Legislative

With about a month to go in the regular legislative session, Texas lawmakers are again inching their way toward changing up the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), including its name, or maybe not.

During the last days of the legislative session, Alaska lawmakers passed one bill intended to revive the state’s declining oil production by cutting taxes, and another to advance development of an in-state pipeline that would commercialize North Slope natural gas reserves for use by Alaskans.

While both oil and gas production rates in the Bakken Shale set records in February, there’s much more to come. With a large increase in multi-well pad operations, North Dakota’s chief oil and natural gas regulator expects to see “a big surge in production” in the Bakken Shale starting in June.

During the last days of the legislative session, Alaska lawmakers passed one bill intended to revive the state’s declining oil production by cutting taxes, and another to advance development of an in-state pipeline that would commercialize North Slope natural gas reserves for use by Alaskans.

Illinois business and labor organizations joined with Ameren Illinois Tuesday to outline a legislative proposal that could, over 10 years, accelerate rebuilding aging natural gas delivery infrastructure while maintaining regulatory oversight.

Hoping to head off threats of a state moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking), Illinois state legislative, oil/natural gas industry and environmental leaders on Thursday announced agreement on a bipartisan bill (HB 2615) establishing rules on the use of the contested well stimulation practice.

Responding to a legislative mandate, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Wednesday launched a rulemaking to examine how to integrate biomethane into the state’s extensive natural gas pipeline grid.

When considering the increased rate that wells are getting connected to gathering pipeline systems, North Dakota is “turning the corner” on the volumes of natural gas flaring despite the relatively high percentage of associated gas that is still being burned at the wellhead, state officials told NGI’s Shale Daily.

Tom Hassenboehler, who has been vice president of policy development and legislative affairs at America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) since January 2011, is taking over as chief counsel for the Energy and Power Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over controversial energy and environmental issues. Hassenboehler previously worked on Capitol Hill for a decade as counsel for Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) on the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, and as counsel on the House Energy and Commerce panel. He also worked in the offices of former Reps. Billy Tauzin (R-LA) and Bob Riley (R-AL). Hassenboehler will succeed Maryam Brown, whom House Speaker John Boehner tapped to be his top energy aide, according to sources. He has a bachelor’s degree and juris doctorate from Louisiana State University.