FERC Eliminates Semiannual Natural Gas Storage Reporting Requirements

In a move that will save the industry about $400,000 each year, on January 19, 2012, FERC eliminated the semiannual storage reporting requirements for (i) interstate pipelines transacting under the Natural Gas Act and (ii) intrastate and Hinshaw pipelines that provide interstate services under section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 and section 284.224 of the Commission's regulations, respectively, finding them duplicative with other reporting requirements.¹ This elimination was the result of FERC's continuing effort to streamline and update its regulations.

Prior to the Final Rule, pipelines were required to file reports within 30 days of the end of each complete storage injection and withdrawal season. For interstate pipelines, FERC determined that other reporting requirements, such as daily website postings, present similar information in a more standardized and accessible form. Although the website postings do not provide individual shipper injection