Discovery Producer Services LLC is holding a nonbinding open season through Aug. 6 to gauge interest in the Keathley Canyon Connector natural gas pipeline in the central Gulf of Mexico. The new deepwater natural gas gathering line would originate in the southeast corner of the Keathley Canyon area in around 7,000 feet of water where several large discoveries and prospects are located, said Discovery, which is owned by operator Williams Partners LP (60%) and DCP Midstream Partners LP (40%). The gathering pipeline is expected to be 150-200 miles long, depending on the final route selection, with capacity of up to 400 MMcf/d of natural gas. A confidentiality agreement and a nonbinding expression of interest form is available from Ed McMichael at (713) 215-4323.

Williams Partners LP‘s Northwest Pipeline GP is holding an open season through Aug. 11 for its Opal Market Link project. Shippers are able to contract for long-term firm transportation to move unprocessed gas from the Uinta Basin in Utah to the Opal Hub, Williams Partners said. Williams Partners owns the Opal gas processing plant in southwestern Wyoming, which offers more than 5 Bcf/d of interstate pipeline takeaway capacity to markets across the United States. Initial capacity of the Opal Market Link is planned to be about 400,000 Dth/d, which can be increased through compression or larger diameter pipe. Service could be available as early as November 2013. For information, contact John Davis at (801) 584-6852, or Hank Henrie at (801) 584-6625.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a favorable final environmental review of Kern River Gas Transmission‘s proposal to expand its pipeline system from southwestern Wyoming to Nevada by 266 MMcf/d to meet growing demand for natural gas from power generators (see NGI, March 29). The construction and operation of the proposed Apex Expansion Project “would have some adverse environmental impact,” said FERC staff, but the impacts would be reduced to “less-than-significant levels” with proposed mitigation measures [CP10-14]. The Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Reclamation were cooperating agencies. Kern River hopes to get a certificate from FERC by December and place the facilities in service by Nov. 1, 2011.

Copano Energy LLC has sold a $300 million equity stake to an affiliate of private investment firm TPG Capital to fund growth in the Eagle Ford Shale and other projects in Texas and Oklahoma. Copano is selling preferred units, which if converted to common stock, would make TPG the largest unit holder with a 17% stake. Copano also appointed TPG partner Michael G. MacDougall as a director.

Williams Partners LP has notified Oneok Partners LP that it will take the option to increase its ownership to 50% from 1% in their jointly owned Overland Pass Pipeline Co. LLC. Williams agreed to pay Oneok $425 million for the additional stake; closing is expected within 30 days. The joint venture (JV) was established in May 2006 by Williams and Oneok affiliate Northern Border Partners LP to build the 760-mile Overland Pass Pipeline to carry natural gas liquids (NGL) from Opal, WY, to Conway, KS. As long as Williams Partners owns at least 50% of the company, it has the option to become the operator by giving Oneok Partners at least 30 days’ notice.

Dallas-based Teak Midstream LLC has acquired gas gatherer and natural gas liquids transporter Texana Pipeline Co. LLC. The transaction, which was effective July 1, includes more than 325 miles of Texana’s intrastate gathering pipeline assets located throughout 17 South and East Texas counties. Significant portions of the acquired assets are in and around the Eagle Ford Shale formation, Teak said. Terms were not disclosed.

Two people were killed in a blast that occurred at a natural gas well in Indiana Township, northeast of Pittsburgh, at about 9:50 a.m. last Friday, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The fire from the blast was burning three hours after the explosion. The cause of the blast was not known Friday, but welders were believed to have been working near the well in a wooded area, said Helen Humphries, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Protection. “Why they were welding or what caused the explosion, I don’t know yet,” she said as reported by AP. The affected well was reported to be the producing well Murray Heirs No. 6, a shallow well drilled in May 2008, according to Humphries. It was reported that the well was not producing from the Marcellus Shale.

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