Investigating

The Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB) is investigating the causes of two separate incidents affecting Spectra Energy Corp. facilities north of Fort St. John, British Columbia (BC).

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Shell Appalachia are investigating a methane gas migration issue first discovered last week in Tioga County, PA.

BP plc said Tuesday it was investigating the cause of an explosion Monday morning at its Pinon natural gas compressor station in western Colorado. One worker was killed and two others were injured.

The House Natural Resources Committee has been investigating changes made to a report that suggested the post-Macondo well blowout moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico was supported by a panel of engineering experts, when in fact it wasn’t.

California regulators are investigating allegations by union members that there are flaws in the welds and corrosion repairs that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) completed last year as part of its testing, repair and replacement of more than 160 miles of natural gas transmission and distribution pipeline running through high consequence areas (HCA).

Enbridge Inc. is investigating the report of a small natural gas leak in West Cameron Block 275, 66 miles off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), the Calgary-based company said late Tuesday.

Idaho regulators have begun investigating proposed natural gas and electric generation rate increases for Spokane, WA-based Avista Utilities, which serves 122,500 retail electric customers and 74,200 gas customers in the northern part of the state. Avista is seeking a 3.7%, or $9 million, annual electric rate hike and a 2.7%, or $1.9 million, increase annually on the gas side. Overall, Avista is asking for an 8.49% rate of return and a 10.9% return on equity. The utility asked for an Aug. 5 effective date and the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC)suspended the gas and electric increase requests for six month to allow time for the PUC’s standard review. In the meantime, Avista’s Idaho customers will see rate hikes Oct. 1 — 3.9% on the power side and 0.72% for gas — based on the second-year payment of a settlement for Avista’s general rate case last year. The earlier case increased electric rates 9.25% and gas 1.9% over a two-year period for Avista.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is investigating the source of methane found in some water wells and a nearby stream in Lycoming County, DEP said Friday.

CenterPoint Energy officials are investigating what caused one of the company’s gas lines to explode last Thursday morning around 8 a.m. in Minneapolis, MN. While the explosion and resulting fireball could be seen for miles, no injuries were reported and repair work was under way.