The application filed by Texas Gas Transmission to reverse the flow on 690 miles of pipeline from Louisiana to southwestern Ohio. Reversing the flow (making it bi-directional) would allow Texas Gas to flow Marcellus and Utica Shale gas to the Gulf Coast area. The project does not include laying any new pipe--only the modification of four existing compressor stations and building one new compressor station.
The order approves Texas Gas Transmission's proposal to construct a new compressor station and modify existing facilities to enable bi-directional gas flows on its pipeline system. Specifically, it will construct the Bosco Compressor Station in Louisiana and modify four existing compressor stations and a pipeline interconnection. This will allow Texas Gas to transport up to 758,000 MMBtu per day of natural gas north to south. The order finds that the project will not adversely impact existing customers or other pipelines, and that Texas Gas has taken steps to minimize effects on landowners and communities. It authorizes the project subject to certain conditions.
FERC Approval for Tennessee Gas Pipeline - Connecticut Expansion ProjectMarcellus Drilling News
The official FERC approval/certificate allowing the Connecticut Expansion project to move forward. The project includes building 13.42 miles of new pipeline loops in three states: Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. When completed, the new looping will serve an additional 72,100 dekatherms of (mostly) Marcellus Shale gas to three utility companies in Connecticut.
The approval certificate issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on April 7, 2016 for a project to beef up a connection between two pipelines not yet built--PennEast Pipeline and Southern Reliability Project pipeline. Both new pipelines will be located, at least partially, in NJ.
A letter from Rover Pipeline to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requesting the agency issue the final certificate that will allow Rover to begin tree-clearing and construction of the 511-mile pipeline through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Michigan. If the certificate is delayed beyond the end of 2016, it will delay the project an extra year due to tree-clearing restrictions (to accommodate federally-protected bats).
FERC Order Denying Stay of Kinder Morgan's Broad Run Expansion ProjectMarcellus Drilling News
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied a request to stay the authorization of Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company's Broad Run Expansion Project. The Commission found that the intervenors requesting the stay did not demonstrate they would suffer irreparable harm if the project proceeded. Specifically, the Commission determined that the environmental impacts to forest and a nearby animal rehabilitation center would be insignificant. Additionally, conditioning authorization on future permits did not improperly encroach on state authority. Therefore, justice did not require granting a stay.
A binding open season (time for new customers to sign up) for using a new 105-mile natural gas pipeline from Luzerne County in northeastern PA to Mercer County near Trenton, NJ. The open season runs to August 29, 2014. This announcement contains details for the newly announced project to carry Marcellus Shale gas to customers in PA and NJ.
Federal Energy Regulatory approval and certificate that allows the Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company to build their White Oak Mainline Expansion Project--with new pipeline and compressor station upgrades in Chester County, PA and New Castle County, DE. It is a short, 7-mile pipeline to help de-bottleneck natural gas flows coming from the PA Marcellus Shale into ESNG's Delmarva Peninsula pipeline network.
Federal Energy Regulatory approval and certificate that allows the Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company to build their System Reliability Project--to construct and operate facilities in New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties in DE.
The order approves Texas Gas Transmission's proposal to construct a new compressor station and modify existing facilities to enable bi-directional gas flows on its pipeline system. Specifically, it will construct the Bosco Compressor Station in Louisiana and modify four existing compressor stations and a pipeline interconnection. This will allow Texas Gas to transport up to 758,000 MMBtu per day of natural gas north to south. The order finds that the project will not adversely impact existing customers or other pipelines, and that Texas Gas has taken steps to minimize effects on landowners and communities. It authorizes the project subject to certain conditions.
FERC Approval for Tennessee Gas Pipeline - Connecticut Expansion ProjectMarcellus Drilling News
The official FERC approval/certificate allowing the Connecticut Expansion project to move forward. The project includes building 13.42 miles of new pipeline loops in three states: Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. When completed, the new looping will serve an additional 72,100 dekatherms of (mostly) Marcellus Shale gas to three utility companies in Connecticut.
The approval certificate issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on April 7, 2016 for a project to beef up a connection between two pipelines not yet built--PennEast Pipeline and Southern Reliability Project pipeline. Both new pipelines will be located, at least partially, in NJ.
A letter from Rover Pipeline to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requesting the agency issue the final certificate that will allow Rover to begin tree-clearing and construction of the 511-mile pipeline through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Michigan. If the certificate is delayed beyond the end of 2016, it will delay the project an extra year due to tree-clearing restrictions (to accommodate federally-protected bats).
FERC Order Denying Stay of Kinder Morgan's Broad Run Expansion ProjectMarcellus Drilling News
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission denied a request to stay the authorization of Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company's Broad Run Expansion Project. The Commission found that the intervenors requesting the stay did not demonstrate they would suffer irreparable harm if the project proceeded. Specifically, the Commission determined that the environmental impacts to forest and a nearby animal rehabilitation center would be insignificant. Additionally, conditioning authorization on future permits did not improperly encroach on state authority. Therefore, justice did not require granting a stay.
A binding open season (time for new customers to sign up) for using a new 105-mile natural gas pipeline from Luzerne County in northeastern PA to Mercer County near Trenton, NJ. The open season runs to August 29, 2014. This announcement contains details for the newly announced project to carry Marcellus Shale gas to customers in PA and NJ.
Federal Energy Regulatory approval and certificate that allows the Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company to build their White Oak Mainline Expansion Project--with new pipeline and compressor station upgrades in Chester County, PA and New Castle County, DE. It is a short, 7-mile pipeline to help de-bottleneck natural gas flows coming from the PA Marcellus Shale into ESNG's Delmarva Peninsula pipeline network.
Federal Energy Regulatory approval and certificate that allows the Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company to build their System Reliability Project--to construct and operate facilities in New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties in DE.
The document discusses an application by The Gas Company to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requesting authorization under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act to receive and vaporize domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG) transported from the continental US for distribution in Hawaii. FERC dismisses the request, finding that the proposed project does not constitute an LNG terminal requiring authorization under Section 3, as it does not require construction of new facilities or modification of existing ones. As the transportation and distribution equipment is mobile, no land disturbance or facility modification is needed. Therefore, no Commission authorization is required for the project as described.
A notice from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to Downeast LNG informing them that their application to build an import/export LNG facility in Washington County, Maine has been rejected. Downeast first filed with FERC in 2006 and later in 2014 to modify their proposed LNG facility into both an import and export facility. FERC says Downeast has not shown sufficient progress to keep the project alive.
The pre-filing application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from the Millennium Pipeline to beef up capacity of the pipeline in several locations by installing 7.8 miles of new looping pipeline, upgrading one compressor station and building a new compressor station. The pipeline is located in New York State and connects to several other interstate pipelines, delivering natural gas to New York's Southern Tier and beyond.
Columbia Gas of Ohio Agreement to Ship Gas on NEXUS Gas Transmission PipelineMarcellus Drilling News
Columbia Gas of Ohio has signed a long-term contract to ship 50,000 decatherms per day (50 million cubic feet per day) of natural gas along the NEXUS from two points in Ohio and Pennsylvania to a point in Sandusky County, OH. This document provides the details.
Report to the General Assembly on Pipeline Placement of Natural Gas Gathering...Marcellus Drilling News
A report created and delivered to the PA legislature by PA Gov. Tom Corbett’s Energy Executive, Patrick Henderson, as a requirement under the state’s new Act 13 drilling law. The report provides a brief history of natural gas pipelines in the state with an excellent overview of how pipelines are regulated and who regulates them, followed by 16 recommendations for lawmakers to consider in crafting new policies.
The Maine Public Utilities Commission approved an alternative rate plan for Bangor Gas Company over the objections of the Office of the Public Advocate and Bucksport Mill. The Commission calculated Bangor Gas's initial rate base using the original cost of the utility's assets rather than the impaired acquisition cost. It also included 50% of Bangor Gas's regulatory proceeding expenses amortized over five years in the revenue requirement. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the Commission's order, finding that the Commission properly exercised its discretion in valuing the utility's assets and setting just and reasonable rates.
The open season memorandum, with details about Shell's proposed Falcon Ethane Pipeline Project to feed ethane from the Marcellus/Utica region to the Shell cracker plant that is scheduled to be built in Beaver County, PA (near Pittsburgh).
The document discusses the development of a model Road Use and Maintenance Agreement (RUMA) for shale gas exploration in Ohio based on lessons learned from Pennsylvania. It describes the increasing number of wells drilled in Pennsylvania from 2007 to 2011. It also notes the potential for thousands of wells to be drilled in Ohio. It outlines the multi-step process used to develop the RUMA, involving numerous stakeholders from local governments and the oil/gas industry. The final draft RUMA addresses issues like bonding, maintenance requirements, notifications, and emergency contacts.
The document provides an update on regulatory and commercial activities related to the proposed Alaska LNG project. Key points include:
- The project has received acceptance into the FAST-41 permitting program to enhance federal coordination and accountability. Special permits are also being pursued from the PHMSA.
- Extensive environmental reviews have already been conducted for the proposed pipeline route. FERC is the lead federal agency reviewing the project's application.
- Non-binding agreements like MOUs and LOIs have been signed with several major Asian LNG buyers to indicate interest, though binding long-term contracts will be needed to secure financing.
- A financial model assumes $32 billion in project debt and $10.8
This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is between Arapahoe County and an oil and gas operator to establish conditions for developing and operating future oil and gas facilities in unincorporated parts of the county. It aims to foster efficient production while protecting health, safety, environment, and providing a predictable permitting process. Key points include: the operator will use closed-loop systems where possible; water storage pits must meet fresh/brine water standards; additional pit types require county review; berms must be inspected weekly; and the parties will meet quarterly to discuss issues.
Spectra Energy Partners held its 2013 MLP/Midstream Infrastructure Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 21-22, 2013. The presentation discussed Spectra Energy Partners' acquisition of additional assets from Spectra Energy, which would transform it into one of the largest fee-based master limited partnerships in the U.S. The acquisition included natural gas transmission and storage assets, as well as crude oil and natural gas liquid pipelines. This transaction was expected to close by the end of the year. Spectra Energy Partners also outlined several organic growth projects through 2020 totaling around $8 billion. The presentation projected annual distribution growth of 9% through 2015 as a result of the acquisition and growth opportunities.
The Mountaineer XPress project is approximately 150 miles of new pipeline with approximately 2.7Bcf per day of transportation capacity from existing and future points of receipt along or near CPG’s system, most of it located in West Virginia.
Imran Yousaf Khan - General Manager, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited – Pakistan
Shaheryar Qazi - General Manager (Operations), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited - Pakistan
This document provides an update on EnLink Midstream's growth initiatives for Q3 2014. It discusses the four avenues for growth: 1) drop downs from Devon Energy, 2) growing with Devon through new projects, 3) organic growth projects, and 4) mergers and acquisitions. Recent progress includes completing the E2 drop down, announcing the Ajax plant and Martin County expansion with Devon, announcing an NGL pipeline JV with Marathon Petroleum and Ohio River Valley expansion, and acquiring Gulf Coast natural gas assets from Chevron. Over $1 billion of projects were recently completed or announced that will deliver an estimated $1 billion more in capital investment.
This document discusses the impact of unconventional energy resources like shale oil and gas and oil sands on rail transportation in North America. It notes that technological advances have enabled increased production from these resources, driving growth in related rail shipments of materials like frac sand and crude oil. However, pipeline capacity constraints currently necessitate significant crude by rail shipments, especially of Canadian oil. The document also examines proposed regulations on rail shipments of crude oil and their potential effects. Overall rail traffic of frac sand and crude oil has grown rapidly but further growth depends on regulatory and infrastructure developments.
1. The document summarizes an analysis of oil markets and how they could be affected by the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. It examines issues like oil transportation infrastructure, updated modeling of various scenarios, and conclusions about potential impacts on oil sands production.
2. Recent developments since previous analyses in 2011 and 2013 include increased use of rail to transport Canadian crude oil, investments in rail infrastructure, and incorporation of higher US oil production into the models.
3. Modeling of 16 scenarios found that pipeline constraints have limited impact on oil flows and prices. Increased Canadian exports to Asia by potential new pipelines to coasts could offset constrained pipelines to the US. Constraints are not expected to significantly affect US consumer fuel prices or heavy
An important Dormant Minerals Right Act (DMA) case before the Ohio Supreme Court. The Court held that under the DMA: (1) a recorded oil and gas lease is a title transaction that serves as a savings event that prevents minerals from being abandoned to a surface owner; but (2) that the unrecorded expiration of an oil and gas lease is not a savings event.
The Cameron LNG liquefaction project in Hackberry, Louisiana will develop natural gas liquefaction and export facilities next to its existing LNG terminal. The $10 billion project will include three liquefaction trains each with capacity of 4.5 million tonnes per year. It has received all necessary approvals and will create thousands of construction and permanent jobs. First commercial operation of the three trains is scheduled for 2019.
The document summarizes Cliffs Chromite Project, which proposes developing a chromite mine, processing facility, transportation system, and ferrochrome production facility in Ontario, Canada. The project would involve open-pit mining of up to 30 million tons of material per year from the Black Thor deposit, producing 4.4 million tons of chromite concentrate annually. An all-season road and rail system would transport the concentrate over 260 km to the ferrochrome production facility near Capreol, which would produce 1,500 tons of ferrochrome per day. The project has the potential to affect traditional territories and rights of Marten Falls, Webequie, and Wahnapitae First Nations.
The Prize and Pitfalls of the Global LNG Business - Betsey SpomerEnergy Intelligence
Oil & Money 2015
Chair: David Kirsch - Managing Director, Research & Advisory Energy Intelligence
Panel: Frédéric Barnaud - Executive Director, Global LNG, Oil & Shipping Gazprom Marketing and Trading
Roger Bounds - Global Head of LNG Royal Dutch Shell
Spectra Energy Pipeline Proposal for Maine Public Utilities CommissionMarcellus Drilling News
This proposal from Spectra Energy provides two options for Maine to consider regarding Energy Cost Reduction Contracts:
1) Atlantic Bridge, which would expand existing pipelines by 2017 and provide up to 200 MMcf/d of capacity at a negotiable rate. It offers flexibility and protections for Maine.
2) Access Northeast, a collaborative project with Northeast Utilities targeting 2018 that is more regional in scope and would further expand pipeline infrastructure. Maine could participate through various means.
Both projects are argued to fulfill Maine's objectives of enhancing capacity and reliability while reducing energy costs for consumers.
Williams Request for Pre-Filing Review on Transco Northeast Supply Enhancemen...Marcellus Drilling News
A pre-filing review request from Williams to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The Transco Northeast Supply Enhancement Project would bump up capacity on the Transco pipeline system to meet extra demand from utility company National Grid.
The document discusses an application by The Gas Company to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requesting authorization under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act to receive and vaporize domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG) transported from the continental US for distribution in Hawaii. FERC dismisses the request, finding that the proposed project does not constitute an LNG terminal requiring authorization under Section 3, as it does not require construction of new facilities or modification of existing ones. As the transportation and distribution equipment is mobile, no land disturbance or facility modification is needed. Therefore, no Commission authorization is required for the project as described.
A notice from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to Downeast LNG informing them that their application to build an import/export LNG facility in Washington County, Maine has been rejected. Downeast first filed with FERC in 2006 and later in 2014 to modify their proposed LNG facility into both an import and export facility. FERC says Downeast has not shown sufficient progress to keep the project alive.
The pre-filing application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from the Millennium Pipeline to beef up capacity of the pipeline in several locations by installing 7.8 miles of new looping pipeline, upgrading one compressor station and building a new compressor station. The pipeline is located in New York State and connects to several other interstate pipelines, delivering natural gas to New York's Southern Tier and beyond.
Columbia Gas of Ohio Agreement to Ship Gas on NEXUS Gas Transmission PipelineMarcellus Drilling News
Columbia Gas of Ohio has signed a long-term contract to ship 50,000 decatherms per day (50 million cubic feet per day) of natural gas along the NEXUS from two points in Ohio and Pennsylvania to a point in Sandusky County, OH. This document provides the details.
Report to the General Assembly on Pipeline Placement of Natural Gas Gathering...Marcellus Drilling News
A report created and delivered to the PA legislature by PA Gov. Tom Corbett’s Energy Executive, Patrick Henderson, as a requirement under the state’s new Act 13 drilling law. The report provides a brief history of natural gas pipelines in the state with an excellent overview of how pipelines are regulated and who regulates them, followed by 16 recommendations for lawmakers to consider in crafting new policies.
The Maine Public Utilities Commission approved an alternative rate plan for Bangor Gas Company over the objections of the Office of the Public Advocate and Bucksport Mill. The Commission calculated Bangor Gas's initial rate base using the original cost of the utility's assets rather than the impaired acquisition cost. It also included 50% of Bangor Gas's regulatory proceeding expenses amortized over five years in the revenue requirement. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the Commission's order, finding that the Commission properly exercised its discretion in valuing the utility's assets and setting just and reasonable rates.
The open season memorandum, with details about Shell's proposed Falcon Ethane Pipeline Project to feed ethane from the Marcellus/Utica region to the Shell cracker plant that is scheduled to be built in Beaver County, PA (near Pittsburgh).
The document discusses the development of a model Road Use and Maintenance Agreement (RUMA) for shale gas exploration in Ohio based on lessons learned from Pennsylvania. It describes the increasing number of wells drilled in Pennsylvania from 2007 to 2011. It also notes the potential for thousands of wells to be drilled in Ohio. It outlines the multi-step process used to develop the RUMA, involving numerous stakeholders from local governments and the oil/gas industry. The final draft RUMA addresses issues like bonding, maintenance requirements, notifications, and emergency contacts.
The document provides an update on regulatory and commercial activities related to the proposed Alaska LNG project. Key points include:
- The project has received acceptance into the FAST-41 permitting program to enhance federal coordination and accountability. Special permits are also being pursued from the PHMSA.
- Extensive environmental reviews have already been conducted for the proposed pipeline route. FERC is the lead federal agency reviewing the project's application.
- Non-binding agreements like MOUs and LOIs have been signed with several major Asian LNG buyers to indicate interest, though binding long-term contracts will be needed to secure financing.
- A financial model assumes $32 billion in project debt and $10.8
This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is between Arapahoe County and an oil and gas operator to establish conditions for developing and operating future oil and gas facilities in unincorporated parts of the county. It aims to foster efficient production while protecting health, safety, environment, and providing a predictable permitting process. Key points include: the operator will use closed-loop systems where possible; water storage pits must meet fresh/brine water standards; additional pit types require county review; berms must be inspected weekly; and the parties will meet quarterly to discuss issues.
Spectra Energy Partners held its 2013 MLP/Midstream Infrastructure Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 21-22, 2013. The presentation discussed Spectra Energy Partners' acquisition of additional assets from Spectra Energy, which would transform it into one of the largest fee-based master limited partnerships in the U.S. The acquisition included natural gas transmission and storage assets, as well as crude oil and natural gas liquid pipelines. This transaction was expected to close by the end of the year. Spectra Energy Partners also outlined several organic growth projects through 2020 totaling around $8 billion. The presentation projected annual distribution growth of 9% through 2015 as a result of the acquisition and growth opportunities.
The Mountaineer XPress project is approximately 150 miles of new pipeline with approximately 2.7Bcf per day of transportation capacity from existing and future points of receipt along or near CPG’s system, most of it located in West Virginia.
Imran Yousaf Khan - General Manager, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited – Pakistan
Shaheryar Qazi - General Manager (Operations), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited - Pakistan
This document provides an update on EnLink Midstream's growth initiatives for Q3 2014. It discusses the four avenues for growth: 1) drop downs from Devon Energy, 2) growing with Devon through new projects, 3) organic growth projects, and 4) mergers and acquisitions. Recent progress includes completing the E2 drop down, announcing the Ajax plant and Martin County expansion with Devon, announcing an NGL pipeline JV with Marathon Petroleum and Ohio River Valley expansion, and acquiring Gulf Coast natural gas assets from Chevron. Over $1 billion of projects were recently completed or announced that will deliver an estimated $1 billion more in capital investment.
This document discusses the impact of unconventional energy resources like shale oil and gas and oil sands on rail transportation in North America. It notes that technological advances have enabled increased production from these resources, driving growth in related rail shipments of materials like frac sand and crude oil. However, pipeline capacity constraints currently necessitate significant crude by rail shipments, especially of Canadian oil. The document also examines proposed regulations on rail shipments of crude oil and their potential effects. Overall rail traffic of frac sand and crude oil has grown rapidly but further growth depends on regulatory and infrastructure developments.
1. The document summarizes an analysis of oil markets and how they could be affected by the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. It examines issues like oil transportation infrastructure, updated modeling of various scenarios, and conclusions about potential impacts on oil sands production.
2. Recent developments since previous analyses in 2011 and 2013 include increased use of rail to transport Canadian crude oil, investments in rail infrastructure, and incorporation of higher US oil production into the models.
3. Modeling of 16 scenarios found that pipeline constraints have limited impact on oil flows and prices. Increased Canadian exports to Asia by potential new pipelines to coasts could offset constrained pipelines to the US. Constraints are not expected to significantly affect US consumer fuel prices or heavy
An important Dormant Minerals Right Act (DMA) case before the Ohio Supreme Court. The Court held that under the DMA: (1) a recorded oil and gas lease is a title transaction that serves as a savings event that prevents minerals from being abandoned to a surface owner; but (2) that the unrecorded expiration of an oil and gas lease is not a savings event.
The Cameron LNG liquefaction project in Hackberry, Louisiana will develop natural gas liquefaction and export facilities next to its existing LNG terminal. The $10 billion project will include three liquefaction trains each with capacity of 4.5 million tonnes per year. It has received all necessary approvals and will create thousands of construction and permanent jobs. First commercial operation of the three trains is scheduled for 2019.
The document summarizes Cliffs Chromite Project, which proposes developing a chromite mine, processing facility, transportation system, and ferrochrome production facility in Ontario, Canada. The project would involve open-pit mining of up to 30 million tons of material per year from the Black Thor deposit, producing 4.4 million tons of chromite concentrate annually. An all-season road and rail system would transport the concentrate over 260 km to the ferrochrome production facility near Capreol, which would produce 1,500 tons of ferrochrome per day. The project has the potential to affect traditional territories and rights of Marten Falls, Webequie, and Wahnapitae First Nations.
The Prize and Pitfalls of the Global LNG Business - Betsey SpomerEnergy Intelligence
Oil & Money 2015
Chair: David Kirsch - Managing Director, Research & Advisory Energy Intelligence
Panel: Frédéric Barnaud - Executive Director, Global LNG, Oil & Shipping Gazprom Marketing and Trading
Roger Bounds - Global Head of LNG Royal Dutch Shell
Spectra Energy Pipeline Proposal for Maine Public Utilities CommissionMarcellus Drilling News
This proposal from Spectra Energy provides two options for Maine to consider regarding Energy Cost Reduction Contracts:
1) Atlantic Bridge, which would expand existing pipelines by 2017 and provide up to 200 MMcf/d of capacity at a negotiable rate. It offers flexibility and protections for Maine.
2) Access Northeast, a collaborative project with Northeast Utilities targeting 2018 that is more regional in scope and would further expand pipeline infrastructure. Maine could participate through various means.
Both projects are argued to fulfill Maine's objectives of enhancing capacity and reliability while reducing energy costs for consumers.
Williams Request for Pre-Filing Review on Transco Northeast Supply Enhancemen...Marcellus Drilling News
A pre-filing review request from Williams to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The Transco Northeast Supply Enhancement Project would bump up capacity on the Transco pipeline system to meet extra demand from utility company National Grid.
Decision by NH PUC to Deny Request by Eversource Energy to Strike a Long-Term...Marcellus Drilling News
The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission dismissed Eversource's petition requesting approval of a long-term gas capacity contract with Algonquin Gas Transmission and cost recovery through customer rates. The Commission determined that Eversource's proposed program is inconsistent with New Hampshire's electric utility restructuring law, which aims to introduce competition in electricity generation through functional separation of generation, transmission, and distribution services. The Commission found that the overriding purpose of the restructuring law is to shift generation investment risks away from regulated utility customers onto private investors in competitive electricity markets.
Mountaineer Gas Case No. 15-1256-G-390P Request to Expand Distribution Lines ...Marcellus Drilling News
An application by Mountaineer Gas, the state's largest natgas local distribution company, to build 56 miles of new distribution lines in the eastern panhandle counties of Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan to deliver more gas to the region in response to demand from manufacturing plants that want to build in the area. The new lines would provide Marcellus Shale for new and existing customers.
San Jose Water Company filed an application with the California Public Utilities Commission to adjust its cost of capital and rates for the period from 2018 to 2020. SJWC is requesting authorization to adjust its cost of capital based on its forecasted costs of equity and long-term debt and capital structure. It is also requesting to maintain its existing Water Cost of Capital Mechanism to allow for mid-cycle adjustments if bond index rates change substantially. The application includes testimony supporting SJWC's proposed cost of equity, debt, and capital structure. It proposes a schedule for the proceeding, which would allow new rates to take effect on January 1, 2018 if approved.
San Jose Water Company (SJWC) submitted Advice Letter 506 to the Public Utilities Commission of California requesting authorization to increase its revenue requirement by $5,338,823 through a rate base offset. This would allow recovery of costs associated with upgrades to the Montevina Water Treatment Plant (MWTP) completed in 2016. Work in 2016 included construction activities, equipment installation, and permitting. The total recorded costs for the MWTP project from 2013-2016 are below the approved $62 million budget cap. SJWC is requesting to recover 30% of the revenue requirement through a service charge increase and 70% through volumetric rate increases.
The approval document from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approving an application filed by Dominion in June 2014 to build new compression facilities at existing compressor stations in West Virginia and Ohio, along with other bits and bobs, collectively called the Clarington Project. Anti-fossil fuel organization Allegheny Defense Project filed a protest against the Clarington Project. In FERC's approval, they rip to shreds Allegheny's pathetic arguments against this project.
Scoping Comments from MA Attorney General Maura Healey on Kinder Morgan NED P...Marcellus Drilling News
An extensive...letter? term paper? pile of crap?...sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by the anti-drilling MA Attorney General requesting they reject Kinder Morgan's Northeast Energy Direct natural gas pipeline.
Revised regulations from the Dept. of Interiori's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that will govern how and when fracking happens on the 700 million acres of federally owned land, mostly in the Western United States. The BLM oversees a huge amount of land with some 92,000 oil and gas wells on its property. The new rules tighten reporting of fracking chemicals and the way cement is used to protect holes drilled to retrieve oil and gas.
This document summarizes the key aspects of the Bureau of Land Management's final rule regarding hydraulic fracturing on federal and Indian lands:
1) It improves public disclosure of fracturing operations and chemicals used while protecting trade secrets. Operators must disclose details to BLM and the public, using FracFocus.
2) It strengthens well construction standards to ensure integrity and protect water resources, requiring cement evaluation and remediation if needed.
3) It provides for interim storage of recovered fluids in closed tanks to contain them, with limited exceptions.
4) It aims to increase oversight and transparency without undue delays or costs for operators.
Final Environmental Impact Statement for NEXUS Gas Transmission ProjectMarcellus Drilling News
The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the NEXUS Pipeline project, a $2 billion, 255-mile interstate pipeline that will run from Ohio through Michigan and eventually to the Dawn Hub in Ontario, Canada. FERC gave the project a thumbs up, which clears the way for a Certificate to be issued in early 2017.
This letter requests that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) initiate its pre-filing process for the proposed NEXUS Gas Transmission Project, a new greenfield natural gas pipeline. The pipeline would transport 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from the Marcellus and Utica shale regions to markets in the Midwest United States and Ontario, Canada. Representatives of NEXUS Gas Transmission met with FERC staff on December 17th to discuss use of the pre-filing process. NEXUS plans to file its formal certificate application with FERC following completion of the pre-filing process in order to meet a targeted in-service date of November 1st, 2017.
10 Ways Congress Can Help Shippers and CarriersJOCNews
The document discusses recommendations from industry executives for improving US infrastructure and transportation systems. It calls for increased spending on highways, bridges, and the Next Generation air traffic control system. It also recommends allowing larger truck sizes, completing free trade agreements, reducing customs delays, creating a national freight policy and freight trust fund, and making freight project reviews more efficient.
The document summarizes significant groundwater bills from the 85th Texas Legislative session. It discusses bills relating to desired future conditions appeals, aquifer storage and recovery permitting, brackish groundwater production zones, permit renewals with groundwater conservation districts, groundwater conservation district board member liability, water well driller apprentice programs, disclosure of groundwater conservation districts during property sales, groundwater conservation district permitting decisions, Texas Water Development Board aquifer mapping, and governmental transparency legislation.
Nick Ivanoff, president and CEO of Ammann & Whitney and senior vice chairman of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), testified before the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment regarding EPA's expanded interpretation of its permit veto authority under the Clean Water Act. He expressed concerns that EPA's retroactive veto of an issued section 404 permit undermines predictability and fairness in the permitting process. This increased uncertainty could jeopardize transportation project planning, financing, and delivery. ARTBA supports legislation to curb EPA's ability to retroactively veto valid permits and restore certainty for transportation construction.
Pembina Pipeline Corporation (NYSE: PBA) was recently added to the investment portfolio of the UCD Student Managed Fund (SMF).
Our investment team believes PBA is well positioned for strong medium to long-term growth rates. Our pitchbook provides a comprehensive overview of why we decided to allocate funding to this particular stock.
Massachusetts Sustainable Development Incentivesjoecal
Joe Callanan conducted a presentation on Looking to the Future: Sustainable Real Estate & Green Buildings at the 2009 Real Estate Bar Association spring conference, held on May 4, 2009 at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Shane Khoury, Arkansas Oil and Gas CommissionAIPRO
This document provides information about oil and gas regulation in Arkansas. It discusses the deputy director of the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission (AOGC), natural gas and oil production levels in the state from 1973 to present, the AOGC's digital transformation award, coordination with other regulatory agencies, upcoming rule amendments, and proclaims the week of October 1-6, 2017 as Energy Awareness Week in Arkansas.
Copy of a letter sent by the Natural Gas Supply Association to the NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation, politely requesting they get off their considerable rear-ends and approve air permits for Dominion's New Market Project.
The U.S. Department of Energy prepared an EIS to evaluate the environmental impacts of a proposed IGCC power plant in Kemper County, Mississippi. The plant would demonstrate an advanced system to convert lignite into synthesis gas to fuel turbines, generating 582 MW while reducing emissions. Associated infrastructure like pipelines and transmission lines would be constructed. The EIS considers impacts to resources like water, wildlife, and air quality from the plant, adjacent mine supplying lignite, and related facilities. It also evaluates alternatives and solicits public input to inform the agencies' decisions on providing funding and permits.
Similar to Ohio-Louisiana Access Project - Reverse Natural Gas Pipeline from NE to Gulf (20)
The document summarizes five key facts about the recovery of US shale oil production:
1) Rig counts have increased by 90% since bottoming out in May 2016 and are up 30% year-over-year, signaling increased drilling and production capacity.
2) While decline rates remain steep, production profiles have increased substantially due to technological advances, meaning aggregate supply will be stronger.
3) Preliminary data shows that net new shale supply turned positive in December 2016 for the first time since March 2015, recovering just 7 months after rig counts increased.
4) Increased drilling activity is supported by a large stock of drilled but uncompleted wells, demonstrating the recovery and expansion of the shale sector.
5)
Quarterly legislative action update: Marcellus and Utica shale region (4Q16)Marcellus Drilling News
A quarterly update from the legal beagles at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. A quarterly legislative action update for the second quarter of 2016 looking at previously laws acted upon, and new laws introduced, affecting the oil and gas industry in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
An update from Spectra Energy on their proposed $3 billion project to connect four existing pipeline systems to flow more Marcellus/Utica gas to New England. In short, Spectra has put the project on pause until mid-2017 while it attempts to get new customers signed.
DOE Order Granting Elba Island LNG Right to Export to Non-FTA CountriesMarcellus Drilling News
An order issued by the U.S. Dept. of Energy that allows the Elba Island LNG export facility to export LNG to countries with no free trade agreement with the U.S. Countries like Japan and India have no FTA with our country (i.e. friendly countries)--so this is good news indeed. Although the facility would have operated by sending LNG to FTA countries, this order opens the market much wider.
A study released in December 2016 by the London School of Economics, titled "On the Comparative Advantage of U.S. Manufacturing: Evidence from the Shale Gas Revolution." While America has enough shale gas to export plenty of it, exporting it is not as economic as exporting oil due to the elaborate processes to liquefy and regassify natural gas--therefore a lot of the gas stays right here at home, making the U.S. one of (if not the) cheapest places on the planet to establish manufacturing plants, especially for manufacturers that use natural gas and NGLs (natural gas liquids). Therefore, manufacturing, especially in the petrochemical sector, is ramping back up in the U.S. For every two jobs created by fracking, another one job is created in the manufacturing sector.
Letter From 24 States Asking Trump & Congress to Withdraw the Unlawful Clean ...Marcellus Drilling News
A letter from the attorneys general from 24 of the states opposed to the Obama Clean Power Plan to President-Elect Trump, RINO Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel and RINO House Speaker Paul Ryan. The letter asks Trump to dump the CPP on Day One when he takes office, and asks Congress to adopt legislation to prevent the EPA from such an egregious overreach ever again.
Report: New U.S. Power Costs: by County, with Environmental ExternalitiesMarcellus Drilling News
Natural gas and wind are the lowest-cost technology options for new electricity generation across much of the U.S. when cost, public health impacts and environmental effects are considered. So says this new research paper released by The University of Texas at Austin. Researchers assessed multiple generation technologies including coal, natural gas, solar, wind and nuclear. Their findings are depicted in a series of maps illustrating the cost of each generation technology on a county-by-county basis throughout the U.S.
Annual report issued by the U.S. Energy Information Administration showing oil and natural gas proved reserves, in this case for 2015. These reports are issued almost a year after the period for which they report. This report shows proved reserves for natural gas dropped by 64.5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), or 16.6%. U.S. crude oil and lease condensate proved reserves also decreased--from 39.9 billion barrels to 35.2 billion barrels (down 11.8%) in 2015. Proved reserves are calculated on a number of factors, including price.
The document is a report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration analyzing oil and gas production from seven regions in the U.S. It includes charts and tables showing historical and projected production levels of oil and gas from each region from 2008 to 2017, as well as metrics like the average production per rig. The regions - Bakken, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Marcellus, Niobrara, Permian, and Utica - accounted for 92% of domestic oil production growth and all domestic natural gas production growth from 2011-2014.
Velocys is the manufacturer of gas-to-liquids (GTL) plants that convert natural gas (a hyrdocarbon) into other hydrocarbons, like diesel fuel, gasoline, and even waxes. This PowerPoint presentation lays out the Velocys plan to get the company growing. GTL plants have not (so far) taken off in the U.S. Velocys hopes to change that. They specialize in small GTL plants.
PA DEP Revised Permit for Natural Gas Compression Stations, Processing Plants...Marcellus Drilling News
In January 2016, Gov. Wolf announced the DEP would revise its current general permit (GP-5) to update the permitting requirements for sources at natural gas compression, processing, and transmission facilities. This is the revised GP-5.
PA DEP Permit for Unconventional NatGas Well Site Operations and Remote Piggi...Marcellus Drilling News
In January 2016, PA Gov. Wolf announced the Dept. of Environmental Protection would develop a general permit for sources at new or modified unconventional well sites and remote pigging stations (GP-5A). This is the proposed permit.
Onerous new regulations for the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale industry proposed by the state Dept. of Environmental Protection. The new regs will, according to the DEP, help PA reduce so-called fugitive methane emissions and some types of air pollution (VOCs). This is liberal Gov. Tom Wolf's way of addressing mythical man-made global warming.
The monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) from the U.S. Energy Information Administration for December 2016. This issue makes a couple of key points re natural gas: (1) EIA predicts that natural gas production in the U.S. for 2016 will see a healthy decline over 2015 levels--1.3 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) less in 2016. That's the first annual production decline since 2005! (2) The EIA predicts the average price for natural gas at the benchmark Henry Hub will climb from $2.49/Mcf (thousand cubic feet) in 2016 to a whopping $3.27/Mcf in 2017. Why the jump? Growing domestic natural gas consumption, along with higher pipeline exports to Mexico and liquefied natural gas exports.
This document provides an overview of the natural gas market in the Northeast United States, including New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. It details statistics on gas customers, consumption, infrastructure like pipelines and storage, and production. A key point is that the development of the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania has significantly increased domestic gas production in the region and reduced its reliance on other supply basins and imports.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission responded to each point raised in a draft copy of the PA Auditor General's audit of how Act 13 impact fee money, raised from Marcellus Shale drillers, gets spent by local municipalities. The PUC says it's not their job to monitor how the money gets spent, only in how much is raised and distributed.
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Act 13/Impact Fees Audit by PA Auditor...Marcellus Drilling News
A biased look at how 60% of impact fees raised from PA's shale drilling are spent, by the anti-drilling PA Auditor General. He chose to ignore an audit of 40% of the impact fees, which go to Harrisburg and disappear into the black hole of Harrisburg spending. The Auditor General claims, without basis in fact, that up to 24% of the funds are spent on items not allowed under the Act 13 law.
The final report from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection that finds, after several years of testing, no elevated levels of radiation from acid mine drainage coming from the Clyde Mine, flowing into Ten Mile Creek. Radical anti-drillers tried to smear the Marcellus industry with false claims of illegal wastewater dumping into the mine, with further claims of elevated radiation levels in the creek. After years of testing, the DEP found those allegations to be false.
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Decision in Harper v Muskingum Watershed Conse...Marcellus Drilling News
Anti-drilling landowners (backed by Food & Water Watch) claimed the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District had violated the deed to the land it owns by leasing that land for Utica Shale drilling. The Sixth Circuit dismissed the case. The anti-drillers lost.
Schedule 13D - Stone Energy Corporation - Largest Shareholder Opposes Bankrup...Marcellus Drilling News
Stone Energy's largest investor, Thomas Satterfield, owns 9.9% of the company's stock. He doesn't want to see that stock turned into toilet paper by handing the keys over to debtholders under the current bankruptcy plan. He filed this report with the SEC opposing Stone's existing plan.
12062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
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Youngest c m in India- Pema Khandu BiographyVoterMood
Pema Khandu, born on August 21, 1979, is an Indian politician and the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. He is the son of former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Dorjee Khandu. Pema Khandu assumed office as the Chief Minister in July 2016, making him one of the youngest Chief Ministers in India at that time.
projet de traité négocié à Istanbul (anglais).pdfEdouardHusson
Ceci est le projet de traité qui avait été négocié entre Russes et Ukrainiens à Istanbul en mars 2022, avant que les Etats-Unis et la Grande-Bretagne ne détournent Kiev de signer.
Recent years have seen a disturbing rise in violence, discrimination, and intolerance against Christian communities in various Islamic countries. This multifaceted challenge, deeply rooted in historical, social, and political animosities, demands urgent attention. Despite the escalating persecution, substantial support from the Western world remains lacking.
Federal Authorities Urge Vigilance Amid Bird Flu Outbreak | The Lifesciences ...The Lifesciences Magazine
Federal authorities have advised the public to remain vigilant but calm in response to the ongoing bird flu outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu.
15062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
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13062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
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ग्रेटर मुंबई के नगर आयुक्त को एक खुले पत्र में याचिका दायर कर 540 से अधिक मुंबईकरों ने सभी अवैध और अस्थिर होर्डिंग्स, साइनबोर्ड और इलेक्ट्रिक साइनेज को तत्काल हटाने और 13 मई, 2024 की शाम को घाटकोपर में अवैध होर्डिंग के गिरने की विनाशकारी घटना के बाद अपराधियों के खिलाफ सख्त कार्रवाई की मांग की है, जिसमें 17 लोगों की जान चली गई और कई निर्दोष लोग गंभीर रूप से घायल हो गए।
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Discover the life and times of Lalu Prasad Yadav with a comprehensive biography in Hindi. Learn about his early days, rise in politics, controversies, and contribution.
16062024_First India Newspaper Jaipur.pdfFIRST INDIA
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Slide deck with charts from our Digital News Report 2024, the most comprehensive exploration of news consumption habits around the world, based on survey data from more than 95,000 respondents across 47 countries.
#WenguiGuo#WashingtonFarm Guo Wengui Wolf son ambition exposed to open a far...rittaajmal71
Since fleeing to the United States in 2014, Guo Wengui has founded a number of projects in the United States, such as GTV Media Group, GTV private equity, farm loan project, G Club Operations Co., LTD., and Himalaya Exchange.
केरल उच्च न्यायालय ने 11 जून, 2024 को मंडला पूजा में भाग लेने की अनुमति मांगने वाली 10 वर्षीय लड़की की रिट याचिका को खारिज कर दिया, जिसमें सर्वोच्च न्यायालय की एक बड़ी पीठ के समक्ष इस मुद्दे की लंबित प्रकृति पर जोर दिया गया। यह आदेश न्यायमूर्ति अनिल के. नरेंद्रन और न्यायमूर्ति हरिशंकर वी. मेनन की खंडपीठ द्वारा पारित किया गया
Ohio-Louisiana Access Project - Reverse Natural Gas Pipeline from NE to Gulf
1. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BEFORE THE
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF )
) DOCKET NO. CP14-___-000
TEXAS GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC )
ABBREVIATED APPLICATION FOR AUTHORIZATION TO
CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE PIPELINE FACILITIES
Pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act (“NGA”), as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 717(f), and Section 157.7 of the regulations of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“Commission”), 18 C.F.R. § 157.7, Texas Gas Transmission, LLC (“Texas Gas”) submits this abbreviated application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (“Application”) and requests authorization for the construction and operation of facilities which will allow it to efficiently and reliably flow proposed quantities of natural gas north to south on its existing system, while retaining the current capability to flow south to north, in order to accommodate customers who are seeking access to the Marcellus/Utica shale supplies on the northern end of the Texas Gas system with an ultimate destination to serve new markets in the Midwest and South (“Ohio-Louisiana Access Project” or “Project”).
Texas Gas requests authorization to (i) construct, own, operate, and maintain a new compressor station located in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana (“Bosco Compressor Station”); (ii) modify the existing interconnect between Texas Gas and Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP (“Gulf South”) at Bosco to allow bi-directional gas flow (“Gulf South-Bosco Meter Station”); and (iii) make certain yard and station piping modifications at the existing Dillsboro, Columbia, Pineville, and Eunice Compressor Stations, to allow
2. 2
each of the compressor stations, which have traditionally flowed gas south to north, to efficiently and reliably flow the proposed quantities north to south while retaining the existing capability to flow south to north.
The new Bosco Compressor Station will be built near the location of the existing interconnect between Texas Gas and Gulf South in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, and will consist of one 10,915 horsepower (“hp”) Solar Taurus 70 turbine compressor unit designed to facilitate delivery of approximately 175,000 MMBtu per day from Texas Gas’ mainline to Gulf South via the proposed modified Gulf South-Bosco Meter Station. The new Bosco Compressor Station, which is not a mainline unit, will allow gas on Texas Gas to be compressed to a pressure high enough to enter the Gulf South system.
The Project is designed to meet the demand to transport natural gas produced in the Marcellus/Utica Shale Region to mid-western and southern markets on the Texas Gas system in an environmentally prudent manner through use of existing pipeline infrastructure, and will provide service in a rational time frame that will meet the needs of these markets. R.E. Gas Development, LLC (“R.E. Gas”), Jay-Bee Production Co. by its agent DMRB Services, LLC (“Jay-Bee”), Louisville Gas and Electric Company (“LG&E”), Gulfport Energy Corporation (“Gulfport”), Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC (“Sabine”), DTE Energy Trading, Inc. (“DTE”), and Public Energy Authority of Kentucky (“PEAK”) are the customers supporting this Project, having executed precedent agreements under Rate Schedule FT for firm transportation.
To accommodate the needs of its customers, Texas Gas respectfully requests that the Commission process the instant Application and issue a final order granting the authorizations requested herein on or before June 18, 2015. Receipt of a final order by
3. 3
such date will allow Texas Gas to begin full construction by August 1, 2015, and to place the Project facilities in service by June 1, 2016. Achieving this in-service date is critical to meeting the market requirements of the customers providing the support for the Project and preserving the commercial arrangements reflected in the precedent agreements with the Project’s customers.
Texas Gas will work with Commission Staff to help facilitate the Commission’s review of the Project in order to achieve the requested in-service date that meets the market’s needs, the commercial requirements of these customers, and the Commission’s processing requirements for this type of certificate application. Texas Gas is also seeking a predetermination that it may roll-in the costs of the Project into its Commission- approved rates in its next general rate proceeding.
In support of this abbreviated Application, Texas Gas submits the following information:
I.
APPLICANT
The exact legal name of the applicant is Texas Gas Transmission, LLC, and its principal place of business is 9 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2800, Houston Texas 77046. Texas Gas is a natural gas company as defined by the NGA, as amended;1 is engaged in the business of transporting natural gas in interstate commerce; is a limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware; and is duly authorized to do business in the States of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio.
1 15 U.S.C. § 717(6).
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The names, titles, and mailing addresses of the persons to whom communications and correspondence concerning the application should be addressed are:
Michael E. McMahon A. Gregory Junge
Senior Vice President and General Counsel Michael R. Pincus
J. Kyle Stephens Van Ness Feldman, LLP
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs 1050 Thomas Jefferson St., NW
Kathy D. Fort Seventh Floor
Manager, Certificates & Tariffs Washington, D.C. 20007
Texas Gas Transmission, LLC Phone: (202) 298-1800
9 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2800 Fax: (202) 338-2361
Houston, Texas 77046 agj@vnf.com
Phone: (713) 479-8033 mrp@vnf.com
Fax: (713) 479-1846
Mike.McMahon@bwpmlp.com
Kyle.Stephens@bwpmlp.com
Kathy.Fort@bwpmlp.com
Each of the identified persons is designated to receive service in accordance with 18 C.F.R. § 385.203(b)(3). Texas Gas requests that the Commission place these persons on the official service list for this proceeding, pursuant to 18 C.F.R. § 385.2010. Texas Gas requests that the Commission waive Rule 203(b)(3) to allow service upon each of the designated persons.
II.
BACKGROUND
Significant amounts of natural gas are being produced in the Marcellus/Utica Shale production areas and there has been an increased demand for pipeline infrastructure to transport these natural gas supplies to markets. The proposed Ohio-Louisiana Access Project will meet this market demand by creating additional interstate transportation capacity from Lebanon, Ohio to Midwestern and Southern markets on the Texas Gas system.
5. 5
The Project’s modified and new facilities will enable Texas Gas to meet the requirements of its customers and the broader needs of the market with minimal environmental impact. The Project adds north-to-south transportation capacity by relying primarily on Texas Gas’ existing facilities, which avoids the need to build substantial greenfield pipeline facilities to meet transportation demand. By modifying Texas Gas’ existing pipeline system, the Project will allow Texas Gas to flow gas bi-directionally and provide access to markets located in the Midwestern and Southern regions of the United States. The Project also will enhance gas supply flexibility for existing and future customers of Texas Gas by making additional gas supplies available to the Texas Gas system and those consuming markets. For these reasons, the Commission should find that the Ohio-Louisiana Access Project is required by the present and future public convenience and necessity and grant Texas Gas the authority necessary to construct, own, operate, and maintain these facilities.
III.
OPEN SEASON RESULTS
In the fall of 2013, Texas Gas began negotiating with certain customers who desired south-bound transportation capacity on its system. On October 8, 2013, Texas Gas provided notice pursuant to Section 6.20[4] of the General Terms and Conditions of its FERC Gas Tariff that certain unsubscribed capacity would be reserved for the Ohio- Louisiana Access Project beginning as early as June 1, 2016. Specifically, Texas Gas reserved 162,000 million British thermal units (“MMBtu”) per day on the mainline from Lebanon, Ohio to the Bastrop Compressor Station (“Bastrop”) located in Morehouse
6. 6
Parish, Louisiana and 126,800 MMBtu per day on the mainline from Bastrop to the Eunice Compressor Station located in Acadia Parish, Louisiana for use in the Project.
Texas Gas entered into a binding precedent agreement with Sabine, who became the foundation customer for an ultimate 300,000 MMBtu per day of capacity in the Project. As a result of entering into the precedent agreement, pursuant to Section 6.20[4] of its FERC Gas Tariff, Texas Gas held a binding open season beginning November 25, 2013 and ending January 13, 2014, which resulted in additional binding precedent agreements for firm transportation of 326,000 MMBtu per day for a total of 626,000 MMBtu per day.
The Project is supported by seven shippers that have executed precedent agreements for firm transportation agreements. Sabine executed a precedent agreement for a firm transportation agreement, subject to negotiated rates and pursuant to Rate Schedule FT, for 150,000 MMBtu per day as of the service commencement date of the transportation agreement and increasing to 300,000 MMBtu per day for a primary term of 10 years. R.E. Gas executed a precedent agreement for a firm transportation agreement subject to negotiated rates and pursuant to Rate Schedule FT, for 100,000 MMBtu per day for a primary term of 20 years. Jay-Bee executed a precedent agreement for two transportation agreements both of which are subject to negotiated rates and pursuant to Rate Schedule FT. The Jay-Bee agreements provide for (i) 25,000 MMBtu per day for a primary term of ten years; and (ii) 35,000 MMBtu per day for a primary term of 10 years. LG&E executed a precedent agreement for a transportation agreement subject to negotiated rates and pursuant to Rate Schedule FT, for 60,000 MMBtu per day for a primary term through October 31, 2026. Gulfport executed a precedent agreement for a
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transportation agreement subject to negotiated rates and pursuant to Rate Schedule FT, for 50,000 MMBtu per day for a primary term of 20 years. DTE executed a precedent agreement for a transportation agreement subject to negotiated rates and pursuant to Rate Schedule FT, for 46,000 MMBtu per day for a primary term of 10 years. PEAK executed a precedent agreement for a transportation agreement subject to negotiated rates and pursuant to Rate Schedule FT, for 10,000 MMBtu per day for a primary term of 10 years.
Transportation will be provided in accordance with Texas Gas’ existing rate schedules and tariff provisions. Texas Gas is seeking a predetermination that it may roll- in the costs of the Project into its Commission-approved rates in its next general rate proceeding.
IV.
REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION & DESCRIPTION OF FACILITIES
Texas Gas requests authorization to (i) construct, own, operate, and maintain the new Bosco Compressor Station to be located in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana; (ii) modify the existing Gulf South-Bosco receipt meter station to allow bi-directional gas flow; and (iii) make certain yard and station piping modifications at the existing Dillsboro, Columbia, Pineville, and Eunice Compressor Stations, to allow each of the compressor stations to efficiently and reliably flow the proposed quantities north to south, while retaining the existing capability to flow south to north.
The proposed Bosco Compressor Station is a new 10,915 hp compressor station to be located in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana.2 Texas Gas proposes to negotiate a perpetual easement on the property upon which the Bosco Compressor Station will be located. The Bosco Compressor Station will consist of (i) one Solar Taurus 70 turbine, (ii) yard and
2 See attached Exhibit F.
8. 8
station piping between the compressor station and the Gulf South-Bosco Meter Station, and (iii) other yard and station piping and appurtenant auxiliary facilities and buildings.
Texas Gas proposes to modify the existing Gulf South-Bosco Meter Station to allow for bi-directional flow so that the meter station may flow from Texas Gas to Gulf South, as well as the current day flow direction of Gulf South to Texas Gas. To provide bi- directional flow at the Gulf South-Bosco Meter Station, Texas Gas will (i) utilize the existing 30-inch tap to run piping and fittings to the proposed Bosco Compressor Station; (ii) run yard and station piping and fittings from the proposed Bosco Compressor Station to the Gulf South bi-directional valve switching skid; and (iii) upgrade the existing Texas Gas remote terminal unit utilizing the existing building.
Texas Gas is proposing to install auxiliary facilities within the yard at the existing Dillsboro Compressor Station, located in Dearborn County, Indiana, which will allow the compressor station to efficiently and reliably flow the proposed quantities north to south, while retaining the existing capability to flow south to north, as currently configured.3 Texas Gas is proposing to modify the Dillsboro Compressor Station to allow for the flexibility to flow natural gas in either direction by installing various diameter yard and station piping and various valves, fittings and other auxiliary facilities.
Texas Gas is proposing to install auxiliary facilities within the yard at the existing Columbia Compressor Station, located in Caldwell Parish, Louisiana, which will allow the compressor station to efficiently and reliably flow the proposed quantities north to south, while retaining the existing capability to flow south to north, as currently configured.4 Texas Gas is proposing to modify the Columbia Compressor Station to allow for the
3 See attached Exhibit F.
4 See attached Exhibit F.
9. 9
flexibility to flow natural gas in either direction by installing various diameter yard and station piping and various valves, fittings and other auxiliary facilities.
Texas Gas is proposing to install auxiliary facilities within the yard at the existing Pineville Compressor Station, located in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, which will allow the compressor station to efficiently and reliably flow the proposed quantities north to south, while retaining the existing capability to flow south to north, as currently configured.5 Texas Gas is proposing to modify the Pineville Compressor Station to allow for the flexibility to flow natural gas in either direction by installing various diameter yard and station piping and various valves, fittings and other auxiliary facilities.
Texas Gas is proposing to install auxiliary facilities within the yard at the existing Eunice Compressor Station, located in Acadia Parish, Louisiana, which will allow the compressor station to efficiently and reliably flow the proposed quantities north to south or free flow south, while retaining the existing capability to flow south to north, as currently configured.6 Texas Gas is proposing to modify the Eunice Compressor Station to allow for the flexibility to flow natural gas north to south or free flow south by installing various diameter yard and station piping on both the north side and south side of the compressor station and various valves, fittings and other auxiliary facilities.
The estimated capital cost of the proposed facilities is approximately $51,904,705, as detailed in the attached Exhibit K. The facilities proposed herein will be constructed in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations and operated in accordance with federal pipeline safety regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
5 See attached Exhibit F.
6 See attached Exhibit F.
10. 10
V.
REQUEST FOR ROLLED-IN RATE TREATMENT
The Ohio-Louisiana Access Project is supported by firm transportation agreements subject to negotiated rates with Sabine, R.E. Gas, Jay-Bee, LG&E, Gulfport, DTE, and PEAK. These agreements are provided in Exhibit I and are filed as Privileged and Confidential information in Volume II as part of this Application. Texas Gas requests authority to charge its existing system-wide rates as the recourse rates for the facilities to be constructed under this Project and also requests a predetermination that it may roll the Project costs into its Commission-approved system wide rates in a future rate proceeding. In the interim, Texas Gas is willing to accept the financial risks associated with the Project.
As shown in the attached Exhibit N, the incremental cost-based transportation rates for the Project calculated on a stand-alone basis are less than Texas Gas’ existing approved maximum transportation rate for service from Zone 4 to Zone SL under Rate Schedule FT.7 The current maximum FT reservation charge for deliveries from Zone 4 to Zone SL is $0.0794 per MMBtu, whereas the calculated stand-alone monthly FT reservation charge for the proposed expansion facilities (which includes service from Zone 4 to Zone SL) is $0.0433 per MMBtu. Because Texas Gas’ existing system-wide rates will fully recover the costs of the Project, existing customers will not subsidize any of the Project’s costs. Texas Gas will also be at risk for costs related to any unused capacity between rate cases.
In a future rate proceeding, Texas Gas’ system-wide rates will be reduced as a result of rolling-in the costs of the Project into the currently approved system-wide rates
7 Zone 4 to SL represents the longest contractual path requested by the customers with contracts that support the Project.
11. 11
and rolling in the costs into the system-wide rates will not adversely affect any customer. A predetermination of rolled-in rate treatment is consistent with Commission precedent and policy, since (i) it will protect existing customers from subsidizing the costs of the Project; and (ii) it will lower the rates for all customers in the next rate case. In addition, all capacity associated with the Project facilities will be subject to Texas Gas’ currently effective fuel retention percentages.
Texas Gas requests that the Commission make a predetermination that Texas Gas may roll the costs of the Project into the system-wide rates in a future rate proceeding.
VI.
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
Texas Gas will construct the Ohio-Louisiana Access Project in a manner intended to minimize any adverse environmental impacts. The Project provides for an efficient use of existing infrastructure by creating new north-to-south transportation capacity on Texas Gas’ system through the construction of only relatively minor additional facilities, thereby minimizing the environmental impacts of the Project. As explained below, the Environmental Report prepared by Texas Gas, attached as Exhibit F-I, supports the conclusion that, with appropriate mitigation measures, approval of this Project will not significantly affect the quality of the natural or human environment.
Texas Gas has developed the proposed facilities in a manner intended to avoid impact on landowners or sensitive resources such as streams, wetlands, forests, and any threatened or endangered species or any cultural resource. Utilizing construction and restoration methods that comply with the Commission’s May 2013 “Upland Erosion Control Revegetation and Maintenance Plan” and “Wetland and Waterbody Construction
12. 12
and Mitigation Procedures” will ensure that any adverse impacts will be limited and temporary.
More specifically, with respect to landowner impacts, the Project’s proposed new and modified facilities are designed and will be constructed and operated in a manner intended to minimize land impacts. During construction of the Project, 120.03 acres of land will be affected. The only permanent land impact will be 15.01 acres at the proposed new Bosco Compressor Station.
The new Bosco Compressor Station is proposed to be constructed on agricultural land located adjacent to the existing Gulf South-Bosco Meter Station. Construction of the new Bosco Compressor Station will affect a total of 24.61 acres of land, with 11.71 acres needed for permanent operation of the new compressor station and 3.30 acres needed for permanent access to the new compressor station.
The proposed piping and facility modifications at the existing Gulf South-Bosco Meter Station will result in no new permanent land impact. Of the land affected during construction at the existing Gulf South-Bosco Meter Station, only 1.28 acres are temporary and outside Texas Gas’ existing permanent property boundary at the meter station.
The proposed yard and station piping modifications at the existing Dillsboro, Columbia, Pineville, and Eunice Compressor Stations will result in no new permanent land impact. Of the land affected during construction at the existing compressor stations, only a total of 0.61 acres are temporary and outside Texas Gas’ existing permanent property boundary – 0.57 acres at the Columbia Compressor Station and 0.04 acres at the Eunice Compressor Station. No new physical facilities will be placed outside any of the
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existing compressor station yards. Accordingly, the effect upon affected landowners in each of the areas will be minimal.
In addition, pursuant to 18 C.F.R. §§ 157.6 and 157.10, Texas Gas will make a good faith effort to notify all affected landowners, towns, communities, and local, state, and federal governments and agencies involved in the Project and to provide a copy of the Application to a central public library in each county in the Project area within three business days of the filing of the Application in accordance with the Commission’s regulations.
Texas Gas’ Environmental Report, Exhibit F-I, provides an analysis of the existing environmental conditions and environmental impacts. The site selected for the Bosco Compressor Station was chosen to have a minimal aesthetic and environmental impact on the physical environment and surrounding communities along the pipeline, while meeting the Project’s hydraulic requirements. In addition, the Bosco Compressor Station will be constructed with equipment designed to reduce air pollutant emissions and limit attributable noise to a day-night level (“Ldn”) of 55 decibels (“dBA”) at any pre- existing noise-sensitive area. No additional noise generating equipment will be installed at the existing Dillsboro, Columbia, Pineville and Eunice compressor stations as only minor yard and station piping modifications will be required to enable each of these stations to flow natural gas north to south.
Texas Gas has engaged in consultations and coordination with the affected federal, state, and county government agencies concerning the proposed construction activities associated with the Project, and will continue to discuss specific concerns or requirements should they be raised.
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In sum, the Ohio-Louisiana Access Project will be constructed in a manner intended to minimize any adverse environmental impacts and with appropriate mitigation measures will not significantly affect the natural or human environment.
VII.
PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY
The Ohio-Louisiana Access Project is required by the present and future public convenience and necessity. The need for pipeline infrastructure to transport gas supplies from the Marcellus/Utica shale region and the market support for this proposed Project is evidenced by the precedent agreements customers have executed for the Project. The Project will efficiently utilize existing capacity and provide facilities needed to meet market demand to transport gas supplies from the Marcellus/Utica shale region to Midwestern and Southern markets on the Texas Gas system create new market alternatives and enhance customers’ gas supply options.
As conventional natural gas production declines, gas produced from shale plays now comprises a substantially larger, and increasingly important, component of the nation’s domestic gas supply portfolio, and is essential to ensuring continued availability of adequate natural resource supplies to customers at reasonable prices. The Energy Information Administration (“EIA”) forecasts that U.S. shale plays will increase by 11 billion cubic feet per day (“Bcf/d”) by 2020, with total natural gas production at 73 Bcf/d (see graph below).
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Gas produced in the Marcellus and Utica Shale production areas is projected to increase significantly over the next several years. In 2013, the Marcellus/Utica shale region produced approximately 10 Bcf/d and is forecasted to produce approximately 26 Bcf/d in 2020, an increase of 156 percent (see graph below).
In addition, demand for domestic gas supplies is projected to remain strong. Wood Mackenzie forecasts that U.S. natural gas demand will grow from approximately 71 Bcf/d in 2013 to 78 Bcf/d in 2020, an increase of 11 percent, with the majority of this demand, or 4 Bcf/d, occurring in the Southern region of the country.
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Almost all of this demand growth is expected to be from the power generation and industrial sectors. Wood Mackenzie forecasts that U.S. industrials will growth approximately 4 Bcf/d and the power generation sector will grow approximately 2 Bcf/d between 2013 and 2020.
Texas Gas has designed a project that will meet the demand to transport gas supplies from the Marcellus/Utica shale basins to markets in the South and Midwest. The Project is supported by seven customers with a precedent agreement consisting of transportation agreements subject to negotiated rates. These commitments represent approximately 83 percent of the maximum capacity provided by the Project facilities. The Project facilities provide a maximum capacity of 758,000 MMBtu per day.8 None of Texas Gas’ existing customers will subsidize any of the Project’s costs.
8 See Exhibits G, G-I. A portion of the remaining capacity of 132,000 MMBtu per day has been subsequently subscribed by customers of Texas Gas’ Southern Indiana Lateral Project, a market lateral to be constructed off of the Texas Gas system in Henderson County, Kentucky and Posey County, Indiana. Texas Gas will file an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for those facilities in late October 2014.
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Given the long-range production and market demand forecasts and the clear benefits that will result from this Project, Texas Gas views the risks it is undertaking to be reasonable. Texas Gas is confident that, as gas production continues to increase from this area, there will be a corresponding demand for transportation capacity on the Texas Gas system.
The benefits of this Project support a Commission finding that it not only is required by the present public convenience and necessity, but will be required by the future public interest as well. Texas Gas requests the Commission issue the requested authorization pursuant to section 7(c) of the NGA.
The Project satisfies the criteria for justifying a new project under the Commission’s Certification of New Interstate Natural Gas Pipeline Facilities Policy Statement (“Certificate Policy Statement”).9 The Project will provide the following public benefits: meeting un-served demand, providing new transportation capacity to serve a demonstrated demand, providing new interconnects that improve the interstate grid, and providing competitive alternatives. In addition, under the Certificate Policy Statement, the Commission no longer requires evidence of long-term contracts for all of the capacity to demonstrate the need for a proposed project.10 Nevertheless, this Project is adequately supported and Texas Gas is fully at risk for any underutilization. Under these circumstances, the Project satisfies the requirements of the Certificate Policy Statement.
9 Certification of New Interstate Natural Gas Pipeline Facilities, Statement of Policy, 88 FERC ¶ 61,227, at p. 61,748 (1999), Order Clarifying Statement of Policy, 90 FERC ¶ 61,128 (2000), Order Further Clarifying Statement of Policy, 92 FERC ¶ 61,094 (2000).
10 88 FERC at 61,744-748.
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A. Compliance with the Commission’s Certificate Policy Statement
The Commission’s Certificate Policy Statement provides guidance regarding how the Commission evaluates pipeline construction proposals under section 7(c) of the NGA to determine if the proposed construction is necessary and will serve the public interest. In deciding whether to authorize construction of major new pipeline facilities, the Commission balances the public benefits created by the proposed project against potential adverse consequences. The Commission gives appropriate consideration to the enhancement of competitive transportation alternatives, the possibility of overbuilding, subsidization by existing customers, the applicant’s responsibility for unsubscribed capacity, the avoidance of unnecessary disruptions of the environment, and the unneeded exercise of eminent domain in evaluating new pipeline construction.11
Pursuant to the Certificate Policy Statement, the threshold requirement for a pipeline proposing a new project is that the pipeline must be prepared to financially support the project without relying on subsidization from its existing customers. Once the no-subsidization requirement has been demonstrated, the next inquiry is whether the applicant has made efforts to eliminate or minimize any adverse effect the project might have on (i) the applicant’s existing customers, (ii) existing pipelines in the market and their captive customers, or (iii) landowners and communities affected by the route of the new pipeline. If residual adverse effects on these interest groups are identified after efforts have been made to minimize them, the Commission evaluates the project by balancing the evidence of public benefits to be achieved against these residual adverse effects. The Commission has stated that this is essentially an economic test.12 Only
11 See Dominion Transmission, Inc., 104 FERC ¶ 61,267 (2003), reh’g denied, 105 FERC ¶ 61,350 (2003).
12 See Certificate Policy Statement, 88 FERC ¶ 61,227 at p. 61,745.
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when the benefits outweigh the adverse effects on economic interests does the Commission complete the environmental analysis where other interests are considered. As demonstrated below, the proposed Ohio-Louisiana Access Project clearly satisfies the requirements of the Certificate Policy Statement.
B. Effects on Existing Customers
Existing customers on Texas Gas’ system will not subsidize the costs of the Project because, as illustrated in Exhibit N, the expected revenues for the Project exceed its costs. In addition, the Project will have no adverse effect on the quality of service to existing customers. Indeed, service to existing customers will be enhanced by the addition of the capacity created by Project, which will be available for use by new and existing customers. Texas Gas, therefore, has satisfied this threshold element of the Certificate Policy Statement.
C. Impacts on Existing Pipelines and Their Captive Customers
The construction and operation of the Project will not have adverse effects on existing pipelines or their captive customers, nor will the Project adversely affect competition. The proposed facilities will enhance competition and ease existing and anticipated pipeline constraints in production areas on the northern end of the Texas Gas system. By providing additional transportation capability the Project is likely to create competitive pressure that will ultimately have a positive effect on the pricing of natural gas supplies in the region. This enhanced competition, however, will not adversely affect the competitive balance in the region. Accordingly, any perceived adverse effects on other pipelines will be outweighed by the delivery of additional onshore supplies and
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diversity of access to supply sources.
13 The Project meets this element of the Policy Statement.
D. Impact on Landowners and Surrounding Communities
The Project is designed to use existing infrastructure to create new transportation capacity with minimal new construction and minimal impacts on landowners and communities. Texas Gas has attempted to locate its new compressor station in an area that will minimize impact on nearby residents. Thus far, the public has expressed few, if any, concerns regarding the proposed location of the facilities. Texas Gas will continue to work with landowners and community representatives after this Application is filed.
Texas Gas will comply with the Commission’s landowner notification requirements.14 The list of affected landowners that will receive notice of this Application is included in Volume II, and Texas Gas is seeking Privileged and Confidential treatment of this information pursuant to 18 C.F.R. § 388.112.
E. Project Benefits
The Project will provide considerable public benefits with few, if any, residual adverse effects on existing customers of Texas Gas, existing pipelines and their captive customers, and landowners and communities along the route of the pipeline. The Project:
(1) will meet the demand to provide transportation capacity to additional markets;
(2) is supported by customers that have signed binding precedent agreements for a substantial portion of the expansion capacity;
13 The Commission recognizes that it need not protect competitors from competition. Instead the goal is to insure fair competition. Certificate Policy Statement, 88 FERC ¶ 61,227 at p. 61,748. See also Freeport – McMoran Energy LLC, 115 FERC ¶61,201 (2006). “With regard to adverse effects on competing pipelines and such pipelines' captive customers, the Commission finds that the Coden pipeline should serve to benefit other pipelines and their customers because it will transport new, competitively priced natural gas supplies into the interstate grid to meet the ever-growing demand for natural gas in major U.S. markets.” Id at P 18.
14 18 C.F.R § 157.6 (d)
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(3) will not be subsidized by Texas Gas’ existing shippers;
(4) will benefit customers on other interstate pipelines which interconnect with Texas Gas’ system by providing access to gas supplies not currently connected to those systems;
(5) will have minimal adverse effect on landowners through the efficient use of existing pipeline infrastructure;
(6) will not have an adverse effect on the environment; and
(7) will enhance competition and supply alternatives.
For these reasons, the proposed Project meets the criteria in the Commission’s Certificate Policy Statement and is clearly required by the present and future public convenience and necessity.
VIII.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Texas Gas is aware of the Commission’s interest in considering the potential for energy efficiency in connection with major pipeline infrastructure projects. Texas Gas has designed the Project to enhance operational efficiencies to the extent practical. Texas Gas has selected a compressor unit for overall efficiency and that meets applicable air and noise requirements. Texas Gas also will employ a rigorous maintenance schedule to maintain pipeline efficiency.
Further, Texas Gas has considered waste heat and co-generation opportunities, in light of the white paper on waste heat published by the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America in February 2008. The INGAA white paper identifies initial threshold criteria for determining whether waste heat generation is feasible. Specifically, compressor
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stations must have a total of 15,000 hp provided by gas turbine compressor units and these units must operate for a total of 5,250 hours per year (60 percent load factor). Based on the recommendations contained therein, the Bosco Compressor Station will not qualify to economically recover heat or support a co-generation facility.
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IX.
OTHER APPLICATIONS, FILINGS AND PROJECTS
Texas Gas is not aware of any other application to supplement or effectuate this Application that must or will be filed by Texas Gas, its customers, or any other person with any Federal, State, or regulatory body in order to complete the Project.
Texas Gas is developing projects for which it expects to file Applications for Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity by the end of 2014. The Southern Indiana Market Lateral will consist of approximately 29 miles of 20-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline extending from an existing lateral of the Texas Gas system in Henderson County, Kentucky and will terminate in Posey County, Indiana. The Southern Indiana Market Lateral will serve two new industrial users in Indiana that will source a portion of their natural gas supplies from Lebanon, Ohio and will contract for and utilize a portion of the excess mainline capacity associated with the proposed Project after it is in service. The instant Project is not dependent upon the Southern Indiana Market Lateral, and the Project would go forward even if the Southern Indiana Market Lateral is not constructed. A recent court case suggests the Commission Staff may elect to process the environmental review of the Project and the Southern Indiana Market Lateral concurrently. Texas Gas would not object to concurrent environmental review provided the Project certificate timeline of June 2015 is preserved.
The Western Kentucky Market Lateral will consist of approximately 19 miles of 24-inch-diameter natural gas pipeline extending from an existing lateral of the Texas Gas system to a combined-cycle natural gas fired power plant currently under construction. All facilities associated with the Western Kentucky Market Lateral will be located in
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Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. The plant owner will source its gas supplies solely from existing points on the Texas Gas system south of Kentucky and will not use any capacity associated with the proposed Project. The Western Kentucky Market Lateral does not depend on the instant Project or the Southern Indiana Market Lateral, and the Western Kentucky Market Lateral would go forward even in the absence of both the instant Project and the Southern Indiana Market Lateral. The Tennessee Valley Authority (“TVA”) has completed an environmental review of the proposed natural gas fired power plant that will be served by the Western Kentucky Market Lateral, and the TVA’s Environmental Assessment (“EA”) included an analysis of the potential impacts of the pipeline lateral that will be connected to the plant. The EA concluded that the approval of the power plant would not be a major federal action significantly affecting the environment.
15
In order to aid the Commission’s review of the Project, Texas Gas has included a discussion of the acreage impacts associated with the Southern Indiana Market Lateral and the Western Kentucky Market Lateral in Resource Report 1, Appendix 1F of this Application. The environmental impacts of these other two projects would occur in areas geographically remote from the counties affected by the Project facilities, so that those projects will not create cumulative impacts with the instant Project. Even if some of the impacts are considered cumulative in nature to the Project’s impacts, those impacts would be limited given the minimal amount of construction associated with the Project.
15 See Final Environmental Assessment, Paradise Fossil Plant Units 1 and 2 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards Compliance Project, http://www.tva.com/environment/reports/pafmats/pdf/final/ParadiseFEA.pdf.
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Texas Gas has also conducted a binding open season for a potential Northern Supply Access Project soliciting support for the construction and modification of aboveground facilities along the Texas Gas mainline to provide additional new capacity for north to south transportation. The extent of the Northern Supply Access Project, its scope, and timing are currently unknown, but it is likely to include upgrades to Texas Gas’ system to facilitate necessary additional station reversals. Although the Northern Supply Access Project would have some overlap with the Project on the mainline capacity, the Northern Supply Access Project would be incremental to the proposed Project, and the construction schedule and in-service dates would be offset from the proposed Project by more than one year. The project scope of the Northern Supply Access Project is still unknown, as the necessary facilities have not been determined, and the potential impacts of the project are unidentifiable.
Texas Gas also has an obsolescence replacement of its Turbine T-1 at the Columbia Compressor Station scheduled for summer 2015. It is contemplated that the unit will be replaced with a like or similar unit using the same building and foundation. The project is still in the engineering design stage and acreage impacts associated with this project are not known and are not included in Resource Report 1, Appendix 1F.
As the potential future projects become more certain, Texas Gas will update the Project Application to allow for the Commission’s full review of the impacts known at that time.
X.
NOTICES
A form of Notice suitable for publication in the Federal Register, is attached hereto.
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XI.
DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS
This is an abbreviated application filed pursuant to Section 157.7 of the Commission’s regulations under the NGA. Texas Gas has omitted the exhibits and data that are inapplicable or are unnecessary to fully disclose the nature and extent of this proposal. A list of exhibits and documents filed with this Application, incorporated by reference, and omitted with the reasons relied upon are submitted herewith and as follows:
Exhibit A Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
Filed as Exhibit A in Docket No. CP04-373-000 and incorporated herein by reference.
Exhibit B State Authorization.
Filed as Exhibit B in Docket No. CP04-373-000 and incorporated herein by reference.
Exhibit C Company Officials
Attached.
Exhibit D Subsidiaries and Affiliates
Attached.
Exhibit E Other Pending Applications and Filings
Omitted. Texas Gas is not aware of any other applications or filings pending before the Commission that might significantly affect the instant application.
Exhibit F Location of Facilities
Attached.
Exhibit F-I Environmental Report
The environmental reports are submitted in Volume I-A.
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Exhibits G, Flow Diagrams, Flow Diagrams Reflecting Maximum
G-I, and G-II Capabilities, and Flow Diagram Data
Exhibits G, G-I and G-II are submitted in Volume III, and labeled as Contains Critical Energy Infrastructure Information – Do Not Release (CEII) as defined in 18 C.F.R. § 388.113(c).
Exhibit H Total Gas Supply
Omitted. See Exhibit I.
Exhibit I Market Data
The precedent agreements are submitted in Volume II and designated as Privileged Information – Do Not Release as they contain sensitive commercial information.
Exhibit J Federal Authorizations
Attached.
Exhibit K Cost of Facilities
Attached.
Exhibit L Financing
Omitted. Texas Gas will finance the proposed construction with funds generated internally, and through borrowings, bond offerings, and/or equity offerings.
Exhibit M Construction, Operation, and Management
Omitted. Texas Gas will construct or cause to be constructed, own, operate, and maintain the proposed facilities.
Exhibit N Revenues, Expenses and Income
Attached.
Exhibit O Depreciation and Depletion
Omitted. Depreciation is reflected in Exhibit N.
Exhibit P Tariff
Omitted.
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XII.
WAIVER OF INITIAL DECISION
Texas Gas requests that the Commission facilitate the processing of this Application by prompt publication in the Federal Register of Notice of this Application with a provision that the time for filing protests, petitions to intervene, and notices of intervention be fixed at the earliest possible date after issuance of the notice and by implementing the shortened procedures prescribed in Rules 801 and 802 of the Commission’s Rule of Practice and Procedure.16 If the Commission utilizes such shortened procedures, Texas Gas waives its rights to an oral hearing and the opportunity for filing exceptions and requests that the Commission omit the intermediate decision procedure be omitted.
16 18 C.F.R. § 385.801-802 (2008).
30. XIV.
CONCLUSION
WHEREFORE, Texas Gas requests that, for the reasons set forth herein, the
Commission issue a certificate of public convenience and necessity approving this
proposal on or before June 18, 2015; (i) authorizing Texas Gas to construct, own, operate,
and maintain the Project facilities; (ii) granting a predetermination that Texas Gas may
roll-in the costs of the Project facilities into its Commission-approved rates in its next
general rate proceeding; and (iii) granting any and all waivers, authority, and relief
necessary to implement this proposal.
Respectfully submitted,
TEXAS GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC
J. Kyle Stephens
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs & Rates
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