Understanding the El Paso Pipeline: A Beginner’s Guide to Informational Postings
The El Paso pipeline system is a network of more than 40,000 miles of natural gas pipelines that spans across several western states in the United States. The system is owned and operated by El Paso Corporation, a publicly traded company that specializes in natural gas transportation and storage. As a beginner, understanding the El Paso pipeline system can be quite a daunting task. In this article, we’ll provide a detailed guide to informational postings to help you better understand this complex system.
What is the El Paso Pipeline System?
The El Paso pipeline system is a network of natural gas pipelines that spans over 30,000 miles across several western states in the United States. The system is designed to transport natural gas from production areas to major delivery points throughout the country. The El Paso system also includes several storage facilities that help balance supply and demand for natural gas.
The pipelines in the El Paso system are divided into two main categories: interstate pipelines and intrastate pipelines. Interstate pipelines transport natural gas across state lines, while intrastate pipelines transport natural gas within a particular state. Both types of pipelines are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which ensures that they meet safety and environmental standards.
What are Informational Postings?
Informational postings are documents that are publicly available on the website of El Paso Corporation. They contain important information about the capacity, availability, and maintenance of the pipelines in the El Paso system. Informational postings are required by FERC to promote transparency and ensure that natural gas transportation is conducted fairly and efficiently.
Informational postings are updated on a daily basis and provide current and potential customers with vital information about the El Paso pipeline system. They contain information about capacity releases, pipeline outages, and operational notices. These documents are crucial for natural gas shippers and traders who rely on the El Paso pipeline system for their operations.
Understanding the Different Types of Informational Postings
There are several types of informational postings that El Paso Corporation releases on its website. Here’s a brief overview of these types:
1. Critical notices – These notices contain important information about pipeline outages, which can cause significant disruptions to natural gas transportation. These notices provide customers with detailed information about the duration of the outage, the affected pipelines, and any potential impact on their operations.
2. Operational notices – Operational notices provide customers with detailed information about the operational status and performance of the pipelines in the El Paso system. These notices highlight any changes or updates to standard operating procedures that may impact gas transportation.
3. Capacity release notices – These notices provide customers with information about the availability of capacity on the El Paso pipeline system. They highlight any available capacity that can be released to potential bidders in the marketplace.
4. Tariff postings – Tariff postings contain information about the rates and charges that El Paso Corporation charges for using its pipeline system. They provide customers with detailed information about how these charges are calculated and how they can be adjusted.
Conclusion
The El Paso pipeline system is a complex network of pipelines that is vital to the transportation of natural gas in the western United States. Understanding informational postings is essential to anyone who uses the pipelines for natural gas transportation. By regularly checking informational postings, customers can mitigate the risks of disruptions in natural gas transportation and plan their operations accordingly.
Remember to regularly check the El Paso Corporation’s website for updated informational postings, and to stay informed about any changes or updates to the pipeline system. By doing so, you can ensure that your natural gas transportation operations run smoothly and efficiently.
