Faces

The overwhelming Republican takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives last week pasted happy faces on natural gas and oil industry execs and spurred President Obama to mention natural gas as a possible area of compromise with the new Congress. The president, however, appeared to be the only one talking compromise.

Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities faces changes for two rate credits in its purchased gas and power mechanisms that could result in slight increases for fuel purchasing costs, effective Nov. 1. A purchased gas cost adjustment and a power credit with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) emerged following rate hikes approved by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, which allows retail power charges to increase by 9.25% over three years and natural gas retail charges to rise 2.6% over two years. An initial power rate increase of 3.59% and a natural gas hike of 1.9% went into effect Oct. 1. Avista is proposing an average 4.3% increase for its Idaho gas customers, an average of about $2.75/month for a typical residential customer. The electric adjustment is due to BPA reducing the size of the federal power credit.

Encana Corp. faces two environmental charges related to a sour gas leak that occurred nearly a year ago in northeastern British Columbia (BC), the BC Ministry of Environment said Wednesday.

Williams’ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. (Transco) faces penalties and up to $952,500 in fines following an investigation into a pipeline rupture and fire in September 2008 near Appomattox, VA, the Department of Transportation (DOT) said this week.

Portland, OR-based Northwest Natural Gas Co. executives said Tuesday the utility faces additional job cuts of 50-100, but major storage and pipeline projects continue on schedule.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu said last Wednesday that while the country faces a number of challenges with electricity infrastructure in an ever-changing environment, the new administration is ready to promote a new, more intelligent system through green-lighting loan guarantees for new projects and investing in the nation’s smart grid and in new sources of renewable energy.

Preliminary data show that Oregon faces a 30% hike in retail natural gas charges when state regulators determine annual gas cost adjustments, effective in November, a spokesperson for the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) told NGI Monday.

Nearly 90% of human resources (HR) executives at 22 top international oil and gas companies believe their industry faces a talent shortage and call the problem one of the top five business issues facing their companies, according to a recent survey.

Nearly 90% of human resources (HR) executives at 22 top international oil and gas companies believe their industry faces a talent shortage and call the problem one of the top five business issues facing their companies, according to a recent survey.