Funded

An industry-funded assessment of ambient air quality in the area of Barnett Shale natural gas operations in Fort Worth and Arlington (TX) City Council District 2 found no harmful levels of benzene or other compounds, according to the Barnett Shale Energy Education Council (BSEEC).

El Paso Pipeline Partners LP now holds a 58% stake in Colorado Interstate Gas Co. (CIG) after paying El Paso Corp. $215 million for an additional 18% interest. The pipeline partnership funded the transaction after issuing 12.65 million units, which raised about $217 million. With the additional stake in CIG, the partnership plans to recommend to its board a 6% increase from its 2Q2009 quarterly cash distribution to 35 cents/unit, or $1.40/unit on an annualized basis, beginning with the distribution to be declared and paid in 4Q2009. El Paso Corp. owns a 65% limited partner interest and a 2% general partner interest in the partnership, which it formed to own and operate natural gas transportation pipelines and storage assets. In addition to its stake in CIG, El Paso Pipeline Partners owns Wyoming Interstate Co., an interstate pipeline system serving the Rocky Mountain region, and it owns a 25% interest in Southern Natural Gas Co., which operates in the southeastern region of the United States.

The House Appropriations Committee last Tuesday voted out a $33.3 billion spending bill promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency and electricity grid modernization programs in fiscal year (FY) 2010. Oil and natural gas were given short shrift.

A top official involved in ocean policy reform Tuesday called on President Obama and Congress to work together to set up an ocean investment fund — largely to be funded by revenues from oil and natural gas development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) — that would provide financial support for maintaining and managing the oceans, coasts and Great Lakes.

A recently released study, funded by the Montana Oil and Gas Conservation Board, says the discharge of a limited amount of untreated coalbed methane (CBM) wastewater into the Tongue River in Montana is not substantially affecting water quality or damaging crops downstream of Wyoming and Montana CBM operations.

A recently released study, funded by the Montana Oil and Gas Conservation Board, says the discharge of a limited amount of untreated coalbed methane (CBM) wastewater into the Tongue River in Montana is not substantially affecting water quality or damaging crops downstream of Wyoming and Montana CBM operations.

Reflecting the continuing race in California to stay out front on energy efficiency through massive ratepayer-funded programs, Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. Tuesday announced it has recently signed contracts totaling $26 million with outside providers to expand residential and small business energy efficiency programs through 2008.

Reflecting the continuing race in California to stay out front on energy efficiency through massive ratepayer-funded programs, Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas Co. Tuesday announced it has recently signed contracts totaling $26 million with outside providers to expand residential and small business energy efficiency programs through 2008.

Higher energy prices in society are caused by well-funded, increasingly powerful environmental groups, and the energy industry needs to do a better and more comprehensive job of mobilizing its own supporters to counteract this trend, according to a Bellevue, WA-based author and official with the nonprofit Center for Defense of Free Enterprise.