Attacks

Citing the potential destruction that could occur to the city of Providence, RI, from terrorist attacks on liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers or facilities, Rhode Island Gov. Donald L. Carcieri last Thursday called on FERC to reject KeySpan LNG’s plan to convert its existing 600,000 barrel LNG storage terminal in the city to an import terminal.

A $2 billion subsidy to help finance the construction of a new natural gas liquefaction facility and tankers to transport LNG to West Coast markets has been folded into a massive omnibus spending package that the House is expected to take up Monday (Dec. 8), according to Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA). A Senate vote on the $820 billion appropriations bill may not come until late January.

A $2 billion subsidy to help finance the construction of a new natural gas liquefaction facility and tankers to transport LNG to West Coast markets has been folded into a massive omnibus spending package that Congress is expected to act on next week, according to Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA).

Legislation to reauthorize the Office of Pipeline Safety and enhance pipeline security and safety in light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday by the leaderships of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Legislation to reauthorize the Office of Pipeline Safety and enhance pipeline security and safety in light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday by the leaderships of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Amid concerns over potential terrorist attacks on energy facilities, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is limiting the public’s access to maps of natural gas pipelines and electric transmission lines.

Amid concerns over potential terrorist attacks on energy facilities, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is limiting the public’s access to maps of natural gas pipelines and electric transmission lines.

The sharp downturn in the economy since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks caused a significant reassessment of quarterly and annual earnings expectations among energy companies last week. AES had the worst news with expectations of dramatically lower earnings because of its currency exposure in Brazil, changes in the power market in the United Kingdom and events affecting some of its domestic operations. Exelon also will suffer and will reduce its work force by another 450 jobs. Meanwhile, Duke Energy, PPL, NRG and Entergy all reaffirmed their earnings expectations.

In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the list of threats and vulnerabilities to the nation’s energy infrastructure is “a lot longer now,” said Robbie Gillham, manager of global security for Conoco Inc. At the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission’s (IOGCC) panel discussion, the topic of the day focused mainly on the role states must play in maintaining, protecting and encouraging domestic oil and natural gas production during a crisis.