Formerly

Whether it is safety enhancement work in California, pipeline extensions to service new electric generation plants in the Midwest or new distribution pipelines to serve formerly oil-heated homes in New England, low natural gas prices are being felt nationally in the operations of various local utility distribution companies (LDC).

Whether it is safety enhancement work in California, pipeline extensions to service new electric generation plants in the Midwest or new distribution pipelines to serve formerly oil-heated homes in New England, low natural gas prices are being felt nationally in the operations of various local utility distribution companies (LDC).

Denver-based exploration and production (E&P) independent Venoco Inc. drew attention in a recent financial commentary citing the renewed oil/gas production in formerly depleted fields in and around Los Angeles as proof that E&P activity can coexist in heavily populated urban areas (see Daily GPI, July 8).

Access Midstream Partners LP, formerly Chesapeake Midstream Partners LP, reported that net income jumped more than 25% year/year in part because of increased business in the Marcellus and Barnett shales.

As production from the booming Marcellus Shale has grown and the emerging Utica Shale has made its presence felt, the Northeast, formerly a gas “have-not,” is pushing its own production outward to markets as pipelines race to catch up.

As production from the booming Marcellus Shale has grown and the emerging Utica Shale has made its presence felt, the Northeast, formerly a gas “have-not,” is pushing its own production outward to markets as pipelines race to catch up.

As production from the booming Marcellus Shale has grown and the emerging Utica Shale has made its presence felt, the Northeast, formerly a gas “have-not,” is pushing its own production outward to markets as pipelines race to catch up.

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead named a new Wyoming State Geologist, Tom Drean, formerly ConocoPhillips’ president for Iraq. Drean will serve on the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and the Wyoming Board of Professional Geologists. The state geologist leads the Wyoming State Geological Survey. Drean worked for ConocoPhillips for more than 26 years, serving in various areas of the world. He replaces Wallace Ulrich.

Houston-based Apache Corp. has named John Bedingfield as vice president of worldwide exploration and new ventures. Bedingfield formerly was Apache’s Australia region vice president and managing director. Prior to joining Apache in 1998 Bedingfield worked as a geophysicist at Exxon Co. USA, Esso Production Malaysia, Petronas and Exxon Exploration Co. Apache named John Christmann, who is vice president of business development, as vice president of the new Permian region office to be based in Midland, TX. Christmann joined Apache in 1997 and was production manager of the Gulf Coast region until 2003. Tom Maher, now exploration manager for Apache Egypt Cos., which is based in Cairo, will take over as Australia region vice president and managing director. Maher joined Apache in 1986 and transferred to Cairo in 2002.