
serves the Bowdoin Dome area, owned by KN Gas Gathering, Inc. (KNGG), a 
subsidiary of KN Energy. NARCo contends that KNGG will continue 
gathering gas produced at individual wells, while the proposed Bowdoin 
Gas Pipeline will extend this gathering line to the interconnection 
with Northern Border.
    It is stated that, in time, NARCo expects to add interconnections 
along the length of the pipeline. As new wells are developed throughout 
the area, NARCo expects to add segments of low pressure gathering line 
with booster compressors that feed into the pipeline. It is stated that 
the exact location and configuration of these low pressure lines, 
however, can be determined only as the exploration and development of 
the northern Bowdoin Dome area unfolds. Until such development 
solidifies, NARCo intends to rely on KNGG's existing gathering system.
    NARCo states that at present, gas on the KNGG gathering system 
flows south from Whitewater to Saco, Montana, where it interconnects 
with Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Company (WBI), which is the 
only interstate pipeline that serves the Bowdoin Dome area, and 
operates at full capacity. NARCo contends that as a result, many 
producers in the area are unable to operate wells at full capacity, or 
are unable to operate certain wells altogether.
    NARCo's principal objective in building the proposed pipeline is to 
extend the existing gathering system to interconnect with another 
interstate pipeline, Northern Border. It is stated that Northern Border 
is presently expanding its existing system to accommodate direct 
service to Chicago area local distribution companies and other pipeline 
interconnections. It is stated that by order dated May 5, 1995, the 
Commission directed Northern Border to hold a new open season in 
connection with the expansion facilities.
    It is stated that this expansion will relieve the capacity 
constraints that currently prevent NARCo and other producers in the 
Bowdoin Dome area from producing additional natural gas. It is stated 
that the Bowdoin Dome area has proven reserves of approximately 500 Bcf 
and that, at present, 5 producers, including NARCo, operate 
approximately 1,000 wells in the area. Due to the capacity constraints 
on the WBI system, however, no firm capacity is presently available and 
limited interruptible capacity is available only during the summer. It 
is stated that deliveries from KNGG's Bowdoin system are currently 
limited to approximately 17 Mmcf/d.
    NARCo intends to use a portion of the capacity of the proposed 
pipeline to gathering gas from its own wells for delivery to Northern 
Border. It is stated that the remaining portion will be offered to 
other producers in the Bowdoin Dome area on an open access basis. NARCo 
contends that, since much of the proposed facility traverses land 
administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), it is 
required by BLM regulations and federal statute to offer gathering 
services on an open access basis.
    Comment date: April 15, 1996, 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 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, NE., 
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 385.211 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 
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 
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. 96-7923 Filed 4-1-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P