[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 217 (Thursday, November 8, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67056-67057]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27330]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 8082]
Application for a Presidential Permit To Operate and Maintain
Pipeline Facilities on the Border of the United States and Canada
AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Notice of Receipt of Application for a Presidential Permit to
Operate and Maintain Pipeline Facilities on the Border of the United
States and Canada.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Department of State (DOS) has
received from NOVA Chemicals Inc. (``NOVA Inc.'') an application for
re-instatement of a Presidential Permit authorizing the operation and
maintenance of pipeline facilities to transport natural gas liquids
(``NGLs'') extending from a block valve site in St. Clair County,
Michigan, near the city of Marysville to the international border
between the United States and Canada.
NOVA Inc. is incorporated in the State of Delaware and is a wholly-
owned subsidiary of NOVA Corporation. NOVA Corporation is a company
continued under the laws of the Province of New Brunswick, Canada. All
of the issued and outstanding shares of NOVA Corporation are owned by a
wholly owned subsidiary of the International Petroleum Investment
Corporation (``IPIC'') which is wholly owned by the government of the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
NOVA Inc. requests the permit to operate and maintain a pipeline
(``Line 20'') consisting of approximately 1350 feet of 12-inch diameter
pipeline as well as certain appurtenant facilities that can accommodate
the transportation of up to 65,000 barrels per day (``bpd'') of NGLs.
NOVA Inc. intends to make use of the existing Line 20 pipeline
facilities as one of the final links in a pipeline system that will
transport NGLs (in particular, ethane) derived from gas produced in the
Marcellus Shale play in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and
neighboring states to the international boundary under the St. Clair
River and onward in the Province of Ontario, Canada, to a petrochemical
complex located in Corunna, Ontario. Line 20 was constructed in 1986
and owned by Polysar Hydrocarbons Inc. (``Polysar'') and its upstream
owner, Polysar Energy and Chemical Corporation.
Since 1995, the Line 20 facilities have been used pursuant to lease
arrangements for the transportation of natural gas under Presidential
Permits which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (``FERC'')
issued to Bluewater Gas Storage, L.L.C. (``Bluewater Gas Storage'') and
a predecessor. The lease under which Bluewater Gas Storage has been
operating the Line 20 facilities includes a provision permitting its
termination on not less than two years' notice. NOVA Inc. provided
Bluewater Gas Storage notice that the Line 20 facilities lease will
terminate effective no later than January 27, 2013. Upon termination of
the lease, possession and operation of the Line 20 facilities will
revert to NOVA Inc., which proposes to convert the Line 20 facilities
back to NGLs transportation service.
The Department of State has concluded that the 1986 Presidential
Permit expired as to the Line 20 facilities when these were converted
to a natural gas transportation service and operated pursuant to a
Presidential Permit issued to Bluewater Gas Storage LLC., by FERC.
Because NOVA intends to place Line 20 facilities back into natural gas
liquids transportation service in 2013, NOVA is seeking reinstatement
of the 1986 Presidential permit on Line 20 facilities with changes
reflecting its ownership of the Line 20 facilities.
Under E.O. 13337 the Secretary of State is designated and empowered
to receive all applications for Presidential Permits for the
construction, connection, operation, or maintenance at the borders of
the United States, of facilities for the exportation or importation of
liquid petroleum, petroleum products, or other non-gaseous fuels to or
from a foreign country. The Department of State is circulating this
application to concerned federal agencies for comment. The Department
of State has the responsibility to determine whether issuance of a
Presidential Permit reflecting the change in ownership or control of
Line 20 and the reversion to transporting natural gas liquids would be
in the U.S. national interest.
DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments within 30 days
of the publication of this notice by email to
[email protected] with
[[Page 67057]]
regard to whether issuing a new Presidential Permit reflecting the
corporate succession and authorizing NOVA, Inc. to operate and maintain
Line 20 would be in the national interest. The application is available
at http://www.state.gov/e/enr/c52945.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Brennan, Bureau of Energy
Resources, Office of Energy Diplomacy--Europe, Western Hemisphere and
Africa (ENR/EDP/EWA), Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, Tel:
202-647-9158, EMAIL: [email protected].
Dated: October 26, 2012.
Douglas R. Kramer,
Acting Director, Office of Europe, Western Hemisphere and Africa,
Bureau of Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2012-27330 Filed 11-7-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P