Arguments

A U.S. district judge in Louisiana has set a court date of June 30 in New Orleans to hear arguments to dismiss a class action lawsuit brought last year against several major pipeline companies and producers by residents of the region devastated by Hurricane Katrina. The lawsuit was originally filed in September 2005, alleging that the companies’ exploration and production of oil and natural gas destroyed wetlands, which contributed to the massive storm damage (see Daily GPI, Sept. 16).

Speaking to a packed courtroom, defense lawyers for Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay and ex-CEO Jeffrey Skilling made their final arguments to the jury on Tuesday, telling the eight women and four men that the prosecution had “rewritten history” to make its case and failed to prove the two former chiefs had committed any crimes.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering arguments on the constitutionality of the federal law used to charge a former Dynegy Inc. energy trader with making false natural gas trades. Michelle Valencia was charged last year with reporting false energy trading information, and prosecutors appealed a ruling by a Houston judge that narrowed the language prosecutors may use to prove her guilt (see NGI, Nov. 24, 2003).

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering arguments this week on the constitutionality of the federal law used to charge a former Dynegy Inc. energy trader with making false natural gas trades. Michelle Valencia was charged last year with reporting false energy trading information, and prosecutors are appealing a ruling by a Houston judge that narrowed the language prosecutors may use to prove her guilt (see Daily GPI, Nov. 18, 2003).

An Alabama circuit judge began hearing arguments Thursday on whether to uphold a record multi-billion-dollar verdict won by the state last year against ExxonMobil Corp. The decision in the case, over disputed natural gas royalties, is expected by March 22.

An Alabama circuit judge began hearing arguments Thursday on whether to uphold a record multi-billion-dollar verdict won by the state last year against ExxonMobil Corp. The decision in the case, over disputed natural gas royalties, is expected by March 22.

Despite arguments to the contrary by an El Paso Corp. affiliate, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ruled that liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification performed on floating vessels in the Gulf of Mexico will be held to the same clean air and clean water regulations as fixed-structure LNG facilities.

Despite arguments to the contrary by an El Paso Corp. affiliate, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week ruled that liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification performed on floating vessels in the Gulf of Mexico will be held to the same clean air and clean water regulations as fixed-structure LNG facilities.

Everything was on the “up and up” with former Dynegy Inc. executive Jamie Olis, his defense attorney said in opening arguments Tuesday. Instead, said attorney Terry Yates, former Dynegy auditor Arthur Andersen used “accounting tricks” that were most responsible for the design and mismanagement of Dynegy’s Project Alpha, a complex natural gas transaction first set up in 1998.