Hurdles

In the rush to get more gathering and processing infrastructure in place to handle currently flared Bakken Shale associated gas, some hurdles are being met by wells with heavy concentrations of sour gas, or high hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels, according to North Dakota energy officials.

BP plc still faces legal hurdles, but it jumped a big one after clinching a hard-fought settlement earlier this month with the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee (PSC) to resolve a “substantial majority of legitimate economic loss and medical claims” from the Macondo well blowout two years ago in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The PSC acts on behalf of thousands of individuals and businesses in the multi-district litigation (MDL) proceedings pending in New Orleans (MDL 2179).

BP plc still faces legal hurdles, but it jumped a big one late Friday after clinching a hard-fought settlement with the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee (PSC) to resolve a “substantial majority of legitimate economic loss and medical claims” from the Macondo well blowout two years ago in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The PSC acts on behalf of thousands of individuals and businesses in the multi-district litigation (MDL) proceedings pending in New Orleans (MDL 2179).

The recent domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG) export deal struck by BG Group and Cheniere Energy Partners will have to overcome a number of hurdles to be economic, but it offers BG security of supply with which to serve its global LNG clientele, an analyst told NGI.

The recent domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG) export deal struck by BG Group and Cheniere Energy Partners will have to overcome a number of hurdles to be economic, but it offers BG security of supply with which to serve its global LNG clientele, an analyst told NGI.

The energy security risks of the United States worsened significantly in 2010, but shale gas has the potential to improve the security of natural gas supplies and lower energy costs, according to the second edition of an annual report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy.

Obama administration officials have put hurdles in the way of “meaningful” financial regulatory reform, which includes first-time regulation of the nearly $500 trillion over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives market, said a Republican senator Tuesday.

Obama administration officials have put hurdles in the way of “meaningful” financial regulatory reform, which includes first-time regulation of the nearly $500 trillion over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives market, said a Republican senator Tuesday.

ExxonMobil is drawing closer to completing its $41 billion acquisition of U.S. independent XTO Energy Inc. The company said in a regulatory filing that the deal cleared regulatory hurdles in the United States. and The Netherlands. “The applicable waiting period provided under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended…expired on March 15, 2010 without the issuance of a second request,” ExxonMobil said. “The Dutch Competition Authority provided a regulatory clearance of the pending merger on March 9, 2010. Closing of the transaction remains subject to approval by the shareholders of XTO Energy and the satisfaction (or, to the extent permitted by applicable law, waiver) of the other conditions provided in the merger agreement among the parties.” The combination of the companies would add about 45 Tcfe to ExxonMobil’s resource base and lift its gas weighting to 45% (see NGI, Dec. 21, 2009).