The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a joint offer of settlement filed by its enforcement staff and Energy Trans Partners’ Oasis Pipeline and affiliates, which essentially closes the enforcement case against the companies without levying any financial penalties. “The Commission finds that the stipulation and consent agreement is fair, reasonable and in the public interest and [it] is hereby approved,” the order said [IN06-3]. Commissioner Joseph Kelliher, who led the charge in bringing the enforcement action against Oasis Pipeline and affiliates in July 2007, did not participate in the decision. The joint settlement spells out the conditions under which Oasis will provide transportation services to its customers, upgrade its electronic bulletin board, record telephone conversations of its dispatchers for four years, and enhance and maintain its compliance monitoring program. The approval of the settlement comes three months after presiding Administrative Law Judge Bruce L. Birchman in a partial decision dismissed the meat of the FERC enforcement case against Oasis Pipeline — that it discriminated against nonaffiliated shippers in favor of affiliated shippers (see Daily GPI, Nov. 20).

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