[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69730-69731]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29276]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP03-11-000]


Jupiter Energy Corporation; Notice of Application

November 13, 2002.
    On November 4, 2002, Jupiter Energy Corporation (Jupiter), 14141 
Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, Texas 77478, a wholly owned subsidiary 
of Union Oil Company of California (Unocal), filed an application in 
Docket No. CP03-11-000, pursuant to Section 7(b) of the Natural Gas Act 
(NGA), and part 157 of the regulations of the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission (Commission), for authorization to abandon all of Jupiter's 
certificated services, to rescind its certificates, and to declare 
Jupiter to be exempt from the Commission's jurisdiction, all as more 
fully set forth in the application which is on file with the Commission 
and open to public inspection. This filing is available for review at 
the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the 
Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov using the ``FERRIS'' link. 
Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket 
number field to access the document. For assistance, call (202) 502-
8222 or for TTY, (202) 208-8659.
    Jupiter states that it performs primarily a non-jurisdictional 
gathering function, and that it provides this service to only a single 
customer, Unocal, its parent corporation. Based upon the proposed 
abandonment and the rescinding of certificates, Jupiter states that it 
also requests the Commission to determine that Jupiter will no longer 
be a ``natural gas company'' subject to the Commission's jurisdiction 
under the NGA.
    Jupiter states that it was the first offshore, natural gas pipeline 
facility constructed in the Gulf of Mexico. The facility was 
constructed around 1950 and was located approximately 10 miles offshore 
in about 40 feet of water in what is now designated as Vermillion Block 
No. 39 and it served the offshore production of Unocal's predecessor, 
The Pure Oil Company (Pure).
    According to Jupiter, as originally configured, the Jupiter System 
consisted of two parallel pipelines: one approximately 8.5-mile 
pipeline with a diameter of 8 5/8 inches (the 8-inch Line) and one 
approximately 10.2-mile pipeline with a 10 3/4-inch diameter (the 10-
inch Line). The 8-inch Line is connected to a platform in Vermillion 
Block No. 39 that was originally owned by Pure and now by Unocal 
(Platform 39A). The 10-inch Line was originally connected to both that 
platform and another nearby platform owned by Phillips Petroleum/Kerr 
McGee, which has been abandoned for at least a decade. The two Jupiter 
Lines connected at the shoreline with two parallel pipelines owned by 
Tennessee Gas Transmission Company (Tennessee).
    Jupiter states that in February 2000, shortly after being acquired 
by Unocal, Jupiter constructed a sub sea interconnect at an existing 
intersection of Jupiter's 8-inch Line and a 24-inch lateral line of 
Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation (Transco) in Vermillion 
Block No. 22. The Transco interconnection is located approximately 3.2 
miles downstream from Platform 39A. Jupiter constructed the 
interconnect and then abandoned in-place the remainder of its 8-inch 
Line downstream of the Transco interconnect pursuant to blanket 
authority granted in Docket No. CP99-536. Tennessee subsequently 
abandoned its shoreline interconnect with Jupiter's 8-inch Line.
    According to Jupiter, the Jupiter pipelines transport unprocessed 
gas from Platform 39A to the nearest interstate pipelines: either 
approximately 3 miles on the 8-inch Line to the sub sea interconnect 
with Transco or approximately 10 miles on the 10-inch Line to the 
shoreline interconnect with Tennessee. The pipelines operate at 
pressures ranging from 750 to 950 psig. The gas transported to 
Tennessee's system on the Jupiter 10-inch Line reaches, after 
approximately 22 miles of transportation on Tennessee, a separation and 
dehydration facility that is owned by Jupiter (Jupiter Plant), which 
straddles the Tennessee line and separates out gas condensate. At the 
outlet of the Jupiter Plant, the gas is metered and continues on the 
Tennessee system.
    Jupiter states that Unocal owns a series of gathering facilities 
attached to the wells located in Vermillion Block Nos. 23, 38 and 39 
that feed into Platform 39A and then into Jupiter. Those gathering 
facilities consist of platforms and lease pipelines ranging in diameter 
from 4.5-inches to 8 and 5/8ths-inches. Jupiter states that it 
essentially functions as part of this Unocal gathering system and that 
Unocal expects to integrate the Jupiter gathering facilities into its 
own gathering operations following Commission approval of this 
application.
    Jupiter also states that Unocal has been the only shipper on 
Jupiter since at least 1992. Unocal owns all of the gas transported on 
Jupiter and currently produces over 97.5% of that gas, purchasing the 
remaining small amounts prior to transportation on Jupiter. Unocal 
acquired Jupiter in 1997 and, since then, has actively sought other 
potential shippers for Jupiter without success and it is most unlikely 
that any other potential shipper will seek access to the Jupiter 
system.
    Any questions regarding this application may be directed to Carol 
Westmoreland, Union Oil Company of California, Law Department, 14141 
Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, Texas 77478 at (281) 287-7492 or J. 
Patrick Nevins, Hogan & Hartson, L.L.P., 555 Thirteenth Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20004 at (202) 637-6441.
    There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of 
this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by 
becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or 
before December 4, 2002, file with the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, a motion to 
intervene 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). A person obtaining party 
status will be placed on the service list maintained by the Secretary 
of the Commission and

[[Page 69731]]

will receive copies of all documents filed by the applicant and by all 
other parties. A party must submit 14 copies of filings made with the 
Commission and must mail a copy to the applicant and to every other 
party in the proceeding. Only parties to the proceeding can ask for 
court review of Commission orders in the proceeding.
    However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have 
comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with 
the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and 
two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. 
The Commission will consider these comments in determining the 
appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will 
not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's 
rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project 
provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly 
involved in the protest.
    Comments, protests and interventions may be filed electronically 
via the Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission strongly encourages 
electronic filings. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and instructions on 
Commission's web site under the ``e-Filing'' link.
    If the Commission decides to set the application for a formal 
hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, the Commission will issue 
another notice describing that process. At the end of the Commission's 
review process, a final Commission order approving or denying a 
certificate will be issued.

Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-29276 Filed 11-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P