Sonat implemented an OFO Type 6 for short imbalances Sunday, then canceled it at the start of Monday’s gas day. The pipeline last week had said it expected repairs to its Hurricane Ivan-damaged South Pass 60 line to last through Feb. 5 (see Daily GPI, Jan. 25), during which it is unable to receive gas at Main Pass 116. Citing delays created by strong water currents, Sonat estimated Monday that the return to service of Main Pass 116 is now around Feb. 10. “Once again, there are many variables when making repairs offshore. Therefore, this schedule could change,” Sonat added.

An outage of CIG‘s Natural Buttes Compressor Station in eastern Utah that began last Wednesday (see Daily GPI, Jan. 28) is now expected to continue through February. CIG said it will post a notice once the work is completed.

Columbia Gulf reported terminating Monday a “Pre-Operational Flow Order” that was issued last Wednesday to combat excessive takes above scheduled volumes at meters 4049, 4056 and 4117 in the Nashville, TN, area.

Pacific Gas & Electric announced Friday the close of its Abnormal Peak Day (APD) window. To natural gas shippers in Northern California, this means that the “probability of an APD prior to next winter is nearly zero,” the giant utility explained. “An APD represents a day so cold that such conditions are only expected once in 90 years. During an APD, [PG&E] system composite temperatures would fall to 27.4 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, resulting in diversions and/or local curtailments.” In addition, the chances that Cold Winter Day conditions (system composite temperatures below 38 degrees) will strike this winter are reduced, PG&E said. For the rest of this winter, “the possibility of extremely cold temperatures no longer casts its shadow across PG&E’s gas service territory. Diversions or local curtailments driven by cold weather are now highly unlikely,” regardless of whether famed Pennsylvania groundhog Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow or not Wednesday, it added.

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