Firm

An auditing firm retained by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) said it discovered “serious deficiencies” in Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s (PG&E) natural gas distribution system in 2007 and 2008 that were “pervasive across technical functions and geographic locations.”

Nearly two years after Kevin Cassidy, former CEO of Valhalla, NY-based brokerage firm Optionable Inc., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a 2003-2007 natural gas commodities trading scandal at Bank of Montreal (BMO), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) late last week reported that it has obtained a federal court order requiring Cassidy to pay a $1 million civil monetary penalty for violating the anti-fraud provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations.

Nearly two years after Kevin Cassidy, former CEO of Valhalla, NY-based brokerage firm Optionable Inc., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a 2003-2007 natural gas commodities trading scandal at Bank of Montreal (BMO), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Thursday reported that it has obtained a federal court order requiring Cassidy to pay a $1 million civil monetary penalty for violating the anti-fraud provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations.

Bluegrass Pipeline, which if sanctioned would carry surging mixed natural gas liquids (NGL) from the Marcellus and Utica shales to Northeast markets and Gulf Coast petrochemical complexes, faces some hurdles before it would be sanctioned, the project partners said Tuesday.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. LLC (TGP) has signed a binding, 20-year firm transportation precedent agreement with Mitsubishi Corp. of Japanto ship 600,000 Dth/d of natural gas earmarked for the proposed Cameron LNG liquefaction facility in Hackberry, LA, which is slated to begin liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in the second half of 2017. Mitsubishi will serve as the foundation shipper for TGP’s Southwest Louisiana Supply Project, which is designed to provide transportation from various supply basins in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Louisiana to Cameron Interstate Pipeline, which connects directly to the Cameron LNG Terminal. Kinder does not own Cameron Interstate Pipeline or the Cameron LNG facility. Sempra Energy, Mitsubishi and Mitsui & Co. Ltd. recently signed 20-year tolling capacity and joint venture agreements for the terminal (see Daily GPI, May 17). “TGP’s unique footprint, connecting key conventional and shale supply areas from the South Texas Eagle Ford to the Utica and Marcellus in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and access to the Haynesville Shale supply area and the Perryville Hub in Louisiana, makes our Southwest Louisiana Supply Project an ideal fit to serve the future supply needs of Mitsubishi Corp. and the planned Cameron LNG complex,” said TGP President Kimberly Watson.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. LLC (TGP) has signed a binding, 20-year firm transportation precedent agreement with Mitsubishi Corp. of Japan to ship 600,000 Dth/d of natural gas earmarked for the proposed Cameron LNG liquefaction facility in Hackberry, LA, which is slated to begin liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports in the second half of 2017. Mitsubishi will serve as the foundation shipper for TGP’s Southwest Louisiana Supply Project, which is designed to provide transportation from various supply basins in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Louisiana to Cameron Interstate Pipeline, which connects directly to the Cameron LNG Terminal. Kinder Morgan does not own Cameron Interstate Pipeline or the Cameron LNG facility. Sempra Energy, Mitsubishi and Mitsui & Co. Ltd. recently signed 20-year tolling capacity and joint venture agreements for the terminal (see Daily GPI, May 17).

Seal Beach, CA-based Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has announced a $20 million partnership with compressed natural gas (CNG) firm Mansfield Energy Corp. And the company reported 1Q2013 results that were still showing red ink, but much less of a loss than reported for the same period last year.

The Millennium Pipeline Co. is holding a nonbinding open season through May 31 for firm transportation service under its existing rate schedule FT-1 to be made available with existing capacity and construction of at least one compressor station and 60 miles of new pipeline that would connect to the Dominion Transmission system near Cortland, NY, and the Tennessee Gas Pipeline System near Syracuse, NY. For information, contact Stan Brownell, brownell@millenniumpipeline.com.

Natural gas cash prices jumped an average 15 cents Monday for Tuesday delivery as a strong screen provided a firm platform for buyers, and utilities commenced with early summer buying. The advance was widespread and nearly every point posted double-digit gains. A handful of locations were up by 20 cents or more.