Kinder

Kinder Morgan Inc. (KMI) said Thursday it received clearance from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for its $22 billion management-led buyout (see Daily GPI, Dec. 20, 2006; May 31, 2006) following a settlement to resolve antitrust concerns over gasoline terminaling operations.

ConocoPhillips exercised an option to acquire a 25% stake in the Rockies Express Pipeline Project, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (KMP) and Sempra Pipelines & Storage said Friday. The oil major, whose Lower 48 natural gas output increased substantially with its acquisition of Burlington Resources (see Daily GPI, April 3), said it will move gas production on the pipeline in addition to owning a stake.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (KMP) and Sempra Pipelines and Storage are holding a binding open season through July 14 to solicit interest in extending their proposed Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) East from its currently proposed terminus at the Clarington Hub in Monroe County, OH to Oakford, PA. The 100-mile extension, which would pass through Waynesburg, PA, would provide up to 1.8 Bcf/d.

Kinder Morgan Inc. said its Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) subsidiary is moving forward with a 200,000 Dth/d expansion of its Gulf Coast and Louisiana mainlines to support greater transportation of gas from growing supply basins to the Henry Hub.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (KMP) late Wednesday said it sold its Powder River Gathering System and the Painter Unit fractionation facility in Wyoming to Momentum Energy Group LLC for approximately $43 million in cash. The parties also executed a long-term processing agreement at KMP’s Douglas processing plant. Proceeds from the sale will be used to pay down debt. KMP management said the assets were not core to the company’s strategy, which is operating transportation pipelines and terminals. KMP owns or operates more than 27,000 miles of pipelines and approximately 145 terminals. Its pipelines transport more than 2 million bbl/d of gasoline and other petroleum products and up to 9 Bcf/d of natural gas.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (KMP) and Sempra Pipelines & Storage said Tuesday they received 1.3 Bcf/d in binding, conforming commitments for two separate open seasons for the proposed Rockies Express Pipeline project (see Daily GPI, Nov. 10). The partners said they will make a final decision on the proposed west-to-east pipeline in February.

Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI) said Wednesday that subsidiary Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) plans to move forward with an expansion of its A/G Line after receiving contract commitments from Barnett Shale gas producers interested in greater market access.

In another strong endorsement, subsidiaries of EnCana Corp. and Entrega Gas Pipeline Inc. have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (KMP) and Sempra Pipelines & Storage’s 1,500 mile Rockies Express natural gas pipeline project. The pipeline, first proposed in August (see Daily GPI, Aug. 18), would be the largest domestic gas pipe proposal in more than 20 years, delivering growing gas supplies from the Rocky Mountains to upper Midwest and eastern U.S. markets.

Kinder Morgan Inc.’s Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) warned shippers Tuesday that it will have to take a 35-mile portion of pipeline on its Amarillo leg between Harper, IA, and compressor station 110 in Geneseo, IL, out of service starting Sept. 1 and lasting for five to seven weeks in order to test and possibly repair the pipeline.