Inspections

One quarter into the 2021 fiscal year, the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is ahead of its goal to have 5% or less of the oil and natural gas wells in the state uninspected at least once every five years. Only 4.28% of the nearly 440,000 wells in Texas have not been inspected at least…

Texas oil and gas regulators are planning to step up their enforcement abilities, including through the enhanced use of drones, to improve oversight of the massive energy industry. The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) outlined its fiscal year (FY) 2021 strategic priorities, with a big goal to accurately monitor and enforce major oil and gas…

A bill advancing through the Kansas Legislature would amend existing regulatory law and give the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) explicit authority over hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

Bison Pipeline reported that the section of pipe damaged in a July 20 rupture had been repaired, and it was beginning inline inspections Thursday as part of the restoration plan, allowing it to accept up to 200,000 Dth/d of nominations for Friday’s gas day.

CIG said one unit at Mocane Compressor Station will be out of service July 26-30 for mechanical inspections, during which station capacity will be reduced form 66 MMcf/d to 29 MMcf/d. Firm capacity at Mocane is currently subscribed at the 30 MMcf/d level, CIG said.

In an interview this week, former Minerals Management Service (MMS) director Johnnie Burton defended the agency’s oversight and inspections of oil and natural gas rigs in the Gulf of Mexico during her tenure.

As a result of the completion of inspections after Hurricane Ike, Sea Robin lifted Tuesday the OFO that it issued Aug. 30 for all receipt points.

Northwest reduced available capacity at Sumas from 1,313,000 Dth/d to 800,000 Dth/d due to engine damage discovered during routine inspections on Units 7 and 8 at the Sumas Compressor Station. Current net southbound nominations through Sumas are approximately 692,000 Dth/d, Northwest said. Emergency repairs are under way and Unit 7 is expected to be in service as early as Tuesday, while Unit 8 is expected to return to service March 16, it added. Available capacity will increase to 1,000,000 Dth/d when unit 7 is placed back in service, and the station design capacity of 1,313,000 Dth/d will be restored when both units are available for service. If primary nominations exceed 800,000 Dth/d prior to Unit 7 returning to service, Northwest said it will declare a deficiency period and cut nominations accordingly. “If customers require additional supply, Northwest suggests that they source gas from Alberta or Rockies interconnections,” the pipeline said.

As previously posted (see Daily GPI, Aug. 13), Southern Natural Gas has been performing inspections on the 26-inch diameter line downstream of Gate 6 (where a rupture occurred recently in a 20-inch diameter line) and installing an interim solution at Gate 6 to allow Main Pass area volumes to flow into the 26-inch line. The interim solution at Gate 6 and the anomaly inspection on the 26-inch line have been completed, Southern said, and effective with the Intraday 2 nominations cycle Tuesday and until further notice it is allowing about 650,000 Dth/d to flow into the 26-inch line. See the bulletin board for a list of affected points.