Doubts

The growing size and complexity of several liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects in western Canada is casting some doubts about their viability, according to the CEO of one of the similar proposed West Coast export projects in Oregon. Ultimately, this may work to the advantage of U.S. LNG export projects that are relatively simple in comparison.

A report in Sunday’s San Francisco Chronicle based on a utility filing to state regulators earlier this year has raised doubts about the safety of Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s (PG&E) natural gas pipeline system and the utility’s nearly two-year effort to improve safety and reliability since the fatal San Bruno, CA, pipeline explosion.

Citing commercial, environmental and technological uncertainties, the environmental group Western Resource Advocates (WRA) released a report casting doubts on oil shale, and emphasizing its distinct differences with shale gas and shale oil.

More doubts arose Thursday regarding Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s (PG&E) transmission pipeline testing as it related to its main link (Line 300) to Southwest natural gas supplies at the Arizona border. A California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) hearing is set for Monday on the utility’s request to restore Line 300’s maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP).

Members of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Wednesday raised doubts about whether the agency will be able to meet deadlines for imposing position limits as required under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act.

Faced with doubts raised by consumers and some state elected officials late last year, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Tuesday named a Houston-based energy/utility consulting company to assess the veracity of the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. advanced metering implementation program. The CPUC committed to getting an outside assessment in December (see Power Market Today, Jan. 8).

Faced with doubts raised by consumers and some state elected officials late last year, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Tuesday named a Houston-based energy/utility consulting company to assess the veracity of the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. advanced metering implementation program. The CPUC committed to getting an outside assessment in December (see Power Market Today, Jan. 8).

On one side of the country, ExxonMobil Corp. CEO Rex Tillerson Thursday cast doubts on whether natural gas stands much of a chance to penetrate the U.S. transportation market (see Daily GPI, March 12). Meanwhile, at the annual CERAWeek conference in Houston, auto and energy executives mostly expressed pessimism about how big the market might become.

On one side of the country, ExxonMobil Corp. CEO Rex Tillerson Thursday cast doubts on whether natural gas stands much of a chance to penetrate the U.S. transportation market (see Daily GPI, March 12). Meanwhile, at the annual CERAWeek conference in Houston, auto and energy executives mostly expressed pessimism about how big the market might become.