Unplanned

Matagorda Offshore Pipeline System (MOPS), operated by Northern Natural Gas, shut down Platform 703 Monday for unplanned maintenance after a leak was detected on the 16-inch lateral near the platform. The Matagorda 703/704/709 receipt point was taken to zero flow until further notice, affecting 22,000 MMBtu/d.

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.

Increased power purchase costs due to a six month unplanned outage at its Palisades nuclear plant, which is now back in service, as well as near-record warm weather in the fourth quarter and the impact of the economic slowdown on electric and gas sales, hammered CMS Energy financials. The Michigan-based utility and pipeline company reported a net loss of $1.03 per share or a loss of $138 million for the fourth quarter and a net loss of $545 million, or $4.17 loss per share, for the year. In comparison, the company reported a $1.44 loss per share, or a loss of $171 million, in the fourth quarter of 2000 and net income of $36 million, or $0.32 per share, in 2000.

TransCanada said an unplanned outage occurred Tuesday at Station 211 due to exhaust problems with the C compressor unit. It expects to return 211C to service Friday. Due to increased demand at Niagara, discretionary service on the Kirkwall Lateral is being restricted. Diversions to Niagara and Douglastown may be affected, including diversions from Douglastown to Niagara, the pipeline said.

Northern Border said “concurrent unplanned compressor station outages upstream of Ventura” Monday evening prompted it to place a firm-only scheduling restriction on the 42-inch pipeline segment (Monchy/Port of Morgan to Ventura) for the gas days of Wednesday and today. Gas Control will re-evaluate conditions this morning to determine if the constraint will be lifted Friday.

Transwestern reported beginning unplanned maintenance Wednesday on the #2 unit at its Atoka Compressor Station in southeast New Mexico. The work, expected to last through Sunday, is reducing Atoka Lateral capacity from 160,000 MMBtu/d to 131,000 MMBtu/d.

Unplanned maintenance at the SOE (Sable Offshore Energy) GasPlant has caused physical supply into Maritimes & Northeast todecrease temporarily, the pipeline said. Due to this, shippers areexpected to match physical volumes to nominated receipts, it added.However, the reduced throughputs have allowed M&N to lift ITrestrictions at the Baileyville (ME) Compressor Station.

The Hugoton (KS) Plant shut down for Thursday only to makeunplanned pipeline repairs. Northern Natural Gas said 35,000MMBtu/d at 13 receipt points was affected.

Due to unplanned repairs on the Sullivan City Line in SouthTexas, 10 meters upstream of valve 407D-102 will be out of servicefor the next seven to 10 days, Tennessee announced late Tuesdayafternoon.