Intended

The Texas Senate on Friday passed a bill (HB 788) intended to make the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) the state’s permitting authority for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions sources, sidestepping the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where permitting bottlenecks are said to be holding up projects.

Sunoco Logistics Partners LP is holding a binding open season for its Mariner South Pipeline, which is intended to transport export-grade propane and butane, from Lone Star NGL LLC’s storage and fractionation complex in Mont Belvieu, TX, to Sunoco Logistics’ terminal in Nederland, TX. The pipeline is to be available for other natural gas liquids and petroleum products depending on shipper interest, Sunoco said. Initial capacity is expected to be 200,000 b/d and could be scaled to support higher volumes as needed. The pipeline is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2015. For information, visit www.sunocologistics.com/marinersouth.

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell on Wednesday filed legislation intended to provide cheaper energy to Interior Alaskans by giving the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) the ability to provide up to $275 million in financing for a natural gas liquefaction plant and for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) distribution system within the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) will consider 35 applications for water withdrawals, most of them intended to support natural gas drilling, at its next meeting in mid-December.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced Friday that it has finalized new guidelines intended to expedite the drilling permit application process.

Energy & Exploration Partners Inc. on Monday said in a filing with U.S. regulators that it intended to raise up to $275 million through an initial public offering (IPO) of its common stock. In conjunction with the filing, the producer said it had agreed to buy acreage in the Eaglebine formation of Texas from Chesapeake Energy Corp. for $125 million.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said Thursday it will publish a draft version of new guidelines intended to expedite the drilling permit application process. DEP will accept public comments on its proposals until Oct. 1.

Southcross Energy is expanding the capacity of its Bonnie View Fractionator, which is nearing completion in Refugio County in South Texas. Initial capacity was intended to be 11,500 b/d of natural gas liquids (NGL), but that has been increased to 22,500 b/d. The facility is expected to operate at the higher capacity beginning in January. The fractionator is connected to the Seadrift ethane and propane products pipelines and will have truck-loading facilities to ship and receive NGL products. Completion of this project will bring Dallas-based Southcross Energy’s fractionation capacity in the Corpus Christi, TX, area to 27,300 b/d. About a year ago Southcross acquired about 58 miles of 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-inch diameter natural gas pipelines in San Patricio and Refugio counties (see Shale Daily, July 6, 2011).

Energy Transfer Partners LP’s (ETP) latest acquisition is intended to grow the partnership’s pipeline footprint, not in natural gas but in the far more lucrative crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL). The focus on oil and liquids is a sign of the times as ETP intends to convert some gas pipelines to crude oil service. It’s not the only midstream player planning to re-purpose gas pipelines, a consultant pointed last week, suggesting that there are more conversions to come.