Delayed

Extensive rain and flooding have hampered MDU Resources Group Inc.’s operations and delayed growth activity in key producing states in the Rocky Mountain region, including the Bakken Shale, to such an extent that the company is lowering its 2011 natural gas and oil production forecasts.

Westcoast ended Thursday a high-linepack OFO that had been implemented Sunday.

Plains Exploration & Production Co. (PXP) said Thursday the planned sale of its Gulf of Mexico (GOM) deepwater properties has been delayed because the uncertain regulatory environment for offshore producers has frightened away buyers.

After a delayed start pushed into mid-January (see Daily GPI, Jan. 19), TransCanada Corp. has its new 303-mile, 30-inch diameter Bison Pipeline operating at near 90% capacity bringing Rockies supplies to the Midwest via an interconnection with Northern Border Inc., a U.S.-based company executive told NGI Thursday.

Faced with weather-related construction delays, the $600 million, 302-mile interstate Bison natural gas pipeline’s start has been delayed until some time in January, TransCanada Corp. said. The 30-inch diameter pipeline bids to bring Powder River Basin supplies to the Midwest.

For the second time in less than a month the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) has delayed release of proposed regulations that may dictate how portions of the Marcellus Shale are developed. The proposed rules now aren’t expected until November or December.

Proposed regulations that may determine how portions of the Marcellus Shale are developed by natural gas drillers have been delayed until the middle of October by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC).

To “bring more certainty to industry and in light of expected litigation,” the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Thursday delayed upcoming oil and gas lease sales in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota to complete additional environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act to determine the potential impact on climate change.

To “bring more certainty to industry and in light of expected litigation,” the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Thursday delayed upcoming oil and gas lease sales in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota to complete additional environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act to determine the potential impact on climate change.