[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 114 (Thursday, June 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35658-35659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14048]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 8353]
Spectra Energy Corp., Application for a New or Amended
Presidential Permit
June 7, 2013.
AGENCY: Department of State.
ACTION: Notice of Receipt of Spectra Energy Corp., Application for a
New or Amended Presidential Permit for Express Pipeline LLC to Operate
and Maintain Pipeline Facilities on the Border of the United States and
Canada.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Department of State (DOS) has
received from Spectra Energy Corp (``Spectra Energy'') notice that it
has acquired the entities that own Express Pipeline LLC (``Express''),
which operates and maintains pipeline facilities including the Express
Pipeline, which is permitted under a 2004 Presidential Permit issued to
Express. Spectra Energy requests a new or amended Presidential Permit
be issued reflecting these corporate transactions.
Spectra Energy owns and operates a large diversified portfolio of
natural gas-related energy assets in the areas of gathering and
processing, transmission, and distribution. Its natural gas pipeline
systems consist of over 19,000 miles of transmission pipelines.
The Express Pipeline is a 515 mile, 24 inch crude oil pipeline
running between the U.S.-Canada border near Wild
[[Page 35659]]
Horse, Montana, to Caster, Wyoming and includes five pump stations. The
Express Pipeline has been in operation since 1997 and transports crude
oil from Hardisty, Alberta Canada to Casper, Wyoming.
On March 14, 2013, Spectra Energy (through its subsidiaries Spectra
Energy Express (US) GP, LLC and Spectra Energy Express Holding, LLC)
purchased all of the outstanding equity and debt interests in Express
US Holdings LP. Immediately following these acquisitions, Spectra
Energy became the 100 percent owner of the ``upstream'' entities that
own Express and reorganized those entities, converting the direct
parent corporation of Express into a limited liability corporation,
Express Holdings (USA), LLC. Spectra plans to assign 40% of its
ownership interests in Express Holdings (USA), LLC, to Spectra Energy
Partners, LP, a publicly-traded master limited partnership. Spectra
Energy has control over Spectra Energy Partners, LP; it indirectly owns
58% of the ownership interests in the limited partnership and also
indirectly owns 100% of Spectra Energy Partners, LP's general partner,
Spectra Energy Partners (DE) GP, LP.
Spectra affirms that operation and maintenance of the permitted
facilities will remain substantially the same as before its acquisition
of Express and acknowledges the Express is obligated to comply with the
existing 2004 Permit. Spectra does not request any changes to the terms
and conditions of the 2004 Permit.
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 new
or amended Presidential Permit in light of Spectra's acquisition of the
entities that own Express would be in the U.S. national interest.
DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments within 30 days
of the publication date of this notice by email to
[email protected] with regard to whether issuing a new
Presidential Permit reflecting the corporate succession would be in the
national interest. The application is available at http://www.state.gov/e/enr.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Energy Diplomacy, Energy
Resources Bureau (ENR/EDP/EWA) Department of State 2201 C St. NW., Ste
4843 Washington, DC 20520 Attn: Michael Brennan Tel: 202-647-7553.
Dated: June 7, 2013.
Michael Brennan,
Office of Europe, Western Hemisphere and Africa, Bureau of Energy
Resources, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2013-14048 Filed 6-12-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P