Boston

For the second year in a row the volume of natural gas pipeline capacity traded by the top 20 U.S. companies increased, with volumes soaring 143% from a year ago to top 12 Bcf/d, according to a report by Boston-based Capacity Center.

The volume of gas pipeline capacity traded January through August by the top players increased dramatically over the same period of 2008, according to Boston-based Capacity Center. The top 20 companies for activity have also changed dramatically over the past year, the firm said last Tuesday, citing upheaval in financial markets as one reason for the shift.

The volume of gas pipeline capacity traded January through August by the top players increased dramatically over the same period of 2008, according to Boston-based Capacity Center. The top 20 companies for activity have also changed dramatically over the past year, the firm said Tuesday, citing upheaval in financial markets as one reason for the shift.

Excelerate Energy confirmed that its Explorer liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker began offloading regasified LNG at the Northeast Gateway LNG terminal offshore Boston. A blockage in Algonquin Gas Transmission’s HubLine gas pipeline had prevented the offloading since the tanker arrived in January. Algonquin said its pipeline was back in service on the previous Monday. The cargo is the terminal’s second, an Excelerate spokesman told NGI. The first cargo was received in May 2008. The spokesman said he did not know when the next cargo was expected. Northeast Gateway consists of two submerged buoys that attach to specialized ships capable of regasifying LNG on board and sending it into a subsea pipeline. The HubLine system runs under the ocean floor across Massachusetts Bay and connects to the New England natural gas grid.

Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman Tuesday checked himself into Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston after experiencing an elevated heart rate. He is “resting comfortably” and will remain in the hospital for a few days to undergo a series of routine tests, according to a department spokeswoman. Bodman is 69.

A Boston-based high-tech firm, Core Security Technologies, claimed last Wednesday to have discovered a deficiency in key software used by natural gas pipelines and other utility operations that could make them vulnerable to hackers. Core Security representatives described the potential security problem to the Associated Press, which released a wire report on the firm’s allegations.

A Boston-based high-tech firm, Core Security Technologies, claimed Wednesday to have discovered a deficiency in key software used by natural gas pipelines and other utility operations that could make them vulnerable to hackers. Core Security representatives described the potential security problem to the Associated Press, which released a wire report on the firm’s allegations.

A federal appeals court in Boston Friday rejected challenges to FERC’s order conditionally approving Weaver’s Cove Energy’s proposed liquefied natural Gas (LNG) terminal in Fall River, MA, saying it was unlikely that the project would get built anyway.

Boston, MA-based Honeoye Storage Corp. on Tuesday announced that it is inviting offers for firm gas storage service from its storage facility in Ontario County, NY, for up to a five-year term for storage seasons beginning April 1, 2007. The service is being offered at market-based rates and interested parties should submit offers to the company no later than April 22.