Backs

FERC commissioners Wednesday endorsed an inquiry into a staff proposal that calls for the Commission to convert full requirements (FR) service on the El Paso Natural Gas system to contract demand (CD) service, a move that potentially could resolve a long-simmering dispute over capacity allocation on the pipeline.

An environmental analysis by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has found that approving eight natural gas wells on existing federal leases north of the Missouri River within and adjacent to the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Montana would have little environmental impact. BLM has recommended approval of the wells, but said it will not make a final decision until after a public comment period ends in mid-February.

An environmental analysis by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has found that approving eight natural gas wells on existing federal leases north of the Missouri River within and adjacent to the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in Montana would have little environmental impact. BLM has recommended approval of the wells, but said it will not make a final decision until after a public comment period ends in mid-February.

In a major win for clean air activists in general and the natural gas industry in particular, the Department of Justice (DOJ) last Tuesday removed the roadblock it had placed in the path of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) enforcement of “new source review” (NSR) actions against a large number of dirty coal and oil-burning power plants and oil refineries. DOJ said the EPA enforcement actions are consistent with the Clean Air Act, and ongoing prosecutions should proceed.

In a major win for clean air activists in general and the natural gas industry in particular, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Tuesday removed the roadblock it had placed in the path of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) enforcement of “new source review” (NSR) actions against a large number of dirty coal and oil-burning power plants and oil refineries. DOJ said the EPA enforcement actions are consistent with the Clean Air Act, and ongoing prosecutions should proceed.

Backing off from a statement he made in June that the oil and gas industry should be fined unless they used more local companies in offshore multi-billion projects, Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm said last week that he would only agree to a system of fines if the energy industry ended its usual practice of giving contracts to local companies. Speaking at a natural gas conference in Halifax, Hamm said he wanted to instead focus on the positive aspects of the industry.

Backing off from a statement he made in June that the oil and gas industry should be fined unless they used more local companies in offshore multi-billion projects, Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm said this week that he would only agree to a system of fines if the energy industry ended its usual practice of giving contracts to local companies. Speaking at a natural gas conference in Halifax, Hamm said he wanted to instead focus on the positive aspects of the industry.

Transocean Sedco Forex Inc. revealed yesterday that Marathon Oil has decided to back out of an 18-month drilling deal because it believes Transocean hasn’t lived up to its end of the bargain. The contract is for Transocean’s recently constructed, ultra-deepwater semisubmersible Cajun Express drill ship. Marathon gave notice it wants out of the deal apparently in response to incidents of downtime relating to equipment failures. Transocean said it strongly disputes that Marathon has the right to terminate the contract and intends to “vigorously pursue all available remedies.”

The Oregon House has approved a bill that would delay state implementation of electric restructuring, currently set to begin Oct. 1 of this year, until early 2002. With the Oregon Senate having already given its blessing to the measure, House Bill (HB) 3633 now goes to Gov. John Kitzhaber, who is expected to sign the bill into law.