Effective

U.S. safety and environmental concerns are spreading north across the border into Canada, where the National Energy Board (NEB) is stepping up scrutiny of natural gas and oil operations from exploration to transportation.

Northern Natural Gas said it is declaring a System Underrun Limitation for all market-area zones effective Saturday due to “significantly greater system-weighted temperatures compared to normal.” The pipeline’s bulletin board said the normal system temperature is 53 degrees at this time of year, but it projected averages of 60, 67, 66 and 63 for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

CIG declared a force majeure following an engine turbocharger failure at its Laramie East Compressor Station. Effective with Saturday’s gas day CIG was reducing station capacity form 770 MMcf/d to 680 MMcf/d until further notice. Currently the capacity is fully subscribed at the 770 MMcf/d level, the pipeline said.

El Paso Corp. has announced management changes within its Pipeline Group, effective Aug. 1. Daniel B. Martin, currently senior vice president (SVP) of Operations, is to become SVP of Pipeline Safety, a newly created position. Martin will be responsible for leading the Pipeline Group’s pipeline safety and integrity initiatives, as well as the company’s outreach to regulatory agencies. Bryan W. Neskora, currently SVP and chief commercial officer (CCO) for Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. (TGP), will take over as SVP of Operations. Norman G. Holmes, SVP and CCO for Southern Natural Gas (SNG), has been named president of SNG and TGP.

Dallas-based Teak Midstream LLC has acquired gas gatherer and natural gas liquids transporter Texana Pipeline Co. LLC, Teak said Monday.

Tenaska Inc. co-founder Howard Hawks said he will retire from his role as CEO effective July 1 but will remain chairman of the company and of two affiliated private equity investment companies developed by Tenaska — Tenaska Power Fund LP (TPF I) and TPF II. When Hawks steps down, current Tenaska CFO Jerry Crouse will become CEO and vice chairman with responsibility for holding company assets and activities, and Paul Smith will become vice chairman in addition to his current role as CEO of affiliate Tenaska Capital Management LLC (TCM). Smith is a co-founder of TCM and manager of the TPF I and TPF II private equity funds. Current Tenaska finance vice president and treasurer Greg Van Dyke will be promoted to CFO and treasurer, while current vice president and controller Tim Kudron will become senior vice president and corporate controller. Under Hawks’ leadership since its inception in 1987, Omaha, NE-based Tenaska has developed about 9,000 MW of power generation and currently manages and operates eight power plants totaling 6,700 MW that it owns in partnership with other companies. Tenaska affiliates are involved in natural gas, electricity and biofuels marketing, as well as private equity funds, gas exploration and production and investments in renewable energy.

With hearings set to begin in June, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) is betting its short-term future on a $1.1 billion general rate case targeted to be effective at the start of next year with smaller interim revenue increases in 2012 ($275 million) and 2013 ($343 million). But the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) independent consumer unit, the Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA), has come out of the gate drawing its line in the sand at a revenue level less than 25% of what the utility asked for in its CPUC filing.

Due to current capabilities, ANR said it is limiting injections into storage facilities to firm entitlement service only. “Effective immediately, no injections into DDS, MBS or overrun into FSS will be allowed until further notice,” ANR said.

Due to current capabilities, ANR said it is limiting injections into storage facilities to firm entitlement service only. “Effective immediately, no injections into DDS, MBS or overrun into FSS will be allowed until further notice,” ANR said.