FERC Issues NOPR Proposing To Eliminate Semiannual Gas Storage Reporting Requirements

On September 15, 2011, FERC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) proposing to eliminate the semiannual storage reporting requirements for interstate and intrastate natural gas companies. These requirements are set forth in 18 C.F.R. § 284.13(e) for interstate natural gas companies and in 18 C.F.R. § 284.126(c) for section 311 and Hinshaw pipelines providing interstate storage service. FERC found that these reports are largely duplicative of other reporting requirements.

Order No. 637, effective more than 10 years ago, requires interstate pipelines to post on their Internet websites basic information on the terms of each transportation and storage contract with individual shippers no later than the first nomination under a transaction. Much of this same information is contained in the pipelines' semiannual storage reports. FERC found that there appears to be no need to require interstate pipelines to continue filing additional semiannual reports of