Columbia Gas Transmission added Friday (Jan. 24) to its continuing list (Jan. 21-23) of transport and storage critical days for portions of its Ohio and Pennsylvania marketing areas. In connection with the current storm sweeping the East, Columbia also is enforcing “specialized receipt required” at the Cecil, Paulding and Lebanon pipeline interconnects, the pipeline company reported on its electronic bulletin board.

Columbia issued a request for bids to buy and sell gas in February to serve “operational needs.” The pipeline opened the bidding at noon CST Tuesday and plans to close it at noon CST Thursday. The pipeline currently is running “critical” days for both transport and storage in parts of its Ohio and Pennsylvania market areas (Jan. 21-24).

“In order to ensure sufficient flowing supply into its system in northern Ohio,” Columbia said it is looking for bids for 5,000 MMBtu/d to 10,000 MMBtu/d packages of gas to enter its system in Market Areas 1 and 3, with the preferred delivery points: 1. Maumee (Panhandle), Monclova (ANR),Cygnet (Crossroads), Oberlin (Crossroads); and 2. Cecil(Panhandle) or Paulding (ANR).

Preference would be given to offers that provide supply flexibility, as requested by Columbia, at a combination of the delivery points from Feb. 1-Feb. 28. The price should be stated as the New York Mercantile Exchange last day settlement price, plus or minus. Depending on operating conditions. Columbia is also willing to consider offers for sales at delivery points other than those listed.

Columbia also seeks to sell natural gas volumes to buyers in Operating Area 8, Leach, TCO Pool or other mutually agreed points. For more information contact Diana Roberts (713) 386-3486, droberts@nisource.com or Greg Stickline (713) 331-7416, gstickline@nisource.com.