The California Energy Commission (CEC) was awarded a “green leadership” award at a state environmental summit and exposition in Sacramento Tuesday, calling out both private- and public-sector research and development grants under the CEC’s $83.5 million annual Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program.
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Industry Brief
The Nevada Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has been awarded $816,274 of funding under the federal stimulus package to be applied to employee hiring and training. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding is designated to help the state regulatory commission handle its increased workload caused by various renewable energy, efficiency, smart grid technology, transmission and demand response issues surfacing to address global climate change. Funds will be used to train existing personnel and hire two new staff positions assigned exclusively to the alternative energy sector, said PUC Executive Director Crystal Jackson. “We have seen a substantial increase in activity in these areas, and we expect even more in the coming years,” Jackson said. The state regulatory panel is facing a number of major renewable energy, efficiency and transmission cases in the next two years, and the new positions and training funds will be applied to its 2011-2013 fiscal year budgets.
Alaska Picks Contractor for In-State Gasline Study
Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources has awarded a $5 million contract for evaluation of alternatives for a natural gas pipeline to deliver gas from the North Slope to in-state markets to an engineering unit of Michael Baker Corp., the firm said Thursday.
Industry Brief
Denali — The Alaska Gas Pipeline LLC awarded an engineering contract for the gas treatment plant on its proposed pipeline from Alaska’s North Slope to serve Lower 48 markets to Fluor WorleyParsons Arctic Solutions. The contract covers the services required during the initial design phase of the project for the plant. Major contract elements include a series of technical studies, development of the project design basis, project execution planning, cost estimating, schedule development and other services. The plant, to be located on the North Slope, will remove carbon dioxide, water, hydrogen sulfide and other impurities from the gas before it is shipped in the pipeline. It will also provide initial gas chilling and compression. It will be the largest plant of its type on earth, and will have process modules weighing up to 9,000 tons.
Oregon Land Use Panel Delays Action on LNG Project
The three-member Oregon Land Use Appeals Board Tuesday postponed action on a challenge of the county land use permits awarded to NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc.’s proposed Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal along the Columbia River in Oregon. The board will next take up challenges to Clatsop County’s permits on Jan. 27.
Kern River Nears Certificate for 2010 Expansion
Kern River Gas Transmission Monday was awarded a favorable environmental assessment (EA) for a proposed expansion to increase takeaway capacity for Rocky Mountain producers.
Industry Briefs
Houston-based Transocean Inc.’s deepwater drillship Deepwater Pathfinder, a single-activity rig capable of drilling in water depths up to 10,000 feet, has been awarded a five-year contract by a subsidiary of Italy’s Eni for operations primarily in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Transocean estimated contract revenues over the five year period as high as $1.19 billion. The contract is scheduled to commence in March 2010, following completion of the rig’s existing contract commitments. The Deepwater Pathfinder drillship, which entered service in 1998, is one of 39 High-Specification Floaters in the Transocean fleet, 18 of which are Ultra-Deepwater Floaters capable of drilling in water depths of 7,500 feet or greater.
Industry Brief
Houston-based Transocean Inc.’s deepwater drillship Deepwater Pathfinder, a single-activity rig capable of drilling in water depths up to 10,000 feet, has been awarded a five-year contract by a subsidiary of Italy’s Eni for operations primarily in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Transocean estimated contract revenues over the five year period as high as $1.19 billion. The contract is scheduled to commence in March 2010, following completion of the rig’s existing contract commitments. The Deepwater Pathfinder drillship, which entered service in 1998, is one of 39 High-Specification Floaters in the Transocean fleet, 18 of which are Ultra-Deepwater Floaters capable of drilling in water depths of 7,500 feet or greater.
Freeport LNG Project Wins FERC Approval
FERC has awarded Freeport LNG Development LP authorization under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act to site, construct and operate a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal and natural gas pipelines facilities on Quintana Island in Brazoria County, TX.
Pepco Energy Services to Supply Gas to Defense Installations
Pepco Energy Services has been awarded a two-year contract to supply natural gas to various Department of Defense (DoD) facilities and federal civilian agencies in the Northeast and across the central part of the United States.