Detected

Transco reported sending a force majeure notice to customers under the ESS and EESWS rate schedules. The pipeline explained that on Dec. 26 it detected a large, unexpected pressure drop in one of seven caverns at Eminence Storage Field in Covington County, MS. Eminence is the facility that supports the service for affected customers. Two days later Transco determined that gas was leaking from Cavern 3 and since then has reduced the cavern’s pressure by venting and flaring gas. On Jan. 4, Transco continued, based on a determination that the reduced pressure in Cavern 3 created a risk to the salt pillars separating it from adjacent Caverns 1 and 2, the pipeline began to reduce the pressures of Caverns 1 and 2 by withdrawing gas from them. During those operations, on Jan. 15 Transco discovered gas escaping from the ground around the wellhead for Cavern 1. It continued to safely withdraw gas from Caverns 1 and 2, and by Jan. 24 their pressure was low enough to avoid potential effects on Cavern 3. However, due to the leak at Cavern 3 and the damage to the well at Cavern 1, both are out of service, and that prompted last Thursday’s force majeure declaration, Transco said. Determining that neither cavern can be returned to service, it plans to file an application with FERC seeking to abandon them. Transco estimates that due to the force majeure event, Eminence is capable of providing about 70% of contracted capacity and 92% of contracted deliverability. The field’s daily injection capability is not affected.

A force majeure was declared Wednesday on the Matagorda Offshore Pipeline System (MOPS) after MOPS operator Northern Natural Gas detected a leak upstream of the Matagorda 686 platform. Crews were en route to investigate and make repairs as necessary, NNG said. Thirteen receipt point meters have been allocated to zero until repairs are completed.

Sonat reported finding additional Hurricane Ivan-caused damage on the Main Pass 311 tap assembly that had not detected during the initial post-Ivan dive investigations. In order to make repairs, the Main Pass 311-A meter has been isolated and the pipeline declared a force majeure at the point. Sonat is not accepting nominations at Main Pass 311-A until further notice. Based on its best information available, Sonat expects to complete repairs and return the point to service sometime Saturday. However, it noted there are many variables when making repairs offshore, and this schedule could change.

A power trading practice detected last month by PJM Interconnection that spiked power prices and sent loop flows higher by more than 3,000 MW, did not violate the grid operator’s market rules, and instead was the result of flawed incentives for market participants who were attempting to maximize the price they received for power, the head of PJM’s market monitoring unit (MMU) said last Tuesday.

Matagorda Offshore Pipeline System (MOPS) was shut down for unplanned maintenance after a leak was detected on the 24-inch mainline near Matagorda Block 758, MOPS operator Northern Natural Gas reported Friday afternoon. All production needed to be shut in as soon as possible, NNG said. It took 24 receipt points and nine delivery points to zero flow for downtime that was expected to last about 48 hours. About half of MOPS’ 100 MMcf/d in nominations for Friday’s gas day was affected, a spokesman said, with approximately 100 MMcf/d in impact expected effective Saturday until leak repairs are completed.