Determination

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently delayed by six months its determination of whether the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (DSL) qualifies for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Oil and gas interests are watching the issue as they believe protection for the DSL would hinder oil and gas production in the Permian Basin.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently delayed by six months its determination of whether the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (DSL) qualifies for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Oil and gas interests are watching the issue as they believe protection for the DSL would hinder oil and gas production in the Permian Basin.

FERC’s Office of Enforcement said last Thursday it made a preliminary determination that units of BP plc violated Commission rules against manipulation of the natural gas market in a case involving trading at the Houston Ship Channel (HSC).

FERC’s Office of Enforcement said Thursday it made a preliminary determination that units of BP plc violated Commission rules against manipulation of the natural gas market in a case involving trading at the Houston Ship Channel (HSC).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Tuesday issued a final General Conformity Determination (GCD) for Maryland, finding that construction and operation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal and natural gas pipeline proposed by AES Sparrows Point LNG and Mid-Atlantic Express LLC conform to the regulations in the state’s implementation plan for air quality standards as required under the federal Clean Air Act. A separate final GCD is being prepared for Pennsylvania.

FERC Friday issued a preliminary determination on non-environmental issues for the Ruby Pipeline project, a 675-mile, 42-inch diameter pipeline that would move 1.5 Bcf/d of Rockies natural gas from the Opal Hub in Wyoming to Malin, OR. A final certificate, which is the next step, will be awarded to Ruby if it receives a favorable environmental review from the agency.

FERC Friday issued a preliminary determination on non-environmental issues for the Ruby Pipeline project, a 675-mile, 42-inch diameter pipeline that would move 1.5 Bcf/d of Rockies natural gas from the Opal Hub in Wyoming to Malin, OR. A final certificate, which is the next step, will be awarded to Ruby if it receives a favorable environmental review from the agency.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued a notice of intent and called for comments on a proposed determination that IntercontinentalExchange’s Henry Hub lookalike contract, the Henry Financial LD1 Fixed Price contract, qualifies as a significant price discovery contract (SPDC) in the natural gas market and therefore should be subject to reporting rules and position limits applicable to designated contract markets such as Henry Hub futures contracts offered by the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex).

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued a notice of intent and called for comments on a proposed determination that IntercontinentalExchange’s Henry Hub lookalike contract, the Henry Financial LD1 Fixed Price contract, qualifies as a significant price discovery contract (SPDC) in the natural gas market and therefore should be subject to reporting rules and position limits applicable to designated contract markets such as Henry Hub futures contracts offered by the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex).