Critical

In the wake of a string of major natural gas pipeline mishaps and stepped up regulatory oversight, a 30-year gas industry veteran said there is a critical need throughout the industry to produce a new generation of well-trained welders and other skilled personnel.

While other stakeholders have been critical of California’s preliminary draft hydraulic fracturing (fracking) rules, two energy attorneys with the firm of K&L Gates consider the rules’ proposed protections for trade secrets to be adequate for shielding exploration and production (E&P) operators’ proprietary information tied to fracking.

Moving right along on the energy regulatory front, Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on Wednesday launched a study of air emissions tied to oil and gas development.

After resigning earlier this year as Wyoming’s oil/natural gas supervisor after being openly critical of federal environmental regulators (see Shale Daily, June 18), Tom Doll has secured a position as a senior petroleum engineer with the Energy and Environmental Research Center, a nonprofit unit of the University of North Dakota. Doll now works for the center’s oil/natural gas technical group, focusing on reservoir characterization and simulation, geomechanics and providing “operational excellence” for clients. Working remotely from his Wyoming base, Doll also works in emissions control, coal utilization and water management for the Grand Forks, ND-based organization. Wyoming has yet to name a supervisor in its Oil/Gas Conservation Commission to replace Doll.

America’s energy security risk is bad and getting worse under current policy and regulatory framework, according to a report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) was vindicated Wednesday in a recent whistleblower’s case, which alleged negligence by the utility in its handling of pipe welds on critical parts of its 6,000-mile natural gas transmission system.

Friday morning Kinder Morgan Inc.’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline lifted a critical day 1 operational flow order (OFO) that had been in effect for balancing parties downstream of its Station 249 in zones 5 and 6 (see Daily GPI, Aug. 31).

A year-long study of New York City’s energy infrastructure has found that upgrades to natural gas services are critical for the city to prepare for huge supply and demand growth over the next two decades.

A year-long study of New York City’s energy infrastructure has found that upgrades to natural gas services are critical for the city to prepare for huge supply and demand growth over the next two decades.