Cast

Dozens of companies cast 407 bids totaling $1.6 billion for 320 blocks covering more than 1.7 million acres offshore Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama for oil and natural gas exploration and development in the Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 227, held in New Orleans last Wednesday.

Dozens of companies cast 407 bids totaling $1.6 billion for 320 blocks covering more than 1.7 million acres offshore Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama for oil and natural gas exploration and development in the Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 227, held in New Orleans Wednesday.

Five years from now, Montney Shale gas could have a pathway to the British Columbia (BC) west coast and potentially lucrative Asian gas markets via a C$5 billion pipeline project announced by TransCanada Corp. on Wednesday.

Most of the candidates who ran for office in New York on a platform opposed to hydraulic fracturing (fracking) were soundly defeated at the polls on Tuesday, but it was unclear if Republicans would maintain control of the state Senate with two races too close to call.

A recent legal settlement may have cast further uncertainty on a long-standing proposal for the Palomar natural gas pipeline to bring Rockies gas west of the Cascade Mountains into Pacific Northwest population centers.

A recent legal settlement may have cast further uncertainty on a long-standing proposal for the Palomar natural gas pipeline to bring Rockies gas west of the Cascade Mountains into Pacific Northwest population centers. Backers of the scaled-down 220-mile, 36-inch diameter line, say it is still alive but “on hold.” However, without new commercial commitments for the pipeline, at least one of the backers said the project won’t go forward.

Wyoming state lawmakers last Friday passed legislation to help bring a permanent solution to potential drinking water problems in the Pavillion, WY, area. This is where two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) test wells have sparked concerns among residents and environmental activists who are opposed to hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Given recent incidents involving old cast iron distribution pipeline failures, the odds are growing that some form of pipeline safety legislation could emerge from Congress later this year, some industry sources told NGI last week. Following the Allentown tragedy earlier this month (see related story), the Pennsylvania State Senate is also looking into ways to improve pipeline safety as Marcellus Shale development within the state continues to ramp up.

Given recent incidents involving old cast iron distribution pipeline failures, the odds are growing that some form of pipeline safety legislation could emerge from Congress later this year, some industry sources told NGI Monday. Following the Allentown tragedy last week (see related story), the Pennsylvania State Senate is also looking into ways to improve pipeline safety as Marcellus Shale development within the state continues to ramp up.