Maker

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) and a Silicon Valley maker of measurement instruments, Picarro Inc., have expanded their collaboration on a technology for detecting natural gas pipeline leaks. PG&E will deploy six of the vehicle-mounted Picarro Surveyor gas leak detectors. PG&E said it is the first utility in the nation to use the new technology (see Daily GPI, Feb. 3). Picarro and PG&E contend that the leak detection equipment is 1,000 times more sensitive than traditional leak detection equipment with capability to detect leaks down to one part-per-billion in ambient air while reducing false positives from naturally occurring methane.

Gulf Coast petrochemicals maker TPC Group Inc. on Monday agreed to be taken private by First Reserve Corp. and SK Capital Partners in a cash-and-debt transaction valued at $850 million.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) and a Silicon Valley maker of measurement instruments said Monday they have collaborated on a technology for more accurately detecting natural gas pipeline leaks. PG&E is the first utility in the nation to begin applying the new equipment in its upgraded pipeline safety programs.

A major U.S. microturbine maker has found a new niche market for its onsite combined heat-and-power generating systems. Los Angeles-based Capstone Turbine Corp. is finding rapid growth for its products in the oil and gas patch.

Texas-based Peterbilt Motors Co., a major North American maker of trucks used in long-haul transportation fleets, said it is selling 180 liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled trucks to Canadian-based trucking company Robert Transport in Quebec. A Peterbilt spokesperson told NGI Tuesday that the company is pursuing a national market of LNG-fueled rigs.

A week after the natural gas transmission pipeline tragedy in the San Francisco Bay Area, gas remained a headline-maker whether it involved speculation on city sewer work somehow contributing to the explosion and fire, or lawmakers proposing safeguards. Routine gas utility distribution pipeline breaks and reports of gas odors were being tracked as potential major events.

Wheeling, WV-based Ormet Primary Aluminum Corp., one of the three largest primary aluminum producers in the United States, said Wednesday it has issued two requests for proposals, seeking up to 553 MW of power supply, up to 6.8 Bcf/year of gas supply and complete utilization of Ormet’s substantial demand-side resources and dynamic scheduling, which provides control area and ancillary services. The RFPs are for service starting Jan. 1, 2005. Proposals are due April 8.

In addition to the shock surrounding the latest on the unraveling of market-maker Enron, natural gas traders and market watchers were rocked again Wednesday by another in a string of bearish reports by the American Gas Association. The group announced that 12 Bcf was injected into underground storage facilities for the week ending Nov. 23, bringing gas levels to a record 3,144 Bcf. In a fitting twist, December natural gas futures spiraled lower on the news, surpassing previous lows reached early in 1999, just weeks after storage levels had crested a new peak (at that time) of 3,127 Bcf.

The nation’s leading maker of microturbines, Chatsworth, CA-based Capstone Turbine Corp., and the on-site generator part of Columbus, IN-based Cummins Inc. inked a three-year deal that could be worth $10-15 million during its first two years. Cummins will market Capstone’s commercially available 30 kW and 60 kW microturbines as part of its stationary power systems. The deal seeks to marry Capstone’s technological advantages with Cummins’ worldwide market presence.