Learned

Cheap natural gas, courtesy of shale plays, is bringing industry back to the United States, growing economies along the Gulf Coast, in the Northeast and elsewhere. But it has also made holding gas transportation capacity a more dicey prospect for end-users, and there is a risk that some of the energy industry’s risk management muscle could atrophy while on a diet of low prices and low volatility.

Almost three months to the day after first enacting a ban on natural gas drilling, the City of Wellsburg, WV, voted 5-3 on Tuesday night to repeal the measure.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on Tuesday fined Chesapeake Energy Corp. nearly $1.09 million for violations related to natural gas drilling operations in the Marcellus Shale.

Among the lessons to be learned from a recent study of BP plc’s Deepwater Horizon rig disaster is that risk management systems and technology need to be studied and updated, said Christopher Smith, the Department of Energy’s assistant secretary for oil and natural gas.

Among the lessons to be learned from a recent study of the BP Deepwater Horizon rig disaster is that risk management systems and technology need to be studied and updated, said Christopher Smith, the Department of Energy’s assistant secretary for oil and natural gas.

For the second time in less than a month the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) has delayed release of proposed regulations that may dictate how portions of the Marcellus Shale are developed. The proposed rules now aren’t expected until November or December.

Maritimes & Northeast U.S. (M&N) said it learned that the Sable Offshore Energy Inc. (SOEI) production facility had encountered a decrease in output volume Friday. “Due to this decrease in supply, shippers sourcing their supply from SOEI should contact their supplier to get any information that may be desired concerning the cause, extent and duration of the event, as well as the potential of this event causing supply restrictions for current and/or future gas days,” M&N said. It added that all shippers must act to avoid the creation of due-pipe imbalances and not take due-shipper imbalance paybacks.

Maritimes & Northeast U.S. (M&N) said Tuesday night it had learned that the Sable Offshore Energy Inc. production facility offshore Nova Scotia experienced a decrease in production during the April 29 gas day. However, on Wednesday morning M&N reported that output at the Sable facility had returned to normal levels and it lifted an associated restriction on imbalances.

Aboriginal and environmental protesters have learned for the second time this winter that they have lost their old power to freeze natural gas development out of northern Canada.