Gulf

Four Houston-based Gulf of Mexico independent producers that have launched a coalition to support oil and natural gas extraction, initially plan to oppose federal regulations covering financial assurances on how offshore infrastructure is decommissioned.

Fortifying its onshore assets with an offshore stake in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Houston-based American Midstream Partners LP anticipates a successful merger with JP Energy Partners LP and more growth to follow, American Midstream CEO Lynn Bourdon told analysts Tuesday on a 3Q2016 earnings conference call.

Schlumberger Ltd.is collaborating with a subsidiary of Malaysia’s state-owned Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) on a deepwater multi-client survey in Mexico’s Campeche Basin in the southern Gulf of Mexico. The agreement would license to Petronas part of a wide-azimuth survey conducted by Schlumberger’s seismic business, WesternGeco. The project, Schlumberger said, follows the Mexican government’s decision to license offshore and onshore areas to private entities (see Daily GPI, Sept. 12). More than 80,000 square kilometers, or close to 31,000 square miles, of data have been acquired in the southern Gulf over the last 12 months, the oilfield services operator said.

October natural gas is set to open 2 cents higher Wednesday morning at $2.85 as traders factor in production losses resulting from weather-driven Gulf of Mexico shut-ins. Overnight oil markets fell.

Natural gas for Wednesday delivery moved little in Tuesday’s trading as the majority of market points scored modest gains of a few pennies, but a few eastern points scored double digit losses.

Staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) for Gulf South Pipeline Co.’s proposed St. Charles Parish Expansion Project in Louisiana, according to documents filed at the Commission Wednesday [CP16-478]. Gulf South has proposed construction of a new 5,000 hp compressor station near Montz, LA, about 900 feet of new 16-inch diameter pipeline connecting the new compressor station to Gulf South’s existing Index 270-94 Lateral in St. Charles Parish, and auxiliary facilities. The completed project would provide 133,333 Dth/d to serve Entergy Louisiana LLC’s proposed natural gas-fired power plant facility near Montz. Assuming regulatory approvals, Gulf South plans to begin construction in the Fall of 2017 and place the facilities in service by Sept. 1, 2018. The Commission will accept comments on the project through Sept. 23.

Williams’ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC (Transco) has filed at FERC for its Gulf Connector Project, a two-phase expansion of the pipeline’s system in Texas and Louisiana. Capacity would be used to deliver natural gas to two Gulf Coast liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.

August natural gas is set to open 6 cents higher Wednesday morning at $2.95 as overall weather forecasts continue with their outlook for increased warmth and the return of lost Gulf production remains uncertain. Overnight oil markets were mixed.

FERC Staff will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for Columbia Pipeline Group’s (CPGX) Gulf XPress (GXP) pipeline project, which would provide additional takeaway capacity from the Appalachian Basin.