[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24299-24300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11986]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. CP-96-385-000]


Columbia Natural Resources, Inc.; Notice of Petition for 
Declaratory Order

    Take notice that on April 29, 1996, Columbia Natural Resources, 
Inc. (CNR),\1\ P.O. Box 6070, Charleston, West Virginia 25362-0070, 
filed in Docket No. CP96-385-000 a petition pursuant to Section 16 of 
the Natural Gas Act (NGA) and Rule 207(a)(2) of the Commission's Rules 
of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.207(a)(2)), for a declaratory 
order disclaiming Commission jurisdiction over certain facilities, 
operations, rates and the services provided through the facilities, all 
as more fully set forth in the petition which is on file with the 
Commission and open to public inspection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ CNR is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Columbia Gas System, 
Inc.; headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia; and incorporated 
in Texas and licensed to do business in the States of Illinois, 
Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, 
Virginia and West Virginia. CNR performs all the oil and gas 
drilling and production operations of The Columbia Gas System, Inc., 
in the Eastern United States. CNR owns an interest in over 6,500 oil 
and gas wells and has total acreage holdings of more than 2.3 
million acres. Approximately two-thirds of CNR's natural gas 
production flows through the facilities subject to CNR's petition.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CNR seeks a declaratory order from the Commission finding that 
certain certificated and uncertificated natural gas gathering 
facilities, and the ownership and operation of those facilities, 
proposed to be acquired from Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation 
(Columbia) would not be subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission 
under the NGA upon transfer of the facilities.\2\ CNR seeks a 
determination that the Commission's authority to regulate rates under 
Sections 4 and 5 of the NGA does not extend to CNR's gathering system 
as it is proposed to be operated.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ A companion application was filed by Columbia in Docket No. 
CP96-386-000 for authorization to abandon the certificated portion 
of the facilities by sale to CNR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CNR states that the facilities are located in Fayette and Somerset 
Counties, Pennsylvania; Dickenson, Tazewell and Buchanan Counties, 
Virginia; Pike, Knott, Breathitt, Magoffin, Floyd, Johnson, Lawrence, 
Letcher and Martin Counties, Kentucky; and Kanawha, Boone, Cabell, 
Logan, Putnam, Wyoming, Raleigh, Fayette, Mercer, McDowell, Mingo, 
Wayne and Lincoln Counties, West Virginia. CNR describes the facilities 
as eighteen gathering systems composed of ``web-type'' or ``backbone'' 
configurations of lines that are of a size and operated at pressures 
consistent with the gathering function, located in a production area, 
upstream of processing facilities, and gather gas from receipt points 
for subsequent delivery to Columbia's transmission lines or to other 
points of delivery on the gathering system.
    CNR asserts that the individual elements of the ``Modified Primary 
Function'' Test, when applied to these

[[Page 24300]]

eighteen gathering systems, demonstrate that these Facilities would 
perform a gathering function in CNR's possession. The following 
statements are those of CNR.
    (1) Length and Diameter of the Lines--Although it is difficult to 
generalize about so many lines, it is clear that the great majority of 
these lines are small diameter, short lines, consistent with the 
configuration of gathering area lines. While some lines are larger than 
the 2.375'' to 8.625'' lines which predominate, or greater than a mile 
in length, such lines do not exceed a size or a length appropriate for 
a gathering function in similar circumstances, e.g., to transport gas 
gathered from other lines either directly or indirectly to transmission 
lines.
    (2) Extension Beyond a Central Point in the Field--Unlike other 
production areas such as those in the Southwest, the ``central point in 
the field test'' is not generally applicable to those systems, given 
the unique geography and development of the Appalachian gathering area. 
Therefore, this test provides little guidance in determining the 
primary function of Appalachian gathering systems such as those under 
consideration here.
    (3) Location of Compressors and Processing Plants--There are no 
processing plants upstream of these Facilities, and only twelve 
compressors on these eighteen gathering systems. Those twelve 
compressors are either field boosters which are necessary to move gas 
over these low pressure systems, or compress the gas for entry into 
transmission lines.
    (4) Geographic Configuration--An examination of the maps contained 
in Exhibits Z and Z1 of Columbia's abandonment application shows that 
these Facilities form a ``web-type'' or ``backbone'' configuration and 
are located in a production area where they function as a production 
area gathering network.
    (5) Location of Wells--Each of these eighteen gathering systems 
collects gas from wells at production area receipt points located along 
or throughout each system.
    (6) Operating Pressure of the Lines--The operating pressure of the 
lines is low, typically less than 100 psig, and in all cases entirely 
consistent with a gathering facility characterization in these low 
pressure production areas.
    (7) Purpose, Location and Operation of the Facilities--The 
facilities are located in a production area, and used to provide 
gathering service by their present owner and operator. Even the few 
facilities functionalized on Columbia's books of account as 
transmission either now perform a gathering function or would do so 
when owned and operated by CNR.
    (8) The Owner's General Business Activity--CNR, the proposed owner 
of these Facilities, would be a gatherer, not an interstate 
transporter, of gas. It intends to have no jurisdictional transmission 
facilities. Therefore, these Facilities would be gathering facilities 
after the proposed transfer.
    CNR states that it would operate the facilities as an independent 
gas gatherer to provide gas gathering and related services on an open 
access, nonjurisdictional, nondiscriminatory basis to all customers. 
CNR states that no existing shipper on any of these eighteen gathering 
systems would be faced with any reduction or loss of gathering service. 
CNR explains that it intends to provide substitute nonjurisdictional 
alternatives to the service provided by Columbia in connection with its 
transportation service under certain rate schedules in Columbia's 
Second Revised Volume No. 1 FERC Gas Tariff. Further, CNR would attempt 
to negotiate new gathering agreements with Columbia's shippers. 
However, if CNR is unable to reach agreement with an existing gathering 
shipper, CNR would offer such existing shippers a default contract 
under which they would continue to be able to receive gathering service 
for a two-year period, under rates, terms and conditions consistent 
with those under which Columbia currently provides these gathering 
services. Proposed default gathering contracts would be submitted if 
the parties were unable to negotiate mutually agreeable arrangements.
    CNR advises that Columbia currently utilizes certain of the 
Facilities to deliver gas scheduled under Rate Schedules FTS, NTS,\3\ 
and SST to Mountaineer Gas Company (Mountaineer) and Columbia Gas of 
Kentucky, Inc. (CKY), at Town Border Stations. CNR plans to provide 
nonjurisdictional direct delivery service to Mountaineer and CKY, after 
the proposed sale. Negotiations are progressing with these two local 
distribution companies for the development of agreements for such 
service by CNR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Only Mountaineer receives NTS service.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CNR advises that, in addition to direct delivery service at Town 
Border Stations, Columbia utilizes many of the Facilities to also 
deliver gas to certain Mainline Tap Consumers served by these local 
distribution companies and by Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Inc. These 
Mainline Tap Consumers are attached directly to Columbia gathering 
lines and, typically, are found in areas which are remote from the 
nearest measured distribution system and may own land over which 
Columbia's gathering lines have been laid. Upon the transfer of the 
Facilities to CNR, deliveries to these Mainline Tap Consumers would be 
continued by CNR on a nonjurisdictional basis.
    CNR further advises that, in the companion application filed in 
Docket No. CP96-386-000, Columbia proposes to abandon two Points of 
Delivery at exchange points on the Facilities with CNG Transmission 
Corporation under Columbia's Rate Schedule X-35 and X-84. However, the 
remaining exchange points under these rate schedules would not be 
affected by the proposed transfer of the Facilities to CNR and exchange 
services would continue to be provided under Rate Schedules X-35 and X-
84.
    CNR also advises that Ashland Exploration, Inc., delivers gas from 
its own production into Columbia's Canada (P-28) Gathering System. Some 
of that gas is delivered to approximately 170 customers of Ashland 
located on that system. CNR intends to work with Ashland to develop an 
appropriate replacement, if necessary, for the service currently 
provided by Columbia.
    Any person desiring to be heard or to make any protest with 
reference to said petition should on or before May 20, 1996, 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 384.214 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 be 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.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-11986 Filed 5-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M