Privately held Kinder Morgan Inc. has announced plans to rejoin the New York Stock Exchange with the launch of an initial public offering (IPO) for up to $1.5 billion. Parent company Kinder Morgan Holdco LLC said all of the stock for the IPO would be sold by existing investors including Chairman Richard Kinder and his wife, who together hold a stake of about 31% in the company. Other sellers include Goldman, Sachs & Co., Highstar Capital LP, The Carlyle Group and Riverstone Holdings LLC. The company plans to list under its former symbol “KMI.” Timing of the IPO was not disclosed. In 2007 Kinder Morgan went private in an estimated $15 billion buyout (see NGI, June 4, 2007). Kinder Morgan owns the general partner and about 11% of the limited partner interests in Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, one of the largest publicly traded U.S. pipeline master limited partnerships, which has an enterprise value of more than $30 billion.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is investigating a hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fluid spill estimated at more than 13,000 gallons at a natural gas well pad operated by ExxonMobil Corp. subsidiary XTO Energy Corp. The spill, in Penn Township in Lycoming County, was discovered by a DEP inspector. The spill has polluted a tributary to Sugar Run and a spring, and two private drinking water wells in the vicinity also are being sampled for possible impacts. A notice of violation letter was to be sent to XTO and the company will be required to remediate the site, DEP said.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has offered a nearly $50 million conditional loan commitment to The Vehicle Production Group LLC (VPG) to support the development of the six passenger MV-1, a wheelchair-accessible vehicle that will run on compressed natural gas (CNG). VPG estimates that the project will produce approximately 22,650 vehicles annually when at full capacity. The vehicles will be produced at a Mishawaka, IN, AM General Plant. Miami-based VPG said the MV-1, which features a deployable access ramp with a 1,200-pound weight capacity, is the only light-duty vehicle that meets or exceeds the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Washington state regulators have approved a settlement that paves the way for natural gas and electricity retail utility rate increases beginning Wednesday (Dec. 1) for Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities. Monthly bills are expected to increase onn average $5.60 for electricity and $2.20 for natural gas. The settlement allows Avista to hike its gas and electric rates an additional $34.1 million annually. The utility originally asked to hike rates a combined $63.8 million.

State gas commission hearings on Denver-based Antero Resources‘ plan to increase the density of its horizontal drilling in Colorado’s Garfield County near the Piceance Basin have been delayed to mid-January. A prehearing conference to decide procedural matters was held last Tuesday. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), which is charged with reviewing Antero’s plans, decided to scrap hearings set for Monday and Tuesday (Nov. 29-30) in favor of Jan. 13-14. The COGCC is reviewing plans for stepping up Antero’s drilling from one well per 160 acres to one well per 10 acres initially within a 640-acre section. Some area residents have urged county officials to oppose Antero’s plans because of added truck traffic through their neighborhoods and possible groundwater contamination.

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