[Federal Register: December 19, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 244)]
[Notices]
[Page 77758]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19de02-35]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
[Docket No. OR03-2-000]
Caesar Oil Pipeline Company, LLC; Notice of Petition for
Declaratory Order
December 13, 2002.
Take notice that on December 6, 2002, Caesar Oil Pipeline Company,
LLC (Caesar Company) filed in Docket No. OR03-2-000, a petition for
declaratory order, pursuant to Rule 207(a)(2) of the Commission's Rules
of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.207(a)(2). Caesar Company
requests that the Commission issue an expedited decision on this
Petition no later than the end of March 2003.
Caesar Company states that it is planning to construct the Caesar
oil pipeline system (Caesar System), a major crude oil pipeline
designed to transport the maximum volume of oil that is technologically
feasible with existing equipment, which will provide transportation for
the Green Canyon area of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico to a receiving
facility at Ship Shoal 332 in the Outer Continental Shelf. In addition
to serving the Green Canyon area, the Caesar System will also be
available to provide transportation service to the Walker Ridge and
Atwater Valley areas of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The Caesar System
is anticipated to commence service in 2004, and will serve areas of the
deepwater Gulf of Mexico that at this time have little or no available
transportation capacity on existing oil pipelines.
Caesar Company states that the Caesar System will be subject to the
nondiscrimination provisions of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
(the OCSLA), and Caesar Company seeks the requested declaratory order
to ensure that the Caesar System will not be subject to common-carrier
type pro rata allocation, but will rather be authorized to function as
a contract carrier, hold an open season, enter into long-term
transportation contracts reflecting contract carriage principles, give
those contracts precedence in allocating capacity, and contract for
capacity that remains available after the open season closes on a
first-come, first-served basis. Caesar Company maintains that the
potential of pro rata allocation will likely discourage production
development in the Green Canyon, Walker Ridge and Atwater Valley areas,
and commitment on the Caesar System by prospective subscribers to
capacity, thereby increasing the risk of both the Caesar System and
shippers using it.
Accordingly, Caesar Company seeks the following by the end of
February 2003:
A Commission declaration that that the Caesar System will be
authorized to function as a contract carrier, hold an open season,
enter into long-term transportation contracts reflecting contract
carriage principles, give those contracts precedence in allocating
capacity, and contract for capacity that remains available after the
open season closes on a first-come, first-served basis.
Caesar Company requests that the Commission issue the requested
declaratory order by the end of March 2003, because (1) as part of
their planning for initial production when the Caesar System goes
online in 2004 (as currently scheduled), Caesar Company and the
shippers to be served by the Caesar System at start-up would like to
execute transportation agreements incorporating contract carriage
principles and be confident that those agreements are mutually binding
and enforceable--lack of resolution that the Caesar System can operate
on a contract carriage basis makes this impossible; and (2) in order
for the Caesar System to be fully utilized, Caesar Company must obtain
future transportation commitments from current and prospective
producers that are currently assessing whether they should pursue
development of oil field production opportunities in the Green Canyon,
Walker Ridge, and Atwater Valley areas, whether the Caesar System will
be able to meet their requirements for transportation of production,
and whether they must construct their own isolated pipelines to service
their production fields.
Any person desiring to be heard or to protest said filing should
file a motion to intervene or a protest with the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, in
accordance with sections 385.214 or 385.211 of the Commission's Rules
and Regulations. All such motions or protests must be filed on or
before January 10, 2003. Protests will be considered by the Commission
in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve
to make protestants parties to the proceedings. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a motion to intervene. This filing is
available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or
may be viewed on the Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov using
the ``FERRIS'' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three
digits in the docket number field to access the document. For
Assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll-free at (866) 208-3676, or TTY,
contact (202) 502-8659. Comments, protests and interventions may be
filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. The Commission
strongly encourages electronic filings. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii)
and the instructions on the Commission's web site under the ``e-
Filing'' link.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-32014 Filed 12-18-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P