Emergency

The Independent Oil & Gas Association of West Virginia (IOGA) has filed an emergency motion asking FERC to correct “serious errors” that it claims the agency made by suspending Equitrans L.P.’s proposed 156% rate increase for only one day and in waiving the 30-day notice requirement under the Natural Gas Act (NGA).

The Independent Oil & Gas Association of West Virginia (IOGA) has filed an emergency motion asking FERC to correct “serious errors” that it claims the agency made by suspending Equitrans L.P.’s proposed 156% rate increase for only one day and in waiving the 30-day notice requirement under the Natural Gas Act (NGA).

Pogo Producing has filed a request with FERC for emergency pipeline capacity allocation on Southern Natural Gas’ offshore Gulf of Mexico pipelines upstream of the Toca, LA, gas processing plant, part of which is scheduled to be taken down in August for upgrades. Pogo, a captive producer with about 52 MMcf/d of production behind the Toca plant, said the plant shutdown could lead to the shut-in of 250 MMcf/d of gas production and some oil production.

A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, last Wednesday granted an emergency administrative stay of a lower court’s injunction that had forced the Department of Interior to unplug most of its computer systems from the Internet in mid-March.

A federal appeals court in Washington, DC, on Wednesday granted an emergency administrative stay of a lower court’s injunction that had forced the Department of Interior to unplug most of its computer system from the Internet in mid-March.

Tractebel Energy Marketing Inc. (TEMI) has asked FERC to issue an emergency order directing a Texas natural gas storage facility to restore the marketer’s full storage service rights, cease threats to confiscate gas and to comply with recent agency decisions regarding credit assurances. The Houston-based marketer also is seeking relief from the Texas Railroad Commission, and has asked the U.S. District Court in Houston to issue a temporary restraining order to preserve Tractebel Energy Marketing’s storage rights and gas in storage.

In an emergency motion filed at FERC this week, El Paso Corp. is seeking to quash a subpoena issued by an agency judge that requires it to turn over documentary evidence related to its self-avowed practice of submitting false prices for natural gas trades to an energy publication.

El Paso began emergency maintenance Wednesday on Line 1201 downstream of Valve City Station, reducing San Juan Basin capacity by 100 MMcf/d through Friday. Capacity of the North Mainline will also be reduced by 60 MMcf/d during the same period. El Paso extended the duration for unscheduled repairs of Bondad Station’s 2A turbine, causing a Bondad capacity cut of 100 MMcf/d, through Aug. 8. The pipeline previously had expected to complete the work Aug. 2 (see Daily GPI, Aug. 1).

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has adopted emergency rules that would require the state’s licensed marketers to meet more stringent financial qualifications. The rules, approved this week by the Commission and submitted to the Illinois secretary of state, take effect March 1, when the systemwide customer choice program by Nicor Gas is scheduled to begin.