Dunn

Williams has appointed Micheal G. Dunn executive vice president and COO, effective Feb. 27. Dunn will report to CEO Alan Armstrong. Dunn most recently served as president of Questar Pipeline and executive vice president of Questar Corp. From 2010 to 2015, Dunn served as president and CEO of PacifiCorp Energy, a multi-state regulated electric power generating company and a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy. Dunn graduated in 1988 from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Oklahoma. Dunn began his career with Williams as an operations engineer and spent 14 years with the company in a variety of technical and leadership roles.

Oil and natural gas development on Pennsylvania’s state-owned forestland appeared to decline last year, according to data presented on Thursday by state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Dunn.

Chevron Corp. increased its natural gas output in the first two months of 2013 at the same time it was collecting higher gas prices than it did a year ago. In the United States, net gas production in January and February averaged 1.256 Bcf/d, versus 1.170 Bcf/d for the full three-month first quarter of 2012. Global net gas output climbed 5.4% to average 5.291 Bcf/d in January and February, compared to 5.019 Bcf/d in 1Q2012. The producer, which is scheduled to release its 1Q2013 earnings report on April 26, said realized prices for U.S. gas averaged $3.06/Mcf in the first two months of this year, compared with $2.48 in 1Q2012. U.S. net oil-equivalent production increased to 663,000 boe/d in the first two months of 2013 compared with 651,000 boe/d in 1Q2012, but it was down from 4Q2012’s total of 674,000 boe/d because of maintenance activity in the Gulf of Mexico.

Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP announced two projects in Freeport, TX, for its Gulf Coast pipeline and hydrogen/syngas businesses. The first project went on-line in March and has increased the supply of hydrogen purification and compression capacity to Air Liquide’s hydrogen pipeline system. The second project is expected to go online in 2014 and involves the construction of a new liquid oxygen storage and vaporization facility at the Freeport air separation unit complex to supply oxygen to the Gulf Coast pipeline network. This new installation represents an increase of nearly 25% over current storage and vaporization capacities on the networkd. Hydrogen gas is used by refiners to produce cleaner burning fuels, among other industrial uses. Government regulations calling for reductions in fuel emissions have increased demand for hydrogen. Growth in industrial gas demand is also anticipated as a result of the cost advantages resulting from low-priced natural gas, the company said.

Williams hasn’t given up on a plan to steal Southern Union Co. from Energy Transfer Equity LP (ETE) and late Tuesday offered to buy the company for $44/share in cash — the same amount on paper that it offered in July.

Mark P. Wetjen, President Obama’s nominee to succeed the departing Commissioner Michael Dunn at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), assured a Senate panel Thursday that he will be able to make informed and reasoned rulemaking decisions to implement the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, although he will be late to the game.

Mark P. Wetjen, President Obama’s nominee to succeed the departing Commissioner Michael Dunn at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), assured a Senate panel Thursday that he will be able to make informed and reasoned rulemaking decisions to implement the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, although he will be late to the game.