[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