With strong performance in both the Fayetteville and Marcellus shales, Houston-based Southwestern Energy Co. set a number of records during the first quarter.
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Shale Gas Prompts BASF to Consider Gulf Coast Plant
BASF Corp., the North American affiliate of BASF SE of Germany, is considering developing a world-scale methane-to-propylene complex on the U.S. Gulf Coast, the company said Friday.
Industry Brief
LyondellBasell has received a key permit required in the company’s multi-plant ethylene expansion program, which when fully operational is expected to increase annual ethylene capacity by 1.85 billion pounds per day, for a total estimated capacity of 11.8 billion pounds per day in North America. The ethylene expansion program began in 2013 and represents a total investment of approximately $1.3 billion in the company’s Texas plants in Channelview, La Porte and Corpus Christi, which benefit from shale gas production. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a final greenhouse gas permit for the Corpus Christi project. The permit is the first to be drafted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and issued by EPA under a new program designed to help improve permitting efficiency and productivity for applicants in Texas. The multi-plant ethylene expansion is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2015 (see Daily GPI,Jan. 3).
Industry Briefs
Atlas Pipeline Partners LP (APL) has brought online its Stonewall cryogenic gas processing plant in the Arkoma section of the Woodford Shale, which will add capacity to APL’s SouthOK system. The partnership is also accelerating plans to potentially increase the capacity at Stonewall, given increasing activity by Arkoma Basin and South Central Oklahoma Oil Province producers (see Shale Daily,May 1). Stonewall has an initial capacity of 120 MMcf/d. The plant was constructed under the Centrahoma joint venture with MarkWest Energy Partners, in which APL owns 60%. Due to the increase in activity in southern Oklahoma, the APL plans to accelerate the planned 80 MMcf/d expansion of Stonewall, bringing capacity to 200 MMcf/d. The expansion will add refrigeration and compression at the plant and will result in total gross processing capacity of 580 MMcf/d on the partnership’s SouthOK system.
Newfield Stepping Up Oklahoma SCOOP, STACK Activity
During the first quarter, Newfield Exploration Co. continued to ply its SCOOP (South Central Oklahoma Oil Province) and STACK (because of stacked pay zones) plays in Oklahoma, where the company is enjoying high rates of return and rapid liquids growth, Newfield COO Gary Packer said Wednesday.
Bill to Accelerate LNG Exports Clears House Committee
Spurred by tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Wednesday approved a modified bill to expedite the review of proposals to export liquefied domestic natural gas to the world. It is thought by backers that injecting U.S. gas into the global market would weaken gas-rich Russia’s influence in Europe.
Pair of Deals Tightens Up EP Energy Portfolio
EP Energy Corp. is tightening up its portfolio with a Texas-Louisiana two-stepper: buying in the Midland Basin and selling in the Ark-La-Tex Cotton Valley and South Louisiana Wilcox areas, the company said Thursday.
Sasol Picks Boardwalk Unit for Ethane/Ethylene Midstream Services
Boardwalk Pipeline Partners LP unit Boardwalk Louisiana Midstream LLC (BLM) was selected to provide ethane and ethylene storage and transportation services to Sasol Chemicals (USA) LLC’s proposed large-scale ethane cracker and derivatives complex near Westlake, LA.
FERC Issues FEIS for Sempra’s Cameron LNG Export Terminal
FERC on Wednesday issued the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for Sempra Energy’s Cameron LNG natural gas liquefaction and export project in Hackberry, LA. Final Commission approval is expected this summer with construction to begin later in the year, Sempra said.
Industry Brief
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final greenhouse gas (GHG) prevention of significant deterioration construction permit to FGE Power for the FGE Texas project near Westbrook, TX, allowing the company to build the 1,620 MW natural-gas fired combined-cycle power plant between Midland and Abilene. In 2010 EPA finalized national GHG regulations, which require that air permits be obtained for projects that would substantially increase GHG emissions. Texas is working to replace the federal implementation plan with its own state program, which would eliminate the need for businesses to seek air permits from EPA. The FGE permit is the 36th such permit EPA has issued in Texas. The agency has proposed an additional five permits and has 19 more in development.