Begun

North America’s abundant natural gas resources have begun to weaken Russia’s influence on Europe’s energy supplies and could counter Iran’s influence as an energy supplier, according to research by the Baker Institute Energy Forum at Rice University.

There are more than oil/gas roughnecks benefiting from the growing boom in the Marcellus shale play; Pennsylvania banks are positioning themselves to share in the rewards, according to a report published in late June by an Arlington, VA-based investment bank, FBR Capital Markets.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) has begun to reduce operating pressures on an additional 7.5 miles of natural gas transmission pipeline segments and in some cases gas-fired power generation plants could be impacted, according to a recent filing the utility made to state regulators. Separately, the utility’s ongoing hydrostatic testing of pipe also may be impacted by the additional pressure drops.

As natural gas pipelines serving traditional long-line routes to market in North America have begun filing for new rate hikes in an attempt to make up for the load lost to locally delivered shale gas, fundamental market changes associated with the rate increases could affect basis differentials going forward, according to a new report from Evergreen, CO-based Bentek Energy.

As natural gas pipelines serving traditional long-line routes to market in North America have begun filing for new rate hikes in an attempt to make up for the load lost to locally delivered shale gas, fundamental market changes associated with the rate increases could affect basis differentials going forward, according to a new report from Evergreen, CO-based Bentek Energy.

As natural gas pipelines serving traditional long-line routes to market in North America have begun filing for new rate hikes in an attempt to make up for the load lost to locally delivered shale gas, fundamental market changes associated with the rate increases could affect basis differentials going forward, according to a new report from Evergreen, CO-based Bentek Energy.

A $619 million, 580 MW natural gas-fired combined-cycle electric generation plant has begun commercial operation in Virginia, according to owner/operator, Dominion Virginia Power. The Bear Garden Power Station is in the central part of the state, about 60 miles west of Richmond. Construction began in spring 2009. Bear Garden has two gas-fired combustion turbines, with oil as a backup fuel source. The turbines each generate 170 MW, and their exhaust is used to generate an additional 240 MW.

Natural gas pipelines serving traditional long-line routes to market have begun filing for new rate hikes of up to 500% in an attempt to make up for the load lost to locally delivered shale gas, Dena Wiggins, counsel to the Process Gas Consumers Group (PGC), told a membership meeting Thursday.

Natural gas pipelines serving traditional long-line routes to market have begun filing for new rate hikes of up to 500% in an attempt to make up for the load lost to locally delivered shale gas, Dena Wiggins, counsel to the Process Gas Consumers Group (PGC), told a membership meeting Thursday.