Lifting

Since the lifting of a moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) almost two months ago, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEM) has been working diligently to review applications for permits to drill in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, according to BOEM Director Michael Bromwich.

After lifting an OFO Action Alert in downstream Zones 5 and 6 a day earlier, Tennessee proceeded to lift it Tuesday in all remaining zones in which the OFO had still been in effect (0, L, 1, 2, 3 and 4). However, an imbalance warning that was declared Oct. 2 remains in effect, the pipeline said.

After lifting the rest of an OFO Action Alert for its six furthest upstream zones Tuesday, Tennessee said a new one with systemwide impact would be implemented Sunday. It cited limited operational flexibility, mild weather and upcoming Hebron/Ellisburg storage field tests as reasons for the OFO, which requires affected shippers to not exceed a tolerance of 2% of scheduled quantities or 500 Dth, whichever is greater, for overdeliveries into the system and undertakes from the system.

In anticipation of valve section 313-1 to 314-1 being placed back in service Friday afternoon, Tennessee said it was lifting the OFO Action Alert in downstream market Zones 5 and 6 that morning. Due to the Bear Creek storage field test and linepack conditions, the Action Alert OFO will remain in effect in zones 0, L, 1, 2, 3 and 4 for all Balancing Parties until further notice, Tennessee said.

Tennessee said Wednesday it was lifting a systemwide OFO Action Alert against positive imbalances.

Tennessee said Tuesday it was lifting an Imbalance Warning in all zones, but it continued to ask customers to match physical flow with scheduled quantities.

Pacific Gas and Electric did not extend a new systemwide high-inventory OFO beyond Tuesday.

MRT said late Tuesday afternoon it was immediately lifting a System Protection Warning associated with an engine failure that began July 28 at its Unionville storage facility and was limiting injection capability. In a recent update on Unionville (see Daily GPI, Aug. 10), MRT had expected the restriction to last through Thursday of last week.

Southern California Gas and Pacific Gas and Electric are lifting Friday high-linepack OFOs that had been in effect for Thursday only.