EL PASO NATURAL GAS CO. v. SUN OIL CO.

Nos. 77-1762, 77-2613 and 80-2404.

708 F.2d 1011 (1983)

EL PASO NATURAL GAS COMPANY, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. SUN OIL COMPANY, et al., Defendants-Appellees. TENNECO OIL CO., et al., Petitioners, v. FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, Respondent. TENNECO OIL COMPANY, et al., Petitioners, v. FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, Respondent.

United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.

July 5, 1983.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Daniel Joseph, Jack W. Hanks, Daniel Watkiss, Washington, D.C., Donald C. Shepler, Salt Lake City, Utah, David K. Watkiss, Jack D. Bachman, Salt Lake City, Utah, for Northwest Pipeline Corp.

Rufus G. Thayer, Jr., Janice E. Kerr, J. Calvin Simpson, San Francisco, Cal., for People of State of Cal. and Public Utilities Com'n of State of California.

Howard V. Golub, Shirley A. Woo, Malcolm H. Furbush, San Francisco, Cal., for Pacific Gas & Elec. Co.

Charles F. Hawkins, Dallas, Tex., for Southern Union Co.

J. Alan Galbraith, Washington, D.C., Arthur R. Formanek, El Paso, Tex., for El Paso Natural Gas Co.

Steven A. Taube, Atty., George H. Williams, Jr., Jerome Nelson, Sol., Washington, D.C., for amicus curiae F.E.R.C.

Leo J. Hoffman, Herf M. Weinert, Julius L. Lybrand, Dallas, Tex., for Sun Oil Co.

George B. Mickum, III, Steven H. Brose, Washington, D.C., Edward J. Kremer, Jr., Dallas, Tex., for Atlantic Richfield Co.

Craig W. Hulvey, Washington, D.C., Robert D. Haworth, Houston, Tex., for Mobil Oil Corp.

Gordon Gooch, Charles M. Darling, IV, Washington, D.C., for Tenneco, Continental, American Petrofina, Crown Central, Delta Drilling, M/MS. Morris Mizel.

Vernon M. Turner, Houston, Tex., for Tenneco.

Michael J. Henke, Washington, D.C., Dee H. Richardson, Midland, Tex., for Union Oil Co. of Cal.

Thomas Burton, Jr., Houston, Tex., for Continental Oil Co.

W.B. Browder, Jr., Midland, Tex., for W. Watson LaForce, et al.

Donald F. Burke, Baltimore, Md., for Crown Central Petroleum.

Terry R. Barrett, Stanley L. Cunningham, Oklahoma City, Okl., for F.H.N., Ltd.

Robert D. Haworth, Houston, Tex., for Mobil Oil Corp.

Craig W. Hulvey, Washington, D.C., for Getty Oil Co.

Sherman S. Poland, Bernard A. Foster, III, Ross, Marsh & Foster, Washington, D.C., for William G. Webb, et al.

J.O. Terrell Couch, Hutcheson & Grundy, Randel R. Young, Houston, Tex., for Robert Beamon, et al.

Steven R. Hunsicker, Gordon Gooch, Charles M. Darling, IV, Baker & Botts, Washington, D.C., Strasburger & Price, Leo J. Hoffman, Dallas, Tex., for Tenneco Oil Co., et al.

Larry Pain, John L. Williford, Bartlesville, Okl., for Phillips Petroleum Co.

John S. Fick, Los Angeles, Cal., for Southern Cal. Gas Co.

William M. Lange, Colorado Springs, Colo., for Colo. Interstate Gas Co.

Robert H. Landt, Denver, Colo., for Amoco Production Co.

J. Alan Galbraith, Washington, D.C., for El Paso Natural Gas Co.

Donald K. Dankner, Washington, D.C., for CP National Corp.

Robert L. Simpson, Spokane, Wash., for Wash. Water Power Co.

G. Thomas Dohn, Yakima, Wash., for City of Ellensburg.

Justin R. Wolf, Washington, D.C., Bruce R. DeBolt, Associate Counsel, Portland, Or., for Northwest Natural Gas Co.

Thomas F. Brosnan, Washington, D.C., for Washington Natural Gas Co.

John H. Socolofsky, Asst. Atty. Gen., Salem, Or., for Public Utility Com'r of Oregon.

Kenneth O. Eikenberry, Atty. Gen., Donald D. Trotter, Asst. Atty. Gen., Olympia, Wash., for Washington Utilities and Transportation Com'n.

John T. Ketcham, Washington, D.C., for Cascade Natural Gas Corp.

P. Michael Koenig, William M. Lange, Colorado Springs, Colo., for Colo. Interstate Gas Co.

Lester D. Sitter, Denver, Colo., for Rocky Mountain Natural Gas Co., Inc.

Gary G. Sackett, Associate Gen. Counsel, Salt Lake City, Utah, for Mountain Fuel Supply Co.

Steven R. Shanahan, Sr., Asst. Atty. Gen., Cheyenne, Wyo., for Public Service Com'n of Wyoming.

Zev E. Kaplan, Deputy Atty. Gen., Carson City, Nev., for Public Service Com'n of Nev.

J. Richard Tiano, Washington, D.C., for Intermountain Gas Co.

Wm. W. Bedwell, Washington, D.C., for Southwest Gas Corporation.

Michael S. Gilmore, Deputy Atty. Gen., Boise, Idaho, for Idaho Pub. Utilities Comm.

Before BROWN, RONEY and TJOFLAT, Circuit Judges.


RONEY, Circuit Judge:

The basic question presented by these consolidated appeals is whether a series of lease-sale agreements transferring rights to certain gas-bearing lands in the San Juan Basin of New Mexico are sales of natural gas in interstate commerce within the meaning of section 1(b) of the Natural Gas Act, 15 U.S.C.A. § 717(b). Holding the agreements are not sales as defined by the Act, and are therefore beyond regulatory jurisdiction, we affirm the...

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