A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate would direct the Department of Energy secretary to implement a program to help ensure the physical security and cybersecurity of oil and natural gas pipelines, hazardous liquid pipelines, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, according to sponsors John Cornyn (R-TX) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM). The Pipeline and LNG Facility Cybersecurity Preparedness Act would require the secretary to coordinate response and recovery to physical and cyber incidents impacting the energy sector, develop advanced cybersecurity applications and technologies, and more. A similar bill was introduced in the House in 2018, but it failed to advance beyond committee.

The Aguirre LNG Project, an import terminal proposed for offshore Puerto Rico, has been nixed after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissionvacated an order that was issued in July 2015. DeveloperAguirre Offshore Gas Port LLCin November told the Commission it no longer intends to proceed with the project, which was to be sited near the towns of Salinas and Guayama. Aguirre said no construction had been undertaken and no facilities were in service.

The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has launched Online Inspection Lookup, a searchable database of oil and gas inspection and violation data. Users may search inspection or violation information by operator name, lease name/number, county, RRC district oil/gas number, inspection date range and rule. Data is pulled from the RRC’s Inspection, Compliance and Enforcement Tracking System, which was implemented in August 2015. For questions contact Keith May in the RRC Oil & Gas Division or call (512) 463-2892.