Extensive

Despite extensive negotiations and concessions by project planners, the U. S. Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) has protested the construction of an underwater Bahamas to Florida LNG pipeline proposed by AES Ocean Express LLC. According to the center, the proposed line would run through the Navy’s south Florida test range compromising “the mission, operations, maintenance, safety and security at the [testing facility]; thereby adversely impacting unique surface and submarine warfare testing which are essential to the Navy and the security of the Nation and the Fleet.”

In an extensive review of the power portfolio purchased by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the state’s Bureau of State Audits found that many of the contracts purchased have to be paid for whether or not they are needed, and based on current forecasts, from the fourth quarter of 2003 through the first quarter of 2005, “the department has procured more power than consumers in Southern California need.”

Osprey Energy, headquartered in Bridgewater, NS, has begun an extensive onshore seismic program to locate potential oil and gas deposits north of Truro, NS. Osprey and its joint venture partner will conduct a month-long program over an 80-mile stretch from Debert to Parrsboro, part of the Maritime Basin, with the primary target the 70 kilometers of seismic lines in the Pennsylvanian Parrsboro formation. Early indications are that the region has potential reserves of up to 75 MMbbl and 345 Bcf. The area to be covered includes the Lower Parrsboro formation, which is about 850 meters thick, consisting of sandstone and shale. The Upper Parrsboro is about 1,800 meters thick and is similar to the Lower Parrsboro. The seismic program is gathering 6,000% fold vibroseismic data, which has been contracted to Kinetex Inc. The data will be analysed to create a subsurface geological profile, which will be integrated with surface geological data gathered over several years by the Geological Survey of Canada and the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources.

This summer will not be a particularly hot one, but there is a chance that there will be some extensive heat waves in specific regions, especially in the West, New York and New England according to a national weather assessment by esteemed energy weather forecaster Jon Davis of Salomon Smith Barney. The SSB forecast, which takes into account Sea Surface Temperatures (SST), precipitation outlooks and soil moisture, as well as historical data, raises new hurdles for an already crippled California.

Combustion problems with the #2 engine at ANR’s Grand Chenier (LA) Station are more extensive then originally thought (see Daily GPI, March 21), and the manufacturer has extended its estimate for completion of repairs until mid-April, the pipeline said. Volumes that can be received through Grand Chenier from HIOS and the West Cameron near-shore blocks will continue to be reduced by about MMcf/d until the repairs are finished.

BP Energy Co. has signed an agreement in principle to lend its extensive supply expertise, marketing and trading knowledge, financial products and information technology to a strategic alliance with the four Energy East Corp. distribution companies in New York and New England, the companies said last Thursday.

BP Energy Co. has signed an agreement in principle to lend itsextensive supply expertise, marketing and trading knowledge,financial products and information technology to a strategicalliance with the four Energy East Corp. distribution companies inNew York and New England, the companies said Thursday.

Southern California Edison made good on its threat to go tocourt if FERC failed to respond immediately to its request tore-impose price controls on bulk power sales in the in theout-of-control California market.

Vector Pipeline has appointed Craig R. Fishbeck as president ofVector. Vector believes that Fishbeck’s extensive industryexperience and knowledge of Vector’s market area position him wellto lead the company through its December 2000 start-up and comingyears of growth. The pipeline also believes Fishbeck’s appointmentstrengthens Vector’s role as a vital link between the Chicago Huband Dawn, Ontario, to help meet the growing demand for natural gasin the U.S. Midwest, Eastern Canada and the U.S. Northeast.Fishbeck comes to Vector from CMS – Panhandle where he held theposition of vice president, marketing.