Installing

The number of “felt” manmade earthquakes induced by hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in oil and natural gas operations is negligible, the chair of a major report on seismicity activity told a Senate panel Tuesday. However the disposal of the water associated with fracking of shale gas wells is linked to increased quake activity, an official with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Questar Pipeline Co. (QPC) is holding a binding open season through Feb. 18 for firm capacity that would be created by modifying and installing facilities on its system for delivery of higher-Btu gas to Chipeta Processing LLC or other Uinta Basin processors, the pipeline said.

In a summer in which demand response has become a new mantra for the power industry, Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas and Electric Co. announced Monday it has begun installing what it is calling its “first wave” of advanced electric meters in a field test that will go on for a number of months. The high-tech meters enable two-way communications between the utility and customers in their homes or businesses.

Coastal Corp.’s Gulfstream Natural Gas System has sent a requestfor quotation (RFQ) to 10 pre-qualified contractors forinstallation of the offshore portion of its proposed 744-milenatural gas pipeline from Alabama across the Gulf of Mexico toFlorida.

El Paso Energy yesterday announced subsidiaries would developits interest in the Prince prospect, installing a multi-purposetension leg platform (TLP), in the Ewing Bank Block 958 unit in theGulf of Mexico.

Sonat will be installing facilities today for tie-in of theSandy Hook Line to its system on the Franklinton-Gwinville lines inMississippi, which will require the shut-in of a total of 19 metersin the Hub, Sandy Hook and Dexter fields. The work is expected totake one day but may be extended if problems are encountered. Sonatalso reported beginning maintenance at the Muldon (MS) StorageField that will continue through Oct. 2. The pipeline declared aforce majeure in connection with the project but is not surewhether injection/withdrawal restrictions will be necessary for CSScustomers.

Just in case there were any doubters still out there, AlliancePipeline says it now has nine of 10 mainline construction crews inthe field installing the $3 billion pipeline system. The crewsstarted construction on two spreads in North Dakota, one inMinnesota, two in Iowa and one in Illinois. Two spreads inSaskatchewan are to start today and one early next week.