Ensure

Public policy is hindering America’s ability to ensure its own energy security, and the energy industry must accept a large part of the blame, according to Shell Oil Co. President John Hofmeister.

Public policy is hindering America’s ability to ensure its own energy security, and the energy industry must accept a large part of the blame, according to Shell Oil Co. President John Hofmeister.

Unveiling “a major initiative” to ensure the continued reliability of its bulk power transmission system, Energy East Corp. subsidiary Central Maine Power Co. (CMP) said last week that it has launched its Maine Power Reliability Program (MPRP). The transmission system includes 475 miles of 345-kV lines plus substations and control facilities that link New Brunswick, Canada to New Hampshire and southern New England.

There is such a thing as too much transparency, the U.S. Justice Department told FERC in comments on the Commission’s consideration of how to use its new responsibility to ensure market transparency under the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Justice advised that dissemination of company-specific or transaction-specific information could harm consumers by allowing companies to coordinate activities and drive prices up [AD06-11].

A cold front moving in to cool off the previously sizzling Northeast and huge negative pressure from Monday’s screen plunge helped ensure that cash prices fell Tuesday at all points except one, which saw a tiny gain.

As natural gas prices continue to come down nationally, states and utilities continue to ensure the reductions flow through to customers. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) on Wednesday gave unanimous approval to a lower fuel charge for Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) customers. However, the commission also warned that the United States’ energy supply/demand balance for the future is less than solid.

The voluntary reporting guidelines put in place by FERC to ensure the integrity of U.S. natural gas published price indices has resulted in a restructured system which appears to have restored market confidence, a panel of energy experts said last week in Houston.

As part of a plan to ensure more accurate reserves reporting, oil and natural gas companies have been asked by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to report information for periods ending on or after Dec. 15, 2004 about how they account for exploratory drilling and other operations.

Saying its system continues to experience low linepack conditions, Westcoast asked shippers Thursday to ensure that “any accounts in a drafted position are trending toward zero to a slight pack.” It also noted that colder weather is being forecast for the weekend in the British Columbia and Pacific Northwest regions. “Historically, during the first cold snap, production tends to be at risk of falling off,” Westcoast said, and if it observes that production has been lost, a shipper’s account availability may be reduced to match actual production.