Gallons

A train derailment near the town of Parkers Prairie, MN, Wednesday morning spilled 20,000-30,000 gallons of crude oil into a field, but frozen, snow-covered ground was “a saving grace” that should keep environmental damage to a minimum, a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) spokesman told NGI’s Shale Daily. Fourteen of the Canadian Pacific Railroad train’s 94 cars derailed and oil from three of them was leaked, the spokesman said. “They’re going to be able to recover most, if not all” of the oil, according to MPCA spokesman Dan Olson. No injuries were reported.

Idaho regulators last Friday gave Intermountain Gas Co. emergency authority to sell up to 100,000 gallons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its Nampa, ID, liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility to aid residents at nearby West Yellowstone, MT, where LNG shortages are anticipated due to a power outage that could leave residents without heating fuel, a spokesperson for the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) said. West Yellowstone’s natural gas supplier, Energy West, notified Intermountain last Thursday that its chief supplier had been shut down because of a power outage in southwest Wyoming. The power outage, combined with a cold snap, left Energy West in a tough position for finding alternative LNG sources, the PUC spokesperson said. Intermountain, which isn’t authorized to sell LNG, said it had adequate LNG supplies in storage, and Energy West has a truck-trailer it can use to transport the emergency fuel. Charges for the emergency supplies will be determined after Intermountain files an LNG tariff schedule with the PUC.

The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has adopted a rule for the disclosure of chemicals in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fluids used to stimulate oil and gas wells in the state. Earlier this year state lawmakers passed legislation requiring such disclosure.

A coalition of 17 House lawmakers led by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) has called on the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to conduct an environmental impact study (EIS) on new shale gas drilling in the basin or face legal action.

The state of Pennsylvania has filed criminal charges against a Greene County business owner for allegedly dumping millions of gallons of wastewater — including Marcellus Shale drilling fluids — into local streams.

The release Wednesday in Dimrock Township, PA, of an estimated 8,500 gallons of a gel used to fracture natural gas shale has been contained, according to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) officials.

A pipeline proposed by the Wyoming Pipeline Authority (WPA) to carry off some of the billions of gallons of water produced annually from coalbed methane (CBM) operations in the Powder River Basin is close to becoming more than a pipe dream. If successful, it could defuse some complaints about the excess water byproduct of CBM development.

A pipeline proposed by the Wyoming Pipeline Authority (WPA) to carry off some of the billions of gallons of water produced annually from coalbed methane (CBM) operations in the Powder River Basin is close to becoming more than a pipe dream. If successful, it could defuse some complaints about the excess water byproduct of CBM development.

MCN Energy Group’s plan to shed exploration and productionoperations drained gallons of red ink from its 1998 bottom line,about $273 million worth. Still the company finished the year witha net loss. MCN reported a net loss of $6.2 million, compared withearnings of $112.2 million in 1997. Including results from theE&P unit – discontinued in anticipation of sale – MCN reporteda net loss for 1998 of $279 million, compared with earnings of$142.3 million in 1997. All figures include special charges.