Conference

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) Wednesday held a pre-bidding conference with four natural gas suppliers regarding long-term supplies of up to 120 MMcf/d, some of which could be transported through the still idled western portion of Questar’s Southern Trails pipeline in California, a LADWP official said during an interview with NGI.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) Wednesday held a pre-bidding conference with four natural gas suppliers regarding long-term supplies of up to 120 MMcf/d, some of which could be transported through the still idled western portion of Questar’s Southern Trails pipeline in California, a LADWP official said during an interview with NGI.

FERC has set Dec. 3 for a technical conference in Anchorage, AK on its proposed regulations governing the conduct of open seasons for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System. The Commission’s action comes after President Bush signed into law last month a bill that provides for an $18 billion federal loan guarantee for the construction of the remaining 1,600 miles of the project. FERC expects to issue a proposed rule by about Nov. 18. The public would have until Dec. 17 to comment on FERC’s notice of proposed rulemaking. The law requires FERC to complete the regulations by Feb. 10, 2005.

FERC has set Dec. 3 for a technical conference in Anchorage, AK on its proposed regulations governing the conduct of open seasons for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System. The Commission’s action comes after President Bush signed into law last month a bill that provides for an $18 billion federal loan guarantee for the construction of the remaining 1,600 miles of the project. FERC expects to issue a proposed rule by about Nov. 18. The public would have until Dec. 17 to comment on FERC’s notice of proposed rulemaking. The law requires FERC to complete the regulations by Feb. 10, 2005.

BP plc’s top managers expressed confidence in the oil major’s reserves numbers during the first quarter earnings conference Tuesday, but said the company will delay “slightly” a required Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) report in order to incorporate shareholders’ comments.

McMoRan Exploration Co. said during an investor conference last week that it intends to file an application with the U.S. Coast Guard in the first quarter for its proposed Main Pass Energy Hub offshore Louisiana liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. Originally conceived in 2001, the $500 million, 1 Bcf/d LNG terminal at Main Pass Block 299 would be developed at a discontinued sulfur mining operation at one of the largest platform configurations in the Gulf, about 16 miles east of the mouth of the Mississippi River in 210 feet of water (see NGI, Oct. 15, 2001; July 28, 2003). The energy hub would receive, process, store and distribute LNG and natural gas. To date, the company has completed conceptual engineering for the project and intends to file a license application with the U.S. Coast Guard in the first quarter of 2004. It noted that there is significant interest regarding supply and distribution for the project and it is advancing commercial arrangements in parallel with the permitting process.

McMoRan Exploration Co. said during an investor conference Wednesday that it intends to file an application with the U.S. Coast Guard in the first quarter for its proposed Main Pass Energy Hub offshore Louisiana liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.

FERC said it will hold a public conference on Sept. 23 to explore whether it should reformulate its test for defining non-jurisdictional gathering in the shallow waters of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

A panel of industry representatives told federal energy regulators at a Denver technical conference Wednesday that natural gas supplies from throughout North America as well as new imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and Alaskan Arctic supplies will be needed in the long term to adequately meet growing demand. There are also plenty of supplies on federal lands if drilling in those geographic areas is ever opened, they said.