Adds

Retribution will be more expensive for companies violating FERC’s rules in the future, according to a final rule issued by the Commission Monday. The rule adjusts certain of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s penalties by 10% to cover inflation.

Denver-based Tipperary Corp. said last week that it has closed its previously announced transactions with Delta Petroleum Corp. and has subsequently acquired additional interests in the Comet Ridge coalbed methane project in Queensland, Australia. In addition, Tipperary said it has agreed with Williams Production RMT Co. to cease dewatering activities on the Hanna Basin project in Wyoming.

Pioneer Natural Resources Co. will operate its first deepwater Gulf of Mexico project, after picking up an additional 30% working interest in the Falcon field development and acreage in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico for $55 million, it said Tuesday. The Dallas-based independent also signed an agreement to purchase the assets and remaining 23% of the rights it doesn’t already own in its core area West Panhandle Field in Texas. The company is in final negotiations on another agreement to acquire the related West Panhandle field gathering system for a total of $138 million. To fund the acquisitions, Pioneer will publicly offer and sell 10 million newly issued shares of its common stock.

Enterprise Products Partners LP became one of the largest liquids storage operators in the country with the acquisition of a natural gas liquids and petrochemical liquids storage business from Diamond-Koch, L.P. and Diamond-Koch III, which are owned by affiliates of Valero Energy and Koch Industries Inc. The purchase price was $129 million in cash.

Vector Pipeline announced the start-up of the Highland compressor station in southeastern Michigan, which brings the pipeline’s capacity to 1 Bcf/d from about 700 MMcf/d. The Highland station, with two 15,000-HP compressor units, is located in Highland Township, Oakland County, Michigan.

Cheniere Energy has acquired an option to purchase a third land site for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Texas. The site near Sabine Pass, TX, will be used to build a receiving terminal that would deliver up to 1 Bcf/d of gas into the interstate pipeline grid. Cheniere had previously announced the acquisition of options for sites with port authorities at Freeport and Brownsville, TX, and still plans to line up a fourth site.

Chesapeake Energy added 240 Bcfe of proved Midcontinent gas reserves and 45 MMcfe/d of production through three acquisitions announced last Tuesday totaling $249 million, which will be paid in cash. The acquired assets have a reserves-to-production index of 14.2 years, are 81% natural gas and are 83% proved developed, the company said.

Cheniere Energy has acquired an option to purchase a third land site for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Texas. The site near Sabine Pass, TX, will be used to build a receiving terminal that would deliver up to 1 Bcf/d of gas into the interstate pipeline grid. Cheniere had previously announced the acquisition of options for sites with port authorities at Freeport and Brownsville, TX, and still plans to line up a fourth site.

Chesapeake Energy added 240 Bcfe of proved Midcontinent gas reserves and 45 MMcfe/d of production through three acquisitions announced Tuesday totaling $249 million, which will be paid in cash. The acquired assets have a reserves-to-production index of 14.2 years, are 81% natural gas and are 83% proved developed, the company said.