Mission

With a mission to fend off the development of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in California, a coalition of environmental groups, “Ratepayers for Affordable Clean Energy (RACE),” challenged a nearly year-old natural gas procurement decision by state regulators in a California appeals court Wednesday. RACE is asking that the court overturn the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) decision last year authorizing the state’s major utilities to sign long-term LNG supply contracts.

The Uncle John semi-submersible drilling vessel will enter the Gulf of Mexico later this month to embark on a 35-day mission to test drilling through methane hydrates with two pairs of deep wells. Methane hydrate, which is called the “ice that burns” because it releases a flammable gas when it melts, may represent up to 200,000 Tcf of natural gas, according to the DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy. But the industry is years away from understanding how to tap the resource.

The Uncle John semi-submersible drilling vessel will enter the Gulf of Mexico later this month to embark on a 35-day mission to map out methane hydrates with two pairs of deep wells. Methane hydrate, which is called the “ice that burns” because it releases a flammable gas when it melts, may represent up to 200,000 Tcf of natural gas, according to the DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy.

The governor of Wyoming sent a letter to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Pinedale, WY, office this week conditionally supporting Questar’s proposed year-round Pinedale Anticline drilling program.

To reiterate its strong ties to the U.S. energy industry, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein led a trade mission to New York this month to meet with investment companies and business leaders to encourage continuing oil and gas investments that have made the province Canada’s energy capital.

To reiterate its strong ties to the U.S. energy industry, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein led a trade mission to New York this month to meet with investment companies and business leaders to encourage continuing oil and gas investments that have made the province Canada’s energy capital.

Anticipating the development of a natural gas pipeline in the Mackenzie Delta Valley to move supplies to the Lower 48, Ensign Resource Service Group Inc. and Gwich’in Development Corp. (GDC) have teamed up in a joint venture to provide drilling and oilfield services in the Northwest Territories. Ensign, based in Calgary, is Canada’s second largest drilling firm, and has given GDC, an aboriginal company, a 51% stake in the deal establishing Gwich’in Ensign Oilfield Services Inc. (GEOS).

Edison Mission Energy (EME), an affiliate of Southern California Edison, said it has acquired the rights to a 320 MW natural gas-fired peaking power facility in Kern County — which could be online by next August — and is offering to sell the power to the state.

Edison Mission Energy (EME), an affiliate of Southern CaliforniaEdison, said it has acquired the rights to a 320 MW naturalgas-fired peaking power facility in Kern County — which could beonline by next August — and is offering to sell the power to thestate.