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Former Iowa utility regulator John Norris will be sworn in Monday by FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff, becoming the newest member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Former Iowa utility regulator John Norris is to be sworn in Monday by FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff, becoming the newest member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Senate confirmed Norris in late December, ending a three-month stalemate over his nomination (see NGI, Jan. 4). Norris, a Democrat, joins Wellinghoff, a Democrat; Commissioner Philip D. Moeller, a Republican; and Commissioner Marc Spitzer, a Republican. One Democrat seat will be vacant. Because the political make-up of the Commission will be evenly split, at least for the time being, the agency in the coming months could be tied on certain energy orders, which would prevent them from being voted out. The White House reportedly is looking at two prominent female state commissioners — Colette D. Honorable, a member of the Arkansas Public Service Commission; and Lauren Azar, a member of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission — to succeed former Commissioner Suedeen Kelly, who left the agency in late December. Norris will finish the term vacated by former FERC Chairman Joseph Kelliher, which expires on June 30, 2012. Norris was a board member and chairman of the Iowa Utilities Board from March 2005 until early 2009. Prior to joining FERC, Norris was chief of staff for Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Despite short- and long-term contracts for liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies at its newest of two North American LNG terminals, San Diego-based Sempra Energy remains unconcerned about the lack of any commercial shipments through its new Cameron, LA, facility in the third quarter, executives said last Monday.

Despite short- and long-term contracts for liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies at its newest of two North American LNG terminals, San Diego-based Sempra Energy remains unconcerned about the lack of any commercial shipments through its new Cameron, LA, facility in the third quarter, executives said Monday.

WSI Corp. held firm to its forecast of an active 2008 Atlantic hurricane season in its newest tropical forecast, continuing to call for 14 named storms and eight hurricanes, including four intense hurricanes (Category 3 or greater) to form by Nov. 30.

Backers of the newest of three proposals for an offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal along the Southern California coast, Port Esperanza off of the Huntington Beach-Long Beach area, have been asked by the U.S. Coast Guard to complete a lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) impact assessment from the gas source to the burner tip.

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) held last week in Houston showcased some of the newest technology for the oilpatch, but investors looking for the next big thing will have to wait at least three to five years before any of the touted innovations make their mark, Raymond James & Associates energy analysts said in a report Monday.

Looking to increase system reliability of the eastern United States, Hardy Storage Co. LLC said Monday natural gas is now being stored in the nation’s newest storage field. The company began accepting nominations for injections this week at the new facility in Hardy and Hampshire Counties, WV.

Some of the newest U.S. natural gas wells are depleting at a rate of 50% a year, which is “not a terribly surprising thing,” Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. Chairman Mark Siegel said last week. What is a surprise, he said, is the furious expansion in domestic gas drilling — nearly 32,500 wells were drilled in 2006, compared with less than 17,500 just five years ago.