Businesses

An alliance of organizations that represent commodity-dependent industries, businesses and end-users has asked a federal court in Washington, DC, to reverse an earlier decision tossing out the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) controversial rule limiting excessive speculation in the multi-trillion swaps market.

An alliance of organizations that represents commodity-dependent industries, businesses and end-users has asked a federal court in Washington, DC, to reverse an earlier decision tossing out the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) controversial rule limiting excessive speculation in the multi-trillion swaps market.

Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP announced two projects in Freeport, TX, for its Gulf Coast pipeline and hydrogen/syngas businesses. The first project went on-line in March and has increased the supply of hydrogen purification and compression capacity to Air Liquide’s hydrogen pipeline system. The second project is expected to go online in 2014 and involves the construction of a new liquid oxygen storage and vaporization facility at the Freeport air separation unit complex to supply oxygen to the Gulf Coast pipeline network. This new installation represents an increase of nearly 25% over current storage and vaporization capacities on the networkd. Hydrogen gas is used by refiners to produce cleaner burning fuels, among other industrial uses. Government regulations calling for reductions in fuel emissions have increased demand for hydrogen. Growth in industrial gas demand is also anticipated as a result of the cost advantages resulting from low-priced natural gas, the company said.

Acknowledging that the boom in natural gas has led to cleaner-burning power and greater energy independence in the United States, President Obama Tuesday in his first State of the Union Address of his second term vowed to cut red tape to speed up the permitting process for new oil and gas permits on public lands.

The promise of production from seven “exceptional” wells brought online in January in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale and continuing additions to its pipeline business paint an expanding future for National Fuel Gas Co. (NFG) in 2013, CEO Dave Smith said during a conference call with analysts.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports could cut residents and businesses oil-based energy bills in Hawaii substantially during the next 20 years, according to a University of Hawaii study. Potential savings were classified as “huge,” given gas-indexed pricing, but the report also acknowledged that LNG exports carry various risks, given sources, oil-gas price differences over time and the state’s level of energy demand reduction in future years.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports could cut residents and businesses oil-based energy bills in Hawaii substantially during the next 20 years, according to a University of Hawaii study. Potential savings were classified as “huge,” given gas-indexed pricing, but the report also acknowledged that LNG exports carry various risks, given sources, oil-gas price differences over time and the state’s level of energy demand reduction in future years.

After relying on industry voluntary actions regarding drilling setback and water sampling approaches, Colorado regulators are poised to establish new mandatory rules covering exploration and production (E&P) companies.

In an effort to avoid having to restart the process from square one, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will file for a 90-day extension on Thursday to finalize rules governing high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF).