Distribution

During a week in which unitholders of another midstream master limited partnership (MLP) were rocked by a distribution cut and unit sell-off, management of Enbridge Energy Partners LP (EEP) sought Thursday to assure analysts and investors that their story is different, and “distribution is secure.”

Xcel Energy on Sunday reported new heavy rain storms in already flooded areas in Colorado, further hampering efforts to assess the condition of natural gas pipelines and equipment. On Sunday, the combination utility said there were approximately 4,070 customers without gas service, up from the 2,500 total last Friday (see related item).

Xcel Energy on Friday was hoping a week of heavy rains would subside and allow its utility crews to restore service in various areas west and north of metropolitan Denver on Colorado’s Front Range where there was a lot of flooding, inaccessible areas and exposed distribution pipelines.

Ryder Systems Inc., a transportation, logistics and supply chain management company that has made a large commitment to natural gas and other alternative transportation technologies, has an initiative to penetrate U.S. shale plays, CEO Robert Sanchez said during a second quarter earnings conference call.

Inexpensive shale gas has lit a fire under Connecticut gas distribution utilities Yankee Gas, Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG) and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG), which have just filed a joint gas expansion plan with the state’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

Maine Natural Gas (MNG) has signed a contract with three companies to begin construction of the 12-inch diameter steel pipeline backbone of its natural gas distribution system in Augusta, ME, the Iberdrola USA subsidiary said.

Unimin Corp. has opened a proppant distribution terminal in Navarre, OH, in Stark County to serve oil and natural gas operators in the Utica Shale.

A bill that would enable Maryland’s natural gas utilities to impose a monthly surcharge on customers of up to $2.00/month to pay for maintaining and replacing aging distribution lines appears likely to be approved by the legislature as soon as this week.

A drilling services company based in New Mexico has had to suspend its plans to convert its truck and drilling rig fleets from diesel to natural gas because of the local gas distribution utility’s inability to service a proposed fueling station in Farmington, NM.