Form Approved 

OMB No. 1902-0019 

(Expires 08/31/2020) 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING 

FERC FORM NO. 73 

OIL PIPELINE SERVICE LIFE DATA 

Title 18, U.S.C. 1001 makes it a crime for any person knowingly and willingly to make to any 

Agency or Department of the United States any false, fictitious or fraudulent statements as to any 

matter within its jurisdiction.

The term ‘Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)” refers to the FERC

or its predecessor the Federal Power Commission (FPC)
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FERC FORM NO. 73

FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20426 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING 

FERC Form No. 73 

(Form approved: OMB No. 1902-0019, expires 08/31/2020) 

OIL PIPELINE SERVICE LIFE DATA 
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FERC Form No. 73

Table of Contents

General Information..........................................................................4

General Instructions.........................................................................6 

Schedule A1 ─ Specific Instructions......................................................7 

 ─ Sample Schedule A1......................................................8 

 ─ Definitions................................................................9

Schedule S1 ─ Specific Instructions.....................................................10

─ Sample Schedule S1....................................................11 

─ Definitions................................................................12 

Appendix ─ Transaction Codes.......................................................13 
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING 

SERVICE LIFE DATA 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

I. PURPOSE

During an investigation of an oil pipeline company’s book depreciation rates, the 

Commission requests service life data as a part of its data request. This service 

life data, which may be initial data or an update to previously existing data, is 

collected on FERC Form No. 73. The information collected on FERC Form No. 

73 is used as an input to assist the Commission in the selection of appropriate oil 

pipeline company service lives and book depreciation rates. 

II. WHO MUST FILE

Any oil pipeline company who is directed by the Commission to file service life

data during an investigation of the appropriateness of its book depreciation rates.

III. WHEN TO SUBMIT

Service life data is reported to the Commission by an oil pipeline company only

during a depreciation rate investigation.

IV. WHAT TO SUBMIT

The Form No. 73 requires that actuarial or simulation service life data be set forth

in a standardized format.

1. If you are not submitting this report in an electronic media format, submit an

original and three (3) copies of this report. An Excel spreadsheet is an

acceptable format.

2. Upon request of the Commission, the company must submit such additional

supporting and clarifying data and information as may be specified.

V. WHERE TO SUBMIT 

1. Submit this report to:

Office of the Secretary 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

888 First Street, N.E.

Washington, D.C. 20426 
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2. Hand deliveries can be made to:

Office of the Secretary 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

Room 1A 

888 First Street, N.E.

Washington, D.C. 20426 
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GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Each reporting company may file either actuarial or simulation service life data. If

a respondent chooses to file actuarial data, Schedule A1 would be filed. If a

respondent chooses to file simulation data, Schedule S1 would be filed. The first

or initial filing of service life data by a pipeline company with the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission (whether simulation data or actuarial data) should begin

with the first year of company operations or 1940 whichever is later. Subsequent

filings of service life data by a respondent pipeline company may contain the

transaction data only from the year of the last report to the present.

2. Report all dollar items rounded to the nearest dollar. Commas, decimal points,

and special characters should not be used.

3. The “Account Number” as used in this Form No. 73 consists of the three digit

account number specified in the Uniform System of Accounts with a suffix of “P”

for Product Lines, “C” for Crude Lines, or some other character, specified by the

Commission, to designate a system or division of the respondent company. Thus,

an account number for purposes of filing the Form No. 73 consists of four

characters, three digits followed by one alphabetic character.

The Commission may provide additional special instructions for filing the Form

No. 73 requesting a respondent to report service life data in greater detail than

specified in the Uniform System of Accounts. In such instances, the respondent

will add a one letter suffix, specified by the Commission, to the account number.

• for example, a respondent may be asked to report for its Product Line

“Vehicles and Other Work Equipment”, Account 165, by “Vehicles”, with

an account designator, “165PV”, and “Other Work Equipment”, with an

account designator, “165PE”.

SOURCES FOR CODES USED 

1. UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR OIL PIPELINE COMPANIES – See

Part 352 – Uniform System of Accounts Prescribed for Oil Pipeline Companies,

Chapter 1 – Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Title 18, “Code of Federal

Regulations”.

2. Transaction Codes – Transaction Codes are listed in the Appendix.
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SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS 

Service Life Data (Actuarial) 

Schedule A1 

 This schedule is sequenced by Account Number. A new page is started when a 

change in account occurs and the account name and account number is displayed as 

the top line in the body of the report. 

 Data for actuarial analysis of property accounts 102-186 is reported by vintage 

year from the date of initial operations to the present date. All activity (additions, 

retirements, transfers, and balances) is reported by Installation Year, Transaction 

Year, Transaction Code, and Ledger Value. Number of units, gross salvage, and cost 

of removal should be included where applicable. 

 Extreme care should be exercised in assigning Transaction Codes to each 

transaction in order that the analysis of data will produce meaningful results. 

 Every vintage year must begin with a Transaction Code “00”, “11”, “12”, “13’, 

“30”, or “51”. An entry will be made for each year following the vintage year in 

which some activity occurred for this account, (e.g., addition, retirement, etc.) listing 

the appropriate Transaction Code for the activity. Every vintage year must terminate 

with a Transaction Balance Code, “99”. 

 In reporting Installation Year, Transaction Year, and Corrected Transaction Year, 

no date prior to 1940 is acceptable. For a respondent’s initial report, a 1940 

transaction year, “00” Transaction Code, may be used to report the net balance of 

property in service as of December 31, 1939. If a respondent commenced operations 

after 1940, in the initial filing of the Form No. 73, the respondent should report a 

Transaction Code “00” for the net balance of property in service as December 31 of 

the year preceding the year of commencement of operations. For a respondent’s 

Update Report, each vintage will begin with an initial balance, Transaction Code 

“00”, which should correspond to the ending balance, Balance Code “99”, reported on 

the previous filing of the Form No. 73. 

 Installation Year, Transaction Year, Transaction Code, and Ledger Value must be 

reported for each transition. Unreported fields should be left blank. 

 Negative numbers must not be used except when “Corrected Transaction Year” 

field is used. If the “Corrected Transaction Year” field is used, Units, Ledger Value, 

Gross Salvage Value, and Cost of Removal may be negative as necessary to make

corrections.
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Schedule A1

SERVICE LIFE DATA

(a) Pipeline Company Name (b) Schedule

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx A1

(c) Page xxx

(d) From January 1, xxxx (e) to December 31, xxxx

(f) Account Number: xxxx (g) Account Name : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Installation 

Year

Transaction 

Year

Corrected 

Transaction Year

Transaction 

Code

Number of 

Units

Ledger Value Gross 

Salvage

Cost of 

Removal

(h) (i) (j ) (k) (l) (m) (n) (o)

xxxx xxxx xxxx xx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx
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DEFINITIONS OF ITEMS CONTAINED ON SCHEDULE A1 

Schedule 

Reference

Item Name Definition--Description

(a) Pipeline Company 

Name

Name of pipeline filing report

(b) Schedule ID Form Number A1

(c) Page Number Sequential page numbers as needed.

(d) Start Date The beginning year for the service life data reported. 

The year will be reported as a four digit number and 

will be 1940 or later.

(e) End Date The ending year for the service life data being reported. 

The year will be reported as a four digit number. 

(f) FERC Account 

Number 

Uniform System of Accounts number associated with 

the service life data reported on this page with 

appropriate suffix as specified in the general 

instructions.

(g) FERC Account 

Name

Uniform System of Accounts name associated with the 

service life data reported on this page.

(h) Installation Year The year the property was first placed in service by the 

reporting carrier.

(i) Transaction Year The year of the particular transaction being recorded by 

this entry; must be equal to or greater than the 

installation year. 

(j) Corrected 

Transaction Year

For corrections of previous entries only. The year of 

the correction is the transaction year. This field is the 

year that is being corrected. Appropriate corrections (+ 

or -) are recorded in the units, ledger value, gross 

salvage, and cost of removal fields to properly correct 

the erroneous entry. Transaction Codes must be the 

same as the entry corrected.

(k) Transaction Code The type of transaction being recorded. (See 

Transaction Codes in the Appendix).

(l) Number of Units Number of physical units associated with a transaction.

(m) Ledger Value Ledger value of property involved in a transaction.

(n) Gross Salvage The actual dollars of salvage recovered upon retirement 

or disposition of an asset, including insurance proceeds.

(o) Cost of Removal Total cost to dispose of property and to restore 

environment as required.
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 SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS 

Service Life Data (Simulation) 

Schedule S1 

 This schedule is sequenced by Account Number. A new page is started when a 

change in account occurs and the account name and account number is displayed as 

the top line in the body of the report. 

 Data for Simulated Plant Record (SPR) analysis of oil pipeline property accounts 

102-186 is reported for each year from the date of initial operation to the present date 

using the appropriate “Transaction Codes”. 

 Extreme care should be exercised in assigning Transaction Codes to each 

transaction in order that the analysis of data will produce meaningful results. 

 In reporting activity for each account, a Transaction Year, Transaction Code and a 

Ledger Value must be reported for each transaction activity. A Transaction Year 

prior to 1940 is not acceptable. For a respondent’s initial report, a 1940 Transaction 

Year, “00” Transaction Code, may be used to report the net balance of property in 

service as of December 31, 1939. If a respondent commenced operations after 1940, 

in the initial filing of the Form No. 73, the respondent should report a Transaction 

Code “00” for the balance of property in service as December 31 of the year 

preceding the year of commencement of operations. For respondent’s initial report 

with a Transaction Year later than 1940, the net balance of property in service should 

be as of December 31 of the preceding year. For a respondent’s Update Report, each 

account will begin with an initial balance, Transaction Code “00”, which should 

correspond to the ending balance, Transaction Code “99”, reported on the previous 

filing of the Form No. 73. 

 Each account must have a transaction year with a Transaction Code, “99”, which 

must equal the balance in the FERC Form No. 6, Annual Report of Oil Pipeline 

Companies. 

 Negative numbers should not be used in any field. Each Transaction Year must 

have an applicable transaction installation code or transaction retirement code. 
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Schedule S1 

SERVICE LIFE DATA

(a) Pipeline Company Name (b) Schedule

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx S1

(c) Page xxxx

(d) From January 1, xxxx to (e) December 31, xxxx 

(f) Account Number: xxxx (g) Account Name: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Transaction Year Transaction Code Ledger Value

(h) (i) (j)

xxxx xx xxxxxxxxxxxx
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DEFINITIONS OF ITEMS CONTAINED ON SCHEDULE S1

Schedule 

Reference

Item Name Definition--Description

(a) Pipeline Company 

Name

Name of pipeline filing report.

(b) Schedule ID Form Number S1

(c) Page Number Sequential page numbers as needed.

(d) Start Date The beginning year for the service life data reported. 

The year will be reported, as a four digit number and 

will be 1940 or later.

(e) End Date The ending year for the service life data being reported. 

The year will be reported as a four digit number. 

(f) FERC Account 

Number

Uniform System of Accounts number associated with 

the service life data reported on this page with 

appropriate suffix as specified in the general 

instructions.

(g) FERC Account 

Name

Uniform System of Accounts name associated with the 

service life data reported on this page.

(h) Transaction Year The year of the particular transaction being recorded by 

this entry; must be equal to or greater than the 

installation year. 

(i) Transaction Code The type of transaction being recorded. (See 

Transaction Codes in the Appendix).

(j) Ledger Value Ledger value of property involved in a transaction.
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Appendix

Definition – This item identifies the acceptable transaction codes which are reported 

for each transaction.

Transaction 

Code

Transaction 

Title

Transaction Type--Description

00 Initial Balance Installation--net balance of property in service as of 

December 31 of the year prior to the start date (See 

Definition of Items for Schedule S1 or A1)

11 New Installation--placement of property in service. These 

codes distinguish the condition of the property when it is 

added. A vintage year must begin with one of the 

following codes: 00, 11, 12, 13, 30 or 51.

12 Second Hand

13 Reconditioned 

(See code 65)

30 Acquisition Installation--property acquired from another operation 

carrier to be continued in the same or similar type of 

service. Acquisitions may occur as the result of mergers, 

consolidations, pooling of interests, or purchase of another 

company or portion thereof.

51 Transfer In Transfer resulting in an increase of investment in an 

account with a concurrent decrease in another depreciable 

account with the company or an affiliated company. 

Opposite of a Transfer Out.

52 Transfer Out Transfer--the removal of property from a depreciable 

account and concurrent reassignment of that property to 

another account in the company or an affiliated company. 

The reason for a Transfer Out may be a reclassification or 

a change in operations. No salvage entries are allowed for 

this code.

61 Regular Retirement--all retirements which occur in the course of 

normal operations for any cause other than those listed 

herein.

62 Reimbursed Retirement--a retirement of property for which the 

company is compensated fully at the time of retirement 

through insurance or by public authority as a result of 

negotiations.

63 Sale Retirement--a retirement in which “going concern” 

property is sold for reuse to another organization for 

continuation of service. Sales at the end of life or because 

the property is no longer useful for normal transportation 

purposes are Regular Retirements (Code 61).
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Definition – This item identifies the acceptable transaction codes which are reported 

for each transaction.

Transaction 

Code

Transaction 

Title

Transaction Type--Description

64 Outlier Retirement--a retirement which reflects a highly 

improbable occurrence should be classified as an outlier if 

the situation under which the retirement occurred can be 

documented as being exceptionally unusual.

65 Reconditioned Retirement--retirement for the purpose of reconditioning 

the asset for further transportation service when the 

reconditioning is performed by the company or an 

affiliated company. The property is reentered into service 

coded 13 (Reconditioned).

81 + Adjustment Adjustment--adjustment codes should be used only with 

FERC approval. Entries to correct past errors or 

omissions are not considered to be adjustments and should 

be corrected by use of the “Corrected Transaction Year” 

field.

82 - Adjustment

99 Balance Balance--balance in service as of December 31 of the End 

Date (See Definitions of Items for Schedule A1 or S1). 

No salvage entries are permitted for this code.