Appendix — Federal Energy Regulatory Commission v. Shell Oil Co.
Supreme Court brief1978
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APPENDIX
Iu the Syren Court nf the yirtteh ae
OCTOBER TERM, 1978
No. 77-1652
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION,
Petitioner,
—<
SHELL OIL COMPANY, et al.,
Respondents.
No. 77-1654
CONSUMER FEDERATION OF AMERICA,
ENERGY PoLicy TASK FORCE,
Petitioner,
=
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION,
Respondent.
i
ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES
COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
PETITIONS FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI FILED MAY 19
AND 20, 1978
CERTIORARI GRANTED OCTOBER 2, 1978
GAD iii
ee ”
OO es oe OS
Iu the Supreme Court of the United States
OCTOBER TERM, 1978
No. 77-1652
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION,
Petitioner,
—vV Peel
SHELL OIL COMPANY, et al.,
Respondents.
No. 77-1654
CONSUMER FEDERATION OF AMERICA,
ENERGY POLICY TASK FORCE,
Petitioner,
—
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION,
Respondent.
ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES
COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Record Appendix
Item Pagination Pagination
Relevant docket entries ................................ 1
Order No. 539, Promulgating
Statement of Policy, issued
i 147-158 2-14
Record Appendix Record Appendix
Item Pagination Pagination Item Pagination Pagination
Application For Rehearing Motion Of Consumer Federation
And Motion For Reconsideration Of America For Leave To Inter-
filed by Shell Oil Company, vene, filed April 19, 1976 ...............-.-..-..-0--.+- 410-412 284-286
et al., November 12, 1975 ................... 170-267 15-124 ty
Joint Petition For Stay _—. et al., filed April 19, 1976 ........................... 413-425 287-303
by Tenneco Oil Company, et al.,
embe Comments Of Interstate Natural
on Nov BS Oe 310-325 125-143 Gon Aanestetten of Aanetten to
Joint Petition For Clarifi- Response To Commission Order
cation, Rehearing And Recon- No. 539-A, filed April 19,
sideration filed by Tenneco iE RSE A E Cae 477-486 304-317
Oil Company, et al., on “—"
. Letter of Natural Gas Pipeline
November 13, 1976 .20.......6....2-.0:cc-e000+ 326-337 144-157 Dempany of America To Mr. Kenneth
Motion For Oral Argument filed F. Plumb Secretary, filed April
by Shell Oil Company, et al., RE eta ea 489-496 318-325
on December 30, 19765 ........................... 355-390 159-202 Comments Of Pennsoil Company,
Order issued January 26, 1976, a CD citicticetttncncecssencreen 501-511 326-338
of America, Docket Nos, CP76-14 Comments OS Tennese OS Com-
et al., Liotaigiieai ies ae 203-235 pany, filed April 19, 1976 _............................ 565-581 339-358
: Joint Comments Of Indicated
Coder tenuse Pneuaty 58, S508, Producers filed by Shell Oil
Natural Gas Pipeline Company -
of America, Docket Nos. CP76-14, Company, et al., on April 19, re 645-673 359-390
Be sececzscescecncasseesecsresnscsasensssvenseuvececeneeoces 236-258 Transcript Of Oral Argument
Orders issued February 23, 1976, held May 4, 1976 ..............----e-eesoseseeecesseeeneen “— a
Natural Gas Pipeline Company 43-45 418-421
of America, Docket Nos. CP76-14, 50 421
i iddianiatiiiintsiniinanienetn 259-260
55-101 422-468
Order issued March 19, 1976, 121-129 468-477
Shell Oil Company, Docket No. 141-145 477-481
ST da cinrcistccd catitiaihichicnideiatidildaettiniedneindaditecieantonenien 261-262 Reference To Order No. 539-B,
Order No. 539-A, Order Granting In Order Clarifying Prior Orders
- And Amending Section 157 Of The
Part And Denying In Part Re- Commission’s Regulation Under
consideration, Clarifying The Natural Gas Act, issued
Order No. 539, Denying Stay, July 30, 1976 482
Noticing Of Proposed Rulemaking, 2) ot 2 ee el
Noticing of Oral Argument And Order issued September 13,
Granting Intervention, issued 1976, Declaring Petition For
TITEL THIEEED Gicinesheinchenichintnineniienmnmeniatitiics 394-409 263-283 See 483-486
Item
Record Appendix
Pagination Pagination
Letter from Allan Abbot
Tuttle, Solicitor of the
Commission to Mr. Gilbert
Ganucheau, Deputy Clerk,
U.S. Court of Appeals for
the Fifth Circuit, dated
September 28, 1976 ............................
Order issued November 21,
1976, Natural Gas Pipeline
Company of America, Docket
Nos. CP76-14, et al. ..000000.......eeeeeeeee eee
Reference to the opinion
of the Court of Appeals for
the Fifth Circuit dated
CO
Reference to the judgment
of the Court of Appeals for
the Fifth Circuit dated
Order granting petition for
a writ of certiorari dated October 2, 1978....
Order granting petition for
a writ of certiorari dated October 2, 1978....
487-488
489-523
524
525
526
527
- ee oe se
ae. tet ~
a |
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
(Title omitted in printing)
RELEVANT DOCKET ENTRIES
ee ree T OO Pye S January 20, 1978
BURT ME wet ..... January 20, 1978
2
[147]
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION
(18 CFR 2.83)
Natural Gas Company — (Certificate)
Before Commissioners: John N. Nassikas, Chairman;
Don S. Smith, and John H.
Holloman, ILI.
Policy With Respect To Enforcement )
Of Deliverability And Rendition Of ) Docket No.
Natural Gas Services Under Certifi- ) RM76-8
cated Arrangements )
ORDER NO. 539
PROMULGATING STATEMENT OF POLICY
(Issued October 14, 1975)
The Commission has concluded that it should formally
reiterate its policies with respect to the enforcement of
requirements of the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. 717(a)
et seq., as they relate to deliverability and the rendition
of natural gas service under certificated arrangements
pursuant to that Act.
Events relative to natural gas supplies and demands
for natural gas service currently, and over recent past
periods, warrant our doing so at this time. Questions con-
cerning deliverability and supply obligations of natural
gas producers and natural gas pipelines have arisen in
THRO FRR
3
connection with numerous Congressional hearings in-
volving the Natural Gas Act’, as well as in the day-to-
[148]
day administration of the provisions of the Natural Gas
Act by this agency.
It is the policy of this Commission to enforce all de-
livery and supply obligations of jurisdictional natural gas
producers and jurisdictional natural gas pipelines, as they
may be occasioned by applicable regulations of the Com-
mission and the statutory standards of the Natural Gas
Act, which govern — and, therefore, which are incor-
porated within — the certificates for all certificated ar-
rangements authorized pursuant to the Act. In addition
to these standards, there are numerous delivery and sup-
ply obligations arising from contractual obligations extant
among natural gas producers, pipelines or distributors.
1. See, for example: Preliminary Staff Report of the Subcommittee
on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce, 94th Congress, Ist Session, July 18, 1975;
Hearings on Natural Gas Supplies Before the Subcommittee on
Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce, 94th Congress, Ist Session, June 9, 13, 26 and
27, July 14 and 21, 1975, Serial Nos. 94-23 and 94-24; Federal
Preparedness to Deal With the Natural Gas Shortage Emergency
This Coming Winter: Third Report by the House Committee on
Government Operations, 94th Congress, Ist Session, July 25, 1975,
pp. 24 and 35; Federal Preparedness to Deal With the United States
Natural Gas Shortage; Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Con-
servation, Energy and Natural Resources, House Committee on
Government Operations, 94th Congress, Ist Session, June 12 and 26,
1975; Federal Power Commission Oversight Hearings, Committee
on Commerce, United States Senate, 93d Congress, 2nd Session,
August 20 and 22, 1974, Part 2, pp. 331-336; and Hearings on
Natural Gas and Oil Regulatory Bills Before the Committee on
Commerce, United States Senate, October 10, 11 and 24, 1973,
Part I, pp. 209-211.
.
4
It is the policy of the Commission that each affected pro-
ducer, pipeline or distributor shall take all appropriate
actions to enforce those obligations, in the appropriate
administrative or judicial forum at Federal, state or local
levels. The constraints of private contracts operate in
conjunction with and subject to public regulatory power.
[149]
We believe our action will be helpful to provide cer-
tainty of legal obligations and regulatory enforcement
policy, and to provide reliable gas service to the natural
gas industry, natural gas consumers, Federal, state and
local governmental authorities and members of the gen-
eral public which may be concerned with the adequacy
and reliability of natural gas supplies and services through-
out the Nation.
The Natural Gas Act — Legal authority for the ren-
dition of a jurisdictional sale or service of natural gas in
interstate commerce under the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C.
717, is evidenced by appropriately issued certificates of
this Commission pursuant to Section 7 of that Act, 15
U.S.C. 717f, and appropriately effective rate schedules
pursuant to Sections 4 and 5 of that Act, 15 U.S.C. 717c
and d. Without Commission authorization “no natural-
gas company upon completion of any proposed construc-
tion or extension shall engage in the transportation or
sale of natural gas, subject to the jurisdiction of the Com-
mission * * * unless there is in force with respect to such
natural gas company a certificate of public convenience
and necessity issued by the Commission authorizing such
acts or operations * * *.”, 15 U.S.C. 717f(c). Abandon-
ment of jurisdictional facilities or services is prohibited
- Well bse OTST ErS -
5
Contractuai Arrangements—Contractual relations be-
tween jurisdictional suppliers of natural gas, jurisdictional
pipeline or non-jurisdictional distributors of natural gas
are circumscribed by, and are themselves subject to, the
statutory standards of the Natural Gas Act. As the Su-
preme Court stated in Sunray Mid-Continent Oil Co. v.
FPC, 364 U.S. 137, 153, 155-6 (1960):
* * * The Power Commission has from an early
date taken the view that there is a continuing obli-
gation to perform “service” imposed by the Act
which outlasts the terms of a seller’s original con-
tract of sale (at p. 153).
[151]
* * * Mobile recognized that there were two
sources of price and supply stability inherent in the
regulatory system established by the Natural Gas
Act—the provisions of private contracts and the
public regulatory power * * * An initial applica-
tion of an independent producer, to make move-
ments of natural gas in interstate commerce, leads
to a certificate of public convenience and necessity
under which the Commission controls the basis on
which “gas may be initially dedicated to interstate
use. Moreover, once so dedicated there can be no
withdrawal of that supply from continued interstate
movement without Commission approval. The gas
operator, although to this extent a captive subject
to the jurisdiction of the Commission, is not without
remedy to protect himself.” 360 U.S., at 389. That
remedy he has, as the Court there said, in the
“change” power under §4 (d) when his contract
)
unless the Commission has found “* * * that the avail-
able supply of natural gas is depleted to the extent that
the continuance of service is unwarranted, or that the
present or future public convenience or necessity permit
such abandonment.” 15 U.S.C. 717f(b).
Among the conditions of every Section 7 certification
are the requirements of subsection 7(e) that the applicant
is able and willing properly inter alia:
[150]
—to do the acts and to perform the service proposed;
—to conform to the provisions of the Act and the
requirements, rules, and regulations of the Com-
mission; and
—that the proposed service, sale, operation, construc-
tion, extension or acquisition, to the extent
authorized by the certificate, is or will be required
by the present or future public convenience and
necessity.
Sections 4 and 5 of the Natural Gas Act obligate each
natural gas company to render jurisdictional sales or
services which are just and reasonable and without undue
discrimination or preference: all in accordance with rates,
charges, classifications, rules, regulations, practices or con-
tracts which are just, reasonable and not unduly discrimi-
natory or preferential. See FPC v. Louisiana Power &
Light Co., 406 U.S. 621 (1972), and cases therein cited;
and Pennsylvania Power Co. v. FPC, 343 US. 414
(1952), interpreting the comparable rate and service pro-
visions of the Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 824d and e.
—
° Rk Se RO ue oe. ee
7
has expired or where his contract permits its use
during its term. Under a similar Act, this Court
has held to the same effect as we hold today. Penn-
sylvania Water & Power Co. v. Federal Power
Comm'n, 343 U.S. 414, 423-424 (at pp. 155-6).
Within the referenced cited holding of the Supreme Court
in the Pennsylvania case, the Supreme Court held, 343
U.S. 422:
* * * To the extent that Penn Water is being con-
trolled, it is by the Commission acting under statu-
tory authority, not by Consolidated acting under
the authority of private contract terms “legalized by
the Commission. The duty of Penn Water to con-
tinue its coordinated operations with Consolidated
springs from the Commission’s authority, not from
the law of private contracts.
Enforceability of Certificated Arrangemenis—Upon
[152]
commencement of jurisdictional sales or services,’ this
Commission has full authority to enforce the rendition
2. The exclusion of the production and gathering functions from
the jurisdictional coverage of the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. 717(b),
does not defeat the Commission’s plenary regulatory authority over
“* * * (1) the transportation of natural gas in interstate commerce;
(2) its sale in interstate commerce for resale; and (3) natural gas
companies engaged in such transportation or sale * * *”. FPC v.
Louisiana Power & Light supra @ p. 636; or preclude the Com-
mission from considering production and gathering when relevant to
the exercise of the Commission’s authority to regulate such trans-
portation, sales or companies. FPC v. Transcontinental Gas Corp.,
365 US. 1, 26 (1961).
of, inter alia, natural gas services, sales or operations, as
certificated by the Commission, including as a part there-
of, necessary deliverability or production of natural gas
to meet, inter alia, certificated operations, services, de-
velopments, quantities, volumes or sales.
As certificated, such factors may or may not accord
with the terms of sales or other contractual arrangements
among natural gas producers, pipelines or distributors in
seeking Commission authority to engage in jurisdictional
sales or services. To the extent that contractual obliga-
tions coincide with the certification authority, these fac-
tors are thus also enforceable as a matter of private con-
tract law. However, it is the statutory standards of the
Natural Gas Act which ultimately control the terms un-
der which natural gas companies may operate jurisdiction-
al facilities and engage in jurisdictional transactions. Cer-
tificated obligations are enforceable by pipelines as a mat-
ter of the private law of contracts as well as by this Com-
mission as a matter of public regulatory law.
Subsection 7(e) of that Act, 15 U.S.C. 717f(e), pro-
vides “* * * The Commission shall lave the power to
attach to the issuance of the certificate and to the exercise
of the rights granted thereunder such reasonable terms
and conditions as the public convenience and necessity
may require. * * *” This conditioning authority is a broad
authorization, as pointed out by the Supreme Court in
[153]
Atlantic Ref. Co. v. Pub. Serv. Comm'n, 360 U.S. 378,
389 (1959):
* * * Section 7(e) vests in the Commission control
wee ee
SR att eA.
een eemrtewerer oe oR. 7s) ©) mee eee
9
over the conditions under which gas may be initially
dedicated to interstate use. Moreover, once so dedi-
cated there can be no withdrawal of that supply from
continued interstate movement without Commis-
sion approval. * * **
In addition to Commission initiated proceedings. cer-
tificate, rate schedule or contractual obligations of any
natural gas company producer or natural gas company
pipeline may be made the subject of appropriate com-
plaint proceedings before the Commission. Section 1.6 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure pro-
vides in part, 18 CFR 1.6(a):
Any person, including any State ‘or local commis-
sion, complaining of anything done or omitted to
be done by any * * * natural gas company in con-
travention of an act, rule, regulation or order ad-
ministered or issued by the Commission, may file
complaint with the Commission.
[154]
Section 16 of the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. 7170,
confers upon the Commission “* * * power to perform
any and all acts, and to prescribe, issue, make, amend,
and rescind such orders, rules and regulations as it may
find necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions
of this act. * * *” This is a most broad authority. FPC v.
3. See also, Mitchell Energy Corporation, Opinion No. 733, is-
sued June 11, 1975, F.P.C. , (appeal pending, Mitchell
Energy Corporation v. FPPC, CA 5, No. 75-3110, and El Paso Natural
Gas Company, et al., Opinion No. 737, issued July 11, 1975,
FPC , (appeal pending sub nom., Southland Royalty Co., et al.
v. FPC, CA S, No. 75-2851.
10
Louisiana Power & Light Co., supra, @ p 642. Judicial
“enforcement authority obtains for Commission use pur-
suant to Section 20 of the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C.
717s; criminal penalty provisions are set forth in Sec-
tion 21 of the Act, 15 U.S.C. 717t.
In addition to the foregoing provisions, affected parties
may well have numerous judicial remedies available to
enforce certificate rate schedule or contractual obliga-
tions of any natural gas company producer, natural gas
company pipeline or natural gas distributor.
The Commission further finds:
(1) Prior notice and opportunity for public partici-
pation in this proceeding promulgating this Statement
of Policy is not required either pursuant to the provision:
of the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C. 717(a) et seq., or the
provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C
Subchapter II, 553. Moreover, compliance with the effec-
tive date requirements of 5 U.S.C. 553(d), is not re-
quired since this Statement of Policy does not prescribe
an added duty or restriction.
(2) It is necessary and appropriate for purposes of
administration of the provisions of the Natural Gas Act,
15 U.S.C. 717(a) et seq., to amend Part 2, General Poli-
cy and Interpretations, Subchapter A, General Rules,
Chapter I, Title 18, Code of Federal Regulations, by the
inclusion therein of Section 2.83, Policy With Respect To
Enforcement Of Deliverability And Rendition Of Natural
Gas Services Under Certificated Arrangements, all in the
manner hereinafter directed. '
—
— on — ee
— AT I ee 6.8 a enn HS -
11
[155]
The Commission, acting pursuant to the provisions of the
Natural Gas Act, particularly Sections 4, 5, 7, 16, 20
and 21 thereof (52 Stat. 822, 823, 824, 825, 830, 832
833; 56 Stat. 83, 84; 61 Stat. 459; 76 Stat. 72; and 15
U.S.C. 717c, d, f, 0, s and t, orders:
(A) Part 2, General Policy and Interpretations, Sub-
chapter A, General Rules, Chapter I, Title 18, Code of
Federal Regulations, is hereby amended by adding a new
Section 2.83 to read as follows:
2.83 Policy With Respect To Enforcement Of De-
liverability And Rendition Of Natural Gas Ah
Under Certificated Arrangemer .
(a) Natural gas companies within the meaning of
Section 2(6) of the Natural Gas Act (whether to.
ducers or pipelines) shall comply with all deliver-
ability or production of natural gas requirements to
meet, inter alia, certificated operations, services, de-
velopments, quantities, volumes or sales. The Stand-
ards of compliance shall be the controlling statutory
standards of the Natural Gas Act, chiefly those of
Sections 4, 5 and 7 thereof. The certificate of the
Commission authorizing jurisdictional transactions
under the Natural Gas Act shall be deemed evidence
of those requirements, whether or not specifically
reproduced within the certificate document or or-
rad) der. Natural gas pipeline companies and natural gas
producers have obligations arising from the Natural
Gas Act with respect to, inter alia, deliverability and
receipt of certificated volumes of natural gas sup-
plies, violation of which obligations will subject
either to the sanction and/or penalty provisions of
that Act. While this Commission is charged with
responsibility for the administration of the Natural
12
Gas Act, regulated pipelines and producers have af-
firmative obligatious to enforce delivery of certifi-
cated volumes of natural gas supplies by reason of
the requirements of that Act.
[156]
(b) The Commission, acting upon its own motion,
will undertake appropriate enforcement proceedings
either before the Commission or the Courts to en-
sure compliance with all delivery or production of
natural gas requirements to meet certificated opera-
tions, services, developments, quantities, volumes or
sales as referred to in paragraph (a) supra.
(c) The Commission invites, and will entertain,
complaints pursuant to Section 1.6 of the Commis-
sion’s Rules of Practice and Procedure seeking en-
forcement of certificate, rate schedule or contractual
obligations of any natural gas company producer or
natural gas company pipeline with reference to mat-
ters set forth in paragraph (a) supra.
(d) The Commission shall include, subsequent to
the date of Order No. 539, the following general
language within the Commission’s Order Issuing
Such Certificate Temporary Or Permanent:
Applicant natural gas company’s attention is di-
nr to Commission Order No. 539, issued Oc-
tober 14, 1975, F.R. , and to the pro-
visions of Section 2.83 General Policy and Inter-
pretations, 18 CFR 2.83. Moreover, issuance of
this certificate authorization is conditioned to re-
quire Applicant, within 30 days of the initial re-
“serve determination or any subsequent redeter-
mination thereof, to report the results of each
such initial or redetermination study to the Com-
mission. The certificated minimum daily delivery
ttt dal Daa AOR Bb PE ADR aE
13
obligation of the seller (1) shall be determined in
accordance with applicable provisions specifically
[157]
set forth in seller's contract unless otherwise
changed by the certificate authorization, (2) shall
be without regard to any contractual reservations
contrary to the certificate authorization, (3) and
shall remain in full force and effect unless and
until changed by appropriate certificate authoriza-
tion amendment based upon Applicant's full docu-
mentation of, inter alia, the reasons for any
such proposed amendment, the sales production
history, the amount of remaining connected re-
serves of Applicant dedicated under the contract
and the status of Applicant’s nondeveloped re-
serves dedicated under the contract. The certifi-
cate authorization is further conditioned to re-
quire that Applicant, if it has not secured an
appropriate certificate amendment and there are
circumstances resulting in the delivery of a lesser
quantity of natural gas than any certificated de-
livery obligation, Applicant shall file for each
contract year quarter, a verified report setting out
the circumstances of such lesser deliveries and
the corrective actions which Applicant proposes
to undertake in order to meet any experienced
delivery deficiency, such verified reports to be
filed within 10 calendar days after expiration of
each contract year quarter.
(e) Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to
preclude the exercise of any other administrative
1 APRN L EN
14 . 15
or judicial remedies which might otherwise obtain | [170]
to any person. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
[158] : FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION
(f) Nothing herein amends, modifies or changes any
existing authorization for jurisdictional transactions
as now certified or authorized by the Commission
pursuant to the provisions of the Natural Gas Act,
Sections 4, 5 or 7 thereof.
Policy With Respect To Enforcement )
Of Deliverability And Rendition Of ) Docket No.
Natural Gas Services Under Certifi- ) RM76-8
cated Arrangements )
(B) The amendment provided for herein shall be ef-
fective as of the date of issuance of this order.
(C) The Secretary of the Commission shall cause APPLICATION FOR REHEARING
prompt publication of this order to be made in the Federal AND
Register. MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION
By the Commission.
(SEAL) |
Thomas G. Johnson
Kenneth F. Plumb, 2 William G. Riddoch
Secretary. | Attorneys for
! SHELL OIL COMPANY
a * * One Shell Plaza
| P. O. Box 2463
Houston, Texas 77001
November 11, 1975
[Additional Applicants Listed
on the Following Pages]
a ee eee Se) et a ee
ee Pe
Mine
16
171]
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION
Policy With Respect To Enforcement )
Of Deliverability And Rendition Of ) Docket No.
Natural Gas Services Under Certifi- ) RM76-8
cated Arrangements )
APPLICATION FOR REHEARING
AND
MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION
Thomas G. Johnson
William G. Riddoch
Attorneys for
SHELL OIL COMPANY
One Shell Plaza
P. O. Box 2463
Houston, Texas 77001
November 11, 1975
{ Additional Applicants Listed
on the Following Pages]
er ae
i aha et esa bets Dalat Sole ce BOCAS VO. we war 6
17
[172]
ADA RESOURCES, INC.
Neal Powers, Jr.
Butler, Binion, Rice, Cook & Knapp
1100 Esperson Building
Houston, Texas 77002
AMERADA HESS CORPORATION
David G. Stevenson
Randolph C. Bruton, Jr.
P. O. Box 2040
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74102
AMOCO PRODUCTION COMPANY
William H. Emerson
T. C. McCorkle
P. O. Box 5910-A
Chicago, Illinois 60680
ASHLAND OIL, INC.
W. O. Strong, III
P. O. Box 1503
Houston, Texas 77001
Richard F. Generelly
Shannon and Morley
1700 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
ATLANTIC RICHFIELD COMPANY
Edward J. Kremer
David Aston
P. O. Box 2819
Dallas, Texas 75221
BURMAH OIL AND GAS COMPANY
BURMAH OIL DEVELOPMENT,
INC.
SIGNAL PETROLEUM
David M. Whitney
2800 North Loop West
P. O. Box 94193
Houston, Texas 77018
THE CALIFORNIA COMPANY,
A DIVISION OF CHEVRON
OIL COMPANY
G. Howard Dearing
1111 Tulane Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
Justin R. Wolf
1625 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
CITIES SERVICE OIL COMPANY
Sam Riggs, Jr.
Robert S. Wheeler
P. O. Box 300
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74102
ESTATE OF E. COCKRELL, JR.
DECEASED
ECEE, INC.
PINTO, INC.
TEXAS PRODUCTION COMPANY
Neal Powers, Jr.
Butler, Binion, Rice, Cook & Knapp
1100 Esperson Building
Houston, Texas 77002
EXXON CORPORATION
Martin N. Erck
Paul W. Wright
Charles W. Wexler
P. O. Box 2180
Houston, Texas 77001
GENERAL AMERICAN OIL
COMPANY OF TEXAS
Robert C. Murray
Meadows Building
Dallas, Texas 75206
Richard F. Generelly
Shannon and Morley
1700 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
[173] 12
[173]
GETTY OIL COMPANY SKELLY OIL COMPANY
Cloy D. Monzingo Ronald E. Jarrett
P. O. Box 1404 David C. Henri
Houston, Texas 77001 Ronald J. Jacobs
P. O. Box 1650
GULF OIL COMPANY — US. Tulsa, Oklahoma 74102
Warren M. Sparks
goa Ae wea UNION OIL COMPANY OF
P. O. Box 1589 CALIFORNIA
, Oklahoma 74102 George C. Bond
—_ Kenneth L. Riedman, Jr.
INEXCO OIL COMPANY Richard F. Wornson
Arthur S. Berner Union Oil Center
1100 Milam Building P. O. Box 7600
Suite 1900 Los Angeles, California 90051
Houston, Texas 77002
Neal Powers, Jr.
Butler, Binion, Rice, Cook & Knapp
1100 Esperson Building
Houston, Texas 77002
KERR-McGEE CORPORATION
Derrill Cody
Kerr-McGee Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73125
MARATHON OIL COMPANY
William A. Sackmann
539 South Main Street
Findlay, Ohio 45840
<n ——
iene terrence A TE, CAEL En NE A 9 lw ee me
19
[174]
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION
Policy With Respect To Enforcement )
Of Deliverability And Rendition Of ) Docket No.
Natural Gas Services Under Certifi- ) RM76-8
cated Arrangements )
APPLICATION FOR REHEARING
AND
MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION
The undersigned producers (Shell Oil Company, et at.,
hereinafter designated “Producers”) in accordance with
Section 19(a) of the Natural Gas Act and Section 1.34
of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure,
apply for rehearing of Commission’s Order No. 539, Pro-
mulgating Statement of Policy issued October 14, 1975,
or in the alternative move the Commission for recon-
sideration of that Order. In support of this Application,
Producers allege and state the following:
I
Order No. 539 is apparently responsive to inquiries by
Congressional Committees and others to determine
whether or not producers are in some way failing to meet
their contract obligations to deliver gas supplies to their
pipeline purchasers, and whether this Commission or the
pipeline purchasers have been unable or unwilling to en-
20
force these contractual obligations. The undersigned Pro-
ducers wish to state that any assumption that producers
are failing to perform their contract obligations is ab-
solutely and compietely contrary to fact. Producers are
in compliance with their contracts to deliver gas to their
pipeline purchasers. There have been no lawsuits by pipe-
lines seeking to enforce the delivery requirements in pro-
ducer contracts because there have been no violations by
the producers of those requirements. We believe, how-
ever, that the Commission’s Order improperly character-
izes the obligation of producers either under their con-
tracts or
[175]
conditions contained in a certificate authorizing sale.
There have been obvious misconstruction of the Natural
Gas Act, and misunderstandings of the contractual com-
mitments of the parties, the physical properties of oil
and gas reservoirs, the legal effect of certificate conditions
by some persons unfamiliar with the industry, or the de-
livery provisions of the contracts. We have therefore at-
tached hereto as Appendix A certain representative con-
tracts which we believe are typical of contracts executed
at various time periods over the last fifteen (15) years.
These typical contracts do not guarantee delivery of
specific quantities of gas or rates of delivery. This is be-
cause all gas wells will deplete at varying rates, depen-
dent on reservoir characteristics, and specific levels of
production cannot possibly be guaranteed. Contracts
similar to those attached have been customarily utilized
by the industry for many years. They conform to the
realities of nature in the production and depletion of a
natural resource.
ee eee et tere ee 0) ne ent So
21
It is the belief of Producers that Section 2.83 of Order
No. 539 could be construed as requiring producers to
deliver, under typical contracts, fixed quantities of gas,
on a daily, monthly and/or annual basis. This is an in-
correct interpretation of these contracts and would effec-
tively convert such contracts into a form of warranty
obligation. The quantities stated in the typical producer
gas sales contracts are inserted for the protection of buyers
(usually pipeline companies) as a maximum limitation
on their initial take-or-pay obligation under the contracts.
These typical producer gas sales contracts do not ob-
ligate the producer to deliver this or any specific quan-
tity of gas. The producer’s contract may provide for the
delivery of a percentage of the gas currently capable of
being produced, sometimes called the deliverability or
deliverable capacity or productive capacity, see Appendix
A. However, failure to produce this percentage of gas
can have the consequence only of reduction of buyer's
take-or-pay obligation. This is the penalty the producer
incurs. However, the producer’s obligation to produce
is implicit in his legal obligations to act as a prudent
operator under his oil or gas lease.
[176]
The contract quantity for a field is determined either
by the deliverability capacity taken by actual measure-
ment of the wells, or by proportion of the total reserves
contained in the field, as that figure ftuctuates and varies
throughout the life of the field. Attached hereto as Ap-
pendix B is a graph of a typical field showing actual
deliveries and the decline over time in deliverability as
determined by semi-annual tests. Thus, while the sample
22
billing statement filed with the initial rate schedule con-
tains a rough estimate of deliveries to be made during
the first month, it is an estimate only for that time period,
and has no bearing whatsoever on contract obligations.
The only purpose of the sample billing statement is to in-
dicate the estimated impact of the applicable ceiling price.
When the field is initially produced, its productive ca-
pacity is normally determined in order that there can
be a determination of a minimum daily contract quantity
the buyer is obligated to pay for if he does not accept
its delivery. For example, paragraph 4.2 of the Gas Pur-
chase and Sale Contract executed August 21, 1975 at-
tached as Appendix A, Schedule 3 requires the buyer to
purchase and take from seller, and if available and not
iaken, buyer shall pay seller for a daily contract quan-
tity of gas equal to ninety (90) percent of Delivery
Capacity. The Contract defines “Delivery Capacity” as
the maximum daily quantity of Gas Well Gas which,
in the course of prudent operation, as determined by
seller in good faith, can be delivered to buyer from sel-
ler’s interest in the properties. Thus, it is necessary to
test the field by letting the gas wells flow at their maxi-
mum capacity, under prudent operating conditions, to
determine the maximum daily quantity of gas that can
be delivered to the buyer. Under the circumstances set
forth in this example, the buyer would be obligated to
take or pay for a daily contract quantity representing a
percentage of the maximum daily quantity as shown by
such test. As the gas field matures in its development,
State or Federal Regulations normally require further
tests to determine the maximum daily quantity of gas
that can be produced and the results of such tests may
increase or reduce the daily contract quantity the buyer
MA De OR Some edo
ae ee ee
23
is obligated to take or pay for if the i i
ete y gas is available and
[177]
At some time, depending on the buyer’s requirements, a
point is reached where the gas wells produce at their
maximum capacity and thus, productive capacity coin-
cides with actual production and would normally con-
tinue to do so until the field is depleted.
In every contract that we are familiar with, the con-
tract clearly reserves to the producer all of the rights
to maintain full control over the development and opera-
tion of the field. The rate of development of the field and
the rate of decline of production, as the field depletes, are
determined by the following factors:
(a) The producible reserves in the field and the
physical ability of the gas sands to deliver the
gas to the well bore.
(b) The Tate of development of the field and the
density at which the wells are drilled.
(c) Spacing laws and other orders of the state and
federal regulatory bodies enacted to prevent
waste of gas in the producing fields.
(d) Contractual obligations between lessor and
lessee, which require the lessee to develop the
fields as an “ordinary prudent operator” and
to diligently market the gas which he has de-
veloped.
Under the Mobdile-Memphis doctrine, the producers
24
have retained the right to contract for the sale of their
gas to the pipeline companies, subject only to the ap-
proval authority of the Federal Power Commission. Pro-
ducers have no objection to certificate conditions or other
Commission orders which require them to comply with
their contractual provisions. In fact, no such orders are
necessary, as the pipeline purchasers and other parties
have full rights to enforce their contracts in court. The
Commission, in its first finding, (p. 8) stated that its
present “statement of policy does not prescribe any
added duty or restriction.” This statement
[178]
conflicts with Section 2.83 of the Commission’s proposed
Regulation. If Section 2.83 of the Commission’s proposed
Regulations is intended to do nothing more than to re-
quire producers to comply with their contracts, the under-
signed Producers have no objection to such provision, but
believe that the Commission’s Order should be clarified.
If, however, this Section is intended to impose certifi-
cate conditions requiring producers to deliver specific
quantities of gas in return for receiving certificates, then
the Commission has exceeded its authority under the
Natural Gas Act, and is contemplating drastic chang-2s
in the structure of the industry which are not in the
national interest. A contract to sell gas over a long term
must be contingent upon the ability of the reservoir to
supply the gas being sold. The producer cannot “guaran-
tee” that a gas reservoir will continue to produce at any
given rate. This is not to say that the producer is not
willing to perform as an ordinary prudent operator and
to fully develop the reservoirs. But the Commission can-
25
not and should not attempt to force a producer to “guaran-
tee to produce gas from the wells which are physically
incapable of producing. The analogy of the ability to ob-
tain blood from a turnip is apropos here.
Py ev —_ + age mamagl nor the Federal Power
mmission is given, by either the gas sales contrac
the Natural Gas Act, the power : control Saneiien
operations in the field, see Section I(b) of the Natural
Gas Act; Phillips Petroleum Co. v. Wisconsin, 347 US
672 (1954); Deep South Oil Company v. F.P.C., 247
F.2d 882, 889 (Sth Cir. 1957); F.P.C. v. Panhandle
Eastern Pipeline Co., 337 U.S. 498 (1949).
If the Commission does intend to change its
policy regarding certificate applications a aii
to be applied thereto, as a minimum and Commission
is required to give Notice and receive Comments in which
the Parties are given an oportunity to state their positions
see Mobil Oil Corporation v. F.P.C., 483 F.2d 1238
(D.C. Cir. 1973), before issuing a major Statement of
_ Policy. The Commission should rescind Order ‘No. 539
and afford the parties due process of law.
[179]
I
WHEREFORE, the undersigned Produce
. rsig rs respect-
fully request that the Commission reconsider its Order
No. 539, and clarify that Order to eliminate the require-
ment that the seller's delivery obligations cannot be
changed without certificate authorization, and to remove
any implication that the certificate will require some de-
livery obligation other than those required by contract.
NEAL POWERS, JR.
Attorney for
Ada Resources, Inc.
DAVID G. STEVENSON
26
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas G. Johnson
* illiam G. Riddoch
Attorneys for
SHELL OIL COMPANY
By THOMAS G. JOHNSON
Thomas G. Johnson
RANDOLPH C. BRUTON, JR.
Attorneys for
Amerada Hess Corporation
WILLIAM H. EMERSON
T. C. McCORKLE
Attorneys for
Amoco Production Company
W. O. STRONG, ITI
RICHARD F. GENERELLY
Attorneys for
Ashland Oil, Inc.
EDWARD J. KREMER
DAVID ASTON
Attorneys for
Atlantic Richfield Company
DAVID M. WHITNEY
Attorney for
Burmah Oil and Gas Company
Burmah Oil Development, Inc.
Signal Petroleum
G. HOWARD DEARING
JUSTIN R. WOLF
Attorneys for
The California Company,
A Division of Chevron Oil
Company
SAM RIGGS, JR.
ROBERT S. WHEELER
Attorneys for
Cities Service Oil Company
NEAL POWERS, JR.
Attorney for
Estate of E. Cockrell, Jr.,
Deceased
27
[180]
ROBERT C. MURRAY
RICHARD F. GENERELLY
Attorneys for
General American Oil
Company of Texas
CLOY D. MONZINGO
Attorney for
Getty Oil Company
WARREN M. SPARKS
B. JAMES McGRAW
Attorneys for
Gulf Oil Company — US.
ARTHUR S. BERNER
NEAL POWERS, JR.
Attorneys for
Inexco Oil Company
DERRILL CODY
Attorney for
Kerr-McGee Corporation
WILLIAM A. SACKMANN
Attorney for
Marathon Oil Company
RONALD E. JARRETT
DAVID C. HENRI
GEORGE C. BOND
KENNETH L. RIEDMAN, JR.
RICHARD F. WORNSON
Attorneys for
Union Oil Company of California
28
[181]
VERIFICATION
THE STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF HARRIS
THOMAS G. JOHNSON, being duly sworn, deposes
and says that he is an attorney for Shell Oil Company;
that he is authorized to verify and file this document; that
he has examined the statements contained therein, and
that all such statements are true and correct to the best
of his knowledge, information and belief, and that he has
been duly empowered and authorized to subscribe said
instrument and to execute this verification on behalf of
Shell Oil Company and each of the Producer Applicants
joining in said Application for Rehearing and Motion for
Reconsideration.
THOMAS G. JOHNSON
Thomas G. Johnson
Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 11th day of
November, 1975.
DELIA GONZALEZ
Delia Gonzalez
Notary Public in and for
Harris County, Texas
My Commission Expires June 1, 1977.
SS Ole SM ee re Cite as
29
[182]
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that I was advised on this date by the
Office of the Secretary of the Commission that no service
was required on any person other than the Commission,
and that filing with the Secretary would constitute com-
pliance with the requirement of Section 1.17 of the Rules
of Practice and Procedure. |
wa in Houston, Texas, this 11th day of November,
THOMAS G. JOHNSON
Thomas G. Johnson
Of Counsel for
Shell Oil Company
30
[183]
APPENDIX A
SCHEDULE 1
FPC GAS RATE SCHEDULE
OF
SHELL OIL COMPANY
FILED WITH
FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION
WEST WAHA FIELD
REEVES COUNTY, TEXAS
NO. 318
31
[184]
SHELL OIL COMPANY
GAS STATEMENT
El Paso Natural Gas Company
P.O. Box 1492
El Paso, Texas 79999
West Waha Field
Reeves County,
Texas
Estimated sales and billings for first month of service:
Tax
MCF Base Price Reimbursement Rate Total
14.65 PSIA Per MCF Per MCF Per MCF Value
1,095,850 16.5¢ (1) 16.5¢ $180,815.25
(1) Currently not applicable.
ARTICLE I
ARTICLE U
ARTICLE Ill
ARTICLE IV
ARTICLE V
ARTICLE VI
ARTICLE Vil
ARTICLE VII
ARTICLE X
ARTICLE Xll
ARTICLE Xlll
ARTICLE XIV
ARTICLE XV
ARTICLE XVI
ARTICLE XVI
ARTICLE XVIII
ARTICLE XIX
ARTICLE XX
ARTICLE XXI
ARTICLE XXII
ARTICLE XXIII
ARTICLE XXIV
ARTICLE XXV
ARTICLE XXVI
[185]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pranmmble . 0. cece cece sceecesseses 1
Definitions... 6.5 sce cece esceesssess 1
Preliminary Requirements ........-++>> 2
Minimum Purchase Obligations ......... ?
Dedication and Determination of Reserves 10
Quality... ccc ccc ceeceeeeesseeeeees: 12
Delivery Pressure ......-5sssseeeeee 1s
Meters ........5> er 18
Units of Volume ...... <<. sss5 eee 20
Gas Measurement 300400000" 21
Pelee ccc ccccccessessessssseesssses 22
Billing and Payment ......---sssss55" 23
TMS onc cccccccccccsessessssssssess Pa
WTR .cccccccccccscsessssssssssssees 26
Connection of Wells ........-- 0000555 26
Regulation of Flow .........sssssss5% 26
Rights-of-Way .....<.ssssseeeeeeeeee 27
TMS ccc ccccccccccccccccccssscsecess 27
Force Majeure ..... <<... ssss00eeeeee 28
Rights of Seller .... <<... 5500 seeeeeees 29
Rules and Regulations ..........+s+5*> 3
NEGREOES . ccc ccc cccccecesssesesssssess 3s
Successors and Assigns .........<sss555 32
33
[186]
GAS PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into on this
the 3rd day of February, 1966, by and between EL PASO
NATURAL GAS COMPANY, a Delaware corporation,
hereinafter called “Buyer”, and SHELL OIL COMPANY,
a Delaware corporation, hereinafter called “Seller”,
WITNESSETH:
gas leases or oil, gas and mineral leases and the lands
covered thereby described in Exhibit “A”, hereto attached
and hereby made a part hereof.
gas under this agreement and markei the same.
ens ee eee ee
> repues mean any well completion located
on Seller's properties classified as a gas well by the Rail-
road Commission of Texas or other governmental authori-
ty having jurisdiction.
34
[187]
Section 4. oun Se or the term “natural gas”
Section 5. The term “day” tly pati a ta
shall mean a period of twenty-four (24) consecutr
beginning at seven (7:00) o'clock A.M.
Section 6. The term “month” as used in this agree-
ment shall mean the period beginning at seven (7:00)
o'clock A.M. on the first day of a calendar month and
ending at seven (7:00) o'clock A.M. on the first day of
the next succeeding calendar month.
Section 7. The term “year” as used in this agreement
shall mean the period beginning at seven (7:00) o'clock
A.M. on the first day of a calendar year and ending at
seven (7:00) o'clock A.M. on the first day of the next
succeeding calendar year; provided, however, that the
from the date of first deliveries of gas hereunder
shall be deemed to be a year, and the period from seven
(7:00) o'clock A.M. on the first day of the last calendar
ee on at cae
ARTICLE Il
Preliminary Requirements
Section 1. Buyer represents that it holds a Certificate
35
[188]
of Public Convenience and Necessity tesnsd by the Federal
on the part of Seller in order to procure such Ttificat
as may be necessary in order for Seller to effect delivery
of gas under the provisions of this agreement or to other-
wise perform its obligations hereunder. Seller further
es 4 ae Aen ee
ission with respect to the
36
[189]
pursuant to the provisions of this section neither Buyer
nor Seller shall thereafter have any further liability under
this agreement to the other, except as to obligations
therefore accrued hereunder.
Section 3. If Seller shall receive and accept the Cer-
tificate of Public Convenience and Necessity referred to in
Section 1 of this article prior to any termination of this
greement pursuant to the provisions of Section 2 of this
article, Buyer shall promptly thereafter proceed, at its sole
cost and expense, to obtain the necessary rights-of-way and
tant and to Gesign, ecquie materiel Ser ant comme
tificate of Public Convenience and Necessity referred to in
Section 1 of this article; whichever date is earlier.
ARTICLE Ill
Quantities
in as of the date of the firm do
hereof, Geller shell eal and deliver to Buyer from Selles’s
properties, and Buyer shall
[190]
purchase and receive from Seller from said properties and
37
pay for, or pay for whether or not received, during each
year, subject to the further provisions of this Article III,
>a ee ee Ceo
vided in Article IV of this agreement. Such n
the provisions of Section | of this /
during the year
39
[192]
ARTICLE IV
Minimum Purchase Obligations
Section 1. For the period commencing on the date of
first delivery of gas hereunder and continuing until Jan-
wary 1, 1970, the minimum daily quantity of gas aver-
aged over each year to be purchased by Buyer from
Seller hereunder shall be Seller’s interest in fifty million
(50,000,000) cubic feet of gas per day from wells located
on the lands described in Exhibit “A” hereto.
Section 2. Commencing on January 1, 1970 and con-
tinuing for the remainder of the term hereof, the minimum
daily quantity of gas averaged over each year to be
to the formula set out in Section 3 of Article V hereof.
Section 3. During any year when the production of
gas from Seller’s properties is subject to allocation under
the laws, orders, rules and regulations of governmental
authority based on nominations made by pipeline pur-
chasers and Buyer has nominated to such authority a
volume of gas averaged over such year equal to or greater
than the minimum daily quantities as determined pursuant
to Section 1 and/or Section 2 of this article for such year,
then the minimum daily quantities of gas Buyer is ob-
ligated to take and pay for, or pay for though not received
for such year, shall be the lesser of (1) the volumes of
gas so allocated to Seller's properties by governmental
authority, or (2) said minimum daily quantities of gas
determined pursuant to Section 1 and/or Section 2 of
this article.
40
In the event Buyer’s nominations averaged over such
year are less than the minimum daily quantities of gas
as determined
[193]
pursuant to Section 1 and/or Section 2 of this article,
Buyer’s minimum obligation to take and pay for, or pay
for though not received for such year, shall be that volume
of gas which would have represented Buyer's obligation if
Buyer’s nominations had been equal to the minimum daily
quantity of gas as determined pursuant to Section |
and/or Section 2 of this article.
Section 4. Anything herein contained to the contrary
notwithstanding, but subject to the provisions of Article
XXI hereof, Buyer agrees to accept delivery (during
each month following the month during which first de-
liveries of gas occur) from Seller’s properties quantities
of gas from each and every one of the wells located on
said properties and connected to Buyer’s gathering sys-
tem having a value of not less than five hundred dollars
($500.00) (such amount to be reduced proportionately
if Seller owns less than one hundred per cent (100%) of
the working interest in said properties); provided, how-
ever, that such quantities meet the pressure and quality
requirements of this agreement and are available and
tendered to Buyer by Seller at the delivery point or points
hereunder.
Section 5. Buyer agrees that its takes of gas from
Seller’s wells will be at least ratable with the production
of gas from wells belonging to others and completed in
the same reservoir in which Seller’s wells are completed,
whether such other wells be connected to Buyer's gather-
fois 2 ies ——
41
ing system or to the system of another purchaser. Deter-
mination of whether or not production is ratable shall be
in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations
[194]
established by duly constituted governmental authorities
having jurisdiction thereof.
Section 6. Commencing (1) on the first day of the
month following the month in which Seller shall have
received and accepted the Certificate of Public Con-
venience and Necessity referred to in Section 1 of
Article II hereof, or (2) July 1, 1966, whichever date is
earlier, and continuing as to each subsequent month
@ payment on or before the tenth (10) day of the follow-
ing month shall be made to Seller at the rate set forth in
Article XIII hereof for such month for a volume of gas
determined as follows: A minimum daily quantity of gas
as determined in accordance with the provisions of Sec-
tions 1 and/or 2 of this Article IV; subject to such quan-
tities being available from Seller’s well or wells, in accord-
ance with applicable rules and regulations of the Rail-
road Commission of Texas. Such quantities shall be then
multiplied by the applicable number of calendar days to
determine the minimum monthly quantities of gas for
which payment shall be made to Seller pursuant to this
section. The provisions of Article XXI shall not be ap-
plicable to excuse the payments required under this Sec-
tion 6. Monthly payments made Seller pursuant to this
Section 6 shall terminate on the date of actual deliveries
of gas hereunder. At such time as actual deliveries of gas
commence hereunder, all such payments shall be consid-
ered as payments for gas not taken, within the meaning
42
of Section 2 of Article III hereof, and Buyer's rights of
make-up as respect to such quantities of gas shall be
available pursuant to said Section 2.
[195]
In the event this agreement is terminated pursuant to the
provisions of Section 2 of Article il hereof, payments
made by Buyer to Seller under this Section 6 shall be
refunded by Seller to Buyer without interest.
ARiICLE V
Dedication and Determination of Reserves
Section 1. Seller hereby dedicates to the performance
of this agreement Seller's interest in all recoverable gas
reserves underlying Seller’s properties.
Section 2. Not less than thirty (30) nor more than
sixty (60) days prior to January |, 1970, and thereafter
not less than thirty (30) nor more than sixty (60) days
prior to each biennial anniversary of such date, Buyer
shall furnish Seller its estimate of the reserves of re-
coverable gas then remaining which can thereafter be pro-
duced from then existing wells on Seller's properties in
satisfaction of the delivery obligations of Seller under this
agreement. If Seller shall fail during the thirty (30)
day period following receipt of such estimates to give
written notice to Buyer taking exception to the quantities
shown therein, Buyer’s estimates shall prevail for all
purposes of this agreement. If Seller shall give Buyer
written notice within such thirty (30) day period taking
exception to the quantities estimated by Buyer, represent-
atives of the parties shall promptly meet for the purpose
43
of reconciling their respective estimates, but if no agree-
ment with respect thereto is reached within thirty (30)
days after Seller’s notice to Buyer, then
[196]
such quantities shall be determined independently in the
manner set forth in Section 4 of this Article V.
To the quantity of reserves of recoverable gas deter-
mined as to Seller's properties by the last such study there
Shall be added the quantity of gas theretofore delivered
to Buyer from said properties under this agreement. Such
quantity of gas is hereinafter in this article called the
“contract reserves”.
Section 3. The number of billions of cubic feet of gas
found by the last reserve study to constitute the contract
reserves as to Seller's properties shall be divided by eight
(8) and the quotient so obtained shall be multiplied by
one million (1,000,000). The product of such multipli-
cation shall be the number of cubic feet of gas as to Sel-
ler’s properties which represents the daily quantity of gas
referred to in Section 2 of Article IV hereof.
Section 4. If any of the reserve determinations re-
quired to be made under the provisions of Section 2 of
this Article V shall result in disagreement between Buyer
and Seller, they shall select a competent geologist or
reservoir engineer to determine such quantity of reserves
by his independent calculation, and the results of his find-
ings shall be binding upon both parties. The appointment
shall be made in the following manner: Either party may,
within thirty (30) days after completion of a joint study,
notify the other of its disagreement with the conclusions
44
of such other party and nominate the independent geolo-
gist or reservoir engineer. Within ten (10) days after the
notice is given, the other party shall accept such nomina-
tion or make its own nomination.
[197]
If within ten (10) days of the date of such reply the
parties are unable to agree on a nomination, the appoint-
ment of the independent geologist or reservoir engineer
may be made upon written request of either party by
the Judge of the United States District Court, senior in
service, in the district in which the gas is being sold. All
expenses in connection with such determination, includ-
ing reasonable compensation to such geologist or reser-
voir engineer, shall be divided equally between the parties
hereto, with the exception of the expenses of counsel, wit-
nesses and employees of the parties hereto, which will
be borne by the party incurring them.
Section 5. Seller shall, from time to time, at Buyer's re-
quest, make available to Buyer such geological, engineer-
ing and production data, not considered as confidential
by Seller, as may be reasonably obtained by Seller and
which are needed by Buyer for a study of the gas re-
serves covered hereby and the deliverability thereof, in-
cluding, but not limited to, shut-in pressure data in the
event such pressure data are not otherwise available to
Buyer.
ARTICLE VI
Quality
Section 1. The gas to be delivered by Seller to Buyer
under the terms of this agreement shall be natural gas as
45
produced in its natural state from Seller's wells and shall
conform to the following specifications (determination
as to conformity of the gas with these specifications shall
be made in accordance with the generally accepted pro-
cedures of the industry):
(a) Liquids: The gas shall be free from hydrocarbons
[198]
and water in their liquid state at the temperature and
pressure at which delivered. Seller shall install, at its
sole cost and expense, all separators and/or other devices
which may be found necessary to prevent hydrocarbons
and water in their liquid state from entering Buyer's
gathering line at the points of delivery hereunder.
(b) Diluent Content: The gas shall not contain more
than twenty per cent (20%) by volume diluent (herein
defined as carbon dioxide and total sulphur). In the event
all of the gas being delivered to Buyer from Seller's prop-
erties, taken in the aggregate and considered as a com-
mingled stream, shall contain in excess of five per cent
(5%) by volume diluent, the price shall be adjusted as
specified in Article XIII hereof.
(c) Oxygen: The gas shall not at any time have an
oxygen content in excess of two-tenths (0.2) of one per
cent (1%) by volume, and Seller shall make every rea-
sonable effort to keep the gas free of oxygen.
(d) Dust, Gums, etc.: The gas shall be commercially
free of dust, gums and other solid matter.
(e) Temperature: The temperature of the gas shall
not exceed one hundred twenty degrees (120°) Faren-
heit.
(f) Heating Value: The total gross heatin:
thousand (1,000) British thermal per =
Section 2. If the gas from any well located on Seller's
properties shall at any time fail to meet the quality speci-
fications set forth in Section 1 of this article, and if at
ies option, refuse t0 accept deliveries of gas from each
well; provided, however, that Seller shall have the right,
yo te cage eee eet
trek -pheonatig b—~dhpeair-ordgaenadh mr
be culensed teem the provisions of Gils agpecment if Soller
shall give Buyer written notice of Seller's desire to obtain
ii
Hiei HAH an
47
such release and Buyer shall not within sixty (60) days
Sos Sore cette i tat Ge a el
Ee 8 ee ee
(a) of
The point of delivery for all gas to be sold and delivered
or wells or at the outlet of Seller's T
of delivery.
ARTICLE VIll
Delivery Pressure
seuno tech guess. Gap Gall te euendieaaete>
coming the natural decline in reservoir pressure and shall
(subject to the further provisions of this Article VIII) at
minimum quantities of gas which Buyer is obligated to
purchase from time to time hereunder as determined in
accordance with Article IV hereof.
Section 2. Buyer shall have the right to refuse to ac-
cept delivery of gas from any well producing at a natural
wellhead flowing pressure at the point of delivery for such
soe Go da bn egden, at ep
[201]
hin ninety (90) days after Buyer refuses to ac-
paca tenafcorepie va nennadindiral
construction of compression facilities necessary to deliver
such gas at a pressure of at least two hundred fifty pounds
(250%) per square inch gauge, in which event Buyer
right granted Buyer pursuant to Article XVIII hereof)
from such weil hereunder so long as such pressure is main-
tuned and the gus otherwise mects the requirements of
deliveries from any such well and Seller shall not elect
to install compression facilities as above provided, the gas
thereafter produced from such well from the reservoir in
which it 1s then completed and the gas reserves contained
in said reservoir underlying the acreage attributable to
said well as determined pursuant to Article V hereof shall
be released from the provisions of this agreement if Seller
shall give Buyer written notice of Seller's desire to obtain
such release and Buyer shall not within sixty (60) days
thereafter agree to accept delivery of such gas at pressures
49
fifty pounds (2502) per square inch
gauge.
Section 3. Dane a coe ee
therin system which is incapable of pro-
per day at a aateral well Sowing pressure at the point of
Gelivery of twelve hundred pounds (1200%) per square
ana cunans Goes eae a Seller shall have
the right, at its option, at any time within ninety (90)
days after Buyer refuses to connect any such well, to pro-
ceed to
necting line from such well to a
7 cxining guibaring eyiem, i whic
vech well is then completed undetiying the aceeage st
tributabie to such well, as determined pursuant to Article
V hereof, shall be released from the provisions of this
agreement.
ARTICLE IX
Buyer shall not be responsible for the gas prior to its
has been delivered to Buyer at the delivery point or points
specified in Article VII hereof, after which delivery Buyer
shall be deemed in exclusive control and possession there-
of and responsible for said gas and
{203}
caused thereby. eanel Oo ante tak me n
htt tha thes Gansiians agities any dine tor demas
arising out of its respective operations and/or facilities
installed hereunder.
ARTICLE X
Meters
Section 1. Buyer, at its sole cost and expense, shall
install, maintain and operate at each delivery point a
neue Gee ise tie ae ate Se Ge aanentng
shall be installed and operated in accordance with the
Report No. 3, dated April, 1955, of the Netural Ges
Department of the American Gas Association, as sup-
51
cause the chests on euch esters to be changed cach eight
(8) days and at the end of cach month, or at such other
times as may be agreed upon by the parties hereto. The
cessible at all reasonable times to inspection and examir
tion by Seller.
Section 2. From time to time and at least once im each
ur sah dail be called tex anti as Gh Gtnnian a6 Se
an tt colar coil os ame Gio Gael ook Uo ie Se
it desires a special test of any meter, the other party shall
curacy of such meter and joint observation of any adjust-
ments. If any such test shall be requested by Seller and
upon such test, the measuring equipment shall be found
charged to
[204]
Seller, otherwise the cost of all such tests shall be borne by
Buyer. Buyer shall give notice to Seller of the time of all
Oe ee
j ment of Buyers mete and changing of chars
nin k Geen Gee
acy shall be two per cent (2%) or more, the registration
of such meter shall be corrected at the rate of such inac-
curacy for any period which is definitely known or agreed
upon, but in case the period is not definitely known or
agreed upon, then for a period extending back one-half
52
(2) of the time elapsed since the date of the last calibra-
a2 puis © 0 aaaesal a If, for any reason,
any meter is out of service or out of repair so that the
amount of gas delivered cannot be estimated or computed
from the reading thereof, the amount of gas delivered
through the period such meter is out of service or out of
hereto upon the basis of the best data available, using the
first of the following methods which is feasible:
a. By using the registration of Seller's check meter if
installed and accurately registering.
& SS eS eee
and operate check meters to check Buyer's meters, but
reasurem cei gu i © pS Se
seule t the cuamel Sach chock metens ond eu
a ee eS eee
eration of the meters to be installed and maintained by
Buyer at or near the points of delivery.
53
ARTICLE Xl
Units of Volume
Section 1. The unit of volume for all purposes here-
under (except as otherwise specified in Sections 2 and 3
of this Article XI) shall be one thousand (1,000) cubic
feet at an absolute pressure of fourteen and sixty-five hun-
dredths pounds (14.654) per square inch at a tempera-
ture of sixty (60) degrees Fahrenheit.
Section 2. The unit of volume for the determination of
the gross heating value under subparagraph (f) of Section
1 of Article VI hereof shall be the amount of gas, on a dry
basis, which would occupy a volume of one (1) cubic
foot at a temperature of sixty (60) degrees Fahrenheit
and under a pressure equivalent to thirty (30) inches of
mercury at thirty-two (32) degrees Fahrenheit.
Section 3. The unit of volume for determination of qual-
ity values under subparagraphs (b) and (c) of Article VI
hereof shall be one (1) cubic foot at a temperature of
sixty (60) degrees Fahrenheit and under a pressure equiv-
alent to thirty (30) inches of mercury at thirty-two (32)
degrees Fahrenheit.
[206]
ARTICLE XII
Gas Measurement
Section 1. The volumes of gas delivered hereunder
shall be computed in accordance with the specifications
in Gas Measurement Committee Report No. 3,
dated April, 1955, of the Natural Gas Department of the
American Gas Association, as supplemented and modified
54
from time to time, applied in a practical and appropriate
manner, and appropriate correction shall be made for de-
viation of the gas from Boyle’s Law in accordance with
said Gas Measurement Committee Report No. 3.
Section 2. For the purpose of measurement, the aver-
age absolute atmospheric (barometric) pressure shall be
assumed to be thirteen and twotenths pounds (13.24)
to the square inch, regardless of the actual elevation or
location of the delivery point above sea level or of varia-
tions in such barometric pressure from time to time. For
meters of the orifice type, the following factors shall be
given due consideration:
a. The temperature of the gas flowing through Buyer's
meters shall be obtained by the use of a recording ther-
mometer so installed by Buyer that it may properly re-
cord the temperature of such gas. The arithmetical aver-
age of the hourly temperature during the period gas passed
shall be used to make proper computations of volume
hereunder.
b. The specific gravity of the natural gas shall be de-
termined by Buyer each six (6) months on or as near
the first of each six (6) months’ period as practicable, by
means of an
[207]
Edwards Balance or by such other method as may be
agreed upon by the parties hereto. Such test shall determ-
ine the specific gravity to be used in computations for the
measurement of gas delivered during such six (6) months’
period.
— oreo
55
Section 3. Buyer shall give notice to Seller of the time
of all tests of gas delivered hereunder or of any equip-
ment used in measuring or determining the nature or qual-
ity of such gas, in order that Seller may conveniently have
its representative present. Should Seller not be satisfied
with any such tests, it shall so notify Buyer and Buyer
shall perform such retests as may be necessary to assure
an accurate test.
Section 4. Determination of the gross heating value of
the gas delivered hereunder shall be made upon the basis
of tests of the metered stream corrected to eliminate the
diluent content thereof.
ARTICLE XIll
Price
Section 1. Buyer shall pay Seller for gas purchased
hereunder in accordance with the following schedule:
(1) For the period commencing on the date of first
delivery of gas hereunder and continuing until January
1, 1968, sixteen and one-half cents (164%2¢) per one thou-
sand (1.000) cubic feet.
(2) For the five (5) year period commencing January
1, 1968, seventeen and one-half cents (174%2¢) per one
thousand (1,000) cubic feet.
(3) For the next five (5) year period and for each
succeeding five (5) year period thereafter, the price to be
paid by Buyer to Seller for all gas delivered hereunder
shall be increased one cent (1¢) per one thousand
(1,000) cubic feet over the price in effect during the pre-
ceding five (5) year period.
56
For gas with diluent content in excess of five per cent
(5%) by volume, taken in the aggregate and considered
as a commingled stream, the above specified prices shall
be reduced by an amount
[208]
calculated by multiplying such price by the decimal equiv-
alent of the difference between the actual per cent diluent
content of such gas and five per cent (5%).
Section 2. If the Federal Power Commission, or any
successor governmental authority having jurisdiction in
the premises, shall at any time hereafter prescribe, for
the area in which Seller’s properties are situated, a higher
just and reasonable area rate for the purchase of gas than
the price herein provided to be paid, then the price to
be paid by Buyer to Seller for gas delivered under the
provisions of this agreement shall be increased, effective
as of the date such higher price is prescribed, to equal
such higher rate; provided, however, that Buyer shall have
the right, at its option, to intervene in any area rate pro-
ceeding held to give consideration to any area rate higher
than those provided for herein, to oppose any such higher
area rate, and in the case of any such higher area rate,
to seek relief from any regulatory agency or any court
having jurisdiction, but such relief, if obtained, shall not
result in a price hereunder which is less than the price
set out in this Article XIII.
The provisions of this Section 2 shall be null and void
and of no force or effect unless and until the same shall
be held to be a “permissive” contract provision under
Section 154.93, Subchapter E, Chapter I, Title 18 of the
ieee "-*
PER CM ne
57
Code of Federal Regulations, by action of the Federal
Power Commission in its proposed rule making in Docket
R-298, notice of which was issued on January 26, 1966,
or in other appropriate proceeding.
ARTICLE XIV
Billing and Payment
Section 1. On or before the tenth (10th) day of each
calendar month, Buyer shall render to Seller a statement
showing the amount of gas purchased by Buyer hereunder
during the preceding calendar month, and payment for
such gas less all applicable taxes paid by Buyer for
Seller's account (no taxes shall be paid by Buyer
[209]
for Seller's account except by agreement between the
parties, unless such payment shall be required by law)
shall be made by Buyer to Seller on or before the twenty-
fifth (25th) day of the calendar month in which such
Statement is rendered.
Section 2. Upon request, Buyer shall furnish Seller
the measurement charts applicable to any monthly state-
ment. Seller shall return to Buyer all charts after a thirty
(30) day period.
Section 3. Any error or discrepancy in charts or state-
ments furnished pursuant to the above shall be promptly
reported to Buyer and Buyer shall make proper adjust-
ment thereof within thirty (30) days after final determina-
tion of the correct volumes or values involved; provided,
however, that if no such errors or discrepancies are re-
ported to Buyer within two (2) years from the date of
58
such chart or statement the same shall be conclusively
deemed to be correct.
Section 4. Seller shall have access to Buyer's records
and books at all reasonable hours so far as they affect
measurement and settlement for gas sold hereunder.
ARTICLE XV
Taxes
Section 1. Subject to the other provisions of this
article, Seller shall pay or cause to be paid all taxes
and assessments imposed on Seller with respect to the gas
delivered hereunder prior to its delivery to Buyer, and
Buyer shall pay or cause to be paid all taxes and assess-
ments imposed upon Buyer with respect to gas delivered
hereunder after its receipt by Buyer. Neither party shall be
responsible or liable for any taxes or other statutory
charges levied or assessed against any of the facilities
of the other party used for the purpose of carrying out
the provisions of this agreement.
Section 2. Any sales, transaction, occupation, service,
production, severance, gathering, transmission, export or
excise tax, assessment or fee levied, assessed or fixed by
the United States, the State of Texas, or other govern-
mental authority and taxes of a similar nature or equiva-
lent in effect (not including income, excess profits, capital
stock, franchise or general property
[210]
taxes) in respect of or applicable to the gas delivered
hereunder to Buyer in addition to or greater than those,
if any, being levied, assessed or fixed on the date of this
ee ed ne cn ee
59
agreement in respect of or applicable to such gas and
which Seller may be liable for, either directly or indirectly,
or through any obligation to reimburse others, are here-
inafter collectively referred to as an “additional tax”.
It is expressly understood and agreed between the parties
hereto that Buyer shall, subject to the conditions herein-
after set forth, pay to Seller three-fourths (34ths) of any
such additional tax. Should Seller so become liable for any
such additional tax, Seller shall notify Buyer immediately.
Within ninety (90) days after the end of each calendar
month, Seller shall prepare and submit to Buyer a state-
ment setting forth the amount of any such additional tax
that Seller has paid during such calendar month, and
within thirty (30) days after submission of such statement,
adjustment between the parties hereto shall be made by
Buyer reimbursing Seller to the extent of three-fourths
(%ths) of the amount of any such additional tax which
Seller shall have so paid. The tax reimbursement herein
provided for shall apply to the total amount of money
Seller is required to pay by virtue of any such additional
tax but shall not apply to any delinquent interest or pen-
alty payments that may be applicable to any such ad-
ditional tax. Taxes applicable to any royalty, overriding
royalty, production payment or similar interest shall be
considered to be covered by the provisions of this Section
2 only if the reimbursement made by Buyer to Seller
with respect thereto is passed on by Seller to the owner
of such royalty, overriding royalty,
[211]
production payment or similar interest.
ARTICLE XVI
Term
This agreement shall be effective from the date hereof
ah a on on a
ARTICLE XVII
Connection of Wells
mn accordance with the provisions heveof, Buyer shell
gas wells then situated on Seller's properties. Thereafter,
as each additional gas well is completed or recompleted
on Seller's properties, Seller shall nouf y Buyer in wnting
of the completion or recompiction thereof, and Buyer
shall, within ninety (90) days after receipt of such
notice, Connect such well to its gathering system. Buyer's
obligation to connect wells to its gathering system shall
be subject to the provisions of Section 3 of Article VIII
of this agreement.
ARTICLE XVIII
Regulation of Flow
ge era anne
late the flow of gas at the delivery points ~
actuating demands, subject. however, pate “
control to the extent necessary to pr =
rates of withdrawal as in Seller's opinion may result in well
or reservoir damage.
aie: Reeiy gaat and anign t Sayer, teeter a
Seller has the right so to do, all requisite cascments and
par of Buyers pipcines, exer stanons, and other equip
taxes and other taxes. As between Buyer and Seller, Seller
shall at all umes have the obiigation to make settlement
for all royalnes, overriding royalties and other payments
due to the owners of the mineral, royalty and other in-
terests under Seller's
[213]
leases, as modified by such assignments, unitizati
aguements oud ties Gotimants on exep eqgeen of canned
or otherwise be binding upon Seller, and to make scttie-
ments with all other persons having any interest in the
gas (or the proceeds of the sale thereof) sold by Seller
hereunder. Seller shall save and hold Buyer free and harm-
less from all suits, actions, debts, accounts, damages,
costs, losses and expenses arising from or out of adverse
claims of any and all persons to the gas sold by it here-
under or to royalties, overriding royalties or other pay-
ments with respect thereto, or to taxes, licenses, fees or
the gas passes to Buyer or which may be levied and
assessed upon the sale thereof to Buyer, subject, however.
to the other provisions of this agreement. In case of any
asus ein to Ge Gis of any gus bengit and suid
agreement, retain the purchase price thereof up to the
amount of such claim, without interest, until such claim
bond, in form and with sureties acceptable to Buyer,
conditioned to save Buyer harmless.
ARTICLE XXI
Force Majeure
Except for Buyer's obligations to make payment for gas
delivered hereunder, neither party hereto shall be liable
custadaen, tontngy or antiten @ undies artes
pipe, freezing of wells or pipelines, the making of repairs
or alterations to pipelines or plants, or any other cause,
whether of the kind herein enumerated or otherwise, not
reasonably within the control of the party claiming
“force majeure”. Upon the occurrence of an event con-
stituting “force majeure”, the same shall, so far as possible,
be remedied with all reasonable dispatch. The settlement
of strikes or lockouts or industrial disputes or disturbances
shall be entirely within the discretion of the party having
the difficulty, and the above requirement that any “force
majeure” shall be remedied with all reasonable dispatch
shall not require the settlement of strikes, lockouts or
industrial disputes or disturbances by acceding to the
demands of any opposing party therem when such course
is inadvisable im the discretion of the party having the
difficulty.
m4
ARTICLE XXII
Rights of Seller
[215]
assigns, the following prior rights with respect to the gas
subject hereto:
(a) The right to deliver to lessors under any of the
eames culiject Lteste, gus soquised in kind to mest tee
dunt gm tenth tonen. enees
(b) The mght to use gas reasonably required to de-
velop and operate Seller's propertics, including, but not
acluding, however, te gas fing of ol and for presur
operations.
(c) ne eee ene Canine Speen ot
of first deliveries of gas hereunder.
(d) Subject to the other provisions of this |
subject to this agreement shall be and remain the ex-
clusive right of Seller. Seller may, in its sole uncontrolled
discretion and as it deems advisable, drill new wells. re-
pair or rework old wells, renew or extend in whole or in
part any lease or unit, and abandon any well or sur-
render, terminate or release all or any part of any lease
which im Seller's sole opinion is i
production methods of producing gas in payi —
wi +e or eDpre ae
(e) The right from time to time to alter any gas uni
by imcreasing or decreasing the acreage contained therein
or to pool or combine any lease or unit or any part thereof
with other
aa ae aoe ae ce ubr ohs (a)
and (b) above shall be taken upstream from Buyer's
metering faciliues.
ARTICLE XXIll
Rules and Regulations
79701, or to Buyer at P. O. Box 1492, El Paso, Texas
79999, as the case may be, or to such other address
as either party shall respectively hereafter designate in
true copy of such conveyance or transfer; provided, fur-
ther, that either Buyer or Seller, or both, may assign its
oe, Oe one ees eee
) il Sra ey bonds oe
comtso te © companion, eliieat ie ae
the parties hereto to qualify to do business in the State of
Tanes, Ret £9 Ca Ss ee ee eee
ming party of its obligations hereunder.
67
ARTICLE XXVI
Topical Headings
The topical headings used herein are inserted for con-
venience only and shall not be construed as having any
substantive significance or meaning whatsoever or an in-
dicating that all of the provisions of this agreement rela-
ting to any particular topic are to be found in any par-
[218]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have
caused this agreement to be duly executed in duplicate
originals, on this the day and year first above written.
“BUYER”
El Paso Natural Gas Company
By: V. M. PLUMMER
V. M. Plummer
Attorney-in-Fact
“SELLER”
Shell Oil Company
By: C. P. BRISTOL
Vice President
68
[219]
EXHIBIT “A”
This Exhibit “A” is attached to and made a part of
agreement between EL PASO NATURAL GAS COM-
PANY and SHELL OIL COMPANY, dated February 3,
1966:
SELLER'S PROPERTIES:
Lease Acres
Number Description Gross Net
J. D. BODKINS All of Section 2, PSL,
Lease UN-33, et al Block C-4, Reeves County,
Texas 627 472.65
J. M. RAPE NE/4 of Section 12 and all
Leases WT-4619, of Section 13 and Section
WT-4601 and 14, PSL, Block C-3, Reeves
WT-4602 County, Texas 1440 1085.51
O. P. BECKEN All of Section 11,
Leases WT-4613, PSL, Block C-3
WT-4672, et al Reeves County, Texas 640 361.84
Total - - - - 2707 1920.00
[220]
APPENDIX A
SCHEDULE 2
SOUTH MARSH ISLAND BLOCK 6
CONTRACT WITH MICHIGAN WISCONSIN
Factors affecting gas delivery and take obligations:
Provisions PAGE(S)
Reservations of gas 3-4
Plant fuel and shrinkage 6
Reservations of control over operations 7-8
Reserve redeterminations 8-9
Lack of Buyer’s capacity 9-10
Whether contract is in its first 36 months 12-13
Daily minimum take 13
Whether it is oil well or gas well gas 13
Allowables 13
Deliverability reduction 13-14
Deliverability restoration 14-15
Ratable withdrawals 15
Credit for over-takes 16
Mak 16
Btu iency 20
Non-specification gas 20
Government orders 30
Force majeure 30-31
EE EEE EL
70
[221]
GAS SALES CONTRACT
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the
3rd day of May, 1968, by and between SHELL OIL
COMPANY, a corporation of the State of Delaware
(hereinafter referred to as “Seller”) and MICHIGAN
WISCONSIN PIPE LINE COMPANY, a corporation of
the State of Delaware (hereinafter referred to as “Buy-
er”);
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, Buyer desires to obtain an additional sup-
ply of natural gas to supplement and augment the supply
now committed to Buyer; and
WHEREAS, Seller owns or controls certain gas reserves
underlying lands and leaseholds located in the South
Marsh Island Area, Offshore, Louisiana, from which
Seller desires to sell gas to Buyer under the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth:
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual
covenants hereof, the parties agree together as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1. The term “gas well gas” shall mean that part of
the effluent produced from a well classified as a gas-well
by the regulatory agency having jurisdiction in such mat-
ters, which remains in the vapor phase after passing such
well effluent through a conventional mechanical separator
or separators for the separation of liquids and gas.
ee ae ee eam
71
2. The term “oil well gas” shall mean that part of the
effluent produced from a well classified as an oil-well by
the regulatory agency having jurisdiction in such matters
which remains in the vapor phase after passing such well
effluent
[222]
through a conventional mechanical separator or separators
for the separation of liquids and gas.
3. The term “gas”, unless the context otherwise re-
quires, shall mean gas well gas, oil well gas, the combina-
tion of both, and shall include the residue gas resulting
from processing of gas well gas and/or oil well gas.
4. The term “reserves” shall mean the estimated quan-
tities of recoverable gas to be delivered hereunder that re-
mains, as of the date of initial delivery hereunder, in
reservoirs which underlie the lands and leaseholds owned
or controlled by Seller subject to this Agreement and in
which a flowing gas test or a wire line test (Schlumberger
Formation Tester or equivalent) in each segment thereof
has been made indicating commercial quantities of gas
are available.
5. The term “accounting year” shall mean each calen-
dar year or portion thereof, during the term of this Agree-
ment.
6. The term “annual contract quantity” shall mean a
quantity of gas equal to the sum of the daily contract
quantities in effect during an accounting year.
7. The term “day” shall mean the 24-hour period com-
mencing at seven o’clock (7:00) a.m. Central Time.
72
8. The term “month” shall mean a calendar month or
portion thereof.
9. The unit of volume for all purposes hereunder, un-
less otherwise herein specified, shall be one cubic foot
of gas at a base temperature of sixty (60) degrees
Fahrenheit and at an absolute pressure of fifteen and
twenty-five one-thousandths (15.025) pounds per square
inch and as otherwise provided by the Standard Gas
Measurement Law of the State of Louisiana.
[223]
ARTICLE Il
CERTIFICATION AND RIGHT OF TERMINATION
1. Both Seller and Buyer agree, upon the execution
of this Agreement, to file within thirty (30) days with
the Federal Power Commission and to prosecute with due
diligence applications for Certificates of Public Conveni-
ence and Necessity or such other authorizations as may
be necessary to authorize Seller to initiate and carry or
the sale of gas contemplated hereunder and to authorize
Buyer to construct and operate the facilities necessary
to accept and transport the quantities of gas to be pur-
chased hereunder.
2. If either party shall fail to obtain such Certificate
or other necessary authorization from the Federal Power
Commission containing terms and conditions acceptable
to the party to whom issued by August 1, 1968, or if
an unacceptable authorization is issued prior to such
date, either party may cancel this Agreement by giving
written notice thereof to the other party at any time
prior to the issuance of acceptable authorizations to both
73
parties. Each party hereto shall promptly notify the
other party in writing when such party has received a
Certificate or authorization and whether or not it is ac-
ceptable. It is agreed and understood that a determina-
tion as to whether or not such Certificate or authoriza-
tion is acceptable shall be made in the sole and exclusive
discretion of the party to whom such Certificate or au-
thorization is issued.
ARTICLE III
RESERVATIONS OF SELLER
1. Seller hereby expressly reserves and excepts from
the terms of this Agreement such portion of the gas now
underlying the lands and leaseholds subject to this Agree-
ment as may be required in Seller's opinion as a prudent
[224]
operator for processing plant fuel and shrinkage, lease
fuel, drilling, deepening, reworking, compression, operat-
ing, and gas lifting. Seller also reserves the right to use
gas committed hereunder for cycling, repressuring and
secondary recovery purposes. Such reservations (except
for drilling, deepening and/or reworking) shall be limited
to uses associated with Seller's leases hereunder.
2. In addition, Seller hereby expressly reserves and
excepts from the terms of this Agreement all gas pro-
duced including gas sold to others than Buyer, prior to
the date on which Buyer initially takes gas hereunder;
provided, however, that any such sales shall be termi-
nated prior to such date.
74
3. Seller shall have the right to process or have pro-
cessed at an onshore location all or a portion of the gas
deliverable to Buyer hereunder for the removal of lique-
fiable hydrocarbons. Such processing shall be at the same
point on Buyer’s 20” lateral line (or loops thereof)
which extends from Eugene Island Block 199 to
Buyer's 20” mainline in the Patterson Field Area,
St. Mary Parish, Louisiana at which Seller processes
gas delivered under the Gas Sales Contract dated
July 18, 1967 between Buyer and Seller. Such processing
shall be under conditions acceptable to both parties.
Seller shall exercise the right reserved by this Section 3
by giving notice to Buyer within three (3) years from
the date of initial delivery hereunder. Title to all products
so removed shall remain vested in Seller. Nothing con-
tained herein shali be construed so as to prevent Seller
from using conventional separation equipment (which
shall include low temperature well head separation units)
prior to delivery to Buyer.
If Seller elects to process gas deliverable to Buyer
hereunder such processing shall be in a plant owned by
Seller or by Seller and others. Seller agrees that gas
owned by others than Buyer will not be commingled in
such processing plant with gas owned by Buyer (except
for minor volumes of flash gas). Seller, to
[225]
the extent it has the right to do so, further agrees that
all other producers selling gas to Buyer and delivered
by Buyer or such other producer to such plant shall be
given the opportunity to participate in such plant on an
eee a
AMS
AaB NN MS, 1048 TRE PSO I ce
Ne i OO OIE 81a LOFT OM IIRLIT ABE ARIEL
75
equitable basis. Such processing shall be for recovery and
disposition solely by Seller (and other plant owners or
plant suppliers) of liquefiable hydrocarbons, helium gas
to the extent that Seller has the right to extract helium
and other constituents of the raw gas stream other than
methane (except methane necessarily removed in such
processing), it being understood that Buyer shall not
acquire any right, title or interest in any products resulting
from such processing.
Buyer agrees to install measuring facilities and other
facilities necessary to permit the tie-in and the delivery
and redelivery of the gas. Buyer’s materials and installa-
tion of such facilities (including overheads) shall be re-
imbursed by Seller and Seller (as to its share) shall re-
store in kind gas vented by Buyer in making tie-in con-
nections. Buyer agrees that in the event Buyer delivers
a portion of the gas flowing in its 20” offshore pipeline
or loops thereof to be processed by others than Seller
such gas after being processed will not be redelivered
into the 20” offshore pipeline or loops thereof prior to
the delivery of Seller’s gas to Seller for processing.
Seller’s right to process its gas for extraction of lique-
fiable hydrocarbons is subject to the following general
conditions:
(i) Residue gas shall be returned to Buyer without
cost to Buyer;
[226]
(ii) Such processing shall not cause a plant volume
reduction (consisting of shrinkage resulting from
extraction of liquefiable hydrocarbons, plant fuel
76
and other uses or losses of gas in the plant) of
more than ten (10) per cent;
(iii) Such processing shall not render the gas so pro-
cessed incapable of meeting the quality specifica-
tions contained in Article VII of this Agreement;
and
(iv) Seller agrees to restore any pressure decline great-
er than fifty (50) psig resulting from such process-
ing.
Gas processed by Seller in Seller’s plant shall be de-
livered, redelivered, measured and accounted for in ac-
cordance with procedures mutually satisfactory to Buyer
and Seller.
Seller's plant volume reduction shall be subtracted from
the volume delivered at the delivery point, or points, here-
under and the net volume thus obtained shall be used for
purposes of computing Buyer’s payments hereunder for
gas delivered and in determining whether Buyer and Seller
have met their delivery and purchase obligations under
this Agreement; however, it is agreed that Seller shall have
the right to deliver to Buyer, at the delivery point, or
points, hereunder, a volume of gas in excess of that
volume requested by Buyer equal to the total volume
reduction resulting from processing.
All plant operations conducted by Seller shall be at
its sole cost and expense and Seller agrees to indemnify
and save Buyer harmless from all losses, damages and
expenses which may occur or be asserted by reason of
accident or occurrences resulting from Seller’s exercising
its processing rights as provided hereunder.
-
Pe pee
77
[227]
In the event gas other than gas delivered under this
Agreement is being transported through Buyer’s facilities
at the point at which Buyer makes delivery of gas to
Seller from processing, or in the event Seller's gas de-
livered to Buyer under this Agreement at some future
date is transported through a line other than Buyer's
20” offshore pipeline, or loops thereof, Seller shall have
the right to process a quantity of the commingled gas in
Buyer’s line referred to above, having a liquefiable hydro-
carbon content equal to the total liquefiable hydrocarbon
content of the gas delivered by Seller to Buyer under this
Agreement.
Buyer agrees that the pressure of the gas at the point
at which Buyer makes delivery of gas to Seller for process-
ing shall not be in excess of 1050 psig.
If Seller exercises the right to process its gas as reserved
by the first paragraph of this Section 3 of Article III,
Buyer shall reduce the amount of its payments for gas
deliveries by an amount obtained by multiplying Seller’s
plant volume reduction by 1.5 cents per Mcf as compen-
sation for transporting the plant volume reduction to the
plant delivery point from the point of delivery. It 1s under-
stood that the foregoing provision of this paragraph shall
not be applicable if and to the extent that Seller restores
such plant volume reduction in kind from other gas at
the plant or such other onshore point or points as may
be mutually agreeable to the parties hereto.
4. The obligations of Seller hereunder are subject to
the ability of Seller’s wells to produce without waste and
in accordance with prudent oil and gas field practice, and
ee
78
Seller shall not be required to produce any well in excess
of the maximum rate of flow fixed by law or regulatory
body or in excess
[228]
of the maximum efficient rate of flow of such well. The
control and operation of Seller’s lands and leaseholds
producing gas to be sold to Buyer hereunder shall remain
the exclusive right of Seller. Seller may also, at its sole
discretion, abandon or shut-in any well or surrender, re-
lease or terminate any lease.
5. It is understood that certain of Seller’s properties
subject hereto are now or may hereafter be subject to
agreements with other producers providing for the pooling,
joint operation and/or unitization of said properties and
all or a portion of the gas to be delivered by the Seller
to Buyer hereunder shall be the gas attributable and
allocated to Seller under the terms of said agreement or
agreements as a result of the leases committed thereto.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITMENT OF GAS
1. Subject to the provisions of Article III hereof, Seller
commits to the performance of this Agreement Seller’s
interest now owned or hereafter acquired in all gas which
underlie the lands and leaseholds within the areas out-
lined in Exhibit “A” and which is recoverable from said
lands and leaseholds pursuant to the terms and provisions
of this Agreement from and after the date hereof. Seller
and Buyer agree that the reserves of Seller available for
delivery from the lands and leaseholds subject to this
OEE LAR LTRS LT OEE DEE LOLA EOE IY OTIS ic ERI
79
Agreement are 75 billion cubic feet which shall constitute
the initial determination of reserves for the purpose of
this Agreement.
2. Seller may request in writing one or more re-
determinations of reserves hereunder prior to September
1, 1971. Thereafter either Seller or Buyer may request
in writing a redetermination of reserves provided, how-
ever, such requests shall not be made more often than
once each year. Any request for such reserve redetermina-
tion must be based upon significant new or different data
than that used in the previous determination or redeter-
mination.
[229]
If upon any redetermination of reserves the volume of
reserves is less than the volume last previously determined,
Seller shall have the right, but not the obligation, to
commit within ninety (90) days after the completion of
the redetermination such additional gas reserves for de-
livery at the then existing, points of delivery, or at mutu-
ally agreed points of delivery on Buyer’s pipeline system
onshore in the State of Louisiana or in the Gulf of Mexico
offshore therefrom, as may be necessary to make available
to Buyer reserves from such combined committed reserves
equal to the volume last previously determined.
Buyer shall notify Seller in writing, within thirty (30)
days after the redetermination of reserves, of the date such
redetermination shall become effective, provided that,
subject to the provisions of Section 3 of this Article IV,
such date shall not be later than sixty (60) days after
the completion of the redetermination.
80
3. If Buyer requires additional authority to enable it
to transport or sell all or a portion of the gas committed
to the performance of this Agreement following a re-
determination of reserves, as provided in Section 2 of this
Article IV, Buyer shall notify Seller within thirty (30)
days after such redetermination that Buyer will apply
to the Federal Power Commission for requisite authority
to take such gas, whereupon the effective date of the re-
determination shall be postponed pending decision by the
Federal Power Commission and construction of any neces-
sary facilities. Thereupon Buyer shall, within ninety (90)
days after the date of redetermination of reserves, file
with the Federal Power Commission and thereafter prose-
cute with due diligence an application for such authoriza-
tion as may be necessary to enable Buyer to take the
additional gas. Upon receipt of such authorization, Buyer
Shall proceed with due diligence to construct
[230]
such facilities as may be required. The redetermination
of reserves provided in Section 2 of this Article IV shall
be effective as of the first day of the month following the
date of completion of the facilities authorized. If Buyer
shall fail to obtain such authorization from the Federal
Power Commission within twelve (12) months after the
date of redetermination of reserves, then at Seller’s written
request to Buyer, at any time prior to the issuance of
such authorization, Buyer shall release such excess re-
serves.
4. If Buyer and Seller shall be unable to agree on a
redetermination of the reserves as provided in Section 2
of this Article IV, the same upon written notice by either
81
party to the other shall be determined by an independent
engineer or geologist (including a member of an inde-
pendent firm) mutually acceptable to Seller and Buyer.
Within fifteen (15) days after the independent engineer
or geologist is appointed pursuant to the foregoing pro-
visions of this Section 4 the independent engineer or
geologist shall meet, hear the parties hereto with respect
to the matter of said reserves, and within thirty (30)
days after his appointment he shall arrive at a redeter-
mination of said reserves. Any determination made by
such independent engineer or geologist shall be final and
binding on the parties hereto. The fee and expenses of
such independent engineer or geologist shall be equally
divided between Buyer and Seller. In the event Buyer
and Seller cannot agree upon an independent engineer or
geologist or any such party selected shall fail to submit
a written reserve determination as above provided, either
party may request in writing that the matter be arbitrated,
and within ten (10) days after such request, the same
shall be determined by arbitration in the following man-
ner: Buyer shall appoint one arbitrator and Seller shall
appoint one arbitrator and the two
[231]
arbitrators so appointed shall select a third arbitrator. If
either Buyer or Seller shall fail to appoint an arbitrator
within ten (10) days after a request for such appoint-
ment is made by the other party in writing, then the
party making request for such appointment shall name
the second arbitrator. If the two arbitrators so appointed
shall fail within ten (10) days after the appointment of
the second of them to agree on a third arbitrator, the
——~ Fa ae
82
arbitrator necessary to complete a board of three arbitra-
tors shall be appointed upon application by either party
therefor by the Judge, senior in point of service, of the
United States District court for the Eastern District of
Louisiana. In the event such Judge should fail or refuse
to act within ten (10) days after application has been
made, then either party hereto may request the American
Arbitration Association to select the arbitrator to com-
plete the Board of three. Within fifteen (15) days after
the third arbitrator is appointed pursuant to the fore-
going provisions of this section, the arbitrators shall meet,
hear the parties with respect to the matter of said reserves,
and within thirty (30) days after the selection of the third
arbitrator the arbitrators shall arrive at a redetermination
of said reserves. Any redetermination agreed to in writing
by at least two of said arbitrators shall be final and bind-
ing on the parties hereto. All arbitrators appointed pur-
suant to this Section 4 shall be qualified independent
engineers or geologists experienced in the oil and gas
industry and competent to pass on the matter of said
reserves. Each party hereto shall pay the fees and ex-
penses of the arbitrator selected by it. The fees and ex-
penses of the third arbitrator shall be borne equally by
the parties hereto.
5. Upon request, Seller shall promptly furnish Buyer
copies of such information as Seller may possess with
respect to the lands and leaseholds subject to this Agree-
menty including but not limited to legal description of
such lands and
[232]
leaseholds, gas and liquid production, tests relating to the
83
ability of wells to produce, pressures, flow characterisics,
completion reports, electric logs, core analyses, gas and
other fluid analyses, and any and all other information
relating to such wells provided, however, that Seller shall
not be required to disclose anything which in Seller’s
sole discretion is of a confidential nature. Seiler upon
request of Buyer will furnish Buyer each month with
copies of all reports filed with the Louisiana Department
of Conservation or other regulatory bodies having juris-
diction over such wells and gas committed to this Agree-
ment, including but not limited to production, well test,
completion and recompletion reports.
ARTICLE V
QUANTITY
1. Subject to the following provisions of this Agree-
ment, commencing with the date of first delivery here-
under and continuing for a period of thirty-six (36)
months, the daily contract quantity of gas hereunder shall
be equal to one hundred-fifty (150) per cent of one
million (1,000,000) cubic feet for each seven and three-
tenths billion (7,300,000,000) cubic feet of reserves, as
established under Article IV hereof. If the volume of
committed reserves should either increase or decrease as
a result of any redetermination made in accordance with
Article IV hereof, or Seller is unable to maintain a daily
delivery equal to the volumes requested by Buyer up to
Seller's maximum delivery obligation, said daily contract
quantity of gas shall be adjusted in accordance with the
provisions of Section 1, Section 4 or Section 5 of this
Article V, whichever is applicable.
2. Subject to the following provisions of this Agree-
OR tN rt eae
84
fent, commencing at the end of the first thirty-six (36)
month period and continuing during the
[233]
remaining term of this Agreement, the daily contract
quantity of gas hereunder shall be equal to one million
(1,000,000) cubic feet for each seven and three-tenths
billion (7,300,000,000) cubic feet of reserves, as estab-
lished under Article IV hereof. If the volume of com-
mitted reserves should either increase or decrease as a
result of any redetermination made in accordance with
Article IV hereof, or Seller is unable to maintain a daily
delivery equal to the volumes requested by Buyer up to
Seller’s maximum delivery obligation, said daily contract
quantity of gas shall be adjusted in accordance with the
provisions of Section 2, Section 4, or Section 5 of this
Article V, whichever is applicable.
3. Buyer agrees that its take of gas hereunder during
any one day shall never be less than sixty-five (65) per
cent of the applicable daily contract quantity hereunder
nor less than the volume of oil well gas tendered by
Seller, and Seller agrees to deliver such quantity of gas
per day as Buyer may from day to day elect to purchase,
up to the maximum efficient rate of flow permitted by
Seller's wells and facilities. Seller shall not be required
to produce wells in excess of the maximum rate of flow
fixed by law or regulatory body.
4. Should Seller fail on any day for any reason other
than force majeure to deliver the daily volume requested
by Buyer hereunder up to one hundred twenty-five (125)
per cent of the daily contract quantity, then the daily
contract quantity for that day shall be reduced to eighty
;
©
;
4
3
4
i
3
ERA AGL TE eS whee sie
a ETI CROP ho hoc BE gs
85
(80) per cent of the volume which Seller delivered on
any such day, provided, that Seller shall he allowed a
daily variation in deliveries of five (5) per cent of the
daily quantity requested by Buyer, provided further, that
the aggregate daily deliveries during each month are
within one (1) per cent of the aggregate daily volumes
requested by Buyer for such month.
5. In the event Seller fails for any reason other than
force majeure to deliver the volumes requested by Buyer
up to one hundred twenty-five (125) per cent of the daily
contract quantity for five (5) consecutive days, then at
[234]
Buyer’s option, commencing with the first day of the
month following the end of the fifth day of such failure
to deliver and continuing thereafter until adjusted as
hereinafter provided, the daily contract quantity shall be
reduced to eighty (80) per cent of the average daily
volume delivered during such five day period.
In the event the daily contract quantity is adjusted
downward as provided in this Section 5, then Seller shall
have the opportunity to restore all or a portion of the
daily contract quantity determinable under Sections 1
or 2 of this Article V, whichever is applicable, in the
following manner. In not more than seven (7) days after
Seller has notified Buyer in writing that the inability to
deliver gas hereunder has been remedied, Buyer shall,
upon twenty-four (24) hours notice by Buyer to Seller,
commence a five day test period during which time Seller
will deliver and Buyer will purchase the maximum volumes
deliverable by Seller, but not to exceed one hundred
twenty-five (125) per cent of the maximum daily con-
i a tite Wt miei ol “
86
tract quantity determinable under Sections 1 or 2 of this
Article V, whichever is applicable. Commencing with
the first day of the month following the last day of such
test period, the daily contract quantity shall be deemed
to be eighty (80) per cent of the average daily volume
delivered by Seller during such five day test period.
If, as a result of such test the daily contract quantity
is not restored, Seller shall not be permitted until three
(3) months following the completion of such test to again
request Buyer to conduct a subsequent test unless a reason-
able amount of additional development or remedial work
has been performed by Seller since that last test, in which
case, evidence of such work shall be sufficient to permit
a subsequent test.
[235]
Upon receipt of notice from Seller that the inability
to deliver has been remedied, Buyer may, in lieu of con-
ducting such test, notify Seller that commencing with the
first day of the month following receipt of said notice
from Seller, the downward adjustment in daily contract
quantity as provided in Section 5 hereof, shall no longer
be effective.
6. If withdrawals by others from a reservoir or com-
mon source of supply containing reserves committed here-
under cause drainage of Seller’s reserves, Buyer shall be
obligated upon written notice from Seller to Buyer ac-
companied by sufficient proof of such drainage, to in-
crease, within the limits of the physical and certificated
capacity of its facilities, its receipt of gas therefrom to
the extent necessary to equalize withdrawals and prevent
such drainage. In the event such capacity of Buyer’s
a: eevee at. ts —
Se eee!
EOS ORES tl Pp BLES Pt EPPS Bi id nl
Ee FL.
87
facilities is not sufficient to handle the increase in volume
necessary to prevent drainage of Seller’s reserves and
Buyer does not desire to construct the necessary addi-
tional capacity, then Seller reserves the right to sell and
dispose of such gas which Seiicr deems necessary in order
to equalize its withdrawals with withdrawals of gas by
others so as to prevent drainage of gas by others. Buyer
agrees that in the event that such capacity of Buyer's
facilities is not sufficient to handle the increase in volume
necessary to prevent drainage of Seller’s reserves ana
Seller does not elect to sell and dispose of gas in order
to equalize its withdrawals with withdrawals of gas by
others, tnen Buyer will include as a part of its next appli-
cation to the Federal Power Commission for onshore or
offshore Louisiana facilities a request for such authoriza-
tion as may be necessary to accept and transport the
quantities of gas necessary to prevent such drainage.
Buyer shall not be obligated to purchase and receive in
excess of its desired quantities if Seller without jeopardiz-
ing its leaseholds or
[236]
reserves committed hereunder is able to decrease its with-
drawals from other sources delivering gas hereunder and
increase its withdrawals from such reservoir or source of
supply to the extent necessary to prevent such drainage.
7. At the end of each accounting year the parties
shall promptly determine (a) the annual contract quan-
tity, (b) the cumulative annual contract quantity from
the date of first delivery under this Agreement to the end
of the accounting year in question, (c) the total quantity
of gas taken under this Agreement by Buyer from the
PE te orn iy oust.
88
date of first delivery hereunder to the end of the account-
ing year in question, and (d) the total quantity of gas
previously paid for by Buyer but not taken, for which
Buyer has not taken credit under the makeup provision
hereinafter provided.
If the volume computed under (b) above exceeds the
sums of the volumes computed under (c) and (d), Buyer
shall within thirty (30) days after such computation pay
Seller an amount determined by multiplying such excess
volume by the price per Mcf applicable at the end of the
accounting year in question. If in any accounting year
during the first five accounting year period following an
accounting year for which Buyer paid Seller for gas not
taken, Buyer takes gas in excess of the annual contract
quantity, Buyer shall deduct, as recoupment for gas
previously paid for but not taken, from future payments for
gas delivered under this Agreement. The deduction for
recoupment volumes shall apply to the first volumes of
gas in the earliest accounting year in which Buyer is
entitled to receive recoupment and shall continue in order
by accounting years until the total recoupment volumes
of prepaid gas equals the lesser of the volume of gas
taken in excess of the annual contract quantity or the
total recoupment Buyer is entitled to receive. The amount
of the payments to be deducted shall be computed on the
same basis for which Buyer prepaid for an equivalent
volume of gas.
[237]
8. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, on any day when deliveries or takes are affected
by force majeure and the volumes delivered are less than
the applicable daily contract quantity, the daily contract
quantity hereunder, or portion thereof, shall be deemed to
be the actual volume delivered and purchased during the
effective period of such force maieure.
9. Deliveries of gas by Seller to Buyer hereunder will
be at more than one point thus from time to time as
required Buyer and Seller, after giving consideration to the
ability of wells to produce and facilities to handle gas,
will agree as to the volume of gas Seller can deliver and
Buyer can transport from each point of delivery.
ARTICLE VI
INITIAL DELIVERY AND TERM
1. After Buyer and Seller notify each other that their
respective Certificates of Public Convenience and Neces-
sity or such other authorizations issued by the Federal
Power Commission are acceptable, both parties agree to
commence and proceed with reasonable diligence to con-
struct the lines and facilities required to deliver and re-
ceive gas under this Agreement so that the facilities shall
be completed and placed in operation by November 1,
1968, or four (4) months after the notification referred
to above, whichever is later, and commencing on Novem-
ber 1, 1968, or four (4) months after such notification,
whichever is later, Buyer shall be obligated to take or pay
for gas hereunder.
[238]
2. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date
hereof and shall remain effective for a period of twenty
(20) years from the date of initial delivery hereunder and
90
from year to year thereafter until cancelled by written
notice given by either party to the other not less than six
(6) months prior to the end of such twenty (20) year
period or any subsequent anniversary date thereof. If
Seller uses gas co hereunder for repressuring
or secondary recov perations and during such time
the daily contract Qmantity is adjusted downwards in
accordance with the provisions of Sections 4 and 5 of
Article V hereof, the primary term of this Agreement
shall be extended for a period of time sufficient for Buyer
to purchase a volume of gas equivalent to that volume
which Buyer would have been entitled to receive if the
repressuring or secondary recovery operation had not
been conducted.
ARTICLE VII
QUALITY OF GAS
1. All gas delivered by Seller under the terms of this
Agreement shall conform to the following specifications:
(a) The gas shall be commercially free from dust,
gum, gumforming constituents, gasoline and other liquids
and solids which may become separated from the gas.
(b) The gas shall not at any time have an oxygen
content in excess of one(1) per cent by volume and Seller
shall make every reasonable effort to keep the gas free
of oxygen.
(c) The gas shall not contain more than one grain
of hydrogen sulphide per one hundred (100) cubic feet.
This purity requirement shall be considered as satisfied
if a strip of white filter paper recently moistened
OM WOK so. OSM
91
[239]
with a solution of one hundred (100) grains of lead
accetate in one hundred (100) cc. of water be ex-
posed to the gas for one and one-half (14%) minutes
in an apparatus previously purged through which
gas is flowing at a rate of approximately five (5)
cubic feet per hour, the gas not impinging from a jet
upon the test paper and after this exposure the test
paper is not found distinctly darker than a second
paper freshly moistened with the solution and not
exposed to the gas. If the gas does not meet the purity re-
quirements determined in the above test, the hydrogen
sulphide content shall be determined by a cadmium sul-
phide quantitative test.
(d) The gas shall not contain more than twenty (20)
grains of total sulphur (including the sulphur in any hy-
drogen sulphide and mercaptans) per one hundred (100)
cubic feet.
(e) The gas shall have a total heating value per cubic
foot of not less than one thousand (1,000) British
thermal units. The term “total heating value per cubic
foot” shall mean the number of British thermal units, pro-
duced by the combustion at constant pressure, of the
amount of gas, saturated with water vapor, which would
occupy a volume of one (1) cubic foot at a temperature
of sixty (60) degrees Fahrenheit and under pressure
equivalent to that of thirty (30) inches of mercury at
thirty-two (32) degrees Fahrenheit and under the standard
gravitational force with air of the same temperature and
pressure as the gas, when the products of combustion are
cooled to the initial temperature of gas in air and when
the water formed by combustion is condensed to a liquid
stage.
92 »
(f) The water content of the gas shall not be more
than six (6) pounds per million cubic feet of gas meas-
ured at a pressure of 14.7 pounds per square inch
absolute and sixty (60) degrees Fahrenheit temperature;
provided, however, so long as the gas hereunder is pro-
cessed subject to the provisions of Article III, Section 3
hereof, Seller shall be permitted to deliver gas at
[240] \
the points of delivery hereunder containing up to seven
(7) pounds of water per million cubic feet of gas meas-
ured at a pressure of 14.7 pounds per square inch absolute
and sixty (60) degrees Fahrenheit temperature.
(g) The gas shall be delivered at a temperature not
in excess of one hundred thirty (130) degrees Fahren-
heit.
2. Should the heating value of the gas be found to
average less than one thousand (1,000) British thermal
units per cubic foot during any given month, Buyer shall
have the option to suspend the portion of the deliveries
hereunder causing such condition without obligation here-
under, or to reduce the total amount payable as the
purchase price to be paid for gas by an amount determined
by multiplying such total amount ordinarily payable
by a fraction whose numerator is the deficiency of British
thermal units below one thousand (1,000) and its de-
nominator one thousand (1,000). Nothing herein con-
tained shall be construed as to allow Seller to reduce
the heating value of the gas below one thousand (1,000)
British thermal units by processing methods.
3. Should the gas offered for sale to Buyer fail at any
time to conform to any of the specifications of this Article,
93
Buyer shall notify Seller of any such failure and Seller
shall make a diligent effort to correct such failure so as to
deliver gas conforming to the above specifications. if Seller
is unable to deliver gas conforming to the above specifica-
tions by treatment consistent with prudent operations and
by means which are economically feasible in Seller's
opinion, Buyer may at its option suspend purchase of all
or a portion of such gas, and it shall be relieved of its
obligations hereunder, for the duration of such time as
the gas does not meet such specifications. Failure of Buyer
‘Oo accept gas not meeting specifications for a period of
thirty (30) consecutive days, where such failure is not
occasioned by default of Seller, shall give Seller or Buyer
the right to cancel and terminate this Agreement upon
ten (10) days’ written notice, only insofar as it relates
to the reserves relative to the gas not meeting such specif-
cations.
* * *
[241]
year from the rendition thereof.
ARTICLE XIV
REGULATION
1. This Agreement, insofar as it is affected thereby,
shall be subject to all applicable and valid laws, ordi-
nances, rules and regulations of Federal, State, Parochial
and Municipal Governments and authorities having juris-
diction, and in the event this Agreement or any provisions
hereof shall be found contrary to, or in conflict with any
such law, ordinance or regulation, the latter shall be
deemed to control.
94
ARTICLE XV
WARRANTY
1. Seller warrants generally the title to all gas delivered
hereunder and agrees to indemnify Buyer from all suits,
actions, debts, acts, damages, costs, losses and expenses
arising from or out of adverse claims of any or all persons
to said gas and to royalties or charges thereon incurred
prior to the delivery thereof.
ARTICLE XVI
LIABILITY
1. As between the parties hereto, Seller shall be in
control and possession of the gas deliverable hereunder
and responsible for any damage or injury thereby until
same shall have been delivered to Buyer at the points of
delivery, after which del:very Buyer shall be in exclusive
control and possession thereof and responsible for any
injury or damage thereby.
ARTICLE XVII
FORCE MAJEURE
1. If either Buyer or Seller is rendered unable, wholly
or in part, by force majeure or any other cause of any
kind not reasonably within
[242]
such party’s control to perform or comply with any obli-
gation or condition of this Agreement, upon giving notice
and reasonably full particulars to the other party such
obligation or condition shall be suspended during the
continuance of the inability so caused and such party
shall be relieved of liability and shall suffer no prejudice
95
for failure to perform the same during such period;
provided, obligations to make payments then due for gas
delivered hereunder shall not be suspended and the cause of
suspension (other than strikes or lockouts) shall be reme-
died so far as possible with reasonable dispatch if, in the
sole discretion of the party unable to perform its obliga-
tions, it is economically feasible to remedy such cause of
suspension. Settlement of strikes and lockouts shall be
wholly within the discretion of the party having the
difficulty. The term “force majeure” shall include, without
limitation by the following enumeration, acts of God and
the public enemy, the elements, fire, accidents, break-
downs, shut-downs for purposes of necessary repairs,
relocation, or construction of facilities, breakage or acci-
dent to machinery or lines of pipe, the necessity of making
repairs or alterations to machinery, or lines or pipe, in-
ability to obtain materials, supplies, permits, or labor to
perform or comply with any obligation or condition of
this Agreement, strikes and any other industrial, civil or
public disturbances, any act or omission (including failure
to take gas) of a purchaser of gas from Buyer which is
excused by any event or occurrence of the character
herein defined as constituting force majeure, and any laws,
orders, rules, regulations, acts or restraints of any govern-
ment or govenmental body or authority, civil or military.
ARTICLE XVIII
ASSIGNMENT
The terms, covenants, and conditions hereof shall be
binding on the parties hereto, their successors and assigns
It is provided, however, that no assigninent of this
Agreement shall
96
[243]
APPENDIX A
SCHEDULE 3
GRAND ISLE BLOCK 76
CONTRACT WITH FLORIDA GAS
Provisions
Limitation of dedication
Reservation of control over operations
Reservations of Gas
Oil well gas take
Gas well gas take
Favored nations on take
Failure to deliver daily volume
Extended failure to deliver
Deliverability determinations
Minimum daily take
Minimum monthly take
Make-up
Ratable take
Limit on deliveries
Prudent operations
Allowables
Excess pressure in Buyer’s line
Election not to install compression
Discontinuance of compression
Incapable wells
Non-specification gas
Government orders
Plant fuel and shrinkage
Limit on plant fuel and shrinkage
Restoration of plant fuel and shrinkage
Force majeure
Factors affecting gas delivery and take obligations:
PAGE(S)
>
fon
COC MIIVAAAUUUALWYWND
97
[244]
GAS PURCHASE AND SALE CONTRACT
THIS CONTRACT, made and entered into as of Au-
gust 21, 1975, by and between SHELL OLL COMPANY,
herein called “Seller”, and FLORIDA GAS TRANS-
MISSION COMPANY, herein called “Buyer”;
WITNESSETH;
WHEREAS, Seller desires to sell and deliver to Buyer
and Buyer desires to purchase and receive from Seller
natural gas, in the quantities and upon the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth, from the reservoirs here-
inafter described.
NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the
premises and the mutual benefits and covenants herein
contained, Seller and Buyer hereby covenant and agree
as follows:
ARTICLE I — DEFINITIONS
1.1 Except where the context otherwise indicates
another different meaning or intent, the following words
and terms as used herein shall be construed to have the
meanings indicated:
- (a) The word “day” shall mean a period of twenty-
four (24) consecutive hours beginning at 7:00
a.m. (local time). The date of a day shall be that
of its beginning.
(b) The word “month” shall mean a period beginning
at 7:00 a.m. (local time) on the first day of a
Se Tt AB a om
98
calendar month and ending at 7:00 a.m. (local
time) on the first day of the next succeeding
calendar menth.
(c) “Contract Year” shall mean a calendar year ex-
(d)
(e)
cept that the first Contract Year shall mean a
period beginning on January 1, 1976, or on the
date of first delivery of gas hereunder, whichever
is the earlier date, and continuing to the end of
the last day of the calendar year during which
such date occurred.
[245]
“Oil Well Gas” shall mean gas produced from a
well classified as an oil well under the laws or
rulings of the regulafory body having jurisdiction
of production allowables of the well, and, in the
absence of such classification, such term shall
mean gas which is associated or blended with
crude oil at the time of its production.
“Gas Well Gas” shall mean gas other than Oil
Well Gas.
(f) The word “gas” shall mean both Oil Well Gas
(g)
and Gas Well Gas.
“Mcf” shall mean one thousand (1,000) cubic
feet of gas.
(h) The term “psig” shall mean pounds per square
(i)
(j)
inch gauge.
“Btu” shall mean British thermal units.
“Delivery Capacity” shall mean the maximum daily.
99
quantity of Gas Well Gas Which, in the course
of prudent operation (as determined in the sole
discretion of Seller, exercised in good faith), can
be delivered to Buyer from Seller’s interest in the
properties covered hereunder.
ARTICLE Il — GAS SUBJECT TO CONTRACT
2.1 Subject to all of the terms, conditions, and limita-
tions herein set forth, Seller agrees to sell and deliver or
cause to be delivered to Buyer, and Buyer agrees to
purchase and receive from Seller, during the term hereof,
gas attributable to twenty-five percent (25% ) of Seller's
interest in gas to be produced from the reservoirs identi-
fied or described below, but only to the extent that such
reservoirs underlie the acreage outlined on Exhibit “A”:
The Nos. 9, 10 and 12 sands, the “A” series sands,
the B. sand, the “C” series sands and the “D” series
sands existing within the stratigraphic interval be-
tween electric log measured depths of 3200 feet and
9450 feet in OCS-G 2161 Well No. 1.
[246]
ARTICLE III — RESERVATIONS
3.1 Seller expressly reserves unto itself, its successors
and assigns, the following rights with respect to gas sub-
ject to this Contract and a quantity of gas sufficient to
satisfy such rights:
(a) To operate Seller’s leaseholds, lands and/or in-
terests therein, free from any control by Buyer, in
such manner as Seller deems advisable, including
Pa ts ae
7
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
100
the right (but never the obligation) to driil new
wells, to repair and rework old wells, renew and
extend (in whole or in part) any lease, to abandon
any well or surrender any lease (in whole or in
part) for any reason, and to abandon, modify,
extend or dispose of any facilities owned or in-
stalled (in whole or in part) by Seller.
To deliver gas to lessors in quantities sufficient to
fulfill Seller’s lease obligations.
To use gas for the development and operation of
the properties subject hereto and properties which
Seller operates for itself and others in the vicinity
of the properties subject hereto, including (bu!
not limited to) the use of gas for fue’, drilling
(including gas drilling), deepening, reworking.
compressing, gas lifting, processing and treating.
and to use gas on the properties subject hereto
for cycling, repressuring or other supplementat
recovery operations.
To sell gas to others for drilling (including gas
drilling) in the vicinity of Seller’s properties which:
are subject hereto.
To process gas as hereinafter provided.
To form or participate in formation of any uni!
or units, including (but not limited to) any field.
wide unit or units, which may include all or part
of the reservoirs subject hereto; provided, that this
Contract shall apply to the interest of Seller in
such unit or units to the extent that such interes!
is attributable to the reservoirs subject hereto.
101
[247]
ARTICLE IV — QUANTITIES
4.1 Commencing on January 1, 1976, or on the date
of first delivery of gas hereunder, whichever is the earlier
date, and continuing throughout the term hereof, Seller
shall sell and deliver to Buyer and Buyer shall purchase
and take from Seller, during each day, all of the Oil Well
Gas made available for sale by Seller from the reservoirs
subject hereto. If, for any reason, Buyer fails to take Oil
Well Gas tendered to it by Seller, Buyer shall pay Seller
therefor as if such gas had been actually taken by Buyer
without any right to make up Oil Well Gas; provided,
that Buyer’s failure to take Oil Well Gas for reasons of
force majeure shall be excused from and after the date
of first delivery hereunder.
4.2 Commencing on January 1, 1976, or on the date
of first delivery of gas hereunder, whichever is the earlier
date, Seller shall sell and deliver to Buyer and Buyer
shall purchase and take from Seller
[248]
hereunder or, if available and not taken, Buyer shall pay
Seller for, during each Contract Year, a daily contract
quantity of Gas Well Gas equal to ninety percent (90% )
of Delivery Capacity. Delivery Capacity shall be deemed
to be sixteen thousand six hundred seventy (16,670) Mcf
until a determination of Delivery Capacity has been made.
The daily contract quantity provided for in this paragraph
Shall be subject to change or adjustment in accordance
with the provisions of Paragraph 4.3. Buyer shall give
Seller reasonable notice of any change in the daily quan-
ee
102
tity Gas Well Gas which Buyer elects to take hereunder.
Selle: shall change the rate of Gas Well Gas to conform
as closely as practicable to each such notice.
4.3 If, at any time during the term of this Contract,
Buyer purchases or agrees to purchase from properties
within the States of Texas or Louisiana (including the
federal offshore), from any party, daily quantities of Gas
Well Gas equal to a percentage of delivery capacity
greater than that provided in Paragraph 4.2, Buyer shall
promptly notify Seller of such purchase. Seller may then,
by notice to Buyer, elect to have the daily contract quan-
tity hereunder determined by use of such higher per-
centage, effective as of the first day of the month next
following Buyer’s receipt of such notice.
4.4 If on any day, for any reason other than force
majeure, Seller fails to deliver the volume of Gas Well
Gas requested hereunder up to Delivery Capacity, then
the daily contract quantity for that day shall be reduced
to the volume of Gas Well Gas which Seller delivered on
that day.
[249]
4.5 If for thirty (30) consecutive days, for any reason
other than force majeure, Seller fails to deliver the vol-
umes of Gas Well Gas requested by Buyer up to Delivery
Capacity, then, commencing on the first day of the month
following the end of the thirtieth (30th) day of such
failure to deliver and continuing thereafter until further
adjusted, the daily contract quantity shall be reduced to
ninety percent (90%) of the average volume of Gas
Well Gas delivered during such thirty (30) day period.
103
4.6 Delivery Capacity shall be determined in the fol-
lowing manner at the request of either party, provided,
however, such requests shall not be made more often
than once each thfee (3) months unless Seller has per-
formed a reasonable\ amount of additional development
or remedial work since the last determination: Within
seven (7) days after Buyer has received Seller’s request,
Buyer shall, with twenty-four (24) hours’ notice to Seller,
commence a seventy-two (72) hour test period during
which Seller shall deliver and Buyer shall take the maxi-
mum volumes of Gas Well Gas deliverable by Seller.
Commencing on the day following the last day of such
test period, the daily contract quantity shall be deemed
to be ninety percent (90% ) of the average daily volume
of Gas Well Gas delivered by Seller during such seventy-
two (72) hour period.
4.7 Buyer agrees to purchase and take during each
day after deliveries have commenced hereunder a quan-
tity of Gas Well Gas equal to at least seventy-five percent
(75%) of the daily contract quantity in effect. Buyer
further agrees to purchase and take during each month
after deliveries have commenced hereunder a quantity
of Gas Well Gas equal to at least ninety
[250]
percent (90%) of the sum of the daily contract quan-
tities in effect during such month.
4.8 If, for any reason other than force majeure, Buyer
shall fail to take during any Contract Year a quantity
of Gas Well Gas equal to the sum of the daily contract
quantities in effect for such year, Buyer shall, within sixty
104
(60) days after the end of such year, pay Seller for a
quantity of Gas Well Gas equal to the difference between
such sum and the quantity taken during such year. The
price to be paid for such gas not taken shall be the price
in effect at the end of the Contract Year during which the
gas was not taken.
4.9 If Buyer pays for a quantity of Gas Well Gas not
received by it, Buyer shall thereafter be entitled to re-
ceive, without payment, such quantity of Gas Well Gas
in any one or more of the five (5) Contract Years next
following the Contract Year in which Buyer failed to take
such Gas Well Gas and in which Buyer shall have first taken
the applicable sum of the daily contract quantities in
effect for each such Contract Year; provided, however,
(a) that this provision shall not operate to extend the
term of this Contract, and (b) that Buyer shall pay any
increase in price between that upon which payments were
made and that applicable at the time of taking. If, at the
end of such five (5) Contract Years, Buyer has not made
up such quantity of Gas Well Gas, Buyer shall have no
further right to receive such quantity without payment,
and Seller shall have no liability to Buyer on account of
Buyer's failure to have made up such quantity.
4.10 Buyer and Seller shall make such nominations
and/or forecasts for Gas Well Gas allowables as are
required to permit Seller to produce and
[251]
Buyer to receive the quantities of Gas Well Gas which
Buyer is obligated to take or pay for whether taken or
not hereunder. Buyer’s failure to make such nominations
105
when required shai! excuse Seller’s inability to deliver gas
because of the lack of a proper allowable, but such ex-
cused inability to deliver shall not reduce Buyer’s obli-
gation to take or pay for the daily contract quantity of
Gas Well Gas then in effect pursuant to the foregoing
provisions of this Article.
4.11 Buyer agrees that its takes of Gas Well Gas from
pony wells will be at least ratable with takes by Buyer
or others, of Gas Well Gas from each of th
subject to this Contract. epinti sal
4. 12 If on January 1, 1976, Seller is capable of com-
mencing deliveries but Buyer is unable to commence the
taking of gas hereunder, then, effective as of such date.
Buyer shall make monthly payments to Seller as though
deliveries had commenced. For each month for which
payment is due under this paragraph, Buyer shall pay
Seller on or before the tenth (10th) day of the following
month at the price in effect for such month pursuant to
Article V hereof. Such payment shall be the total of (a)
an amount calculated by multiplying such price by the
estimated volumes of Oil Well Gas produced and flared
or vented in such month and (b) an amount calculated
by multiplying such price by the sum of the daily contract
quantities of Gas Well Gas for such month as provided
for in Paragraph 4.2 hereof. Monthly payments made by
Buyer pursuant to this paragraph shall continue until
the end of the month during which actual deliveries of gas
commence hereunder. The force majeure provisions of
Article XVII hereof shall not be applicable to excuse the
payments required under this Paragraph.
106
[252]
4.13 If Buyer makes payments for Gas Well Gas pur-
suant to Paragraph 4.12, Buyer shall have the right to
make up the volumes of Gas Well Gas pursuant to Para-
graph 4.9. If this Contract is terminated pursuant to the
provisions of Article XIII hereof, payments made by
Buyer pursuant to Paragraph 4.12 for Gas Well Gas not
taken shall be promptly refunded, without interest, by
Seller to Buyer.
4.14 If, in any month, Seller is not permitted by any
governmental authority to produce any oil weil solely
because of Buyer’s failure to provide a market for Oil
Well Gas, and if Buyer’s said failure is not excused for
reason of force majeure from and after the date of first
delivery hereunder, then the payments to be made by
Buyer to Seller for Oil Well Gas pursuant to Paragraphs
4.1 or 4.12, whichever is applicable, shall be calculated
by using a volume of 6,000 Mcf times the number of
completed oil wells which Seller was not permitted to
produce in the month.
4.15 Nothing in this Contract shall require Seller to
deliver on any day a quantity of Gas Well Gas greater
than one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the daily
contract quantity in effect hereunder from time to time.
4.16 Seller’s obligations hereunder are subject to the
ability of Seller’s wells to produce without waste and in
accordance with prudent oil and gas field practice. Seller
shall not be required to produce any well at a rate in
excess of a maximum rate of flow fixed by law or regula-
tory body or in excess of the maximum efficient rate of
flow of such well.
107
ARTICLE V — PRICE
5.1 Subject to the further provisions of this Article,
Buyer agrees to pay Seller for each Mcf of gas delivered
or for which payment is
[253]
of any injuries, claims, liabilities or damages occurring
while the gas is in the former's possession.
ARTICLE VIII — PRESSURES
8.1 Except as otherwise provided in this Article, Seller
Shall deliver gas hereunder at a pressure: sufficient to
permit the gas to enter Buyer's facilities, but Buyer shall
never operate its facilities at a working pressure in excess
of 1050 psig, nor shall Seller ever be obligated to deliver
gas at a pressure in excess of 1050 psig. If Buyer does not
operate the pipeline facilities used to take gas hereunder,
and if Buyer is required by the operator of such facilities
to have gas delivered at a pressure in excess of 1050 psig,
Seller agrees to deliver gas at the required pressure, up
to 1275 psig. If Seller compresses gas to so deliver at a
pressure in excess of 1050 psig, Buyer agrees to pay Seller
a fee of seven-tenths cents (0.7¢) per Mcf of gas com-
pressed and further agrees to furnish the fuel used for
such compression, free of cost to Seller. Seller may dis-
continue compression at any time Seller deems it un-
economic.
8.2 Either party may, but neither shall be obligated
to, install and operate compression facilities for the de-
livery of gas hereunder, it being understood that either
party may discontinue the operation of such facilities if,
4 108
in the sole judgment of such party, such operation is or
becomes uneconomical.
8.3 If any well covered by this Contract is or be-
comes incapable of delivering gas against the working
pressures maintained in Buyer's line, and if neither party
elects to install a compressor, then Buyer shall, upon
request from Seller, release such well and the gas to be
produced therefrom from the
[254]
terms and provisions of this Contract.
ARTICLE 1X — MEASUREMENT
9.1 A “cubic foot of gas” for all purposes hereunder,
except where specifically provided to the contrary, is the
amount of gas necessary to fill a cubic foot of space at
a base pressure of fifteen and twenty-five thousandths
(15.025) pounds per square inch absolute and at a base
temperature of sixty degrees (60°) Fahrenheit.
9.2 The atmospheric pressure at each Delivery Point
shall be assumed to be fourteen and seven tenths (14.7)
pounds per square inch.
9.3 The gas delivered hereunder shall be measured
with orifice meters constructed and installed, and whose
computations of volume are made, in accordance with the
provision of Gas Measurement Committee Report No. 3
of the American Gas Association, as revised and reprinted
September, 1969, with any subsequent amendments or
revisions which may be mutually acceptable to Seller and
Buyer.
109
9.4 The temperature of the gas shall be determined
by a continuously recording thermometer so installed that
it may record the temperature of the gas flowing through
the meters. The average of the record, to the nearest one
degree (1°) Fahrenheit, obtained while gas is being
delivered shall be the applicable flowing gas temperature
or the period under consideration.
9.5 The specific gravity of the gas shall be determined
by spot tests made with an Edwards or other standard
type specific gravity instrument, or by a continuously
recording gravitometer so installed that it may record the
specific gravity of the gas flowing through the meters.
If the spot test method is used, the tests shall be made
quarterly or at such wther interval as
[255]
10.5 The charts and records from Buyer’s meas: ing
equipment shall remain the property of Buyer and shall
be kept by Buyer on file for a period of not less than
three (3) years. At any time within such period, Buyer
shall, upon request of Seller, submit to Seller records and
charts from its measuring equipment, together with calcu-
lations therefrom, for Seller’s inspection and verification,
subject to return by Seller within thirty (30) days from
receipt therefor.
ARTICLE XI — QUALITY
11.1 The gas delivered to Buyer hereunder shall meet
the following specifications, which herein are collectively
called “Quality Specifications”:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
110
Water. The gas shall in no event have a water
content in excess of seven (7) pounds of water
per one million (1,000,000) cubic feet of gas.
Hydrogen Sulphide. The gas shall not contain
more than one (1) grain of hydrogen sulphide per
one hundred (100) cubic feet.
Total Suiphur. The gas shall not contain more
than twenty (20) grains of total sulphur per one
hundred (100) cubic feet of gas.
Temperature. The gas shall not have a tempera-
ture of more than one hundred and twenty de-
grees (120°) Fahrenheit.
Carbon Dioxide. The gas shall not contain in
excess of three percent (3%) by volume of car-
bon dioxide.
(f) Oxygen. The gas shall not contain in excess of
(g)
(h)
three percent (3%) by volume of oxygen.
Objectionable Liquids and Solids. The gas shall
(i) be free of objectionable liquids and solids and
(ii) be commercially free from dust, gums, gum-
forming constituents, or other liquid or solid mat-
ter which might become separated from the gas
in the course of transportation through pipelines.
[256]
Heating Value. The gas shall have a gross heat-
ing value of at least one thousand (1,000) Btu’s
per cubic foot. The gross heating value of the
gas shall be determined by adjusting the heating
value obtained from a mutually acceptable test of
111
one cubic foot of gas at a temperature of sixty
degrees (60°) Fahrenheit and at a pressure of
fifteen and twenty-five thousandths (15.025)
pounds per square inch absolute to compensate
for differences between the water vapor content
under testing conditions and the average water
vapor content of the gas being delivered. The
gross heating value so determined shall be ex-
pressed in Btu for all purposes hereunder. Tests
for such determination of heating value shall be
conducted at least once each month, and the re-
sult of any test shall be used until the results of a
subsequent test shall be known.
11.2 All tests required by this Article shall be con-
ducted by Buyer and at Buyer’s expense and shall be
made as often as reasonably required by approved stand-
ard methods in general use by the gas industry. Buyer
shall give Seller reasonable notice of all such tests in
_ order that Seller may have its representatives present, if
Seller so desires.
11.3 If the gas subject hereto when produced fails
to meet the Quality Specifications, Buyer shall have to
waive such failure and to continue to receive such gas.
If Buyer refuses to receive such gas and Seller does not
elect to process the gas so as to cause the same to meet
the Quality Specifications because Seller does not deem
it economically feasible to do so, then Seller shall stop
the delivery of gas from the well or wells which are pro-
ducing the gas which. is causing the gas tendered for
delivery to fail to meet such Quality Specifications. At the
election of Seller, the well or wells from which Buyer so
refuses to receive the production and the gas to be pro-
112
duced therefrom shall be released from the terms and pro-
visions of this Contract.
* * *
{257}
cost, damage or expense resulting or arising from Seller’s
failure to install, maintain and inspect such controls and
devices in accordance with such laws, regulations and or-
ders, or arising from the failure of any such control or de-
vice.
12.4 Buyer covenants and agrees to fully protect, in-
demnity and hold Seller, its successors and assigns, harm-
less from and against each and every claim, demand, or
cause of action, and any liability, cost, expense, damage
or loss in connection therewith which may be made on
account of personal injury or death, or on account of
property damage, resulting from or arising out of the in-
stallation, presence, maintenance and operation of Buy-
er’s facilities on Seller’s properties, platforms, lands and
leases, except for those damages or losses caused by Sel-
ler’s negligence.
ARTICLE XIII — REGULATORY AUTHORITIES
13.1 This Contract, insofar as it is affected thereby,
shall be subject to all present and future valid and applic-
able laws and to the valid and applicable present and fu-
ture rules, regulations or orders of any regulatory agency
or authority.
13.2 Seller and Buyer agree to seek promptly any
governmental permits, licenses and authorizations which
they individually deem necessary to carry out their re-
113
spective obligations under this Contract. Seller and Buyer
also agree to file promptly with the Federal Power Com-
mission for such Certificates of Public Convenience and
Necessity authorizing the performance by each party of
its obligations under this Contract as they individually
deem necessary, but Seller shall not be required to apply
for a temporary
[258]
certificate if, in the exercise of its sole discretion, it be-
lieves a permanent certificate to be the oniy satisfactory
form of authorization. Upon the issuance of a certificate,
the party receiving such certificate agrees promptly to
furnish the other party with a copy of the certificate issued
to it and to notify the other in writing of its acceptance of
such certificate or to furnish such party with a copy of
its rejection notice sent to the Federal Power Commission.
13.3 Immediately upon the acceptance by Seller and
Buyer of all such governmental authorizations as may be
required for each party to perform its respective obliga-
tions under this Contract, and such authorizations becom-
ing final and no longer subject to judicial review, Buyer
and Seller shall commence such action as may be required
for the performance of this Contract and diligently prose-
cute same to completion.
13.4 If Seller has not obtained a Certificate of Public
Convenience and Necessity from the Federal Power Com-
mission, if required, which is satisfactory to Seller within
six (6) months after the date of Seller’s application there-
for, then either party may terminate this Contract at any
time after such period by giving written notice of such
termination to the other party. If Buyer has not obtained
114
a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from
the Federal Power Commission, if required, which is
satisfactory to Buyer within twelve (12) months after the
date of Buyer’s application therefor, then either party
may terminate this Contract at any time after such period
by giving written notice of such termination to the other
party. If this Contract is cancelled under the provisions
of this paragraph, neither party
[259]
shall be under any obligation, or liable for any damages,
to the other by reason thereof, except for payments to
be refunded pursuant to Paragraph 4.13.
ARTICLE XIV — PROCESSING
14.1 Seller reserves the right at any time to process
the gas to be delivered hereunder for the extraction of
substances contained therein other than methane (except
such methane necessarily removed in such processing).
Seller may process gas hereunder individually, jointly with
others, or by assignment of such right to one or more
parties. Seller reserves the right to process gas hereunder
at any mutually agreeable point on Buyer’s pipeline sys-
tem downstream from any Delivery Point. Buyer agrees
it will not permit any other party to process its gas on
Buyer’s pipeline system at a point on such system or de-
liver processed gas into such system upstream of such
mutually agreeable point. All substances extracted from
gas in the processing thereof by Seller shall be owned by
Seller (and other plant owners and plant suppliers, if
any), and Buyer shall not acquire any right, title or in-
terest in any substances so extracted.
115
14.2 If Seller elects to process gas at a point on Buy-
er’s pipeline system, the remaining paragraphs of this
Article shall apply to such processing and the facilities
used to process gas shall be referred to herein as the
“Plant”.
14.3 Buyer agrees to install, at no cost to Seller, main
line block valves and bypasses, Plant inlet and outlet
valves and all other facilities necessary to permit the tie-
in and operation of the Plant and the safe and satisfactory
operation of Buyer’s pipeline system, including but not
limited
[260]
to, measuring facilities, blowdown connections and scraper
traps.
14.4 Buyer agrees to deliver to the Plant, at no cost
to Seller (except that Seller shall pay such charges im-
posed by reason of any valid and applicable law, order
or rule of any governmental authority having jurisdiction),
a volume of gas containing the same number of gallons
of propane and heavier hydrocarbons as are delivered
to Buyer by Seller at the Delivery Points. If gas other than
gas delivered hereunder is being transported through
Buyer’s facilities at the Plant, Seller shall have the right
to process a quantity of such other gas as contains a quan-
tity of propane and heavier hydrocarbons equal to the
propane and heavier hydrocarbons contained in the gas
delivered at the Delivery Points hereunder. If Seller is
processing gas at the Plant and there is gas in Buyer’s pipe-
line system upstream of the Piant the processing rights for
which are owned by Buyer, then Buyer shall also deliver
116
a proportionate part of such gas to the Plant, and Buyer
hereby grants to Seller all its right, title and interest in
all substances extracted at the Plant from such propor-
tionate part of such gas. The volume of such proportionate
part of such gas shall be in the ratio that volumes of
gas delivered by Seller into Buyer’s pipeline system during
the preceding month bears to the volume of gas delivered
by all other parties into said system during such month.
14.5 All gas delivered to the Plant shall be delivered
at operating pressures between 700 and 1000 psig and at
temperatures not in excess of 100°F.
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14.6 Seller shall deliver to Buyer all volumes of residue
gas remaining after processing the gas delivered here-
under in the Plant. Such residue gas shall conform to the
Quality Specifications hereia provided except that the
temperature shall be as hereinafter further provided. Seller
shall be obligated to provide such compression as may be
necessary to make up any pressure drop in excess of a
drop of 35 pounds per square inch which may occur in
the Plant. If recompression is required at the Plant, the
temperature of the residue gas shall not be in excess of
ten degrees Fahrenheit (10°F) above the temperature
of the gas delivered to the Plant nor more than one hun-
dred degrees Fahrenheit (100°F).
14.7 Gas processed in the Plant and the residue gas
therefrom shall be delivered, redelivered, measured and
accounted for in accordance with procedures mutually
satisfactory to Buyer and Seller.
14.8 Seller shall account to Buyer for the Plant volume
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reduction, which shall include Plant fuel, shrinkage and
incidental losses in the Plant. The Plant volume reduction
shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the volume of
Seller’s gas processed in the Plant. Seller shall also ac-
count to Buyer for the difference in heating value between
the gas delivered to the Plant and the residue gas re-
delivered to Buyer to the extent that Seller has been
compensated for such heating value. At Seller’s option,
such accounting shall be by one or more of the follow-
ing methods; provided, that no such method shall inflict
any cost on Buyer by reason of the Plant volume reduc-
tion or the reduction in heating value at the Plant:
(a) By payment to Buyer for the purchase cost of the
Plant volume reduction as adjusted for the differ-
ence in heating value.
(b) By reducing Buyer’s payments hereunder by the
purchase cost of the Plant volume reduction as
adjusted for the difference in heating value.
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(c) By Seller’s restoration of the Plant volume reduc-
tion by delivery to Buyer from other sources of
gas meeting the Quality Specifications hereof at
the Plant and/or at a point on Buyer's pipeline
system downstream of the Plant.
14.9 Buyer reserves the right to use such gas from
Buyer's pipeline upstream of the Plant as is required for
the reasonable and prudent operation of Buyer’s facilities
and the right to make nominal sales of gas to others for
drilling fuel, lease operations, pumping stations and other
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similar purposes. It is also recognized that some losses
of gas volumes may occur in the operation of such fa-
cilities. Seller’s proportionate part of such gas so used
or lost shall be deducted from the quantity of gas other-
wise deliverable to Seller for processing hereunder.
14.10 All Plant overations conducted by or on behalf
of Seller shall be at its sole cost, risk and expense, and,
as between Seller and Buyer, Seller shall be responsible
for the safe handling of the gas while it is in Selier’s
custody (or the custody of another on Seller's behalf)
for processing.
ARTICLE XV — ACCOUNTING
15.1 Buyer shall furnish Seller, on or before the fifth
(5th) day of each month, a statement showing the total
quantity of gas received by Buyer during the preceding
month at each Delivery Point hereunder. If the allocation
statement referred to in Paragraph 15.2 of this Article
XV is not then applicable to a Delivery Point, Buyer shall
make payment to such address as Seller may designate
from time to time, by check on or before the twenty-fifth
(25th) day of the month following the month in which
gas was delivered to Buyer at such Delivery Point.
15.2 During any period Buyer purchases gas at any
Delivery Point from Seller and from other parties, Seller
shall furnish or cause to be furnished to
* * *
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to may request the American Arbitration Association
to select the arbitrator or arbitrators to complete the
119
board of three. After three arbitrators are appointed
pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Para-
graph 16.1, they shall meet, hear the parties with
respect to the matter to be arbitrated, and issue a
decision thereon. Any decision agreed to in writing
by at least two of the said arbitrators shall be final
and binding on the parties hereto.
16.2 All arbitrators appointed hereunder shall be
qualified by training and experience to decide the matter
to be arbitrated. Buyer and Seller shall each bear its own
costs of arbitration hereunder, including the costs of
appointing its own arbitrator. The fees and expenses of
all arbitrators not appointed by either Buyer or Seller
shall be borne equally by the parties.
ARTICLE XVII — FORCE MAJEURE
17.1 If either party is unable, wholly or in part, by
force majeure to carry out its obligations (except financial
obligations) under this Contract, it is agreed that, on
such party’s giving notice and reasonable full particulars
of such force majeure in writing or by telegraph to the
other party within a reasonable time after the occurrence
of the cause relied on, then the obligations of the party
giving such notice, so far as they are affected by such
force majeure, shall be suspended during the continuance
of any inability so caused, but for no longer period, and
such cause shall so far as possible be remedied with all
reasonable dispatch. The term “force majeure,” as em-
ployed herein, shall mean acts of God, strikes, lockouts
or other industrial disturbances, acts
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[264]
of the public enemy, wars, blockades, insurrections, riots,
epidemics, landslides, lightning, earthquakes, fires, storms,
floods, high water, washouts, arrests and restraints of gov-
ernment and people, civil disturbances, explosions,
breakage or accident to machinery or lines of pipe, freez-
ing of wells or lines of pipe, partial or entire failure of
wells, and any other causes, whether of the kind herein
enumerated or otherwise, not reasonably within the control
of the party claiming suspension; such term shall like-
wise include (a) in those instances where any party here-
to is required to obtain servitudes, rights of way grants,
permits or licenses to enable such party to fulfill its ob-
ligations hereunder, the inability of such party to acquire,
or the delays on the part of such party in acquiring, at
reasonable cost and after the exercise of reasonable dili-
gence, such servitudes, rights of way grants, permits or
licenses, and (b) in those instances where any party here-
to is required to furnish materials and supplies for the
purpose of constructing or maintaining facilities or is re-
quired to secure permits or permissions from any govern-
mental agency to enable such party to fulfill its obliga-
tions hereunder, the inability of such party to acquire,
or the delays on the part of such party in acquiring, at
reasonable cost and after the exercise of reasonable dili-
gence, such materials and supplies, permits and permis-
sions.
17.2 It is understood and agreed that the settlement of
strikes or lockouts shall be entirely within the discretion
of the party having the difficulty, and that the above re-
quirement that any force majeure shall be remedied with
all reasonable dispatch shall not require the settlement of
—
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[265]
strikes or lockouts by acceding to the demands of an op-
posing party when such course is inadvisable in the dis-
cretion of the party having the difficulty.
ARTICLE XVIII—WARRANTY
18.1 Seller hereby warrants title to the gas delivered
hereunder, the right to sell the same, and that it is free from
all liens and adverse claims, and agrees, if notified there-
of by Buyer, to indemnify Buyer against lawsuits, actions,
debts, accounts, damages, costs (including attorneys’
fees), losses and expenses arising from or out of any ad-
verse legal claims of any and all persons to, or against,
said gas prior to delivery thereof to Buyer.
18.2
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