Based on current withdrawal rates, working gas inventory andanticipated load forecast, Questar said Thursday it expects to go intocompressed withdrawal mode at the Clay Basin storage facility withinthe next three to seven days. This prompted concern by Northwest thatsuch an action will cause it “to begin to accumulate unmanageablelevels of condensate liquids at its Green River [WY] compressorstation similar to last year, when Questar had to reduce its confirmedquantities to Northwest” (see Daily GPI,Feb. 14, 2000; Feb. 23, 2000). Bothpipes said they are working together to manage liquids at GreenRiver. Questar noted that to mitigate future impact, it plans to builda dewpoint plant at Clay Basin. Permitting is under way andcompletion is expected in late summer, Questar said. A pipelinerepresentative said “compressed withdrawal” is the difference betweenfree flow, which is the normal operational mode for Clay Basin untilabout mid-January each year, and using compressors to suck gas out ofthe ground. Currently Clay Basin is about 32% full for thenon-Questar-contracted 54 million dekatherms held by seven or eightmajor customers including Northwest, he said. Using compression inwithdrawals heats the gas so it takes longer to cool down and for theliquids to condense out of it; thus the liquids tend to form afterit’s gotten out into the pipeline, he said.

Kern River issued a stern “NO DRAFTING!” warning to shippersFriday. It said it is currently operating with low linepack due todrafting over the previous few days. If the problem continues,”Kern River will have to take further action,” the bulletin boardposting said.

Tennessee told customers Friday that higher than normal Btucontent gas on its 800 Line in Louisiana was interfering withproper operation of facilities through which the gas flows. Toalleviate this situation, beginning Tuesday it will require allreceipt points on the 800 Line (except those on the West Leg of theBlue Water System, which are not at this time part of a problemarea, Tennessee said) to either tender gas that meets tariff Btuspecifications, or provide proof of downstream processing thatbrings the gas within its specs. All nominations from receiptpoints not meeting either requirement will be rejected, Tennesseesaid.

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