Massachusetts

Iberdrola SA’s proposed acquisition of Portland, ME-based Energy East — which serves 900,000 natural gas customers and 1.8 million electricity customers in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York — for an estimated $4.5 billion has been authorized by FERC.

Chevron Corp. and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are partnering to develop remote, ultra-deepwater exploration and production technology. The $5 million Chevron Remote and Ultra-Deepwater Research Program will focus on accessing hydrocarbons in water depths of 3,000 meters and deeper.

Chevron Corp. and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have teamed up to develop remote, ultra-deepwater exploration and production technology. The $5 million Chevron Remote and Ultra-Deepwater Research Program will focus on developing technologies to access hydrocarbons in water depths up to and deeper than 3,000 meters in a safe, cost effective and environmentally friendly manner. The program includes the sponsorship of two named fellowships — the Chevron Energy Fellows — and makes Chevron a sustaining member of the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI), which was created to address global energy issues. The five-year program also will support MITEI’s energy research seed fund to promote the development of a broad range of novel, innovative energy technologies and concepts across the institute.

The attorney general for New Hampshire Tuesday released a report on petroleum markets that examines the gasoline and heating oil markets in his state and Massachusetts, Maine, New York and Vermont. The 330-page report also includes information on the difficulties and high costs of converting from a heating oil system to a natural gas system.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has suspended review of the proposed Weaver’s Cove liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal following an unfavorable decision by the U.S. Coast Guard last month that the agency says “casts serious doubt as to the feasibility of the project.”

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has suspended review of the proposed Weaver’s Cove liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal following an unfavorable decision by the U.S. Coast Guard last month that the agency says “casts serious doubt as to the feasibility of the project.”

Federal regulators filed a civil complaint last Tuesday against a Massachusetts company and the firm’s principal alleging that they defrauded investors of at least $9 million by promising high returns on investments in oil and natural gas leases.

Federal regulators filed a civil complaint Tuesday against a Massachusetts company and the firm’s principal alleging that they defrauded investors of at least $9 million by promising high returns on investments in oil and natural gas leases.

Newfoundland LNG launched plans last week to build North America’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage and transshipment facility at Grassy Point on Placentia Bay in southeastern Newfoundland. The St. John’s, NF-based company is expecting a burgeoning market for LNG transshipment facilities for overseas imports entering the North American marketplace because of the economics of the LNG trade in the Atlantic Basin.