Facilities

Natural gas is a critical part of Colorado’s “all of the above” energy strategy, and it is encouraging its increased development, including the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking), in a safe and responsible way that can be managed between government and industry, said Gov. John Hickenlooper as part of a Western Governors’ Association (WGA) three-part energy report.

Cheap U.S. natural gas contributed to a decision by European steelmaker Voestalpine AG to site a new plant outside of Corpus Christi, TX.

Cheap U.S. natural gas contributed to a decision by European steelmaker Voestalpine AG to site a new plant outside of Corpus Christi, TX.

No place in the entire world has better dry or wet gas potential than the Marcellus Shale, now “four years into a 50-year play,” but ensuring that there’s enough infrastructure for adequate takeaway will take some time, a top Williams executive said Tuesday.

Cheniere Energy Partners LP’s Sabine Pass Liquefaction LLC has engaged 17 financial institutions for credit facilities to fund the remaining debt necessary to develop and place into service the first four trains of the Sabine Pass liquefaction project. “We will amend and upsize the existing term loan A credit facility that was entered into last year for the financing of the first two trains [see Daily GPI, April 17, 2012], extending the available capacity to accommodate four liquefaction trains,” Cheniere said. Obtaining debt financing is one of the last steps to complete before proceeding with construction of trains 3 and 4.

Plan would also have drillers use natural gas-fueled rigs, but conflict arises between E&Ps and drilling companies regarding the use of gas at the well sites.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) have signed an interagency memorandum of understanding (MOU) to begin researching the effects of human exposure to airborne emissions from shale gas drilling sites.

The continuing shale gas boom is having a “massive impact” on the U.S. energy market, particularly a revival for various smart grid developments, according to a report released by IMS Research, a unit of the global research/consulting firm IHS.

There is still too much “scientific uncertainty” surrounding hydraulic fracturing’s (fracking) impact on water supply, and because of this regulators and operators need to be more transparent and accountable, according to a University of California, Berkeley, report that was released last Thursday.