Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers and Venice Gathering System, L.L.C.; Notice Granting Extension of the Waiver of Posting and Recordkeeping Requirements, 5306-5307 [E6-1253]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5306-5307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1253]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket Nos. RM01-10-000, EY06-7-000, and TS06-2-000]


Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers and Venice 
Gathering System, L.L.C.; Notice Granting Extension of the Waiver of 
Posting and Recordkeeping Requirements

January 25, 2006.
    On December 30, 2005, Venice Gathering System, L.L.C. (Venice 
Gathering) filed to seek an extension of the emergency waiver of Sec.  
358.4(a)(2) of the Commission's regulations, 18 CFR 358.4(a)(2) (2005). 
Venice Gathering requests an extension of that waiver as it relates to 
section 358.4(a)(2) of the Commission's regulations until March 31, 
2006 or the date on which the Venice Gathering system has returned to 
full pre-hurricane operation.
    On the same date, in a separate filing, Venice Gathering filed to 
seek an extension of Sec.  358.4(b)(3)(iv) of the Commission's 
regulations, 18 CFR 358.4(b)(3)(iv) (2005) with respect to the deadline 
for updating the information contained in its posted employee 
organizational charts and its posted job descriptions. Venice Gathering 
requests an extension of that waiver as it relates to Sec.  
358.4(b)(3)(iv) of the Commission's regulations until January 31, 2006.
    Venice owns and operates a FERC-jurisdictional natural gas 
gathering and transmission system consisting of (1) A twenty-six-inch 
mainline, extending from the South Timbalier Block 151 compressor 
platform in the Gulf of Mexico to the Venice Plant, (2) a twenty-four-
inch mainline extending from the South Timbaliler Block 151 compressor 
platform to the West Delta Block 79A platform, and (3) a twenty-two-
inch mainline extending from the West Delta Block 79A platform to the 
Venice Plant located near Venice, Louisiana. In its initial request for 
exemption, Venice stated that Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage 
to processing plants and offshore pipelines located along the Louisiana 
Gulf Coast, including the Venice Plant and the Venice Gathering system.
    In its motions for an extension, Venice explains that restoration 
work has proceeded diligently at the Venice Gathering and Venice Plant 
facilities. Venice notes, however, that this restoration work is 
expected to continue well into 2006. Venice states that these 
extensions are needed to permit all employees within its parent company 
who have expertise and availability to assist in the restoration 
efforts to engage in detailed communications about the status of the 
restoration efforts and to coordinate joint operations and repair work, 
without regard to their designations under Order No. 2004 and without 
the requirement to log each individual deviation from the Standards of 
Conduct.
    In its January 18, 2006 supplement to the motions for an extension, 
Venice Gathering clarifies that limited quantities of gas are flowing 
to Trunkline Gas Company LLC through two new interconnections. Venice 
Gathering clarifies, further, that although the Venice Plant is not 
currently operational and is not expected to become operational for 
some time, it is working with Venice Energy Services Company, L.L.C. 
and with the appropriate downstream pipelines to allow gas to flow in 
its pre-hurricane direction without being processed in the Venice 
Plant.
    Venice Gathering states that, in order to enable it to take all 
appropriate steps within its control to restore its system to full, 
pre-hurricane operations, it is necessary that the waiver of the 
recording and posting requirements of section 358.4(a)(2) of the 
Commission's regulations be extended. Venice Gathering states, further, 
that due to the significant Targa resources devoted to the restoration 
project, it is left with limited resources to carry out revisions to 
its website postings related to its recent change in control after the 
Targa acquisition.
    The Commission initially granted a temporary emergency waiver of 
Sec. Sec.  358.4(a)(2) and 358.4(b)(3)(iv) of the Commission's 
regulations in a notice issued on November 28, 2005 in order to allow 
Venice Gathering to proceed with the restoration work on its pipeline 
facilities and on the Venice Gathering Processing Plant necessitated by 
Hurricane Katrina. The Commission granted the waiver until the earlier 
of the end of the gas day on December 31, 2005, or the date on which 
the Venice Gathering system returned to full pre-hurricane operation, 
without prejudice to Venice Gathering requesting a further extension, 
if necessary.
    The Commission notes that Venice issued a notice on its Internet 
website indicating that it estimates the repairs will be completed by 
February 1, 2006.\1\ The Commission also notes that Venice asserts that 
it is able to make nominations for gas at two receipt points. The 
Commission, therefore, will grant Venice Gathering an extension of 
waiver of the otherwise applicable requirements of section 358.4(a)(2) 
to record and post a log of emergency-related deviations from the 
Standards of Conduct until the end of the gas day on January 31, 2006. 
This waiver extension is granted without prejudice to Venice requesting 
a further extension, if necessary, with specific justification for such 
a request.
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    \1\ See https://www.venicegathering.com/Notices/notice010406htm 
(January 20, 2006).
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    The Commission also grants an extension for the waiver of the 
recording and posting requirements of section 358.4(b)(3)(iv) 
requirements to post updated information on organizational changes 
resulting from the acquisition by Targa Resources, Inc. (Targa) of 
Venice Gathering's managing member, Dynegy Midstream Services, Limited 
Partnership (Dynegy Midstream) until January 31, 2006.

[[Page 5307]]

    The Commission directs Venice Gathering to ensure that the 
employees affected by this waiver observe the no-conduit prohibition in 
the Standards of Conduct, 18 CFR 358.5(b)(7) (2005).

    By direction of the Commission.
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-1253 Filed 1-31-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P