The Department of Transportation ordered Northwest Friday to not exceed 80% of its Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure on the 26-inch line between Sumas and Washougal, WA. The pressure reduction is the DOT’s Office of Pipeline Safety response to a line failure that occurred Thursday afternoon between the Washington cities of Auburn and Sumner (see Daily GPI, May 5), and will continue until Northwest fulfills certain conditions. The pipeline said it had repaired the broken line and restored it to service Sunday, but began implementing the order and completed the pressure cut by Friday night, switching delivery feeds to the neighboring 30-inch line as necessary to maintain required delivery pressures. Northwest estimated it will be limited to a maximum of about 800,000 Dth/d in receipts at Sumas/SIPI until further notice and will cut alternate gas there exceeding 800,000 Dth/d, and primary gas if necessary. “Based upon customer activity over the weekend, we do not expect customers having primary firm capacity through Sumas/SIPI to be affected,” it said. Due to warmer Pacific Northwest weather and lower customer loads, no service cuts had been made as of late Monday afternoon, a spokeswoman said.

Citing weather forecasts that indicate warmer weather throughout Florida this week, Florida Gas Transmission advised customers in its market area that it may issue an Overage Alert Day notice for Tuesday’s gas day to ensure that linepack does not drop too low. The pipeline does not issue OADs until the morning of the day they go into effect.

Tennessee will take the CTGS [Central Texas Gathering System]/Wharton meter out of service Tuesday for upgrading. During the work, espected to last through Friday, nominations will not be accepted at this meter or meters located on the CTGS.

El Paso said Monday the White Rock Station’s #1 turbine will remain down pending alignment of the machinery following reinstallation of the compressor. The capacity of the San Juan Basin will remain reduced by 105 MMcf/d until further notice. El Paso also said current operating conditions are allowing more gas to flow on the Havasu Crossover during ongoing Hackberry Station maintenance. Crossover capacity was increased by 20 MMcf/d to 660 MMcf/d over the weekend.

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