Overview

Access to the open-access transmission pipelines is governed by the transmission codes – the Maui Pipeline Operating Code and the Gas Transmission Code. Gas Industry Co works with stakeholders to improve those access arrangements.

As of June 2016, the Maui and Vector pipelines came under the ownership of First Gas Limited. First Gas wishes to converge the two existing access arrangements into a single access regime. The two existing regimes are defined by the Maui Pipeline Operating Code (MPOC) and Vector Transmission Code (VTC), with the single access regime to be implemented being the Gas Transmission Access Code (GTAC).

The Current Arrangements section notes that until the GTAC comes into effect, the existing access arrangements are (substantially) defined by the MPOC and VTC, and links to the relevant documents are provided.

The Developing section notes that the GTAC development work has overtaken our previous work in relation to transmission pipeline access. However, many of the GTAC innovations are in response to problems identified by that work. For completeness, we retain an archive of our earlier work in the Background section.

Current Arrangements

As of June 2016, the Maui and Vector pipelines came under the ownership of First Gas Limited, who wish to converge the two existing access arrangements into a single access regime. Until that occurs, the existing regimes defined by the Maui Pipeline Operating Code (MPOC) and the Vector Transmission Code (VTC) will apply.

Details of these existing access arrangements can be found on the Open Access Transmission Information System (OATIS) website at:  https://www.oatis.co.nz/Ngc.Oatis.UI.Web.Internet/Common/OatisLogin.aspx

 Details of the forthcoming GTAC regime are discussed in the Developing section.

Developing

First Gas aims to introduce the GTAC project and its supporting IT system, TACOS (Transmission Access Commercial Operating System) in October 2021. Communications and updates on that work can be found on the First Gas website here.

Listed in the left-hand navigation pane are the various stages of the GTAC development and assessment. The assessments relate to Gas Industry Co’s consideration of whether the GTAC would provide access that is materially better than the existing terms and conditions for access to and use of gas transmission pipelines.

 

 

 

Key Areas

Background

The GTAC development work described in the Developing section has overtaken our previous work in relation to transmission pipeline access. However, many of the GTAC innovations are in response to problems identified with the MPOC and VTC access regimes. For completeness, we retain an archive of that earlier work in this section.

In Gas Industry Co's 2006 Transmission Access Issues Review paper we identified access to short-term capacity on the Vector pipeline as an issue. In 2009, a capacity constraint in Vector's North Pipeline caught some pipeline users by surprise. End users wishing to obtain bids for their gas supply found it was often only the incumbent supplier who could make an unconditional offer. Gas Industry Co’s analysis of the issue caused Vector and its Shippers to put in place a package of measures known as 'the Bridge Commitments' aimed at ensuring large end users had an effective choice of supplier.

For the longer term, Gas Industry Co continued its analysis of capacity issues as part of a set of projects known as the Gas Transmission Investment Programme (GTIP). While some improvements have resulted, particularly in the approach to analysing and reporting pipeline capacity, some fundamental problems remained. See the Developing section for information on how these are to be addressed.

Links to previous papers, submissions and workshop presentations are provided below:

Short-Term Capacity

Long-Term Capacity

Key Areas

In 2009, a capacity constraint in Vector's North Pipeline caught some pipeline users by surprise. End users wishing to obtain bids for their gas supply found it was often only the incumbent supplier who could make an unconditional offer. Gas Industry Co’s analysis of the issue caused Vector and its Shippers to put in place a package of measures known as 'the Bridge Commitments' aimed at ensuring large end users had an effective choice of supplier.

Related Information

The Bridge Commitments
Retail Competition Workshop - April 2011
Retail Competition and Transmission Capacity: Statement of Proposal - November 2010
Capacity Workshop - September 2010

Following the capacity constraint in Vector's North Pipeline in 2009 Gas Industry Co implemented the Bridge Commitments as a short-term aid to capacity issues while for the longer term, Gas Industry Co analysed capacity issues and then proposed and implemented a set of projects known as the Gas Transmission Investment Programme (GTIP). 

Workshops and consultations relating to this pre-GTIP work can be found in this section.

Related Information

Proposed Gas Transmission Investment Project - April 2011
Investment and Access Workshop - April 2011
Capacity Workshop - August 2010
Capacity Workshop - June 2010
Options for Vector Transmission Capacity - December 2009

2010-11 Queue for Reserved Capacity: North Pipeline

Request Day

Receipt Point

Delivery Date

Capacity Requested GJ/Day

19 Oct 2010 Rotowaro Wellsford 1
19 Oct 2010 Rotowaro Greater Auckland 274
4 Apr 2011 Rotowaro Greater Auckland 308
31 May 2011 Rotowaro Greater Auckland 835
24 Jun 2011 Rotowaro Greater Auckland 210
24 Jun 2011 Rotowaro Whangarei 3
    Total 1631

Overview:

Gas Industry Co has reviewed and consulted stakeholders on many aspects of gas transmission. The details of previous work can be found under <Background>. This work led to a number of improved arrangements, particularly relating to pipeline balancing, the assessment and reporting of system capacity and supply/demand forecasting. However, some issues have proved difficult to resolve, in part because the two transmission systems – the Maui pipeline and Vector system – were owned by different companies who often held conflicting views on key issues.

On 20 April 2016 Vector Gas Limited – owner of the Vector transmission system – was acquired by First State Funds, two infrastructure funds managed by First State Investments, known in Australia as Colonial First State Global Asset Management. Vector Gas Limited was renamed First Gas Limited (First Gas). Then, on 15 June 2016, First Gas purchased the Maui pipeline from Shell, Todd and OMV (collectively known as the Maui Mining Companies). As the single owner, First Gas, now wishes to converge the operations of the Maui and Vector pipelines, including the transmission access regimes. (More details are available from the First Gas website.)

Related Information

Background

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