---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 3372"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "3372"
heading: "Assignment of contractual rights to receive surplus natural gas"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/3372"
units:
  - "Chapter 60 — Natural Gas Policy"
  - "Subchapter III — Additional Authorities and Requirements"
  - "Part B — Other Authorities and Requirements"
---

# §3372. Assignment of contractual rights to receive surplus natural gas

- (a) **Authorization of assignments—** The [Commission](/usc/15/3301.md?p=24) may, by rule or order, authorize any [intrastate pipeline](/usc/15/3301.md?p=16) to assign, without compensation, to any [interstate pipeline](/usc/15/3301.md?p=15) or [local distribution company](/usc/15/3301.md?p=17) all or any portion of such [intrastate pipeline](/usc/15/3301.md?p=16)’s right to receive surplus [natural gas](/usc/15/3301.md?p=1) at any [first sale](/usc/15/3301.md?p=21-A), upon such terms and conditions as the [Commission](/usc/15/3301.md?p=24) determines appropriate.
- (b) **Effect of authorization under subsection (a)—** For the effect of an authorization under [subsection (a)](#a), see [section 3431 of this title](/usc/15/3431.md) (relating to the coordination of this chapter with the Natural Gas Act [[15 U.S.C. 717](/usc/15/717.md) et seq.]).
- (c) **Surplus natural gas—** For purposes of this section, the term “surplus [natural gas](/usc/15/3301.md?p=1)” means any [natural gas](/usc/15/3301.md?p=1) which is determined, by the [State](/usc/15/3301.md?p=34) agency having regulatory jurisdiction over the [intrastate pipeline](/usc/15/3301.md?p=16) which would be entitled to receive such [natural gas](/usc/15/3301.md?p=1) in the absence of any assignment to exceed the then current demands on such pipeline for [natural gas](/usc/15/3301.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 95–621, title III, § 312, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3392; Pub. L. 101–60, § 3(b)(2), July 26, 1989, 103 Stat. 158.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Natural Gas Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act June 21, 1938, ch. 556, 52 Stat. 821, which is classified generally to chapter 15B (§ 717 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this act to the Code, see section 717w of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

1989—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–60 substituted “any natural gas” for “any natural gas—

“(1) which is not committed or dedicated to interstate commerce on November 8, 1978;

“(2) the first sale of which is subject to a maximum lawful price established under subchapter I of this chapter; and

“(3)”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1989 Amendment

Section 3(b) of Pub. L. 101–60 provided in part that the amendment by section 3(b)(2) of Pub. L. 101–60 is effective Jan. 1, 1993.