Develop

FERC last Wednesday directed its staff to develop an order that will require transmission system operators to report violations of the industry’s power grid reliability standards.

FERC Chairman Pat Wood last Monday said that if Congress won’t mandate electric reliability standards the Commission may have to step forward with some standards of its own by next summer.

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Port of Long Beach, CA, filed notice last Monday that they are starting the process of preparing a joint environmental impact report on the proposed Mitsubishi-backed Sound Energy Solutions (SES) liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal on part of the former U.S. naval base in the port. They will hold a joint “scoping meeting” in Long Beach Oct. 9.

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Port of Long Beach, CA, filed notice Monday that they are starting the process of preparing a joint environmental impact report on the proposed Mitsubishi-backed Sound Energy Solutions (SES) liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal on part of the former U.S. naval base in the port. They will hold a joint “scoping meeting” in Long Beach Oct. 9.

Looking to beef up efforts to acquire or develop assets as part of the company’s strategic growth plan, AGL Resources Inc. has created a new business development unit, Pivotal Energy Development. The new business entity will report to Kevin P. Madden, executive vice president of distribution and pipeline operations for AGL.

McMoRan Exploration said that it intends to follow through on a two-year-old plan to develop a liquefied natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) import terminal offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The $500 million, 1 Bcf/d Main Pass Energy Hub would be developed at a discontinued sulfur mining operation at one of the largest platform configurations in the Gulf at Main Pass Block 299, about 16 miles east of the mouth of the Mississippi River in 210 feet of water.

McMoRan Exploration said that it intends to follow through on a two-year-old plan to develop a liquefied natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) import terminal offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The $500 million, 1 Bcf/d Main Pass Energy Hub would be developed at a discontinued sulfur mining operation at one of the largest platform configurations in the Gulf at Main Pass Block 299, about 16 miles east of the mouth of the Mississippi River in 210 feet of water.

Qatar Petroleum and ConocoPhillips on Friday announced an agreement to develop Qatargas 3, a large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, to serve the U.S. market with 1 Bcf/d in gas sales. ConocoPhillips would purchase the LNG and be responsible for regasification and marketing, with the project scheduled to begin production between 2008-2009.

The General Accounting Office (GAO) has called on the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) develop a “systematic process” for measuring the progress of its research and development (R&D) programs that are designed to improve the safety of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines, and to report the results to Congress each year.