A group of Wisconsin distributors say FERC should resort to amandatory auction of short-term capacity only as a last measure -after it has implemented and weighed the effects of its otherproposed initiatives, such as increased pipeline reportingrequirements, and finds they failed to achieve a similarcompetitive end.
Parker
Articles from Parker
DOE’s Richardson Espouses Investor-Friendly Offshore Policy
Energy Secretary Bill Richardson has called on FERC to design anoffshore policy that encourages private-sector investment in theGulf of Mexico gas infrastructure and the development of advancedproduction technologies. Such a policy would be in keeping with theClinton administration’s 1993 domestic natural gas and oilinitiative, he wrote in a recent letter to Chairman James Hoecker.
Industrials Riled by Fees for Info on GISB Standards
Industrial gas users want to “comment” on the revised and newGas Industry Standards Board’s (GISB) standards that FERC proposedfor adoption in December, but there’s only one problem – they don’tknow what they are. The Commission apparently doesn’t have a copyof the proposed changes on file, they said, and to get them fromthe standards-setting organization could cost the tidy sum of$3,500.
Pipelines Would Expand on NOPR’s Blanket Certificate Authority
A major pipeline group last week said there was “much to like”in the notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) that would, among otherthings, expand the blanket construction and abandonment certificateauthority for pipelines under FERC’s Part 157 regulations, but italso had “several major concerns.”
Exxon Mobil May Lead Mega-Merger Parade
The energy industry is on the cusp of a series of mega-mergersfollowing last week’s announcement of an historic combination ofExxon and Mobil, according to many observers. Driving theconsolidation, they say, is extremely low commodity prices. Thatreasoning was reinforced last week when gas prices plummeted tohistoric lows for December (see related story this issue).
Settlement Reached in PITCO Restructuring
Parties have reached an agreement on terms for unravelinglong-term transportation arrangements that for years enabledSouthern California Gas to control its imports of Canadian gasthrough its paper pipeline affiliate, Pacific InterstateTransmission Co. (PITCO).
Industry Reports Progress On Y2K Efforts
Almost a third of gas and oil companies surveyed expect to havecompleted Year-2000 (Y2K) remediation by the end of the year,according to the results of a new survey by the Natural Gas Council(NGC). It further found that 73% said they would be ready by June1999, while all respondents indicated they would be prepared byDecember 1999.
Commission Upholds ‘Shipper Must Have Title’ Policy
Just because your competitors are breaking the rules, doesn’tmean that you should be allowed to do so, FERC essentially told twoEnron affiliates last week when it denied their plea for a limitedwaiver of its capacity-release rule and the “shipper must havetitle” policy. The affiliates contend they sought the waiver sothey could compete with other suppliers that allegedly are ignoringthe title rule in order to evade paying certain taxes in New YorkState.