[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 201 (Friday, October 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54099-54100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27552]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. CP98-6-000]


Dauphin Island Gathering Partners; Notice of Application

October 10, 1997.
    Take notice that on October 3, Dauphin Island Gathering Partners 
(DIGS), c/o OEDC, Inc., 1400 Woodloch Forest Drive, Suite 200, the 
Woodlands, Texas 77380, filed in Docket Nos. CP98-6-000 an application, 
pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act and Section 157 of thy 
Commission's Regulations, for a certificate of public convenience and 
necessity to construct facilities to implement the second phase of a 
two-stage construction project to attach offshore supplies to an 
onshore delivery point near Coden, Louisiana. Specifically, DIGS 
proposes to (1) construct and operate approximately 13 miles of 24-inch 
pipeline extending from Alabama state waters at State Tract 73 to a 
proposed processing facility near Coden, Alabama, and (2) abandon a 
temporary interconnection located in Alabama State Tract 73 between 
DIGS existing facilities and DIGS' 65-mile pipeline authorized to be 
constructed by DIGS in Docket No. CP97-300-000, and for approval of pro 
forma tariff sheets providing for negotiated rates for both firm and 
interruptible services, and other tariff modifications, all as more 
fully set forth in the applications, which are on file with the 
Commission and open for public inspection.
    DIGS states that, in its application filed in Docket No. CP97-300-
000, it proposed to construct its system in two stages, with 
authorization sought in that application only for the first phase. DIGS 
indicated that the Phase I facilities would extend from Main Pass Block 
225 to Alabama State Tract 73 (MP facilities). DIGS also stated that, 
pending completion of the Phase II facilities, which are being proposed 
in this application, the Phase I facilities would interconnect 
temporarily with existing facilities that extend from Block 73 onshore 
to Coden, Alabama (the DI facilities) where gas would be delivered to 
the systems of interstate pipeline companies.
    DIGS estimates a construction cost of the proposed facilities of 
$19,368,716, which would be financed from cash on hand from the various 
partners of DIGS.
    DIGS has included pro forma tariff sheets with its application as 
First Revised Volume No. 1 to its tariff setting forth the rate 
schedules, general terms and conditions and forms of service agreements 
that would be provided if the requested certificate is granted. It is 
indicated the proposed tariff would replace the Original Volume No. 1 
of the tariff filed on September 2, 1997, in compliance with the June 
27, 1997, order approving the Phase I facilities. It is also stated 
that the proposed tariff reflects separate service for the DI facility 
in that, after Phase II is completed, Dauphin Island's DI facilities 
and MP facilities will no longer be connected and will ship gas of 
different qualities. DIGS states that as a result, different quality 
specifications are set forth for the transportation of rich gas through 
the MP facilities and lean gas through the DI facilities.
    DIGS states that the Commission's June 27, 1997, order permitted 
DIGS to charge and collect a recourse rate of $0.1756 for Rate Schedule 
FT-1 and further authorized DIGS to charge negotiated rates for service 
under Rate Schedules FT-2 and FT-3. It is indicated that the June 27, 
1997, order stated that the Commission would review DIGS' rate 
methodology when DIGS filed its certificate application for the Phase 
II facilities. DIGS now proposes to modify its methodology to reflect 
that it will be operating two separate jurisdictional facilities 
because of different operational requirements related to the rich 
versus lean nature of the two gas streams and assertion of Commission 
jurisdiction over facilities previously operated as gathering

[[Page 54100]]

facilities. DIGS now proposes to establish a separate recourse rate for 
each facility to reflect that discrete DIGS facilities will be operated 
independently of each other. DIGS indicates that the recourse rate for 
each facility will be the applicable FT-1 rate. DIGS also proposes to 
continue to collect negotiated rates under Rate Schedules FT-2 and FT-
3. Also, DIGS for the first time proposes negotiated rates for 
interruptible service.
    Any person desiring to participate in the hearing process or to 
make any protest with reference to said application should on or before 
October 31, 1997, file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, D.C. 20426, a motion to intervene or a protest in 
accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice 
and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the 
Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10). All protests filed with the Commission 
will be considered by it in determining the appropriate action to taken 
but will not serve to make the protestants parties to the proceeding. 
Any person wishing to become a party to a proceeding or to participate 
as a party in any hearing therein must file a motion to intervene in 
accordance with the Commission's Rules.
    A person obtaining intervenor status will be placed on the service 
list maintained by the Secretary of the Commission and will receive 
copies of all documents filed by the applicant and by every one of the 
intervenors. An intervenor can file for rehearing of any Commission 
order and can petition for court review of such order. However, an 
intervenor must submit copies of comments or any other filing it makes 
with the Commission to every other intervenor in the proceeding as well 
as 14 copies with the Commission.
    A person does not have to intervene, however, in order to have 
comments considered. A person, instead, may submit two copies of 
comments to the Secretary of the Commission. Commenters will be placed 
on the Commission's environmental mailing list, will receive copies of 
environmental documents and will be able to participate in meetings 
associated with the Commission's environmental review process. 
Commenters will not be required to serve copies of filed documents on 
all other parties. However, commenters will not receive copies of all 
documents filed by other parties or issued by the Commission and will 
not have the right to seek rehearing or appeal the Commission's final 
order to a federal court.
    The Commission will consider all comments and concerns equally, 
whether filed by commenters or those requesting intervenor status.
    Take further notice that, pursuant to the authority contained in 
and subject to the jurisdiction conferred upon the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission by Sections 7 and 15 of the Natural Gas Act and 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, a hearing will be 
held without further notice before the Commission or its designee on 
this application if no motion to intervene is filed within the time 
required herein, if the Commission on its own review of the matter 
finds that a grant of the certificate and permission and approval for 
the proposed abandonment are required by the public convenience and 
necessity. If a motion for leave to intervene is timely filed, or if 
the Commission on its own motion believes that a formal hearing is 
required, further notice of such hearing will be duly given.
    Under the procedure herein provided for, unless otherwise advised, 
it will be unnecessary for DIGS to appear or be represented at the 
hearing.
Lois D. Cashell,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-27552 Filed 10-16-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M