Leaving

Energy price declines eventually will dampen the economics for various alternative energy projects, leaving the administration of President-elect Obama to rediscover natural gas as the “fuel of choice.” This was one of the insights Wednesday from a panel discussing “economical sources of supply” on the second day of the LDC Forum Rockies & West Conference in Irvine, CA.

ANR said it has begun engine maintenance at the Greenville (MS) Compressor Station, which is reducing total Southeast Mainline capacity by 300 MMcf/d (leaving 985 MMcf/d available) through Monday. Based on current nominations, ANR said, it is anticipated that the reduction may result in the curtailment of Interruptible and Firm Secondary services. ANR also said that due to unplanned line maintenance at South Marsh Island 10, gas upstream of the offshore platform was required to shut in Tuesday and Wednesday. The action affected five meters.

Leaving telltale signs that may be traced to renewable natural gas (RNG) from animal waste, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) and its alternative energy partner BioEnergy Solutions struck paydirt last week in a biogas-to-pipeline injection project in the agricultural fields of Fresno County in California. It is the first project in the state to deliver pipeline-quality RNG to a utility, according to PG&E.

Leaving telltale signs that can only be renewable natural gas (RNG) from animal waste, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and its alternative energy partner BioEnergy Solutions struck paydirt Tuesday in a biogas-to-pipeline injection project in the agricultural fields of Fresno County in California. It is the first project in the state to deliver pipeline-quality RNG to a utility, according to PG&E.

The Senate before leaving for the Christmas holiday last Wednesday confirmed FERC Chairman Joseph Kelliher and Commissioner Jon Wellinghoff for second terms on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, putting an end to a nail-biting wait for Kelliher whose nomination had been pending in the Senate since May.

A month from a key bankruptcy court hearing on its reorganization plan for leaving Chapter 11 at year-end, San Jose, CA-based Calpine Corp. last Tuesday said an independent analysis has lowered by $900 million its projected value if it leaves bankruptcy protection Dec. 31. The initial Wall Street reaction was negative.

Pacific Gas & Electric kept a systemwide high-inventory OFO issued for Saturday in effect through Sunday, leaving the tolerance for positive daily imbalances at 5% but upgrading the OFO from Stage 2 to Stage 3 and raising noncompliance penalties from $1/Dth to $5/Dth. The OFO was lifted Monday.

Rising costs are accompanying an unprecedented building surge in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and pipeline/storage projects in North America, leaving companies like Sempra Energy that are far along in project development sitting in strong bargaining positions, a panel of industry CEOs and CFOs emphasized last week at the Citi Power, Gas and Utilities Conference in Charleston, SC. Even with ever-higher costs, the panelists think lucrative returns will continue for all three gas sectors — LNG, pipelines and storage.

Rising costs are accompanying an unprecedented building surge in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and pipeline/storage projects in North America, leaving companies like Sempra Energy that are far along in project development sitting in strong bargaining positions, a panel of industry CEOs and CFOs emphasized Thursday at the Citi Power, Gas and Utilities Conference in Charleston, SC. Even with ever-higher costs, the panelists think lucrative returns will continue for all three gas sectors — LNG, pipelines and storage.