Office of Fossil Energy; Procedural Order Requiring Monthly Reporting

AGENCY:

Office of Fossil Energy (FE), Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION:

Notice of amendment to Natural Gas Import and Export Orders.

SUMMARY:

DOE is adding a new monthly reporting requirement to existing and future Orders authorizing the import and export of natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Yvonne Caudillo, Allyson C. Reilly, Office of Natural Gas Regulatory Activities, Office of Oil and Gas Global Security and Supply, Office of Fossil Energy, P.O. Box 44375, Washington, DC 20026-4375, (202) 586-4587, (202) 586-9394.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

DOE's Office of Fossil Energy (FE) is delegated the authority to regulate natural gas imports and exports under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act of 1938, 15 U.S.C. 717b. In order to carry out its delegated responsibility, FE requires those persons authorized to import or export natural gas to file reports containing basic information about the scope and nature of the import or export activity. Historically, FE has collected information on a quarterly basis about import and export transactions. That information has been used to monitor North American natural gas trade, which in turn enables the Federal Government to perform market and regulatory analyses; improve the capability of industry and the government to respond to any future energy-related supply problems; and keep the general public informed of international natural gas trade.

DOE has undertaken a Natural Gas Data Collection Initiative to improve the way it gathers and disseminates information about the use and origin of natural gas supplies in the United States. This critical natural gas information will be collected on a monthly basis in addition to the reporting required at the end of each calendar quarter. To facilitate timely reporting, an internet-based reporting option for the monthly reporting has been established. This may be found on the FE Web site at http://www.fe.doe.gov (click on natural gas regulation then on the upper right side in the blue, click on monthly report).

On July 21, 2003, DOE's Energy Information Administration published a Federal Register notice requesting public comment on the proposal to collect import and export data on a monthly basis (68 FR 43101). No comments or requests for further information were received.

Order

In accordance with DOE's Natural Gas Data Collection Initiative and pursuant to section 3 of the Natural Gas Act, it is ordered that:

All importers and exporters with existing authorizations listed in the attached Appendix shall file a report within 30 days following each calendar month, indicating whether imports and/or exports have been made. Monthly reports must be filed whether or not initial deliveries have begun. If imports and/or exports have not been made, a report of “no activity” for that month must be filed. If imports and/or exports have occurred, the report must give the following details: (1) For imports, country of origin; (2) for exports, the country of destination; (3) point(s) of entry and/or exit; and (4) total volume at each point of entry and/or exit for the month. Additionally, for LNG imports and exports the reports must give the following details: (1) Country of origin; (2) point(s) of entry/exit—terminal name; (3) the name(s) of the LNG tanker or number of trucks; (4) landed price in U.S. $ per MMBtu; (5) supplier; (6) total volume in MCF; and (7) the date of import (arrival of ship). [OMB NO.: 1901-0294]

The first monthly report for the reporting period November 1, 2005, through November 30, 2005, required by this Amending Order shall be filed no later than December 30, 2005. All monthly filings shall be made to U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Oil and Gas Global Security and Supply, Attention: Ms. Yvonne Caudillo, P.O. Box 44375, Washington, DC 20026-4375, or on the web site as discussed above.