Drafting

Northwest reminded shippers that during the Jan. 4-6 period its market area experienced extreme cold that caused heavy drafting on the system, and the pipeline’s Jackson Prairie storage account dropped from 1.8 Bcf to 1.4 Bcf in those three days “even with the assistance of a few customers realigning their supplies.” Several weather sources have indicated that similar weather would again reach the market area beginning Sunday (Jan. 25), Northwest said. In addition, it will be conducting maintenance on the Columbia Gorge section of the pipe during the first week in February. To ensure system integrity and maintain adequate storage levels for the upcoming maintenance, Northwest declared a Stage III entitlement (with 13% tolerance for overruns for receiving parties north of the Kemmerer Compressor Station) effective Monday until further notice.