[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 165 (Thursday, August 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51597-51599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21603]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP00-437-000]


El Paso Natural Gas Company; Application

August 18, 2000.
    Take notice that on August 11, 2000, El Paso Natural Gas Company 
(El Paso), a Delaware corporation, whose mailing address is Post Office 
Box 1492, El Paso, Texas, 79978, filed an application at Docket No. 
CP00-437-000, pursuant to Sections 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) 
and Sections 157.7, et seq., of the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission's (Commission) Regulations under the NGA, for permission and 
approval to transfer to El Paso Field Services Company (Field Services) 
certain existing compression facilities, with appurtenant facilities, 
and the related service at the Waha Compressor Station located in 
Reeves County, Texas, all as more fully set forth in the application 
which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection. 
This filing may be viewed on the web at http://www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm (call 202-208-2222).

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    El Paso requests expedited treatment of the abandonment application 
to facilitate the transfer of the subject compression facilities and to 
provide for a seamless operational transition.
    El Paso indicates that on November 10, 1999, the Commission issued 
an order in response to the Williams Field Services Group, Inc. 
(Williams) compliant at Docket No. RP99-471-000. El Paso also indicates 
that the Commission found that the ``A'' Plant at El Paso's Blanco 
Compressor Station in San Juan County, New Mexico was properly 
functionalized as a transmission facility, but the ``C'' and ``D'' 
Plants, which El Paso had functionalized as transmission facilities, 
were in fact performing primarily a gathering function. Further, El 
Paso indicates that subsequently, in an Order Denying Rehearing issued 
on April 25, 2000, the Commission denied all requests for rehearing.
    In recognition of the Commission's analysis, orders, and counsel in 
the Blanco Complaint Proceeding at Docket No. RP99-471-000, El Paso 
states that it has evaluated the existing compression facilities at its 
Waha Compressor Station. Additionally, El Paso states that certain 
shippers on El Paso's system expressed concerns regarding the 
functionalization of facilities and the allocation of costs for the 
Waha Compressor Station. El Paso submits that those shippers raised 
concerns similar to those raised in Docket No. RP99-471-000, i.e., that 
El Paso should have functionalized and spundown additional facilities 
and costs to El Paso's gathering affiliate. In response to those 
concerns, and based on El Paso's subsequent review of the facilities 
and operations at the Waha Compressor Station, El Paso says that it has 
agreed certain changes to the functionalization of the facilities at 
the Waha Compressor Station are appropriate. El Paso states that it has 
determined that certain compressor facilities at the Waha Compressor 
Station possess a similar physical configuration to the Blanco ``C'' 
and ``D'' Plants (i.e., located upstream of transmission facilities 
delivering directly into the mainline), operate at similar pressures 
(150 to 300 psia) and provide similar services as the Blanco ``C'' and 
``D'' Plants (i.e., field related services vs. transmission related 
services).
    Specifically, El Paso submits that it has determined the following 
facilities at the Waha Compressor Station to be consistent with the 
Commission's findings for the Blanco ``C'' and ``D'' Plants (performing 
primarily a gathering service): (1) One General Electric Frame 5 Gas 
Turbine and one ``sour gas'' compressor unit, comprising a total of 
26,250 ISO horsepower; and (2) interconnecting drive units, with 
appurtenant piping and related equipment (Waha Field Compression 
Facilities). As a consequence, El Paso states that it does not desire 
to own and operate these Waha Field Compression Facilities as 
``gathering facilities'' since the ownership and operation of the 
gathering facilities by El Paso would not be consistent with its past 
corporate restructuring which involved the spin-down of gathering 
facilities to Field Services.
    El Paso says that it believes that the abandonment of these 
compression facilities by transfer to Field Services will provide for a 
smooth, seamless transition of services without any interruption in 
service or rate stacking, which would occur if the compression 
facilities were acquired by a third party. Further, El Paso says that 
such abandonment is consistent with El Paso's spin-down of facilities 
to Field Services, which was approved by the Commission at Docket No. 
CP94-183-000. Finally, El Paso says that it is El Paso's understanding 
that upon transfer of the Waha Field Compression Facilities, Field 
Services will continue to deliver the same volumes of natural gas at 
the required mainline pressure at the existing custody transfer point 
immediately downstream of the Saha Treating Plant.
    El Paso says that it will continue to own and cause the operation 
of its remaining compression facilities located at the Waha Compressor 
Station for jurisdictional transmission service.
    Any questions regarding the application should be directed to Mr. 
A.W. Clark, Vice President, El Paso Natural Gas Company, Post Office 
Box 1492, El Paso, Texas 79978 at (915) 496-2600.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said document should, on or before September 8, 2000, file 
with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C., 20426, 
a protest or motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of 
Rule 211 or 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 
CFR 385.211 or 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. The 
Commission's Rules require that protestors provide copies of their 
protests to the party or parties directly involved. 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.
    A person obtaining intervenor status will be placed on the service 
list maintained by the Commission and will receive copies of all 
documents filed by the Applicant and by every one of the intervenors. 
An intervenor can file for rehearing of any Commission order and can 
petition for court review of any such order. However, an intervenor 
must submit copies of comments or any other filing it makes with the 
Commission to every other intervenor in the proceeding, as well as 14 
copies with the Commission.
    A person does not have to intervene, however, in order to have 
comments considered. A person, instead, may submit two copies of 
comments to the Secretary of the Commission. Commenters will be placed 
on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive copies of 
the environmental documents and will be able to participate in meetings 
associated with the Commission's environmental review process. 
Commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed documents on 
all other parties. However, commenters will not receive copies of all 
documents filed by other parties or issued by the Commission and will 
not have the right to seek rehearing or appeal the Commission's final 
order to a federal court.
    The Commission will consider all comments and concerns equally, 
whether filed by commenters or those requesting intervenor status.
    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 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 procedures herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be

[[Page 51599]]

unnecessary for El Paso to appear or be represented at the hearing.

David P. Boergers,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-21603 Filed 8-23-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M