Attempt

In an attempt to leverage the state’s two biggest industries, North Dakota is considering construction of a world-scale, $1.5 billion nitrogen fertilizer plant. The plant could make use of some of the state’s natural gas now being flared in the face of low prices to fuel the facility, while the North Dakota Corn Growers Association (CGA) would use the plant to make anhydrous ammonia.

Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly were able to override Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue’s veto of a bill to legalize hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on Monday after a voting error by a Democratic lawmaker.

Backers of the proposed High Prairie Pipeline for taking away burgeoning Bakken Shale play oil supplies fired two shots Tuesday in an attempt to untangle their 450-mile, 16-inch diameter pipeline project. They contracted with an anchor shipper for the line and filed a second complaint with a federal agency against Enbridge Energy Partners LP for blocking an interconnection of the proposed pipeline.

In an attempt to bring uniformity to the exploration and production of oil and natural gas in the shale plays of the Appalachian Basin, a consortium of 11 producers last Tuesday released recommended standards and practices on everything from the preparation of a regional spill and emergency response plan to the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fluids, as well as on community engagement and well site selection.

In an attempt to bring uniformity to the exploration and production of oil and natural gas in the shale plays of the Appalachian Basin, a consortium of 11 producers Tuesday released recommended standards and practices on everything from the preparation of a regional spill and emergency response plan to the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fluids, as well as for local relations and well site selection.

In an attempt to turn the tables on Republicans, who have been relentless in their attacks on the administration’s energy policies, President Obama Tuesday called on Congress to provide funding for his five-part plan to combat manipulation, fraud and excessive speculation in the energy markets, particularly the oil market. While the oil market is the primary target of the president’s plan, the administration effort does have implications for natural gas traders and contracts.

In an attempt to minimize safety risks, the secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) should direct the administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to collect information from operators of federally unregulated onshore natural gas gathering and hazardous liquid pipelines, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a new report Thursday.

In an attempt to minimize safety risks, the secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) should direct the administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to begin collecting information from operators of federally unregulated onshore natural gas gathering and hazardous liquid pipelines, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a new report. The DOT should establish an online clearinghouse or other resource for sharing the information on pipeline safety practices that is collected, said the GAO. It noted that the data should be similar to what PHMSA collects annually from operators of regulated gathering pipelines (mostly located in non rural areas), such as fatalities, injuries, property damage, location, mileage, size, operating pressure, maintenance and the causes of incidents and consequences. The nation’s pipeline network includes an estimated 200,000-plus miles of onshore gathering pipelines, many of which have not been subject to federal regulation based on their generally rural location and low operating pressures.

As Marcellus Shale development has been expanding across Pennsylvania, dairy production has been falling, but it’s unclear how the two trends are connected, according to a report from Pennsylvania State University.