Citing “a combination of receipt underperformance and takes in excess of scheduled quantities,” El Paso said Wednesday its system “is being drafted at rates that are not sustainable.” It added that performance caps will be placed on receipt points that are not performing up to scheduled quantities and urged shippers to bring their supplies in balance with their takes. Shippers owing gas to El Paso can arrange to pay gas back, the pipeline said, but if the situation fails to improve, a declaration of Strained Operating Condition may be required.

El Paso also reported that maintenance on the Alamo Lake Station’s #2 turbine was completed ahead of schedule, allowing capacity of the Havasu Crossover to be increased by 100 MMcf/d (to 615 MMcf/d) Wednesday. It will be returned to full capacity of 670 MMcf/d effective with Thursday’s Cycle 1 nominations.

Northwest said it was again accepting requests for interruptible storage at its Jackson Prairie Storage facility effective with Wednesday’s gas day. “If it becomes necessary for Northwest to utilize this storage capacity for firm obligations, Northwest will notify shippers with interruptible storage that within seven days of such notice shippers are required to reduce the level of their working gas inventory existing on the day of such notice to a level specified by Northwest,” the pipeline added.

TransCanada announced a new capacity open season for Firm Transportation Service and Storage Transportation Service on its mainline. system. The season will end at 3 p.m. MST Jan. 24. More information is available at https://www.transcanada.com/Mainline/info_postings/new_capacity_open_season.pdf.

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