FERC sets Alaska open season workshop

Staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold an open season pre-filing workshop at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage Jan. 12 from 1-5 p.m.

FERC said the workshop will provide interested parties an opportunity to learn about and discuss the procedures and process for commenting on and holding an open season. The workshop will include an explanation of FERC open season policy and Alaska open season rules by Richard Foley of the FERC staff, the lead certificate manager for Alaska projects.

Todd Ruhkamp, senior certificate analyst on the FERC staff, will provide an explanation of FERC’s electronic records and filing system.

Questions and discussion will begin at 3 p.m.

FERC said the workshop will be hosted by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and the Regulatory Commission of Alaska.

FERC enacted regulations for an open season for an Alaska gas pipeline project in 2005. Both Denali - The Alaska Pipeline LLC and TransCanada Alaska Co. LLC have said they intend to hold open seasons in 2010.

FERC open season regulations require each project sponsor to submit a detailed open season plan to FERC prior to conducting an open season for an Alaska natural gas transportation project. FERC said that after receiving a sponsor’s open season plan it will issue a notice requesting public comments on the open season plan and explain the procedure for submitting such comments.

“Absent unusual circumstances, FERC will act on the open season plan within 60 days” of its submission, the agency said.

The pre-filing process, which has been initiated by both sponsors, is typically focused on FERC’s environmental review, but “in this instance, the pre-filing process also includes FERC’s review, approval and oversight of the project sponsors’ open season.”

—Petroleum News