Application

A new report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Services (CRS) backs up Republican lawmakers’ claims that all of the increase in oil and natural gas production that occurred during the past five years has been on state and private — rather than federal — lands. For the most part, state and private lands are where the shale action is.

A new report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Services (CRS) has backed up Republican lawmakers’ claims that all of the increase in oil and natural gas production that occurred during the past five years has been on state and private — rather than federal — lands. For the most part, state and private lands are where the shale action is.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved Omnitek Engineering Corp.’s application for diesel-to-natural gas conversion technology for Navistar’s heavy-duty DT466E and DT530E engines.

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line (Transco) has filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to build a $182 million expansion to meet growing natural gas demand in New York City and the Rockaways. The Rockaway Delivery Lateral Project would provide 647,000 Dth/d of gas delivery capacity to National Grid’s distribution system in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; targeted in service date in late 2014. The project is targeted for service in the second half of 2014. The Transco and National Grid facilities would interconnect with National Grid’s proposed 26-inch diameter lateral. The 3.2-mile, 26-inch diameter Rockaway Delivery Lateral would consist of 2.9 miles of offshore pipeline and 0.3 miles of onshore pipeline. The small pipeline would pass under Jacob Riis Park in the Rockaways portion of Queens and under Jamaica Bay to a new meter and regulator station on the decommissioned airfield Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. Jacob Riis Park and the airfield are part of the Gateway National Recreation Center. President Obama signed a bill allowing for Transco’s expansion (see NGI, Dec. 3, 2012).

The city of Dallas Plan Commission on Thursday voted to reconsider the application by Trinity East Energy LLC for three zoning permits that would allow it to drill within the city limits. The commission previously voted against granting the permits (see Shale Daily, Jan. 8). The commission now is expected to hold a hearing on the permits Feb. 17. If the specific use permits ultimately receive the commission’s blessing, Trinity East will have an easier time gaining the ultimate approval it needs to drill from Dallas City Council. Some drilling opponents in attendance at the commission meeting chanted “shame” following the vote to reconsider; some wept, and one activist was led from the chamber, according to an online report by TheDallas Morning News.

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line (Transco) has filed an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to build a $182 million expansion of its system to meet growing natural gas demand in New York City and the Rockaways.

A citizens group opposed to gas drilling within the city of Dallas is rounding up supporters to attend a City Plan Commission meeting Thursday at which commissioners are expected to reconsider a previous denial of permits to drill that are being sought by Trinity East Energy LLC.

The City of Dallas Plan Commission late Thursday voted unanimously to deny without prejudice an application by Trinity East Energy LLC for specific use permits to perform the first natural gas drilling within the city limits. The commission refused to recommend to Dallas City Council approval of the company’s plans to drill on two city-owned sites and one private site in northwest Dallas. The city-owned sites are in a floodplain, and the private site is near where a soccer complex is being developed. Drilling in a floodplain is against city ordinance, and council would need to amend the city’s floodplain ordinance before voting on zoning approvals for drilling. The city has yet to adopt a new ordinance to deal with gas drilling despite the completion earlier this year of a set of recommendations developed by the Dallas Gas Drilling Task Force (see Shale Daily, Dec. 10). Dallas City Council next month is expected to have the final say on Trinity’s request.

FERC has approved an application of Tres Palacios Gas Storage LLC, a unit of Inergy LP, to build an extension of its header system to a processing plant in south-central Texas.