[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 197 (Wednesday, October 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52934-52935]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25850]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP96-758-000]


Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation; Notice of Application

October 3, 1996.
    Take notice that on August 30, 1996, Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line 
Corporation (Transco) P.O. Box 1396, Houston, Texas 77251, filed in 
Docket No. CP96-758-000 an application, pursuant to Section 7(c) of the 
Natural Gas Act, for a certificate of public convenience and necessity 
for (1) authorization to construct and operate a total of 77.58 miles 
of 30-inch pipeline and related facilities to expand the capacity of 
Transco's Southeast Louisiana Gathering System (SELGS) in offshore 
Louisiana and (2) approval of incremental initial rates for the firm 
transportation service to be rendered through the additional firm 
transportation capacity to be created by the expansion, all as more 
fully set forth in the application which is on file with the Commission 
and open to public inspection.
    Transco states that in order to create new firm transportation 
capacity on the Southeast Louisiana Gathering System, Transco proposes 
to construct and operate the following facilities:

Phase I

     A platform in Ship Shoal Block 14, including associated 
piping modifications in Ship Shoal Blocks 14 and 28, offshore 
Louisiana, to connect the platform facilities to the west leg of the 
SELGS in Ship Shoal Block 28.
     Approximately 50.71 miles of 30-inch pipeline extending 
from the new platform in Ship Shoal Block 14 to a tie-in with the east 
leg of the SELGS in Ship Shoal Block 214.

Phase II

     A junction platform in South Timbalier Block 301.
     Approximately 26.87 miles of 30-inch pipeline extending 
from an interconnection with the Phase I facilities and Transco's Ship 
Shoal Block 214 junction platform to the new South Timbalier Block 301 
junction platform.
    Transco states that the proposed in-service dates for the Phase I 
and Phase II facilities are November 1, 1997 and November 1, 1998, 
respectively. Transco estimates that the cost of the overall project 
will be $129,054,498. Transco states that the proposed facilities will 
be installed entirely offshore.
    Transco states that the Phase I facilities will create firm 
transportation capacity of 380,113 Mcf per day from receipt points of 
Transco's system upstream of Ship Shoal Block 214 to Transco's Station 
62 in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Transco further states that once 
the Phase II facilities are placed into service, the aggregate firm 
transportation capacity created by the project between Ship Shoal Block 
214 to Station 62 will be 659,732 Mcf per day. Transco states that the 
firm transportation service to be rendered through the new capacity 
will be performed under its Rate Schedule FT and Part 284(G) of the 
Commission's regulations. Transco notes that under Rate Schedule FT, 
shippers using the expansion will have secondary firm rights to 
delivery points located in Transco's Rate Zone 3 downstream of Station 
62.
    Transco states it does yet have commitments for the firm capacity 
generated by the project. However, Transco states it intends to make 
the expansion capacity available to all shippers by means of an open 
season and that it will notify the Commission of the commitments 
received from customers as soon as possible after the end of the open 
season period.
    Transco proposes to charge incremental rates for service through 
the proposed expansion. For Phase I, Transco proposes to charge a 
monthly reservation rate of $3.6614 per Mcf, and for Phase II a monthly 
reservation rate of $3.3990 per Mcf. These rates are based on (1) the 
straight fixed-variable rate design methodology, (2) an incremental 
cost of service (with an incremental cost of service for Phase I and 
with costs of service of Phases I and II being combined into a single, 
incremental cost of service commencing with Phase II service), and (3) 
billing determinants assuming full subscription of the firm 
transportation capacity to be made available as a result of the 
project. Transco states that the proposed rates will not affect the 
rates for Transco's existing services.
    Transco notes that, consistent with its ``spindown'' proposal in 
Docket No. CP96-206-000, it believes the proposed facilities qualify as 
non-jurisdictional gathering facilities exempt from the Commission's 
regulations under Section 1(b) of the Natural Gas Act.\1\
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    \1\ On September 25, 1996, the Commission issued an order in 
Docket No. CP96-206-000, dismissing the application.

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[[Page 52935]]

    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said application should on or before October 24, 1996, 
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 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 Transco to appear or be represented at the 
hearing.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-25850 Filed 10-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M