National Fuel Marketing to Pay $290,000 to Resolve FERC Investigation on Cheyenne Plains Open Season

National Fuel Marketing Company, LLC and several affiliates will pay a civil penalty of $290,000 under a settlement with FERC to resolve an investigation into the bidding of multiple National Fuel Marketing affiliates into a March 2007 open season on Cheyenne Plains Gas Pipeline.

National Fuel Marketing Company and affiliates NFM Midstream, LLC, NFM Texas Pipeline, LLC, and NFM Texas Gathering, LLC neither admit nor deny violating any FERC requirements under the stipulation.

FERC Staff ultimately alleged that National Fuel Marketing Company's behavior violated the Commission's shipper-must-have-title requirement, as the three affiliates used their Cheyenne Plains capacity allocations to ship gas titled to National Fuel. Staff made no allegations regarding the bidding of multiple affiliates into the open season.